“The Cat Coach” gives the top 5 things that could be causing your precious kitty to make your house stinky!
It is extremely frustrating when cats don’t use their litter boxes. Beyond frustration, there is embarrassment. The smell that results from your cats using the bathroom around your house is far less than enjoyable. If you find yourself in this situation, check out these tips below to troubleshoot this problem:
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Vet Your Cat
Going to the bathroom outside the litter box can be caused by medical conditions, and you should make sure you take your cat to the vet to eliminate this as a cause. There are a variety of medical issues that can cause this unwanted behavior including urinary tract infections, bladder stones as well as others. In addition, pain in general has been known to cause cats to eliminate outside of the litter box. At the first sign of a behavior change, have your cat examined by a veterinarian. Approach this as a behavior issue, only after the vet has ruled out any possible medical causes.
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Clean the Litter Box
Scoop the litter box at least once a day. In addition, dump the litter and wash the litter box on a regular basis. If you use clay litter, do this every 3-4 weeks. If you use alternative types of litter, it may require you to dump the litter and wash the litter boxes once per week. Ideally, the box should be replaced every 3 months. The smells build up in the box, and this can cause your cat to search for new areas to relieve itself.
*** Understanding Smell and cats: Cats are instinctual. The smell of their excrement can attract predators and scare away potential prey. If the areas where they eliminate smells like excrement, they will find other safer areas to do their business.
Marilyn is the author of “Naughty No More.” Click on the image to see more
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Choose the Right Litter Box Location
Location is important to the cat using the litter box. Cats do not want to feel trapped and need to feel like they can escape. The right location for a box is where the cat can still see it’s surroundings and can easily escape.
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Get the Right Box
The litter box should be 1.5 to 2 times the length of the cat. Because many cats feel they can be trapped in covered litter boxes the boxes should not be covered. Covered boxes also trap odors in them—making them smelly! Large storage containers make great litter boxes and tend to be less expensive!
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Fill The Box with the Right amount of Litter
Cat litter should be about 3-4” deep. If there isn’t enough litter, cats can’t successfully dig and bury their excrement.
With these changes, your cat will feel right at home and will use the litter box and make all your dreams come true! No more smelly stained carpet!
To learn more from The Cat Coach, visit her WEBSITE and like her FACEBOOK page!
