Cat litter is more than just an accessory. It contributes to the comfort and well-being of your feline companion on a daily basis… provided that it is cleaned regularly. It is well known: a clean litter box means a happy cat!

Revealing behaviors

A cat happy with its litter box carefully chooses its corner, digs a small hole, does its business, then covers its excrement meticulously. On the other hand, an unhappy cat shows its discomfort through various behaviors, often related to the quality or location of its litter box.

An unhappy cat will approach the box hesitantly. Sometimes he will look for a more favorable and cleaner place, shaking his paws, as if to rid them of something unpleasant that has attached itself to them. When it is time to relieve himself, he will show an expression of discomfort, with his ears low and his body tense. Some will even go so far as to balance on the edge of the box to minimize contact with the litter!

Once the cat has finished its business, it will quickly move away without covering its excrement. Others will pretend to cover it by scratching the sides of the box or scratching in the air so as not to get their paws dirty.

There are several reasons why these behaviors can occur:

• The location of the litter box (too visible or too hidden);
• A box too small;
• A dirty, uncleaned litter box;
• Excessive cleanliness, with a strong smell of chemicals;
• Too little litter in the box;
• Poor quality litter.

To avoid unpleasant surprises and dirt problems in the house, the cleanliness and accessibility of the litter box are essential.

Tips for Cleaning the Litter Box

The litter should be filtered daily. Using a small shovel, remove the solid droppings and urine-soiled sand. Then, place it all in a bin provided for this purpose . Then fill the bin with clean litter.

It is advisable to replace the litter box completely, once a week. You can take the opportunity to clean the cat's box using vinegar. This will neutralize any odor that may be unpleasant for the cat, as well as for you!

Caution: products that contain ammonia should be avoided, as they can accentuate the smell of urine. The same goes for scented products, as they can repulse the cat and encourage it not to use the litter box.

The bin and its location

You will find on the market boxes of various sizes , covered with a dome (or not!). Generally, cats prefer more spacious boxes that allow them to dig and turn around easily.

Your cat refuses to go in the litter box? The material, smell, shape or even the color of the box may be the cause. Some cats, for example, hate plastic, probably because of the feeling they get when they touch it.

Another factor to consider: the location of the litter box. It is advisable to choose a quiet corner, away from food and water bowls. Indeed, the cat does not like to eat and do its business in the same place.

What litter to use?

Many cats prefer the fine, clumping sand grains , but there are also plant-based litters made from grass, cereals and recycled paper.

For cats that are used to going outside, it may be helpful to mix the litter with soil.

Remember that cats are animals of routine: the fewer changes, the less confusion.

What to do when the cat does not use its litter box?

The tendency to urinate and defecate outside the litter box is the main behavioral disorder of cats living in apartments. A recent study conducted in the United States revealed that 24% of cats do not use the litter box.

Most of them are males, who urinate in the house or in the wrong place, but this problem is also observed in unsterilized females, especially during heat.

This problem greatly distresses owners and pushes them to consider extreme solutions, such as abandonment or euthanasia. However, this behavior is often linked to territory marking. In 90% of cases, sterilization solves the problem.

If the cat persists in relieving itself outside of its litter box, you must pay attention to its environment: is the litter box clean and well positioned? To solve the problem, you can use trays of different sizes and distribute them in different places in the house.

Alternatively, if a cat has started to soil a carpet, you can place a small piece of carpet on the edge of the box. Some cats may prefer to scratch on materials other than plastic when covering their excrement.

His refusal persists despite all your actions? Then perhaps you could consider allowing him to go outside. He can then do so wherever he pleases!

The stressed cat and cleanliness

All it takes is a move to a new home, a change in the owner's schedule, the arrival of a new cat or a new person in the home to trigger stress in a cat. However, an anxious cat may feel a stronger need to mark its territory.

A little investigation will probably allow you to understand the origin of stress in your feline companion. Finding the source of the troubles can lead to a solution to alleviate the harm!

Moving does not always cause physiological problems in cats; sometimes they simply "snub" their owners. If, for example, an animal used to roaming freely outside is transferred to a city apartment, it may ignore its owner for weeks, no matter how affectionate the owner may be.

It has also been observed that if this cat is put in a kennel for two weeks, it is generally very affectionate when it returns to the apartment, probably because the stress caused by the stay in the kennel is greater than that of the move. A somewhat drastic solution, certainly, but it can work.

Another typical case is that of the owner who is away from home for two days. When he returns, he finds the box full of excrement, but also little surprises here and there in the house.

The risk in this case is that the cat, after the first time, will persist in soiling outside of its box. It is then necessary to clean and deodorize these places carefully to prevent a new and bad habit from being created. Vinegar will be your best ally!

A sometimes difficult cohabitation

If you have multiple cats, you should increase the number of litter boxes you have, so that you have at least one for each cat. A cat can become completely inhibited if it has to use the same box as another cat.

That said, overpopulation and the presence of unneutered cats can cause unpleasant problems with control and territory marking. Neutering is an option to consider.

A more radical solution would be to find a new home for one or more of them or to allow them access to more spacious rooms.

Despite all these measures, some cats may continue to refuse to use their litter box. You can then try to lock them in a small room, with a litter box. Indeed, cats hate to do their business in cramped spaces, because they cannot stand to dirty the place where they sleep.

Once your cat starts using the litter box regularly again, you can then allow him to go into larger and larger rooms of the house. You can also set up the box in the exact spot where he likes to go to the bathroom, then slowly move it to a more suitable location.

Another approach would be to train the cat like you train a house dog: every morning when you wake up, you take the cat to the litter box and encourage him to use it, finally rewarding him if he uses it properly.

What about cat repellents?

Do the neighbor's cats regularly come and urinate on the terrace? Does your own cat tend to let himself go on your green plants? It's time to take action...

There are a few cat repellents you can try to keep your feline friends away. If you want to protect an area that your cat is targeting, you can try using commercially available cat repellents or homemade natural repellents.

First of all, Always keep in mind that you should never use bleach to clean an area that has been soiled by a cat. In fact, this irremediably attracts cats and invites them to mark their territory again.

Looking for a natural solution? A few drops of lavender essential oil on a cotton pad are very effective. Then place the soaked cotton pad in your flower pots. A few drops of orange peel can also do the trick…

You can also rub a strongly scented soap on surfaces, such as carpets, or spray a lemon air freshener or cover certain surfaces with aluminum foil or a heavy plastic sheet.

However, these measures are not always enough to solve the problem. The feline then starts looking for another equally unsuitable place and continues to avoid using the cat litter box. In this case, do not hesitate to ask us for advice.