My Cat Is Not Using Its Litter Box, WHY?

If your cat suddenly starts peeing or pooping outside of their litter box, it indicates something is wrong.  They could have a medical condition such as bladder stones or inflammatory bowel disease.  Or they might be trying to protect their territory by peeing or pooping outside of their litter box.  Some cats might have an aversion to the litter box, the type of litter, or the box's placement.
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To change their behavior, it is essential to figure out the underlying cause.  If your cat is not utilizing their litter box, immediately take them to your veterinarian.

My Cat Is Not Using Its Litter Box, WHY?
By Pierre Mouchette | Bits-n-Pieces

Cats are excellent companions, bringing us joy, comfort, and laughter.  But sometimes they might develop concerning behavior problems.  A common issue that people experience with their cats is eliminating, peeing, or pooping outside their litter box.  Although it may seem like it, cats do not pee or poop outside their box as a means of revenge.  It is a functional sign that something is wrong, and punishing them will only cause the behavior to worsen.
Several factors can cause a cat not to use their litter box, and finding the underlying problem is vital in treating inappropriate elimination.  Potential causes can be:
 
Your Cat Could Have A Medical Condition
If your cat stops using their litter box, visit your veterinarian first.  The veterinarian can perform tests to determine if there is a medical condition.  Medical conditions that can cause your cat to stop using their litter box include:

• Arthritis
• Bladder stones
• Constipation
• Feline lower urinary tract disorder (FLUTD)
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Urinary tract infections

These conditions can make your cat associate the litter box with pain or discomfort.  Other conditions can make your cat drink more, which would cause them to pee more often.  Because of this, their litter box can fill up faster and may make them look for other locations.  These conditions could include:

• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Thyroid disease

Along with not using their litter box, other signs your cat may have a medical condition include:

• Blood in their pee
• Peeing or pooping in small amounts
• Straining to pee or poop
• Unable to pee

It would be best to take your cat to the veterinarian immediately.  The vet may do the following tests to narrow down likely causes:

• Blood tests
• Fecal test
• Urine test
• X-rays
• Abdominal ultrasound

Treatment depends on which medical condition your cat might have.  Once the vet identifies the condition, treatment could include:

• Medication
• Surgery, such as for bladder stones
• Indoor enrichment

 
Your Cat Is Trying To Protect Their Territory.
Cats communicate to other cats with their pee or poop.  They also mark their territory by rubbing their faces on objects and scratching surfaces.  But stress can make a cat feel the need to secure more of their environment, which could lead to marking areas of the house with pee or poop.
Stress typically comes from a change in their home, such as:

• Your absence
• Other or new cats in the home
• Outside cats
• Loud construction noises
• Moving to a new home
• New furniture

Peeing to protect their territory is more common than pooping.  Cats usually do this by marking urine on vertical surfaces while standing.  Other signs of stress include:

• Marking near a door or window
• Marking the same spot repeatedly
• Pooping in the box but peeing elsewhere
• Sometimes using their box, and sometimes not
• The marking started after a household change

Not neutered or spayed cats are more likely to mark their area.  Your vet will likely suggest spaying or neutering your cat, if they are not already, as a first step in tackling their behavior.
If you have cats who do not get along, it is essential to find the aggressor and the one they are bullying.  In this situation, the aggressor will stalk and attack the other cat(s), and the other cat(s) will try to avoid the aggressor as much as possible.  They may leave any room with the aggressor in it or prefer to stay on higher surfaces.
The following are some things you can do to ease the tension:

• Have ample resources for all cats.  It includes extra litter boxes, food and water stations, and hiding places.  Having enough of these items will help limit the competition.
  
  
• Do not punish the cats.  Punishment will likely increase the anxiety and confuse the aggressor.
  
  
• Schedule rewarding playtime with each cat.  Playing with your cats for 20 to 30 minutes daily can give them mental stimulation to prevent boredom and aggression.  You can also use positive reinforcement training for 5 to 10 minutes daily to teach them basic commands like “sit” and “come.”  Play and training can help alter the way they respond to stressors like other cats and people.

If the source behind your cat’s stress cannot be found, your veterinarian might recommend anti-anxiety medication to address inappropriate elimination.  Some of these medications include:

• Supplements that have alpha-capsazepine or L-theanine can be used with the medications.  They both have anti-anxiety properties that could be beneficial.  But it could take 4 to 6 weeks to see results.
  
  
• Pheromone sprays and diffusers such as Feliway can effectively mark urine.  If applied in the area your cat is marking, they signal to your cat that the area is safe.  So they may no longer feel the need to mark it themselves.

 
Your Cat Does Not Like Their Litter Box.
Some cats may not like their litter box.  The biggest reason cats might not like it is a lack of cleanliness.  Other reasons could be they do not like the size of the box, the litter, or its placement.  It can be hard to tell if their behavior is from stress or an aversion to the litter box.  Some signs that might signal your cat does not like the box include:

• Multiple cats share one box
• The litter box is covered
• The litter box is in a busy or noisy part of the house
• The litter is a different brand
• They do not usually mark vertical surfaces
• They pee and poop outside their box

To address litter box aversion, it is best to try to make the litter box as appealing to your cat as possible.  You can do this by:

• Changing the litter often (at least twice a day)
• Keeping the box clean by regularly washing it with a mild soap
• Make sure the box is big enough, at least 1.5 times your cat’s body length
• Placing it in a quiet area
• Placing several litter boxes in different areas of your home

The litter itself could also be offensive to your cat.  Signs of this include:

• Refusing to dig in the litter
• Shaking litter off their paws after using the box
• Sitting on the lip of the box while peeing or pooping

You can try other things to retrain your cat to use the litter box.  Such as:

• Figure out which litter they prefer.  It can take time, but finding the one they like is always best.  You can also set up various boxes with different litter and see which one your cat uses the most.
  
  
• Try changing the box location.  Cats do not typically like their feeding areas in the same place as their toileting areas.  Place food or toys in a completely different area from their litter box.
  
  
• Keep multiple litter boxes in different areas.  Litter boxes should ideally be on each floor of a house.  And if you have multiple cats, make sure to have a litter box for each cat plus one extra.  For example, if you have three cats, you should ideally have four litter boxes.
  
  
• Use an herbal additive in the litter.  A herbal product designed for cats is supposed to attract cats back to the box.

 
Talking to a cat behavior specialist might be best if nothing seems to work.  Your veterinarian can help you find one in your area.