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Litter Box Woes and Feline Urination Problems
or why is my kitty not using the litter box??
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Cats stop using their litter boxes for multiple reasons but there are two major categories.
- Medical problems involving the lower urinary tract or kidneys
- Behavioral problems
Some cats may have a combination of both problems.
If your cat is not using the litter box, the first step should be an exam with your veterinarian. To rule out medical problems your veterinarian will start with a urinalysis. If the urinalysis is abnormal, your veterinarian may want to do additional testing such as a urine culture, blood work, and possibly x-rays of the urinary tract system. Treatment for medical problems will depend on the diagnosis, and recommendations will be made by your veterinarian.
If the urinalysis is normal, behavioral issues are likely. Behavioral issues can be complex but there is hope and treatment! Often simple modifications in your cat's environment can help resolve the problem. It is important to realize that cats do not do this behavior out of spite! There is usually something causing distress, our job is to be kitty detectives to discover what might be causing anxiety about the litter box.
Before we get started, we want to share some important information on Litter Box Hygiene to keep both your kitty and your family safe from infectious disease. Click this link to a great handout on Litter Boxes from the University of Guelph's Worms & Germs Blog.
Below are some great handouts with more information on how to handle and solve your cat's behavioral elimination problems.
10 Quick Tips for Improving Litter Box Appeal
Is Your Cat Urinating On Your Bed? Five quick tips to getting your cat back in the box from Veterinary Behaviorist, Dr. Radosta
Feline House Soiling from VIN's Veterinary Partner Client Handout Collection.
Cornell's Feline House Soiling Handout The web site from the Cornell Univerisity Feline Health center explains what causes cats to not use their litterboxes and offers multiple ways to modify this behavior.
Inappropriate Elimination in Cats From the Best Friends Animal Society website by Board Certified Veterinary Behavior Specialist, Dr. Melissa Bain.
Urine Marking in Cats Also from the Best Friends Animal Society website, another informative article by Veterinary Behavior Specialist, Dr. Melissa Bain.
Tips for Dealing with Urine Spraying in Cats Great ideas from veterinarian and animal behaviorist, Dr. Sophia Yin
Feline Inappropriate Urination By Dr. Margret Muns and also from the Best Friends Animal Society Website.
DDFL Solving Litter Box Problems This handout comes from the Denver Dumb Friends League, a great Humane Shelter.
Spraying & Soiling Indoors From the FAB Cats website or Feline Advisory Bureau, this handout comes with the European perspective on feline elimination problems.
CatStop Outdoor Cat Deterrent If your cat is stressed and stimulated to urine mark indoors by seeing or smelling stray cats outside of a window or door, consider this humane product to discourage strays from coming to that area.
Litter Box Solutions an incredible website dedicated to solving every Litter Box Problem imaginable has been developed by Dr Tammy Sadek, the "Litter Box Guru". Dr Sadek is Board Certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Feline Practice. This website provides complete and thorough coverage of this complex feline issue, if there is an answer to be had, you will find it here!
Pheromone therapy with FELIWAY for Cats can have great benefits for relieving some of the stress causes of inappropriate urination, urine marking behavior, and Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Click the link below to learn more!
Feliway is a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone, used by cats to mark their territory as safe and secure. By mimicking the cat's natural facial pheromones, Feliway creates a state of familiarity and security in the cat's local environment. If your cat is feeling the stress of a multicat home, or stress from other changes in the home, Feliway can be used to help comfort and reassure your cat. Pheromone therapy with Feliway is a great adjunct to other behavioral modifications to solve your cat's elimination problems and distress.
- Plug the Feliway Diffuser in the room where the marking is taking place.
- If the cat is marking in several different rooms, you may wish to place another diffuser in one of the other rooms.
- Leave the diffuser in place for at least four weeks. Replace the refill as required (every four weeks).
- For best results, use the Feliway Spray in addition to the diffuser to treat a particular area where marking persists.
- Clean the marked area and allow to dry. Then apply the spray daily, to both the site and nearby prominent objects.
- Stop site treatment when the cat marks the area with his or her own facial pheromone (is seen to rub the site with his or her head).
Feliway is available at Deer Run, ask us more about it!
If your cat is urinating out of the litterbox, removing the urine smell is a crucial step in treatment. Anti-Icky-Poo is our BEST recommendation for a product to remove urine odor
Anti-Icky-Poo Anti Icky Poo by the MisterMax Company is the absolute best odor eliminator on the market. There are probably more animal behaviorists and veterinarians recommending Anti-Icky-Poo than any other odor eliminator available today. Anti-icky Poo can also be purchased at Deer Run Animal Hospital! Ask us about this product!!
Anti-Icky-Poo Pet Odor Removal Articles Perhaps the biggest downside to owning a pet is contending with accidents left on furniture and carpeting. In most cases, it's simply not enough to clean up the mess, as odors can linger behind for weeks, months, or even longer. However, by arming yourself with a powerful pet odor removal product, you can quickly and effortlessly clean the accidents left behind by your pets.
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