Kitty Litter

Indoor cats rely 100% on you for their "toilet" and they are very fussy about the condition of that "toilet".  The smallest thing can cause them to go OUTSIDE of the box.

To keep your cat happy and going in the box, it is important to have the right type of box, the right number of boxes and the right litter. You also need to know how to clean your litter box.

Some cats won't use the box because of how it is cleaned (or not cleaned). Not cleaning it enough, and even cleaning it TOO much, can lead to problems.

I know scooping is not the most fun thing to do, but if a box is not scooped often enough, it may become unappealing, causing your cat to seek alternative places to go.

If the bottom of the box is full of urine and feces, cats will look elsewhere for a place to go. Dirty boxes cause some cats to risk getting their paws dirty, and that can lead to litter box aversion.

Some cats like to scratch the bottom of the box when they go. If they can't complete their elimination rituals without getting "dirty", they will look elsewhere for a more appealing spot to go. 
 
A frequently scooped box is good. A box cleaned with harsh smelling chemicals, such as bleach or other soaps, is not good. Cats, especially kittens, can be very sensitive to smells and can be totally turned off by certain scents, causing them to go outside of the box. Some cats don’t like scented litter. Kittens should have unscented litter or Yesterdays News (old recycled newspapers) instead. My preference is feline pine or feline wheat pellets. It biodegradable and can be tossed into the toilet or thrown in the garden.

The best way to clean your litter box is to empty it completely and use a mild soap, dawn dishwashing liquid or a unscented product that neutralizes cat odor by bonding to the odor molecules and changes them into molecules that no longer cause odor rather than just masking the odor. Scrub it well and rinse like crazy. Make sure you get all the scents out of the box. 

Marking

Marking is not a litter box problem. It is an important part of nonverbal communication among cats, helping to establish and define boundaries. It is a reassuring method that cats use to "mark" whose area is whose. It may be reassuring for the cat, but for the homeowner, it is possibly the most annoying of all cat traits.

When cats ‘mark’ they deposit pheromones, which are substances produced by animals to serve as a form of chemical communication. Cats secrete several different pheromones from different regions of the body. Some pheromones are used to mark objects and boundaries, while others send a signal of familiarity and well-being.

Cats use a variety of methods to mark their territory, such as spraying, scratching, rubbing against things, and leaving their feces.

Intact males have the greatest motivation to mark because of their testosterone-driven territorial agendas, but neutered males also mark if aroused. Even females can mark, especially intact females in heat.

Marking can be performed with the cat in a standing position or in a squatting pose. The volume of markings passed ranges from small and almost insignificant to a regular amount, and vertical surfaces or strategic locations are often the target. There is also a type of "virtual" marking behavior in which no urine is passed at all. This is called phantom spraying, and owners do not usually regard this as a problem.

If your cat is marking, you've have a problem. But there are several things that you can do:

• Have your veterinarian examine your cat to rule out the possibility of a medical problem.
• If your cat has not been spayed/neutered, consider having it done. This may solve the problem completely.
• Clean marked areas thoroughly with a special product designed to neutralize the odor. One of the best products we have tested for all kinds of urine odors is Zero Odor.
• If your pet is in a stressful situation, try to identify and eliminate the cause of the stress.