If you have been wondering why does cat pee or poop outside the litterbox and what to do, then you need to read this article.
Cats naturally like to do their needs in places that have soil or sand. That is, if you show them a litter box, they will easily make use of it.
However, sometimes you might find that it has started to prefer to poop outside the litter box.
To help you identify the cause of this change in your pet’s habits, we will explain some of the possible reasons, and whether you can retrain your cat to use a litter box.
Reasons why your cats poop outside the litter box.
a. Cats like cleanliness.
The first thing to do when identifying this change in behavior is to check the condition of the litter box.
This is because cats refuse to use a “dirty bathroom”. It is recommended that the cleaning of the litter box should be carried out twice a day.
That is, in the morning and at night. You should also do the disposal of all sand once a week.
Remember to keep food and water jars away from the litter box, as cats don’t like to eat close to the dirt.
b. Territory demarcation.
If you have more than one cat, it is natural that the dispute for the territory exists. This can discourage one of your cats from using the litter box, especially if they are of the same sex. To solve this problem, it is important to have a litter box for each cat.
c. Size of the sandbox.
Keep in mind that there are several sizes of litter boxes for cats. They are not “one size fits all.” If the box is too small, your pet may find it difficult to bury his feces.
If the box is too big, he may feel uncomfortable with the odors, since the bigger the box, the more odors it stores.
Also, carefully observe the height of the box, looking to see if it has difficulty accessing the inside of it.
d. Location of the litter box.
Another important point to note is the location of the litter box, as cats are suspicious by nature and love privacy.
If the box is located at a point of intense movement of people or in a very wide area, move it.
Cats prefer to do their needs in more reserved and quiet places so that they feel less vulnerable.
e. Health problems.
When cats have a health problem, the way to demonstrate this is through behavior.
This includes using the litter box.
So, if you have already considered all the other possible reasons and none of the recommended actions has worked, take it to the vet.
Any change in the animal’s organism can lead to unusual behavior.
Can I retrain a cat to use litter box?
Yes!
There are several techniques that can work, and it is important to do everything possible to make sure your cat uses the litter box.
Follow these tips below to understand how.
a. Clean the place where the cat pee or poop.
Cats usually go back to the place where they pee or poop when they need to do it again.
But they will not do it if the place seems dirty. Therefore, you should ensure the litter box is always clean with no traces on the sides.
At the same time, since you are retraining your cat, try to leave some traces of the feces in the litter box for them to smell.
They will smell it and go to do it there.
b. Place the litter box in the right location.
Cats like privacy and are reserved when it comes to their physiological needs.
So do not leave the litter box in a busy place in the house, as this will make the cat look for a more peaceful place.
In addition to the question of location, knowing what type of litter your cat likes is important.
Try to test more than one model to see which one fits best.
c. Impose limits on the territory until the cat learns.
As long as the feline does not use the litter box, restrict and impose territorial limits so that he does not have so many options on where to do this.
This way, when the alternatives are reduced, it becomes much easier to train. Gradually, you can give more space for him to walk around the rest of the house, but keep watching if he keeps doing the needs in the box.
d. Always have an extra litter box.
In addition to being careful with the location of the litter box, always leaving an extra option for the feline is recommended.
Try to opt for strategic places that are quiet and also distant. This will make the cat to be always close to one of the litter boxes and has no excuse that he didn’t have time to reach one of them.
e. Hire a professional to help.
If you notice difficulty in retraining your cat due to his independent behavior, hiring a professional may be the only option remaining. Maybe you are going wrong on something.
The professional will guide you on how to train your cat in the best way.
It is worth mentioning that you should never punish the cat because he did not poop in the right place.
This will only create a rebellious behavior. The cat will not trust you, and you will never be able to train it properly.
It is better to impose limits on places where he can be until he is obeying than to let him circulate freely and punish him with violence.
Conclusion.
The cats learn very quickly that the litter box is their bathroom. But if he insists on depositing their needs elsewhere, be patient and try to make life easier.
Choosing an affordable box with the appropriate sand and placing it in the ideal location is what you need to do.
However, if the problem persists, it is important to see a veterinarian to analyze the reason for the cat’s behavior.