In case your feline is lacking the litter field, it could actually rapidly turn into very annoying. You’ll have to wash across the litter field in addition to clear out the litter field. It might even seem to be your cat is lacking the litter field on function!
There are tons of causes your cat could also be lacking the litter field. Typically, you could possibly have a look at an inventory of causes and determine it out. Different instances, it might be a lot more durable! It normally requires some trial and error to determine it out or it might require getting your veterinarian concerned..
The 11 Causes Why Your Cat is Lacking the Litter Field
1. Litter Field Cleanliness
Cats are fastidious about their cleanliness. They might keep away from a grimy litter field and go elsewhere, even whether it is proper outdoors the litter field. Even when the litter field has been scooped, it might nonetheless have a nasty odor that your cat could not like. You’ll want to scoop the field not less than as soon as a day, ideally extra in the event you can, and utterly dump and wash the field not less than as soon as every week.
![Cleaning cat litter box](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Cleaning-cat-litter-box_Zoran-Photographer_Shutterstock-1.jpg)
![Cleaning cat litter box](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Cleaning-cat-litter-box_Zoran-Photographer_Shutterstock-1.jpg)
2. Litter Field Placement
Cats could keep away from utilizing the litter field in the event that they don’t like the location. Most cats will admire doing their enterprise in peace and quiet. They might not wish to use the litter field if it’s proper in the course of your own home’s excessive site visitors space. As an alternative, putting it in a quiet, out of the best way spot could also be extra preferable.
Some cats don’t like feeling trapped, so they could keep away from utilizing litter bins with covers or excessive sides. They need to have the ability to see what’s happening round them, particularly if in case you have different pets that will use this time to ambush them.
Cats typically don’t prefer to get rid of close to their meals and water, both. Ideally, you must have the litter field and their meals in utterly completely different rooms. On the very least, put them on reverse sides of the room.
3. Litter Sort and Texture
Some cats have preferences for particular litter varieties. They like a selected measurement, texture and even scent. Altering the litter abruptly could trigger your cat to not use the litter field as a result of they don’t like the brand new substrate.
Cats with very delicate paws could also be significantly delicate to cat litter. They might not like litter with abrasive textures, as an illustration. Nevertheless, any cat could determine that they don’t like a selected form of litter for any purpose.
4. Medical Points
There are some medical causes behind a cat not utilizing their litter field. For some, it might be that ache and stiffness from arthritis or an damage prevents them from having the ability to climb into the field. For others, it could possibly be {that a} urinary tract an infection or case of diarrhea has made their must go very pressing they usually don’t have time to get to the field. Some cats could affiliate previous unfavourable experiences, reminiscent of a painful bowel motion or ache from a urinary stone, with utilizing their litter field and select to go elsewhere in order that they received’t expertise these emotions once more.
Some older cats may additionally develop cognitive dysfunction as they age that may change their lavatory habits. They might both overlook the place the litter field is or be confused about use it.
See your vet in case your cat’s litter field use abruptly modifications or in the event you discover some other indicators reminiscent of not consuming, urinary steadily in small quantities, or crying after they attempt to go to the lavatory.
![vet listening to a cats chest with stethoscope](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vet-listening-to-a-cats-chest-with-stethoscope_LightField-Studios_Shutterstock.jpg)
![vet listening to a cats chest with stethoscope](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vet-listening-to-a-cats-chest-with-stethoscope_LightField-Studios_Shutterstock.jpg)
5. Stress and Nervousness
Cats don’t like change and may be very delicate to nervousness. When anxious, they could not use the litter field as they as soon as did, particularly in the event that they spend a lot of the time hiding. Any modifications within the variety of pets within the family, relations, or schedule can result in litter field issues.
Your cat may additionally expertise sudden nervousness on account of a loud noise or related trigger. This will result in the cat hiding and never utilizing the litter field for a number of hours, relying on how scared they turn into.
Usually, sticking to a daily schedule and providing your cat a protected place may help lower their stress and nervousness. Nevertheless, cats which can be significantly anxious or careworn about each little change could must be evaluated by your vet. Your feline might have medicine or behavioral coaching.
6. Insufficient Variety of Packing containers
Often, you could want to extend the variety of bins in your house. When you have a number of cats or a very huge home, then you could want to extend the variety of bins in order that your cat is at all times inside shut vary to 1 and so a number of cats don’t should share. An excellent rule of thumb is one litter field per cat, plus one further. So, if in case you have two cats, three litter bins are very best.
7. Litter Field Measurement and Model
If the litter field is simply too small, your feline could have a tough time becoming in to make use of it accurately. Larger cats want larger litter bins. Hooded litter bins may be useful in some circumstances. Nevertheless, they could even be confining for some cats. Some felines merely don’t like hooded litter bins, so that you’ll want to make use of one with an open high.
