My cat is no longer using the litter box for #2,How should I handle this?

Question

It is on a rug, and I can't really get the "wonderful" smell out-any ideas?

Answer 1

Hi Bri... consider all the possibilities such as:
- changes with litter brands
- location of the litter box isn't private enough
- some cats like to have one box to defecate and another to urinate
- cleanliness (some cats are very finicky and prefer a super clean box)
- as a general rule there should be one litter box for each cat plus one extra as a back up
- unspayed/un-neutered if cat is over the age of 5-7 months. Cats will become aggressive as they sexually mature and territorially mark with either urine or defecating.
- older cats develop age-related disorders such as chronic renal failure (CRF), hyperthyroidism, diabetes, etc.

If all these have been ruled out, there's a chance that your cat may have developed another underlying medical problem which can contribute to accidents outside of the box. Cats will associate pain while using box and change their habits as a result.

Here's an article about why cats inappropriately soil outside their litter box by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/Housesoiling.html

House soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. It includes urination and/or defecation outside the litter box, as well as urine spraying.

Why do cats eliminate outside of the litter box?
One common misconception is that cats soil in inappropriate places for revenge. It is tempting to conclude, "He defecated on the living room carpet to punish me for leaving him for the weekend." But this kind of calculation requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that cats aren't believed to possess. Furthermore, this conclusion assumes that cats view their urine and feces as distasteful, when in fact they do not. It is only we humans who view it that way.

Medical Problems
So why do cats urinate or defecate on your bed or carpet? Medical problems are one possibility. Inflammation of the urinary tract may cause painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine, and crying during urination. An affected cat is likely to eliminate outside the litter box if he comes to associate the box with painful urination, or if he has an increased urgency to urinate. In addition, kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases often lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumors, intestinal parasites, and other gastrointestinal conditions may cause painful defecation, increased frequency or urgency to defecate, and decreased control of defecation. Age-related diseases that interfere with a cat's mobility (for example, arthritis, nervous system disorders, or muscular diseases), or with his cognitive functions can also influence his ability to get to the litter box in time. In short, any medical condition that interferes with a cat's normal elimination behavior can lead to house soiling.

Litter Box Aversions
Behavioral problems, such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences, or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling. An aversion implies that there is something about the litter box that your cat finds unsavory. It could be the box, the litter, the location of the box, or all three.

...please consider visiting the website for further details

For urine/faeces odours consider Nature's Miracle Just For Cats found worldwide at most pet stores. It's an enzymatic neutralizing agent which works by breaking down odour proteins by thoroughly soaking the areas affected and allowing to air dry. Repeated applications are necessary for heavily soiled areas.
Product details:
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441775019&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025596&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023690&bmUID=1167132360710&itemNo=0&Ntt=nature%27s+miracle+just+for+cats&In=All&previousText=nature%27s+miracle+just+for+cats&N=2

Answer 2

If you start to have problems with your cat not using the litter box for any reason you can that the cat and the box and put them in the bathroom for a few days. Put the animals food and water in there with her. If you want you can let the animal out while you are home but when you are gone during the day and at night put the cat back into the bathroom. After a couple of days they get the idea that they are going to have to use the litter box.
You can also change litter brands and see if that makes a differences. Make sure the litter box is clean and in a place that the animal likes.
There are numerous reason as to why the animal will no longer use the box. They don't like the litter, they don't like the location or the box isn't clean or they are just being little ****'s.

Answer 3

There arre several things you can do to solve the litter box problem. You can try a different litter. DR. ELESYAN'S CAT ATTRACT works very well for these situations, and it comes with an information sheet to help get the cat back on track. You couild also try moving the box to a new location in the house. You could try multiple boxes. Clean the litter box more often. And definately, try to talk to your vet or take the cat in for an appointment to rule out any medical problems.

As for getting th odor out, I know Resolve carpet cleaner works well for the stains if there are any, and if there is still odor try sprinkiling some Carpet Fresh or something like that.

Answer 4

Might need to start back at stage 1 for litterbox training.

How old is she? An older cat that suddenly stops using the litterbox properly might be suffering dementia (if this is possibly the case, take them to see a vet as soon as you can), or there's something she doesn't like about the litter.

Have you changed brands lately? Have other cats? Not cleaned it out?

If you've changed brands, consider switching back.
If you have other cats, she/he may feel the need for privacy suddenly. You may want to get another litter box exclusively for him/her.
If it's just not cleaned out, clean it!

As for the smell, any grocery store should have a pet-specific cleaner for rugs that will handle stains and odours.

Answer 5

You should handle it by telling her to do her #2 in the litter box and if she is starting to do #2 you should bring her to the litter box.

Answer 6

toe it up the ****!!! i hate cats! never trust a animal who doesent want to move house whan you do!
dog lover
kev uk

Answer 7

Shoot the cat!