Litterbox Success Strategies

Too Late? Too Early?

Many caregivers wait a long time before seeking professional help with house soiling because they believe nothing can be done to resolve their cat’s behavior. On the other hand, some don't think about house soiling until it occurs because they aren't sure what can prevent it. House soiling is a common reason for relinquishment among cat caregivers due to the stress it causes as well as the damage that is often done to the home and belongings.

But this does not have to be the case. Some cases of eliminating outside the litter box can be very complex, but many cases can be resolved with some simple changes to the environment. A common misconception is that you can just choose any litterbox and place it anywhere in the home and the cat will adapt.

It’s true that some cats will use whatever setup your provide them, but this is definitely not the rule. And when house soiling does occur, the setup will very often need to be overhauled right away. Instead of waiting until you have a problem, we recommend starting out with a great litterbox setup from day one to prevent these issues from developing.

Litterbox Optimization

Many cats avoid the litter box due to an undesirable type of box, litter, or location. Every cat is capable of having unique preferences, but it is always worth trialing the most common preferences first.

The Ideal Litter Box Setup

• The box itself

  • Large (2.5x the length of your cat)

  • Uncovered with low, side entry

  • CLEAN (scooped 2x daily, box cleaned biweekly)

• Location & quantity

  • Options on each level of the house

  • Prime real estate- Not hidden, but not on display. Easy to reach for seniors. Not  placed near noisy appliances.

  • Quantity- One more box than you have cats and in separate areas (1 cat = 2 boxes, 2 cats = 3 boxes); 3 boxes lined up together = 1 giant box

• Litter type

  • Unscented

  • Very fine grain

After the Fact

What you do after your cat eliminates outside the litterbox is very important.

DON’T

• Scold your cat or raise your voice. This will make it worse

• Try putting your cat in the litter box. They won’t understand what you’re trying to say and may avoid it even more.

DO

• Take a deep breath 

• Clean it up as soon as possible

• Use an enzyme-based cleaner (always read the label to be sure)

• Wash linens/clothing thoroughly

My Cat is Already House Soiling

Medical Causes

When your cat starts eliminating outside of the litterbox, you should always begin by ruling out medical causes, especially if this behavior is very sudden. It's important to get your cat checked for common medical conditions that can cause litter box avoidance and excessive elimination.

If you already know your cat has one of these conditions, they are more likely to struggle with using the litterbox:

• Diabetes

• Renal disease

• Urinary tract disease

• Metabolic disorder

• Musculoskeletal disorders 

• Neurologic disease

• Gastrointestinal disease

• Anal gland disorders

• Neoplasia

• Cognitive dysfunction

Common labs & exams the veterinarian may pursue

• Urinalysis

• Urine culture

• Abdominal imaging

• Fecal exam

• Rectal exam

• Bloodwork

• Pain exam (if indicated)

If all medical causes have been properly ruled out by a veterinarian and you have optimized the litterbox setup and clean-up, we start looking at behavioral causes for the house soiling.

Behavioral Causes

While placed at the end of this article, addressing anxiety and stress is not a step to be saved for last! We want to rule out anxiety and stress as soon as possible, but medical is the easiest to rule out so we start there. For cases of spraying and multi-cat households, anxiety/stress is very commonly the root cause. 

When evaluating anxiety and stress in your cat, a good place to start is the Five Pillars of feline wellbeing (AAFP & ISFM).

1. Provide safe spaces

2. Provide multiple, separate resources for each cat

3. Provide interactive play & predatory outlets

4. Provide positive, consistent human interaction

5. Respect the cat’s keen sense of smell

Read more about the Five Pillars on our previous blog post here.

As always, if your pet is suffering due to anxiety and stress that you haven’t been able to resolve on your own, or you yourself are suffering due to your pet’s behavior, we recommend seeing a qualified behavior professional as soon as you can.

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Christian Flournoy, CPDT-KA

Christian is a professional trainer and behavior consultant for Purrfect Paws University and Wiggle Butt Academy. She is a Fear Free Certified Professional who offers training and behavior consulting for dogs and cats of all ages. Christian enjoys working with pets experiencing fear and clients with disability and illness that make living with pets more complicated. She is passionate about making low-stress pet ownership accessible to more people.