When your cat begins peeing outdoors the field, your first intuition is likely to be to name the vet: May or not it’s a UTI? Kidney stones? Diabetes? Most cancers? Whereas it’s true that pee issues is usually a signal of any of those well being points, in lots of instances, cats are merely lodging a grievance with the field itself. In case your cat is in any other case wholesome and joyful—and their field is clear—take into account these frequent litter field issues earlier than footing a vet invoice.
They don’t just like the litter
Cats are very specific about litter; in the event that they don’t like the best way it smells or the way it feels on their paws, they gained’t use it. Many people be taught this the laborious approach once they swap to new crystal- or pellet-based litter formulation—in case your cat is all of the sudden rejecting their field and also you’ve switched litter formulation lately, that’s most likely why, and going again to fundamentals is likely to be all it takes to unravel your cat’s litter field woes.
In keeping with Preventive Vet, cats desire fantastic, sandy textures over coarser, “rockier” ones, and unscented litter over scented. (A number of vets have instructed me the identical factor through the years.) Perfume-free, fine-textured litter is at all times the most secure possibility, whether or not that’s a basic clay-based clumping formulation or one of many newer crystal formulation that really feel like sand.
Their litter field is simply too small
An particularly tall or lengthy cat could also be attempting their greatest to go within the field and failing via no fault of their very own. When the partitions are decrease than their butt or the field is shorter than their physique, the pee will find yourself precisely the place you don’t need it. The excellent news is that there’s a littler field on the market for each cat. Attempt a field with further excessive sides or further size. In the event you’re utilizing a closed litter field, they could be objecting to the lid; eradicating it would give tall cats a bit extra respiration room. If none of those choices work, it might be time to look right into a DIY resolution: Massive plastic storage bins make wonderful litter bins and can be found in a variety of sizes.
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They can’t get in or out of the box anymore
Older cats, particularly those with arthritis, may struggle to clear even very low barriers, making it difficult for them to get in and out of a standard litter box. To make a senior kitty’s life a little easier, consider something easier to navigate: Many brands sell low-sided boxes specifically for senior cats, and they can make a huge difference.
They need more privacy
Depending on how much room you have in your house, finding the perfect spot for a litter box can be daunting. Much like humans, cats need some privacy to do their business, so placing litter boxes in high-traffic zones is a bad idea. Instead, choose spots that are quiet and away from foot traffic, but with a good view of their surroundings—cats don’t like to feel ambushed and want to be able to keep watch while in a vulnerable position. Cats also don’t like to shit where they eat, so vets also recommend as much separation between the litter box and the food area as you can manage. A quiet corner in a quiet room should check all of these boxes, but you can experiment until you get it right.
