FAQ

Cats are extremely fastidious when it comes to the litter box. Many cats will only use the litter box if it is kept immaculately clean and if they feel that they have their privacy. If using a clumping litter, be sure to clean the box on a daily basis, removing the wet and soiled litter everyday. If using a conventional litter, be sure to change all of the litter once a week. Many cats do not like to share the box with another cat. We recommend having one litter box per cat plus one extra, placed in a quiet and easily accessible location. Cats also hate to be disturbed while using their litter box, and frequent interruptions, like from another pet or a child, can contribute to your cat’s improper elimination.
Have you recently changed the material in your cat’s litter box? Your cat may not like the texture or aroma of the new litter. You should consider switching back to the litter your cat was comfortable with.

Cats as a species are not as willing to accept changes in their environment as dogs are. Cats like routines and are upset easily by changes in their environment. Any big change, like moving or acquiring a new pet, can lead your cat to express his displeasure by eliminating outside of the litter box.

Whenever there is a sudden change in behavior, consider that it might be due to a medical problem. Take your cat to the veterinarian for a good examination. Be sure to tell your veterinarian about the house-soiling problem. If your cat has a clean bill of health, you can try to determine the reason and understand how it may have begun. To help evaluate the situation, you should consider the following:

The progression and duration of the behavior. Is your pet experiencing some type of anxiety and/or fear? In a home with multiple cats, there may be subtle underlying tensions that may make one or more cats anxious. This could lead your cat to eliminate outside the litter box. Make sure the box is in a secure and private area. A litter box should be provided for each cat.
The location for the elimination and type of surface preferences or aversions (the type of material or substrate the cat eliminates on – carpet, wood floor, clothing, etc.). Be sure that the litter box is clean, as some cats will not eliminate in a dirty box. Also make sure the box is in an accessible private location.
Limit your cat’s opportunities to make messes in the house. Watch her and put her in the box at the usual time she eliminates (after waking and eating, for example).
Clean and make the inappropriate soiled areas aversive, otherwise your cat will return to the same location. Spraying the previously soiled area with Bitter Apple or another unappealing scent will dissuade your cat from soiling there again.

Cats and kittens are meticulous, and you may find that your kitten’s mother has already trained him to use a box. If not, it’s usually relatively easy.
Make sure your kitten has immediate access to his litter box and that he can climb in and out with no extra effort. Watch him closely and place him in the litter box when he wakes up, after meals or any time he begins nosing in corners or squatting.

If he has an accident, wipe it up with a paper towel and place the towel in the litter box. Gently scratch the kitten’s front paws in the filler, so he learns this is the place to deposit and bury waste.

When he is successful, praise him lavishly.

The best way to have a good smelling litter box is to keep it scrupulously clean. This means scooping out urine and stool daily and totally changing the box every 4-7 days depending on litter type, how often the box is used and how many cats use it. Remember that your cat wants a clean smelling litter box also so cleaning it is a good way to help insure your cat uses the litter box.

Does your kitten use the litter box when he needs to eliminate? If so, don’t worry about the extra digging. This just could be experimenting and learning. If however, he is eliminating elsewhere, you might try offering a different litter material and see if he likes that better. Kittens learn to use the litter by observation of their mother and will mimic the material that she uses. Perhaps you are not providing a litter material that he is familiar with.

Cat box fillers are composed of mainly “clay” and usually contain an effective deodorizer/fragrance. Clay fillers are non-toxic and won’t harm your cat’s digestive system. Very strict guidelines are followed. All ingredients are tested extensively by the manufacturing company and by independent laboratories. Any cat litter ingested will pass through the digestive system and would be excreted in the feces.
It is common for cats to ingest a variety of substances, including grass, clay, etc. when they are not feeling well. It may be a symptom of an unrelated illness. Make sure your cat is receiving a good quality complete & balanced cat food and plenty of fresh clean water.

The scent of the litter maybe attracting the cat to eat the litter, therefore you might try using an unscented litter.