How To Prevent Feline Housesoiling

Housesoiling is a common complaint most cat owners have. In some cases the cat defecates or urinates outside the litter box or ignores the litter box altogether. There are many reasons as to why a cat does not use its litter box. Lets take a look at some possible causes for housesoiling.

Causes

Your cat might have urinary tract infection or bladder stones. In this case passing urine would be painful for your cat. Since the cat associates the litter box with pain, it avoids using it. Older cats with arthritis might find it difficult to reach the litter box in time. Treating the medical condition can help reduce the problem of housesoiling.

If your cat has no medical condition, then the reasons for housesoiling could have to do with the litter box itself.

Cats are by nature very clean animals. So you need to make sure that the litter box is cleaned regularly. Some cats might have very strong preferences about the type of litter used. Try out different kinds of litter to see which one your cat likes the best. In some cases, cats prefer to have actual sand in their litter box. You could start off by using a mixture of sand and soil and then gradually change to cat litter.

If you have more than one cat in the house, it might be advisable to have a litter box for each cat. This is because some cats might dislike having to use the same litter box.

In some cases, it is best to confine the cat and the litter box in a small room, like the bathroom. Once the cat gets used to using the litter box, you can allow the cat into the other areas of the house.

Urine marking or spraying is also common among cats. Cats back themselves to a vertical surface, quiver their tail and spray a thin stream of urine to the surface. Male cats that have not been neutered spray the most. Spraying is usual during the mating season. It is also used to mark territory and can be a sign of anxiety.

Neutering cats reduces housesoiling in the form of urine marking. If your cat is neutered and still sprays, check to see whether it is in any kind of stress. Some stressful situations for cats could be:

• The introduction of a new cat in the house.
• Other cats in the vicinity of the house.
• A change in its everyday routine.
• Not enough attention is given to it.
• There are too many cats or other animals in its space.

Once you know what is troubling your cat, you can take steps to correct it. Punishment does not help in any situation. In fact, it can worsen the problem by increasing the anxiety levels in the cat. In case nothing else works, there are medications available that can help reduce housesoiling. But these medicines could have side effects. So have a talk with the vet before giving your cat any medication.