It’s easily one of the worst things a cat owner can experience. Everything has been fine for years and then suddenly your cat (or multiple cats) stop using their litter boxes. It’s a frustrating and unsanitary problem that can be difficult to overcome.
In our practice we see this fairly commonly. In this article we will break down the causes of this issue into its two major components (physical and mental). Then we will go over the common “rules” of litter boxes as well as give some sound and practical ways to get your cat to start using the litter box again.
Is It A Physical Or Mental Problem?
The causes of “inappropriate elimination” (whether it’s urine and/or stool) can be broken down into two general categories: physical and mental. Determining which is the cause is the key to figuring out a quick resolution to this problem.
Physical Causes
As a veterinarian, unless the cause is something truly simple such as no one ever empties the litter box, we always recommend first looking into the physical causes of not using the litter box. These can include:
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Urinary Tract Pain
- Constipation
- Anything that can cause diarrhea
- Arthritis
- Lethargy from diseases outside the urinary tract
Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections are typically fairly common. Not only is your cat urinating in very inappropriate places (and I’ve been told by clients before that they’ve even had cat urinate on them while sleeping) to signal to their owners that there’s a problem, but the urine itself usually has a foul odor (more foul than usual) and may have a tinge of blood in it.
A urinalysis is the only way to confirm an infection is present or if it’s something else like crystals or other urinary tract issues.
How do you bring a urine sample to your vet?
There are different ways you can collect a urine sample at home from your cat. Sometimes you can simply use a syringe to collect the sample (most vets will let you just have one) if the cat is urinating frequently on a hard-surfaced floor. Try to get at least a one full mL and bring it to the vet within a few hours at most.
You can also empty out your litter box and see if your cat (if they are still somewhat using the litter box) will pee in an empty box. Some actually will. Otherwise you can also put some non-absorbing styrofoam pieces (for packing) or utilize a product that can be used temporarily as a litter replacement that won’t soak up the urine.
Sometimes the easiest way is to simply line the top of the litter and the insides of the walls of the box with a product like plastic wrap. Cats will generally be okay with walking on it and the urine can be then poured into a clean plastic container and brought into the vet.
Of course, your veterinarian may want to collect the sample themselves. They do this in a process called cystocentesis which involves aspirating out a small sample of urine directly from the bladder. Cats handle this very well and a cystocentesis sample is a more sterile and accurate urine sample to test.
Urinary Tract Pain
Pain in the urinary tract of a cat can be caused by diseases such as infections, inflammation, crystals, and stones (among other things). When a cat feels pain in their bladder or urethra, they will reflexively want to urinate. This results in them urinating wherever they happen to be at the moment.
You may even catch your cat straining to urinate. If you see this, take your cat into the vet immediately. While it could be pain from a simple urinary tract infection, it could also signal a blockage in the urinary tract that could be life-threatening. Your vet will be able to quickly determine which it is.
Know that when your vet thinks that there’s pain in the urinary tract, tests such as a urinalysis, lab work, and xrays are the minimum starting point to figure out what is wrong.
Constipation
Constipation in cats is fairly common in older, senior cats and you should start noticing a problem if either the litter box isn’t filling up as much as it usually does or the cat starts to defecate in inappropriate places.
Why does constipation cause a cat to not use the litter box? Well, if the cat has been constipated for a bit and suddenly it feels like it’s time to go…well, it’s time to go! Doesn’t matter where they are!
Anything That Causes Diarrhea
If your cat is having loose stool, then they likely can’t always make it to the litter box in time. If your cat has diarrhea for more than a day, contact your veterinarian.
Arthritis
Arthritis in the back or the rear legs can cause problems with the litter box. Why? Because it may hurt or be difficult for a cat with arthritis to get into a litter box or to enter the elimination “position” if there’s a ceiling on the box.
The best way to test this is to use a open-top litter box like this one. We like the bigger ones that are easier for cats to get in and out.
Lethargy
Is your cat lying around and not wanting to get up and do its normal activities? It may have nothing at all to do with the urinary or GI tract, but that lethargy causes them to be so weak that they don’t want to go use the litter box. If your cat is that lethargic that it eliminates near where it is laying, call your vet immediately.
Mental Causes Of Inappropriate Elimination
If all medical/health-related issues have been ruled out, then it’s likely that your cat is having some sort of mental/emotional issues related to the litter box.
Here are things to check to see if this is the case:
- How often do you clean your litter box? Daily is best, but at least every other day is needed to keep your cat happy with this situation. Don’t want to do that? Consider a self-cleaning litter box and take yourself out of the issue.
- How many litter boxes do you have? The general recommendation is one litter box per floor of your house if you have multiple floors. If you have multiple cats, you also need at least one box per floor.
- Have you recently changed litter? Cat like routine, and if you throw off their routine by getting a new type of litter that feels and smells different to them they might not want to use it.
- If you have multiple cats, is everyone getting along? A bully cat will pick on the more submissive cat when they are in the litter box sometimes. You might also have a problem if two cats that just don’t get along are suddenly confronting each other at the entrance to the litter box. This is why multiple litter boxes are key with multi-cat households.
So if it’s not any of the above litter box-related issues and you think that your cat is having some kind of mental issue, check with your vet. Your cat is not happy and your vet will hopefully be able to help with that.
Without knowing more about the individual history of your cat, it’s impossible for us to diagnose and know how to treat your feline buddy.
How To Get Your Cat To Start Using A Litter Box Again
Once you have identified the reason why your cat isn’t using the litter box and have started treating it, then now it’s time to expect your cat to go back to the box.
But what if they don’t? What if they decide that going on your pillow is just as easy and fun as the litter box?
Then you need to train your cat to use the litter box unlike you had to when they were kittens. They just went right to the box then, didn’t they?
When you’re retraining, my general recommendation is to do two things:
- Limit the space your cat can move for about a week. That means keeping him/her in a small room such as a bathroom so there’s no access to areas like the bed or the basement to eliminate. Give the cat a litter box, water, food, and any normal toes or treats that they like.
- Add a litter attractant to the normal litter to draw your cat to the box and encourage it to “mark” the litter.
Conclusion
When cats aren’t utilizing the litter box, no one is happy. Make sure you have your feline friend checked out by your veterinarian first to identify any physical ailments they may have. If all that checks out, make sure you are doing what you should be to keep the litter box a safe and clean place. Finally, if your cat is really unhappy call your vet to discuss it.
