How To Solve Cat House Training Problems

Tips for dealing with cat litter box problems.

cat training, toilet train your cat
The most difficult part of solving inappropriate elimination problems is figuring out the cause.

Unfortunately, cats are extremely sensitive to change - and if your cat had been consistently eliminating in the litter box and then suddenly stopped, something has changed whether you are aware of it or not.

So the objective is to figure out what’s changed.

Here are a couple of things to think about:

The most important thing to consider when trying to figure out what caused the house soiling problem is: Approximately when did this behavior start?

2nd most important: Are you certain it’s not a health issue such as an Urinary Tract Infection? (The #1 symptom of an UTI is sudden litter box avoidance)

Here are a few other questions to consider that will help you pinpoint the cause:

  • Did anything at all change near the time when the behavior started? (Try to think of everything, no matter how miniscule it seems)
  • Have you recently moved to a new house?
  • Did you recently introduce a new cat/dog/ferret/roommate into your home?
  • Have any of the litter boxes been moved? (Maybe he or she tends to routinely use one certain box and that particular one was moved)
  • Did you rearrange or add any new furniture to your house?
  • Are you 100% sure this cat is the one not using the box?
  • Are any of your cats not getting along?

Inter-cat tension is actually a lot harder to spot than most owners realize. Your cats may not be physically fighting with each other, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are getting along. One cat may even be "silently" intimidating another, but the owner isn’t aware of it.

If you’re sure you know which cat isn’t using the litter box, and you know which litter box that cat typically uses, keep an eye out to see if any of your other cats are spending extra time "hanging out" near that box.

If you have any covered litter boxes, pay close attention to any cats that tend to sit on top of the litter box.

One surefire method of retraining a stubborn cat is to put the cat in a nearly empty room for a day or two, with only a few toys, a scratching post, water, a bed and a litter box.

Use this technique to house train your cat and don’t allow free access to the rest of the house until the cat is completely retrained and no longer eliminates outside of the litter box.

Some people are shocked when they realize just how many things can cause a house soiling problem. What they don’t realize is that a cat’s bathroom habits are actually a very complex and delicate piece of a cat’s life, and it can be easily disturbed.

Get more information about litter box behavior problems today here

By Liz Barton

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