Why Do They Do That?
Answers to Common Questions About Cat Behavior
"Litter Boxes"

My cat won’t use her litter box anymore. What should I do?

          There are several reasons why your cat may have suddenly developed an aversion to her litter box. There are several different questions you should ask yourself, before deciding how to handle the situation.

          1) Has she outgrown her existing box? If so, she will need a larger box.

          2) Did you recently change the kind of litter you’re using? Cats are creatures of habit, and don’t like sudden changes. If you’ve recently changed to a completely different type of litter (i.e. replaced your clay litter with a fresh pine-scented litter) she may be telling you that she doesn’t like it. At all!

          At this point, you have two choices: You can either go back to using the original litter, or you can blend the two litters together, and gradually get her used to the new one. It will take time...but she should eventually "give in" and start using just the new litter.

          3) Has her box been cleaned thoroughly? Cats are very fastidious, and do not like using a dirty litter box. Even if you’ve sifted through and removed the big chunks, it may still smell bad to your cat. After a while, the urine smell builds up, and she may be turning up her nose in protest.

          4) Did you recently move her box closer to her food bowl? Cats are very clean animals, and do not like to eat too close to their feces. Move her litter box away again, and she should start using it again.

          5) Is she sick? Nearly 30% of all cats develop feline diabetes, and the first sign is a sharp increase or decrease in the amount of urination. If your cat is urinating much more or less frequently, seems to be having trouble urinating, or is "dribbling" when she lays down or stands up, have her checked by a qualified vet immediately. Early detection can do wonders, and may even prevent the disease from becoming chronic and/or life-threatening.

          If you’re concerned about whether your cat is suffering from a bladder or kidney infection, a quick and easy way to tell is to use Scientific Professional’s cat litter. Its specialized crystals will remain gray if your cat is healthy...but they will turn pink if an infection is present. The darker the pink, the more serious the infection. If any pink color is present, you should take her to your vet immediately.