My cat will not use his litter box, even when it is clean. What should I do?

Question

He will poop right next to the box.

Answer 1

It can be a few things, one, check with your vet about this first, sometimes cats refuse the litter because of pain while going and associate that with the pain.
2: how big & what kind is your litter pan? If too small he might not feel comfortable in it (hanging over the side) if too big, he might not like climbing in & out: you can try a shallower/wider pan, one with not such a big lip to climb over, or is it a covered pan? Some cats don't like to use those, it makes them feel "cornered", especially if there is another pet in the house, one way in & out kind of makes some cats nervous (in case a quick escape is needed).
3: Have you recently changed litter brand/styles? Our cats (3) will not use any other litter but our regular brand. They will flat out refuse. It might look all the same to us, but to them it might feel strange to their paws, or the smell of it even might turn some cats off. If you really need to change litter brands/style then don't make the cat go cold turkey try first mixing a very small amount with his old litter, then gradually with each litter change continue mixing using more of the new litter & less of the old until it's only the new. SOMETIMES this works, but with stubborn kitties (like ours) it might not.
4. Do you wash out the litter pan between changes? If you use a certain type of cleaner/bleach he might not like the smell of that. It might be kind of like a kitty deterrent, he wants to use the litter box (hence the pooping beside it) but the odor of the cleaner is too strong for his sensitive kitty nose or something like that.
5. Is he an older kitty? This is kind of related to #2, if he's older it might be too hard on him climbing in & out of the litter box, you could look into either a shallower/wider pan, or maybe creating a sort of step for him to ease his way into the deeper pan (like putting a small slightly shorter than the height of the litter box upside down next to it, he can step onto this and over a little more easily if he's having trouble bending those stiff joints.

But like I said, you should consult your vet first, just to rule out any health problems, then try troubleshooting the litter box itself if it isn't health related. Good luck.

Answer 2

How long have you had this cat box? It might be time for a new one. Is there a cover? If there is, remove it.

How many cats use this box? If you have 3 or more cats, buy another litter box and place it next to it. And change it FULLY, not just scoop out the poopies, every day or every other day.

Also try changing the cat litter. Most cats do NOT like the scented and some prefer the litter to be fine and small.

Answer 3

Try a different kind of litter. Sometimes they don't like the texture. My cat likes Feline Pine better than the clay we used to have. Is the box too close to his food? They don't like to go to the bathroom too close to where they eat. Would you? :) Sometimes they go to the bathroom in conspicuous places to get your attention when they're sick or if they feel neglected. Since they can't tell you what's wrong, that's how they communicate their feelings to you. Stinky way of doing it, I know.

If all else fails, put the cat in the box and use its paws to scratch at the litter a little bit. A cat's natural instinct is to use the bathroom and then cover it up. Perhaps he just hasn't gotten it yet. By showing him where and how to scratch, he may be drawn to the box more frequently.

Answer 4

Oh I had that problem when I got Della, I read a book on cats and how to make them learn how to use a litter box, what you do is, pick the cat up, place cat on the litter tray and drag the front paws across the litter so they know its toilet. Apparently the mum would teach them that a litter tray is a loo but it worked for me!

Answer 5

Try to find out if the stuff you put in the litterbox is scented. Some factories do that for some reason and some cats will not like it.They poop next to it as to tell you 'sorry, i want to do the right thing, but this is too much for me'
Try changing the stuff you put in there and see which one the cat likes

Answer 6

The cat may not like the litter, and you may need to try several different kinds. Or they may not like the location of the box, not private enough, gets scared. Good Luck, I would try the cat attract litter to see if it helps. Also check with your vet they may have a sample for you to try.

Answer 7

I am a professional pet sitter. I go to the clients home to take care of their pet. I have seen this problem often and have recommended a solution that has worked very well. There is a litter called "Cat Attract" that entices cats to use it.
For more information you can visit their website:
http://www.preciouscat.com/

Answer 8

Can you be more specific? Does he not urinate and deficate outside the box?

Answer 9

Maybe try to train him better or take him to the doctor.