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By Jackson Galaxy
We address the issue of the litterbox itself as one of the main reasons cats avoid using it. Let's concentrate on the physical properties of the litterbox. Consider the size of your cat(s) This applies to the size of the box that you choose, as well as the choice to use a hooded box or not. A cat needs to feel a sense of space in his place; that is, room to turn around, to cover what they've eliminated, to choose one corner over another. Often, if they feel their bodies hitting the sides of the box (especially bigger or long haired cats), they will simply choose a place that affords them more "elbow room," and that usually means a place that we deem inappropriate. To hood or not to hood? If you have a small box with a hood for a large cat, he will have two alarms that will sound upon entrance and exit from this confined appropriate area. First, the whiskers are designed to detect whether there's enough room for the cat. If the whiskers brush against the opening, they send a message that the rest of the cat probably won't fit, either. Second, the cat's side touching the hood sends that same message. Cats prefer space to "privacy". Outside, a cat doesn't look for a discreet place in which to eliminate. Quite the opposite! It's really us who would rather see them eliminate inside something that leaves them sight (and scent) unseen. There's also an inter-cat aspect of the hood that can come into play. If there are hierarchical problems in the house, one place where conflicts take place most often is around a hooded box. With no sightlines, and thus no escape route, the cat in the box is completely at the mercy of another who wishes to ambush. If an ambush occurs, as with all of the possible reasons we're outlining here, the result is a negative association with the box itself. Once that association is made, chances are not much else will be made in there, if you get our drift…So if a hooded litterbox is a potential issue in your household, get rid of the lid! Silver liners? Cat pan liners are a convenience for the guardian. Especially with clay litter, it is much easier to just grab the bag, replace it, and never have to come into contact with the litter itself. Of course, with every good idea there can be drawbacks. With this concept there are two, one obvious, and one a little subtler. The obvious "snag" is that different cats like to paw at or bury their litter at different depths and with different intensity. If their claws get hooked on the bag, whether side or bottom, once again we're dealing with a negative box association that could lead to non-use. When following a system of rule-outs, or the detective work that goes into each of our consultations, we always look for leaky liners as a possible cause. The second reason liners may not be too friendly is that they do carry a bit of a static-electric charge to them. It's not much, but again, most especially in the cases of larger and/or long haired cats, the combination of coming into contact with the hood and the liner can give them just enough of a zap, going both in and out of the box, that it almost takes on a punishing tone to even attempt entry! Why, then, if you were in their paws, would you keep trying? A final note about the litterbox Use your imagination! A case in point—friends of ours have a cat who loves to use litter. In fact, he loves everything about it: scratching it, covering it, making sure it's kept clean. His problem is that he aims too high. Not spraying per se, but high enough that in an uncovered box his urine wound up on the wall, and in a covered box, it seeped between the cracks and wound up a mess on the floor, on the sides of the box, everywhere. Their solution? They got a 20 gallon Rubbermaid garbage can, cut the front out completely so he could just step in, and kept the back intact so wherever his pee hits, he's still a good boy. Ingenuity goes a long way, and for very little money. Those rectangular Rubbermaid storage boxes work well, too. The Rubbermaid brand is best because it's sturdy, there is no plastic odor, and the surface is non-absorbent.
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For personal assistance with your cat's behavior problems, call Jackson Galaxy at Little Big Cat! Schedule a consultation at 310-376-6616 or find out more at our consulting web page.
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