| One of the reasons why it tends to be difficult to | | | | Did you rearrange or add any new furniture to |
| solve house training/house soiling or litterbox | | | | your house? |
| avoidance issues, is because you are the one who | | | | Are you 100% sure this cat is the one not using |
| must identify the cause. | | | | the box? |
| The most difficult part of solving litter box | | | | Are any of your cats not getting along? |
| avoidance problems is identifying the cause. | | | | Inter-cat disagreements are actually much harder |
| Unfortunately, cats are extremely sensitive to | | | | to spot than most owners realize. Just because |
| change - and if your cat has been regularly using | | | | they aren't fighting doesn't mean they're getting |
| the litter box and then suddenly stopped, | | | | along. One of your cat's may actually be "silently" |
| something has changed whether you are aware | | | | intimidating one of the others, but you don't know |
| of it or not. | | | | how to read the signs so you aren't aware of it. |
| So the goal is to figure out what's changed. | | | | If you're sure you know which cat isn't using the |
| Here are a couple of things to think about: | | | | litter box, and you know which litter box that cat |
| The most important thing to consider when you | | | | usually uses, keep an eye out to see if any of |
| need to figure out what has caused a house | | | | your other cats are spending extra time "hanging |
| soiling problem is: WHEN did the problem start? | | | | out" close to that box. |
| 2nd most important: Are you certain it's not a | | | | If you have any covered litter boxes, pay special |
| health issue such as an Urinary Tract Infection? | | | | notice to any cats that have a tendency to sit on |
| (The #1 symptom of an UTI is litter box | | | | top of the litter box. |
| avoidance) | | | | One surefire method of retraining a stubborn cat |
| Other questions to consider that will help you | | | | is to keep the cat in a nearly empty room for a |
| figure out the cause: | | | | day or two, providing only a few toys, a |
| Did anything at all change near the time when the | | | | scratching post, water, a bed and a litter box. |
| behavior started? (Try to think of everything, no | | | | Use this technique to house train your cat and |
| matter how unimportant it seems) | | | | don't allow free access to the rest of the house |
| Have you moved to a new home recently? | | | | until the cat is completely retrained and no longer |
| Did you recently introduce a new cat/dog/ferret | | | | eliminates outside of the litter box. |
| roommate into your house (or apartment)? | | | | Some people think it's crazy when they realize |
| Have any of the litter boxes been moved? | | | | just how many things can upset a cat's bathroom |
| (Maybe he or she tends to regularly use one | | | | habits. What they don't realize is that elimination is |
| certain box and that particular one has been | | | | actually a very complex and fragile part of a cat's |
| moved) | | | | life, and it can be easily disrupted. |