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There are two main causes for a cat litter box problem. One is behavioral, and the other is physical. Before assuming it's a behavioral problem, you should always bring your cat to the vet so that you can rule out any physical causes. As you read this, keep in mind that your cat will form an association with her experiences, either good or bad. So, if your cat has a bad experience in the litter box, she may associate negative feelings with it. If those feelings are strong enough, perhaps due to repeated bad experiences, she may refuse to use the box at some point. Here are four physical reasons why your cat can't or won't use the box properly. 1. Urination Pain - if your cat has a physical problem causing her pain when she urinates, she'll learn to hate the box. When she absolutely can't hold it anymore, she'll go on your bedroom carpet. Remember that cats often return to the same spot again and again until you remove the odor! 2. Painful Bowel Movements - obviously a similar situation applies. For example, if your cat is constipated and it causes her pain to have a bowel movement, she will associate pain with the litter box. When she finally does work things out, so to speak, it may be on the living room floor instead of the box. 3. Joint or Muscle Pain - in order to use the litter box, cats have to be agile enough to get in and out of the box. They also have to be able to squat comfortably. Arthritis, an injury, or any problem with your cat's joints or muscles may cause your cat too much pain. The litter box becomes associated with pain, and your cat doesn't use it. 4. Limited Range of Motion - it's possible that your cat may not be able to climb up into the litter box. If you have an older cat, or injury or disease has limited her movement, she won't be able to use the box. Many readers believe that litter box problems are always behavioral. I hope this article has shed some light on other possibilities. If your cat is having a physical problem that you are unaware of, your vet can help sort that out. For painful urination, bowel movements, or joint or muscle pain, proper treatment will have to be sought out in consultation with your vet. Once the pain is gone, some retraining will probably be required and a large amount of patience on your part to help your cat through it. If a mobility problem is the culprit, there may be some things you can do. First, make it as easy on your cat as possible. Get a low litter box that your cat doesn't have to step too high into. Also, your cat would probably appreciate a large box to easily move around in. Depending upon your situation, your vet may have a remedy for your cat's mobility problem. Remember, a cat litter box problem that has a physical cause is usually fixable, once the cause is identified by your vet. Anything that causes your cat to associate an unpleasant experience with the box needs to be addressed right away. If you catch these problems early on, they are much easier to handle.
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About the Article Author
About the author: Kurt Schmitt, an experienced cat owner, writes all about cat litter box problems and other cat owner problems at Cat Lovers Only
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