The first thing you should know about cat litter boxes are that they are your cats domain. Cats like their areas they frequent clean and neat. This is why generally cats will not sleep on an unmade bed but when its made and neat they will curl up and sleep. Likewise if a cats litter box is messy they my be reluctant to use it or even worse not use it at all. So make sure whatever style of litter box you choose for your pet meets the following two factors. Make sure the litter box is large enough for your cat and that they do not looked cramped up when trying to use it. Your cat should be able to walk easily in the box with its hind end hanging out. The other factor to always keep in mind is to clean the box frequently. The litter box should be scooped out every couple of days and should be completely changed with new litter every week and a half to two weeks.
Decide which styles of litter box is right for you and you cat. If your cat is a small kitten a small litter pan will do just fine. However if your cat is large you may need a jumbo litter box. There are also automatic cleaning litter boxes and these are perfect for people on the go frequently. Automated litter boxes make cleaning simple as the only work you ever have to do is dumping the tray and changing the litter from time to time. Other nice options are enclosed cat litter boxes. Enclosed cat litter boxes features a cover over the box the gives your cat some privacy it also has a filter in the top to filter out smells and odors. Cats like privacy as much as we do and I know for myself I like to use the bathroom solo and so does your cat. You might also consider buying a regular cat box and also buying a privacy tent or decorative fencing to add more privacy to your cats litter box area as this adds to the solitude of your cats bathroom experience. The less traffic the area of your house receives where you place the cats litter box the better.
Cats are picky creatures and are picky with their litter boxes. Make sure that your cat gets exactly what he or she needs for its litter box experience. The worst thing to have to deal with is a cat peeing in the corner of the house or in the potted plants. Don't let this unfortunate event happen to you. I am sure your life revolves around much more than scrubbing cat pee from the corner of the room.
As you read this, keep in mind that your cat will form an association with her experiences, either good or bad. So, if your cat has a bad experience in the litter box, she may associate negative feelings with it. If those feelings are strong enough, perhaps due to repeated bad experiences, she may refuse to use the box at some point.
Here are four good reasons your cat won't use the box.
1. Urination Pain - if your cat has a physical problem causing her pain when she urinates, she'll learn to hate the box. When she absolutely can't hold it anymore, she'll go on your bedroom carpet. Remember that cats often return to the same spot again and again until you remove the odor!
2. Painful Bowel Movements - obviously a similar situation applies. For example, if your cat is constipated and it causes her pain to have a bowel movement, she will associate pain with the litter box. When she finally does work things out, so to speak, it may be on the living room floor instead of the box.
3. Painful Joints and Muscles - if your cat can't get in and out of the litter box without experiencing pain, she won't want to use it. If there is anything causing her pain while squatting, or getting in and out of the box, it could mean trouble. Injuries, arthritis, or some other painful joint condition could create a cat litter box problem.
4. Limited Range of Motion - it's possible that your cat may not be able to climb up into the litter box. If you have an older cat, or injury or disease has limited her movement, she won't be able to use the box.
Judging from some of the email I get, many readers think about litter box problems as being behavioral. This is simply not true. Your vet will help you determine if a physical cause is your problem.
Once you determine the source of the problem is pain, then your vet can come up with a treatment plan. The treatments will vary for depending upon the underlying cause. Some retraining for your cat will probably be required. Just make sure to exercise a lot of patience while your cat readjusts.
If a mobility problem is at fault, there may be some things you can do to help. Make it easy on your cat by getting a low litter box so your cat doesn't have to step too high into it. Also, a large box that is easy to move around in would be better. Depending upon your situation, your vet may have a treatment to help your cat's mobility problem.
Once the physical cause of a cat litter box problem is identified by your vet, you can work together to help your cat get better. Remember to address any issue that causes your cat to associate an unpleasant experience with the box as soon as possible. Catching these problems early on makes them much easier to deal with.
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