Missed again: why does a cat have problems with the litter box – 5 possible reasons

01.11.2024 11:30

Sometimes cat owners notice, to their chagrin, that their pets have started walking past the litter box.

This problem is quite common. There are several reasons for this behavior - the main ones are listed below.

Once you understand what is going on, you can correct the bad habit before it becomes ingrained in your cat's mind.

Health problems

Sometimes a cat may not make it to the litter box due to urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal problems, arthritis, or other illnesses.

Stress

Due to changes occurring in the house (this could be renovation, moving, and other events of this kind), the cat experiences stress. A stressful situation for the animal also occurs when new pets or people appear in the family.

Cat
Photo: © Belnovosti

Tray

Sometimes the problem is hidden in the cat toilet itself. Pets ignore a dirty litter box and do not want to visit it if it was placed in an inappropriate place. You can also offer your cat a container of a different size or with a different filler.

Territorial behavior

In this way, cats can mark their territory or react to the smells of other animals appearing in the house.

Age-related changes

Due to age, animals may simply forget about the need to visit the litter box. In addition, if you have to deal with an elderly animal, make sure that it does not have difficulty accessing the toilet.

Author: Elena Shimanovskaya Editor of Internet resources

Content
  1. Health problems
  2. Stress
  3. Tray
  4. Territorial behavior
  5. Age-related changes