The very first step you must do is to remember how the problem started. With this, you will be able to take the right steps toward to solving it. This is the hardest part; it takes a slight bit of detective work, but you will know what you are looking for.
Before you think of doing anything else, take your cat to visit the vet and rule out any problems like UTI Urinary Tract Infection. This is the number one cause of litter tray avoidance problems.
The next step is to create an environment where the cat has only few appealing options for dirtying anywhere else other than the litter tray. This will include restricting access to the areas where the cat has been pooping and peeing inappropriately.
The next step is to find a solution to what had caused the problem in the first place. If it had started because the cat was in stress, a number of things will have to happen to calm the cat's stress and make it feel safe doing its business in the litter tray.
Has there anything you can think of that has changed, that the cat wasn’t happy about In its life for it to behave in this manner.
As I mentioned earlier, moving the litter tray can put the cat under stress.
Other causes of stress might be moving to a new home recently, changing litter brands, or the cat being frightened while using the litter tray.
Did this behavior start when the cat was declawed or neutered? Have you brought a new dog or cat into the household? Have you recently had any children or have they ever bothered the cat while it is using the litter tray?
As you have learned, cats can be very sensitive creatures and any change in their routine or environment can cause behavior such as a litter tray problem. During the past years I’ve seen many different situations that have caused cats not to use the litter tray: toddlers watching them while they're peeing, or even having a painful bowel movement in the tray. The cat may associate the pain they are getting with the litter tray. The cat may think the tray is causing the pain. Even moving to a new house, other neighborhood cats can be intimidating it. Having surgery at the Veterinary clinic can cause stress.
-20-
You may be surprised to know that pooping outside the litter tray is quite common and can often happen when a cat has had painful bowel movements. The cat may have had the pain while it was in the litter tray and may now be afraid to use the litter tray to do its business.
Tracing back to the problem you will find it's commonly be one of the following three things.
1- Fear
2- Pain
3- Stress
Another thing you may consider is the litter tray may be too small. If so, this can result in the cat feces outside of the litter tray. The cat will stand inside the litter box, but their backside might hang over the edge. Getting an extra large tray or replacing it with a plastic under-bed storage container may solve this problem.
The idea is to make the litter tray the most appealing option to the cat by making other areas unappealing and restricting access to any area your cat has been inappropriately peeing.
You may need to keep all clothes off the floor, close all closet doors, keep bedroom doors shut, prevent the cat from climbing on the counters or the furniture, and make sure your cat has very few options for doing its business anywhere other than the litter tray.
At one point you may have thought of something that has caused your cat to think that the litter tray is not the most appealing or safest place to do its business in peace.
This may be a traumatic experience for your cat. Having some part of its environment suddenly change, another cat or small toddler that bothers or intimidates your cat can cause the most uninvited stress.
Finding the reason why the cat is behaving this way can be difficult. How it started is the most important thing you need to do to solve it. Think back very carefully, looking for something that may have changed at the time, or near the time the cat started behaving this way.
Once you've pinpointed that, you will be able to take the necessary steps to solve their problem a lot faster.
-21-
Action Steps
My advice is making things as simple as best you can start to create an environment where the litter tray truly 100% an appealing option for your cat. In other words, if your cat has been peeing on soft surfaces such as pillows, rugs, blankets, or towels, make sure the new environment you have chosen has no soft surfaces around for them to choose over the litter tray.
• Block access to anywhere the cat has been pooping & peeing inappropriately.
Also block access to the areas they might have done their business in the past.
• Make sure you thoroughly clean all areas that the cat has pooped or urinated on with a very strong cleaner and odor remover. It would be a good idea to get a small black light so you can see every single area where the cat has been urinating.
• Find out the reason why the cat started this behavior.
• Put the proper steps in place to solve the problem.
-22-
