All Subchapter Articles:Persistent Kitty? How to Hold the LinePeeing Outside the Litter Box: Common CausesDoes Your Cat Bite or Play Rough?How to Discourage Improper ScratchingCat Spraying Causes and How to Stop itHow to Discourage Night CraziesHow to Discourage Urine MarkingSocializing Your Shy or Fearful CatWhat's All That Meowing? What Cats SayCats and Babies Can CoexistTips for Keeping Your Cat Off CountersMoving With Your Cat Solving Cat Litter Box Problems Cats are fastidious creatures, and nowhere is that more evident than in their litter box habits. When your cat won’t use the litter box -- and at least 10% of all cats develop an elimination problem -- the cause could be anything from an unclean box to an illness. Before you try some easy strategies to get her back in the litter box, have her checked out by a veterinarian to rule out a health problem. If you’ve just introduced a new cat to your household, make sure the litter box is as cat-friendly as possible to prevent a problem in the future.

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WebMD looked at common litter box problems and solutions. Reasons cats won’t use the litter box These common litter box problems could be repelling your cat: An unclean litter box Too few litter boxes for the cats in the household A cramped litter box A litter box with a hood or liner A litter box with sides that are high Too much litter in the box An uncomfortable location that doesn’t allow for privacy and multiple escape routes A change in the kind of litter your useYour cat may have been upset while using the box. She may also connect the box with painful elimination, even if her health is back to normal Stressors like moving, adding new animals or family members to the household A conflict with another cat in the household A new preference for eliminating on certain surfaces or textures like carpet, potting soil, or bedding Medical conditions and litter box problems Your cat may have a medical condition that makes urinating too painful -- in or out of the litter box.

Common medical conditions which may affect litter box use include:Feline interstitial cystitis is a complex disease that causes inflammation of the bladder. It can cause a cat to eliminate outside the litter box because of the urgency to urinate. Litter Box Issues for Cats Home My Cat Won't Eat People Foods for Cats The Facts About Whiskers How Healthy Is Your Cat? Cat Treats: Dos and Don'ts People Foods Cats Can Eat Can You Have a Pet and a Clean Home? Purebred Cats: Which Breed Is Right for You?Common Cat Behavior Problems Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Cats? Precious Cat Senior Cat Litter This litter will help prevent kidney failure and urinary infections that can cause non-use of the litter box. Precious Cat Senior litter has a small particle size that cats prefer. Senior litter absorbs urine on contact and traps it inside the crystal to prevent bacterial growth, thus helping to prevent urinary tract infections. Its small particle size and dust fines also coat and dehydrate cat feces to reduce odor and prevent bacterial growth of E-Coli.

E-Coli bacteria grow on feces and along with reduced natural body defenses can lead to kidney failure, urinary and uterine infections. Precious Cat Senior has no organic material such as wheat, pine, corn and paper that can support bacteria and fungal growth, there by helping to prevent urinary infections. Package Weight: 8 lbsExpert ReviewedHow to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections in Cats Two Methods:Preventing Urinary Tract Infections in CatsObserving and Treating Urinary Tract Infections in CatsCommunity Q&A Have you noticed your cat in pain or distress during urination? Your cat may be experiencing one of many urinary problems, including urinary tract infections, bladder infections, bladder inflammation, bladder crystals and stones, and bladder cancer. These problems look similar from the outside but have different causes and treatments. Fortunately, there are simple things you can do to reduce the likelihood that your cat develops one of these problems. Keep your cat at a healthy weight.

Obese cats tend to have more problems than normal weight cats. Use the Body Condition Scoring system to determine if your cat is a healthy size. These charts rank your cat on a scale of 1 to 9, to determine if your cat is overweight, underweight, or at the ideal weight. how easy it is to feel the ribs how obvious the waist and abdominal tuck are how much excess fat is below the skin how much muscle mass is present Give your cat canned cat food. Canned cat food more closely resembles the natural diet (rodents, birds) of cats and has more protein and moisture than dry food. If your cat is hooked on dry food, consider gradually adding small amounts of canned food and see if you can get your cat to transition to all or mostly all canned diet. If canned food just will not go over with your cat, try offering small amounts of cooked beef or chicken in the form of muscle or organ meat to entice them. Do not supplement a commercial diet with medicines that promote urinary acidity.

Too much of a “good thing” will cause an imbalance, leading to new problems. Talk to your vet before giving your cat any urinary medications. Be sure your cat always has fresh, clean water. Water is key to a happy urinary tract. Keeping the urine at the proper pH will help prevent crystal and stone formation in the urine. By feeding a balanced diet with plenty of water, the crystals are flushed out of the bladder. This prevents urinary problems. Some cats will drink more water if it's flowing, so providing a kitty water fountain may help them consume more water than if it is just in a bowl. If your cat uses a bowl, be sure to clean it regularly. Have multiple places for your cat to drink. If you have more than one cat, sometimes dominance over certain food and water dishes is an issue. Provide enough litter boxes for your cat or cats. The rule is to have 1 more litter box than the number of cats in your home when practical. So if you have 2 cats, you should have 3 litter boxes.

If your cat eats canned food, she'll probably be drinking more water and urinating more. You might need to get bigger litter boxes and you may need to clean them more often. Check litter boxes frequently and remove waste as soon as you see it. Wash the litter boxes with soap and water every time you change the litter. Minimize stress to your cat. Some cats are just more nervous and worked up than other, more mellow cats. Anxiety does seem to play a part in urinary issues with cats, so try to keep changes in your cat's routine to a minimum.[4] Try to feed her at the same time everyday. Be aware that a change in the weather or a move to a new home could trigger a problem with a cat's urinary tract. Watch for symptoms of urinary tract infections in cats. Pay attention to your cat and note if you see any of the following: Yowling, or making other sounds, while urinating Urinating only small amounts of urine at a time, or none at all Frequent trips to the litter box

Blood in the urine Urinating outside the litter box Changes in water consumption, often an increase Licking the genital area Know when to take your cat to the veterinarian. Take your cat to the veterinarian immediately if you see blood in your cat's urine or if the cat cannot urinate at all. Male cats are more likely to become blocked with sediment from crystals or stones in their urethras, usually caused by inflammation.[5] This will ultimately result in a painful shut down of the kidneys and eventual death.[6] Take your cat to the vet as soon as you notice these urine problems. Understand the tests your vet may perform. When you take your cat to the veterinarian to diagnose the urinary problem, she will do tests to determine the exact problem and how to treat it. These tests may include: a urinalysis to determine pH concentration and the presence of bacteria or crystals a urine culture to determine if there is an infection, what kind of bacteria are present, and which antibiotics will kill those bacteria

blood work to determine kidney health x-rays to look for stones in the bladder and the size and shape of the bladder and kidneys an ultrasound to look into the bladder for tumors and evaluate the bladder wall (the inside of the kidneys and the ureters) Realize your cat may need to be hospitalized. Hospitalization may ensure that your cat gets the care and treatment she needs. This might include an intravenous catheter to give the cat fluids, placing a urinary catheter in the urethra to help clear a blockage, or antibiotics to treat a urinary tract infection. Your cat will most likely need to stay in the hospital for a few days. Male cats that have experienced one episode of complete or partial urinary blockage are likely to have problems again. If this is the case, you really need to follow your veterinarian’s advice and maintain a proper diet, household regimen and regular medical care. If you suspect a cat's urinary tract is completely blocked seek immediate veterinary care.