Is Your Cat Pooping Outside the Litter Box in Granger, IN? Here are 6 Tips to Stop This Behavior

Cats usually are very easy to litter box train. Using a sandbox inside the house is very natural for most cats. This is because cats will elect to use this kind of area in the wild to do their business.

If you have a cat not using the litter box properly, you might be frustrated. Accidents outside the box can be a messy problem and one that leads to issues with your other cats copying this behavior. This is one of the most common reasons for people choosing to make their indoor cat live outside.

If you have a cat that is choosing to poop outside of the litter box, you will want to check out these tips to stop this behavior.

Tips to Stop Your Cat from Pooping Outside the Litter Box

The solution to your cat pooping outside the litter box could be simple, try out these tips below.

1. Change the Litter

Some scented litters are too smelly for cats who are picky about the scent of their litter box. Your cat might react to the perfume-like smell of the litter you have purchased and choose not to use the box. In some cases, the scent is not the issue, and it’s the texture that is an issue.

If your cat is avoiding the litter box, changing to a different litter can make your cat much happier with their litter box. Some cats prefer coarse litter or unscented litter or react to dust in their litter box and avoid using it. Finding the right kind of litter for their needs can make all the difference.

2. Keep the Box Clean

If your cat is not using the litter box, you need to look with a critical eye at how often you are cleaning the box. It would be best if you are cleaning the litter box out at least once a day. If you skip days or let the litter box get too dirty, your cat might avoid using it.

Cats are very picky about their sandbox conditions, and you might be able to solve the issue with ease just by cleaning your litter box. If your cat is very picky about a clean box, you might consider a self-cleaning box.

3. Location

Some cats will feel uncomfortable or scared about using the litter box if it is not in the correct location. Placing the litter box in a hallway or a place that gets a lot of traffic can discourage your cat from using the box. It is always a good idea to put your litter box in a quiet place where your cat can use it in peace.

The location of the litter box can be crucial as well if you have dogs or other animals in the house that might chase your cat when they are getting in or out of the box. Make sure that you think about where the litter box is located. It’s not fair to get annoyed at your cat for making messes outside the box if the location is the reason for their struggles.

4. Use More Than One Box

For homes with more than one cat, you might want to have more than one box in the house. Cats can be territorial over all kinds of different spaces, and litter boxes can be on the list. Making it easy for cats that are not at the top of the pecking order to go to the bathroom can significantly impact this behavior.

Offering up a few litter boxes will make it much more likely that your cats will all have a place to go to the bathroom. Having more cleaning work to do each day is not a big deal if you don’t have to clean up messes outside and around the box.

5. Visit the Vet

Sometimes poor litter box behavior is related to medical conditions. You should consider taking your cat to the veterinarian to make sure that they are not suffering from a food allergy or some other medical condition that is causing this kind of behavior.

Even if your pet is experiencing cat anxiety for some reason, there are medications that your vet can provide that will help your cat to feel calm. Treating cat anxiety is not usually very difficult and it can make a significant change in their litter box behaviors. If your cat is not feeling well, you can change everything about the litter box, and they might still choose not to use it as they should.

6. Change Litter Box Styles

Make sure that your litter box is big enough for your biggest cat. This means that it needs to be at least 1.5 times the length of your cat. Some cats also really do not like using a plastic litter box, or they might prefer a box with a lid.

You can try changing out some of these different features of your litter box arrangement if you have issues with pet accidents outside the box. When the smell of the box itself or the feeling of the box beneath their feet is the issue, cats might avoid the box.

Changing to a different kind of litter box can make your cat much more comfortable using the litter box. This is a surprisingly effective change that you can choose to make for your cat or cats. In some instances, the self-cleaning box style can scare cats, and a simple box is a better choice than a fancy one.

Inappropriate Litter Box Behavior Can be Easy to Resolve

When you care for a cat that is making messes outside the litter box, you might feel like there is no solution to be had. People often get very frustrated with this issue, and many cats end up living outside because they are ruining the floors and carpets in their owner’s home. If you want to keep your cat in the house, you should try these tips before you make your cat an outdoor pet.

Cats have specific preferences about the way that their litter box is set up. Usually, accidents outside the box are related to a minor adjustment that needs to be made for your cat’s comfort. Once you have corrected the thing that your cat does not like about their litter box, they should go right back to using the litter box correctly.

Call (574) 277-6533 to talk with your Kryder & Harr Veterinary Clinic veterinarian about your cat pooping outside the litter box.