JUNE '23 - Pawsitively Pets issue to publish online- | Page 16

- - - Cats & Litterboxes
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Wise Words from WAGZ

- - - Cats & Litterboxes

The most frustrating of all cat behavior problems are the ones that involve inappropriate elimination . Most kitties are very good at using the litter box , which is part of their allure as a house pet . There ' s no need to take your cat out for daily walks . All you need to do is provide them with a litter box , right ? Unfortunately , that ' s not always the case . When a cat begins to pee or poop outside the litter box , you have a problem on your hands . The key to solving it ? Figuring out why your cat stopped using the box . There are three main possible reasons - 1 . Kitty has a medical problem : There are a variety of medical conditions that could lead to pain during urination or defecation . When that happens , your cat will begin to associate the litter box with pain , making him or her avoid that spot . Urinary tract issues can be particularly persistent and recurrent . Make an appointment with your vet . Do not attempt to correct the behavioral problem before you have the “ all clear ” from the vet . A sick kitty has no control over its elimination pattern . Anything other than quietly cleaning up after your cat is pointless . Even reprimanding the cat would do nothing but add to its stress , potentially complicating both the medical and behavioral problems . 2 . The litter box is not set up properly : Your cat should have a large , easily accessible , and clean litter box available to them at all times . Many cats do better with two boxes , especially in a larger home . If you have more than one cat , you should have even more litter pans . Ideally , one per cat , plus one additional box . So , for two cats , you should set out three litter boxes . Four cats ? You need five litter boxes . And so on . 3 . Your cat is stressed-out : Stress can affect cats in many ways . In some cats , stress can trigger a medical condition called Feline Idiopathic Cystitis , where kitty ' s bladder is inflamed . That could lead to peeing outside the box . While the condition is medical , it ' s often triggered by anxiety . Try to reduce the stress in your cat ' s life . You could do this by making some changes around the home . In some cases , a veterinarian may prescribe anti-anxiety drugs to treat the problem .
There ya have it folks ! My brand-new knowledge on cat elimination problems , that I happily share with you . Can ’ t wait until next month when I can go back to a familiar species !

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