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When Cats Won't Use Their Litter Trays

Cats will use a litter box quite happily unless they start to develop an aversion to going any where near it. Normally something is stopping them from using it. A common reason is that the litter box is not clean enough, and if this is the case you should start to scoop out the soiled litter every day and completely change the litter more frequently.

As every cat owner knows they are picky animals and they may not like where you have placed it, or it is hard to get to. Don’t make the cat have to navigate an obstacle course, how would you like to negotiate one to go to the bathroom. Try moving the litter box to another place.

In the last few years a lot of studies have been done as to how cats behave when in groups. However there may well be stresses for individual cats when you have a collection! You may well be aware that one or even more of the cats are behaving uncharacteristically. They may be marking territory with urination or by urinating in a place that they should not.

Modern research suggests that each cat has their own box, plus an extra litter tray. That enables the cat to have a choice with which cats or cats they share the bathroom with. If that is not possible due to space restraints then give them more than one to choose from. It is always a good idea to place these in two different rooms. One cat mat prefer a litter box on tiles whilst another on a softer surface.

Modern research also suggests that cats have memories they associate a certain place with pain. This means that if the cat has had a urinary infection, and pain it is reminded of that when it goes to the toilet after the infection has cleared up. A cat is capable of association and if it avoids the cat litter tray it thinks it avoids pain.

Cats have a small threshold for dealing with change they do not develop anxiety when separated from their owner in the same sense that dogs do, but they be reacting to change by spoiling one of your areas when you out. It is important to realize that a cat is not punishing you it is not personal they are exhibiting feelings of anxiety. Sometimes the aversion is so great that you will have to go back to the start and retrain the cat to use the litter box.

This post was submitted by Joshua Radford. Joshua is also one of the primary writer for Smuge and has started to become a authority to do with glycolic peel.