Medical causes
The first
step in these situations should always
be a visit to your vet to rule out underlying medical causes. Conditions like kidney disease, diabetes, and
hyperthyroidism can increase urine production, while urinary tract infections
and bladder stones are uncomfortable and may result in frequent urination. Likewise, issues such as parasites,
constipation, and inflammatory bowel disease may make defecation urgent or
uncomfortable. Even arthritis can affect
bathroom habits – imagine if you had to climb over a waist-high wall to get to
the toilet! So, it’s possible your
feline friend doesn’t feel well and just can’t make it to the litter box. A thorough physical exam, blood work, urine
analysis and/or fecal exam will establish your cat’s general health status and help
guide treatment if necessary.
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| Unacceptable, Human! |
Now that
we’ve ruled out medical conditions, it is safe to start questioning behavioral
causes… But before you send kitty to a psychiatrist to work out his anger
issues, we need to talk about YOUR behavior too. You may think that your cat doesn’t deign to
notice you unless it’s dinner time, but cats are actually quite sensitive
critters. They can’t tell you with words
that they are stressed out by something in the house, but peeing outside the
litter box is one way to get your attention (my two cats prefer to barf in my
shoes or self-mutilate, respectively). Here
are some things that might be ruffling kitty’s tail feathers.
Litter box issues:
- Hygiene – Is it possible that you and kitty have different standards when it comes to cleaning the bathroom, so he decided to seek out a cleaner facility? Most cats are quite fastidious, so litter should be scooped daily and changed out completely on occasion (non-clumping litter should be dumped every few days). You might also consider tossing your box for a new one if it’s really worn, as plastic can retain urine smells.
- Availability – Are there enough litter boxes in the house? I recommend having one box per cat plus an extra (e.g. 3 cats, 4 boxes) unless you have a very large number of cats, and then you will probably get into trouble despite the number of boxes. There is a scientific study from the 80s showing that individuals with 10 or more cats have a 100% probability of becoming a victim of inappropriate urination, and a 90% probability of eventually being a crazy cat person (ok, maybe only the first half was shown in the study).
- Location – Maybe kitty was just settling down in his laundry room litter box to “read the Sunday paper” when that really loud timer on the dryer buzzed and startled him into Tuesday. If you think location could be the problem, leave the current box in place but add one somewhere else in the house.
- Type of litter – Cats have preferences about their potties, and it may be your cat doesn't care for that fresh pine scent as much as you do. Try a few different types (clumping, clay, recycled newspaper, etc.) at the same time to give kitty a choice of textures and smells. Be sure to include a finely-textured clumping litter in your test, as it was chosen more than twice as often as other types in a thorough study by behaviorist Dr. Peter Borchelt.
- Type of box – Try out a new box shape or size. However, a word of caution on covered boxes… Many people favor covered litter boxes for obvious reasons, but I find most cats do not, especially in multi-cat households. For example, my cat thought his sister was playing hide-and-seek in the covered box we used to have, so he would wait outside and ambush her upon exit. Needless to say, she did not enjoy this.
Environmental stressors – Pretty much
any event or change in your cat’s life can fall into this category, but common
issues include:
- New people – Houseguests, new spouse or roommate, new baby, etc.
- Disruption of environment – Moving, renovations, holiday decorations and celebrations
- Change in your schedule – New job, leaving for vacation
- Visiting the vet – I wish they all loved seeing me…
- Inter-cat aggression – self explanatory, and common.
- New pets – Introducing a furry family member can be a very delicate process, and strategy may depend on the personalities of your current critters. I recommend talking to your veterinarian if you are thinking of adding a pet.
These issues
are tricky, as it’s often difficult to control them unless you plan on letting
your cat completely run your life. What
you can do is implement some practices that will hopefully make kitty more
resilient to life’s little blips. We've already discussed litter box
recommendations, but additionally all cats should have fresh food and water,
something they’re allowed to scratch, and a safe space where they can go to get
away from other pets and people if they choose.
Perches can often provide such a space, and when placed near a window
also serve as a source of entertainment.
You should also carve out some time each day to interact with your cat
via play, grooming, or even training (yes, cats can be trained!). Toys and catnip are great stimulation for
some kitties, while others will be engrossed by “cat TV” or nature videos. Feliway (http://www.feliway.com/us), a synthetic pheromone product, may also help reduce stress. Be
creative and try different things to find what lights your cat’s fire, but the
message is that your cat may be bored or stressed if his basic needs are not
met, and this can lead to health and behavior problems. Ohio State University's Indoor Pet Initiative (http://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats/) has
done a lot to further our understanding of how environmental enrichment can
help our feline friends live happy lives.
No dice, Doc. Now what?
So you’ve
had kitty vetted, offered a Pu-Pu platter of litters and boxes, enriched his
life and pheromoned the heck out him, and he’s still “thinking” outside the
box. Now may be the time to head back to
your veterinarian, or a veterinary behaviorist if one is available and finances
permit. If the problem has been going on
for a long time or your cat is particularly sensitive to environmental stressors,
finding a solution can be very specific to the individual animal and situation. There are anti-anxiety medications that can
help, especially in cases where feline housemates are not getting along, but
they are not magic pills and must be used in conjunction with environmental
modifications, many of which have been discussed above.
To sum up…
- Rule out medical causes
- CLEAN the litter box
- Try different types of litter in different boxes in different locations
- Reduce stress with environmental enrichment and interaction with your cat
- Medications can be useful in conjunction with behavior and environment modifications
-Dr. Courtney Smock
Carpets and shoes are nothing like the middle of your bed... Nice Article! Did you write with Joe in mind?
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