First of all, it is important to understand that it is perfectly normal for your cat to have litter box problems. You must always be alert and prepared to solve them and help your cat. Some of the cat litter problems that your cat might face are the following:
- Medical emergencies
- Litter box training problem
- Litter tray problems
- Dirty litter box
- Old age problem (Your cat might not be young enough to get into the litter box)
Now that you know the problems your cat might be facing, here are a few helpful solutions:
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES:
There can be any kind of medical problem that your cat might be facing, which can affect how well your cat is toileting. Some cats are susceptible to urinary tract infection. Because of this, it would be difficult for your cat to pass urine. First things first, get your cat checked by a vet if there are any changes to habits/toileting and get the medicines she needs. Second, to help prevent such a situation from happening, keep your cat’s litter box cleaned at least once a week.
LITTER BOX TRAINING PROBLEM:
If your cat is new in the house or for some other reason, she’s not feeling very welcomed into the litter box, you will need to help her. Cat’s can be very moody and picky but that wouldn't stop you from loving them, so take the time needed to get your cat properly trained. You may need to sit with her outside the litter box when she needs to toilet or consider a new litter box in which she feels comfortable (size does matter).
LITTER TRAY PROBLEMS:
Sometimes, it so happens that your cat has gone through a bad experience. For example, children or other pets might have bothered her while she was in the litter box or she has had pain while passing her urine in the litter box when she had an infection or she just simply feels stressed by the litter box etc. You might want to consider adding an extra litter box at a private location where your cat would feel comfortable when she’s in it.
DIRTY LITTER BOX:
Everyone has a problem with dirt, even your cat. If you don’t clean your cat’s litter box regularly, your cat would be disgusted by it and might not want to go in it at all. Also, it causes smell in the entire house so it's important to regularly clean it, at least once a week or twice if you have more than one cats. It’s very important for yourself and your cat.
OLD AGE PROBLEM
If you have an aging cat, it might have developed a lot of problems. The main problem is that she might not feel comfortable accessing the litter box, It is important to make your cat feel as comfortable as possible. One thing you can do is lower the access level for your cat, or install a ramp or similar to make entry and exit comfortable. There are other reasons that your cat may be experiencing a poor relationship with its litter box. The first step is to have your cats health checked by the Vet, and then you can see if any of the tips may help you re-introduce your cat to good litter box habits. If you are not able to be home to keep the litter box clean, then you may want to consider an automatic solution, which you can learn more about on the Cat Evolution Web page, https://www.catevolution.co.nz