Why your cat’s stopped using its litterbox and how to fix this problem

Why your cat’s stopped using its litterbox and how to fix this problem

If your cat has recently stopped using its litterbox when relieving himself, it is important that you know that there are two main reasons why cats can stop using the litter tray or litterbox.

The reasons may be that your cat has bad hygienic habits or because it is a very territorial cat.
You must learn to differentiate the reasons that lead them to relieve themselves outside the litterbox, but don’t worry, it is not very difficult to catch the trick.

Bad hygiene habits

If you see that the cat urinates or defecates anywhere, including your favorite furniture, sitting down for it and at the end they scratch the surface to try to hide the remains, your cat has bad hygienic habits.

But why can cats have this behavior? Check out these reasons.

It has not been taught as a child

Do not blame the cat for not using its tray or litterbox as it may have bad habits simply because he did not have an example as a child. It is normal for cats to acquire these habits by imitating their mother, but it may be that your kitten has not had that opportunity to learn.

Physiological problems

One of the reasons for this lack of use of the litter tray are physiological factors. They may have urinary tract infections, kidney stones, or it may be difficult to control the sphincter. In these cases it is convenient to take them to the vet for a remedy.

Associate the litterbox or tray to a bad moment

Cats can associate the use of the litterbox with unpleasant moments, such as when trimming their nails, brushing … etc. It is convenient that every time the kitten uses the litterbox, he is rewarded with a treat or caressed to show him that he has done well.

On the other hand, it is very interesting that we take the kitten to the tray once he finishes eating or when he wakes up from a nap, since they are usually times when the cat takes advantage of to relieve himself.

Lack of cleanliness

Another reason why the cat has stopped using the tray is due to lack of hygiene. Cats are very clean animals and they like to find their litter box clean and odorless.
Try using a litter from our LightWeight range that gives off a pleasant scent when in contact with the liquid and also stays clean for longer due to its great binding power.

 

Mark the territory

If you observe that your cat, without taking a sitting position, does its business against vertical surfaces (walls, doors, legs of chairs and tables or similar), you have a more territorial animal than usual (if that is possible) and marks its territory whenever you can.

As a general rule, cats are super territorial if they see other cats prowling around close to home or if you add a new member to the pack. In addition, if they have some anxiety they will also mark their habitat more assiduously to feel more secure. In order for you to get us to use the litterbox again in these cases, you will have to ask an expert for help so that you can modify this inappropriate behavior.

What you should always keep in mind is that they do not do these things to annoy you. So, please, forget about the punishments and help them remedy so that they can get back to doing their little things in the litterbox.

If you need futher information abour cat’s care or information, do not hesitate to visit our blog.

 

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