The Litterbox

If you are cat owner, you already know that the first problem you will have to deal with is if your cat starts to spray.

In addition to urinating out of physiological necessity, many cats use their urine to mark their territory, to let other cats know they have been there or to give an area its own special smell. This behavior is called urine spraying.

The statistic shows that urine spraying constitutes 44% of all housesoiling complaints. The frequency of spraying in single cat households is approximately 25% and near to 100% in multi-cat households with over ten cats.

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House cats are wonderful creatures. They love to play, they catch mice and other rodents, and they make cuddly companions. Since they can’t speak verbally, cats communicate in other ways. They purr when they’re content, hiss when they’re upset, and they also have a tendency to spray urine for a number of reasons. If this is a problem in your house, then you need to know how to break your cat’s spraying habit.

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Though spraying can be a symptom of a medical condition, it can also be due to stress associated with a new person in the home, new carpet, remodeling or the presence of a neighbor cat. Here’s how to redirect your cat to the litter box.

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The cat backs up to the door, lifts the tail and releases a fine spray of urine. Yes, your cat is spraying. You have a problem. But one you can solve.

Figures from the British Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors say that aggression in dogs and marking behavior in cats are the biggest behavior problems in the UK pet population.

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Cats sometimes engage in a behavior called urine spraying or urine marking. The cat stands, backs up to an object, holds his tail up erect and quivering, and releases urine out backwards onto the object. The urine sprayed differs chemically from the urine cats normally release from a squatting position because it also contains oily secretions from the anal glands. Sprayed urine is extremely pungent. Some people describe it as smelling like ammonia; others say it has a heavy musky odor. Cats occasionally spray from a squatting position.

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Cats do not come into this world knowing how to use a litterbox. Kittens learn how to use a litterbox from their mother around 4 weeks of age. If orphaned kittens are found, the caretaker must be responsible for introducing, or imprinting the litter box concept.

Most kittens learn how to use a litter box very quickly. Most often we hear horror stories from cat owners on how their cat has been going to the bathroom in everyplace BUT the litterbox.

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All felines CCHS puts up for adoption are known to use the litterbox. However, it is desirable to confine your new pet to the room with the litterbox when she is first brought home, so she can learn its location.

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If you’re having a hard time persuading your cat to use the litter box, it just may be time to draw a line in the sand. Most cats prefer eliminating on a loose, grainy substance, which is why they quickly learn to use a litter box. But when their preferences include the laundry basket, the bed, or the Persian rug, you may find yourself with a difficult problem. By taking a closer look at your cat’s environment, you should be able to identify factors that have contributed to the problem, and make changes that encourage your cat to head for the litter box once again. The most common reasons why cats don’t use the litter box are an aversion to the box, such as dislike of a covered box, or dissatisfaction with the depth of the litter. Two other common reasons are a preference for a particular type of litter not provided in the box, or a preference for a particular location where there is no box.

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Litterbox and Spraying problems can be discouraging, but there is help. Understanding what triggers the behavior is the first step. Whether it’s caused by a urinary tract infection, a cat outside that may be triggering a territorial response, a new home, a new baby, discomfort associated with the litterbox, type of litter, depth of litter, covered versus uncovered boxes, location and number of boxes, or the addition of a new household pet, there is help for you and your cat. Please understand that punishment is not the answer, and may in fact may the situation worse.

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The most common behavioural complaint about cats presented to animal behaviour consultants in North America is house-soiling. The typical presentation is that of a cat that both uses its litterbox and eliminates outside of it. It is also typical for the cat to deposit only urine or stool outside the box, but not usually both.

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