Cats in general are fairly fastidious about themselves and their environment. However, cats can have problems with house soiling. Sometimes house soiling is mistaken for spraying and vice versa. If your cat is squatting outside of her box and leaving a puddle of urine on the floor, then your cat is having house soiling issues. House soiling can be a health concern. It can be a first sign of a bladder infection or a urinary tract blockage. Before you begin any behavior modification, first have your cat checked by your veterinarian to eliminate any health related reasons for the house soiling. If health issues have been ruled out there are many other factors that could be causing your cat to not want to use her litter box.
·Other health reasons. Does your cat have arthritis or is not very mobile? It may be that your cat is having a difficult time getting in and out of the litter box.
·Environmental reasons. Cats can be as picky as their owners regarding the objects and people in their lives. Is the litter box in an unacceptable place (is there too much traffic in the house near the litter box, is it in an out of the way spot)? Is the litter box too big or too small? Does your cat like the litter being used (size of granules, smell, feel, depth)? Does the litter box need to be cleaned more often, or are there enough litter boxes in the house to accommodate the number of cats?
·Household companions. It may be that one or more of the other cats in the household are not allowing your cat to use the litter box.
·Experimentation. Choose one of the above-mentioned items and change them one at a time. If the problem is a placement issue, move the litter box to a quieter or more centralized location. You should have at least one litter box per cat plus one. In addition you should have at least one litter box on each level of your house. If the issue is a matter of being able to get into the litter box comfortably, create a small step, so that your cat doesn't have to step up and into the litter box. Keep trying until you find a set of parameters that works for your cat.
·Clean up of accidents. Clean up an accident immediately. A cat will continue to reuse a spot that was previously used. Commercial products are not able to eliminate the smell. It is best to use an enzyme cleaner such as Natures Miracle. In conjunction with the enzyme cleaner you may use cotton balls soaked with perfume or muscle rub or a plastic carpet runner with points directed outward to keep the cat away from the area. If at all possible close the area off until you are assured that the smell is gone.
·Punishment. Never yell, hit, shake or rub your cat's nose in the accident. This will not correct the problem, and may well make it worse. The cat may become fearful of you and not respond to you.
·Remember to keep experimenting until you find what works for your cat.