Cats may additionally determine that they don’t like all oddly formed litter field. For example, they could dislike litter bins which can be designed to suit into the nook of rooms. Some cats could have a tough time becoming into these sq. bins. We extremely advocate that you just contemplate whether or not or not you’ve modified litter bins recently and contemplate switching again if in case you have.
![green litter box with crystal litter](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/green-litter-box-with-crystal-litter_Dmitrii-Pridannikov_Shutterstock.jpg)
![green litter box with crystal litter](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/green-litter-box-with-crystal-litter_Dmitrii-Pridannikov_Shutterstock.jpg)
8. Territorial Marking
Cats could use urine to mark their territory, which generally will not be contained in the field. If their territory feels threatened, they’re much more probably to do that. Bringing new cats into the house or different stressors may cause this situation.
Sadly, stopping territorial marking could be very tough. You may attempt to alter the reason for the stress, however this isn’t at all times potential. It’s possible you’ll must retrain your cat to make use of the litter field or contemplate neutering your feline, if intact, to scale back the hormonal causes of territorial markings.
9. Litter Field Aversion
Typically, cats abruptly develop an aversion to the litter field. Usually, that is brought on by one thing scary that occurred to your feline whereas they had been utilizing the litter field. For example, in case your cat is startled or skilled ache whereas they’re utilizing the litter field, then they could keep away from going again in it.
Typically, these aversions go away on their very own. Different instances, making modifications to the litter field and re-training your cat could also be obligatory.
10. Insufficient Coaching
Your cat wants some coaching and steerage to make use of the litter field correctly. Whereas cats typically do like to make use of the litter field and do it with out a lot prompting, some do require extra coaching than others. It’s best to present your cat the place it’s after which deal with and reward your cat every time they use the litter field. Equally, you could want so as to add extra litter bins or use one with very low sides in case your cat is used to simply happening the bottom.
Kittens are simpler to coach than older cats. Nevertheless, any cat can work out use the litter field, even when they’re older. Whereas kittens are sometimes skilled when they’re youthful, stray cats or those who spent a lot of their life outdoors will not be.
![](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/black-and-white-cat-in-litter-box_Tiplyashina-Evgeniya-Shutterstock-1.jpg)
![](https://www.catster.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/black-and-white-cat-in-litter-box_Tiplyashina-Evgeniya-Shutterstock-1.jpg)
11. Kittens
Little or no kittens could make many errors earlier than they work out the litter field utterly. In some circumstances, kittens simply don’t make it to the field on time. You’ll simply have to attend whereas they develop and work out precisely use the field. It’s a course of, despite the fact that kittens are fairly good at self-directing their coaching.
Whereas a kitten having accidents may be annoying, it’s essential to be affected person and encourage them of their coaching.
Why Does My Cat Pee on the Ground however Use the Litter Field?
In case your cat is peeing on the ground however nonetheless makes use of the litter field at different instances, it may be irritating and puzzling. That mentioned, this habits may be brought on by many alternative underlying points. The answer will rely largely on the explanation for this unusual habits.
- Medical Points: It’s important to rule out underlying medical issues, before everything. If your cat has a UTI or different downside, their signs could really feel worse at sure instances. Subsequently, they could solely miss the litter field in particular conditions.
- Cleanliness: Your feline could solely like to make use of the litter field when it is extremely clear. As quickly because it will get soiled, they could keep away from utilizing it—even when it appears to be like fairly clear to you. They might need more energizing litter, as an illustration. You’ll want to clean your cat’s litter box properly to keep away from this downside.
- Location: In case your cat avoids the litter field at sure instances of the day, it might be because of the location. If your own home is busy at sure instances of the day across the litter field, they could keep away from the litter field at these factors.
- Territorial Marking: If there are new pets in the home or outside cats round, your cat is likely to be marking its territory by urinating on the ground. This habits is extra frequent in intact male cats, however spayed/neutered cats may exhibit it. Your cat could solely pee on the ground when being territorial. At different instances, they could use the litter field like regular.
- Age-Associated Points: Cognitive decline and joint-related points may cause your feline to keep away from the litter field at sure instances. They might not wish to use it when their joints damage, as an illustration, or they could overlook to make use of it at different instances.
It’s best to take a truthful have a look at your litter field’s cleanliness and site. Begin by ruling out well being points and age-related issues by seeing your vet. Then, attempt to rule out a number of the different points we talked about. Hopefully, you’ll slender down the potential trigger to 1 or two on this method.
Conclusion
Your cat could miss the litterbox for a wide range of completely different causes. They might be careworn or anxious about one thing, not like the situation or sort of litter field or they could be choosy concerning the litter or cleanliness. Different kitties could have age- or medical-related points that make them miss the litter field. Begin by seeing your veterinarian to rule out some causes after which you could begin experimenting with completely different areas, litters, or bins till your cat is comfy utilizing the litter field once more.
Featured Picture Credit score: Nils Jacobi, Shutterstock