The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [48]
PART IV
Thinking Outside the Box
As editor of Catnip, I receive questions every week from readers puzzled or panicked by their cats’ bathroom behavior. This is serious stuff for people and literally life-or-death for far too many cats. The number one behavioral reason cats are booted out of homes and discarded at animal shelters is because of inappropriate elimination.
Owners understandably become tired of cleaning up messes on their carpets, floors, and even their beds. Or one spouse will deliver an ultimatum: either persuade the cat to use the litter box or get rid of the cat.
There are many reasons why some cats bypass the litter box and go elsewhere. The true cause may be a medical condition or stress-induced changes in the home routine or a dislike of the available “facilities.” Either way, your cat is conveying that something is wrong. It is up to you to act like a pet detective and track down clues.
In this section, I share some scenarios with the hope that my answers enable you and your cat to enjoy many happy and incident-free years together in a home that always smells like a beautiful spring day.
Litter Box Lessons
Q We’re planning to adopt our first kitten soon. I thought kittens knew instinctively how to use a litter box from day one, but my friends with young cats say that isn’t always the case. If the kitten we bring home needs help learning how to use the litter box, what’s the best way to train her?
A I bet you never imagined that someday you would add “litter box tutor” to your list of accomplishments. It may not be as impressive as brain surgeon or world’s best mom, but for your young kitten, a little litter box guidance will go a long way in ensuring she practices a lifetime of good bathroom habits.
True, most kittens take to litter like, well, grown cats take to catnip. Cats instinctively bury their feces and cover up urine deposits, a behavior that dates back thousands of years to when wild cats needed to avoid detection by possible predators. That’s why outdoor cats choose the garden or sandbox for toileting, much to the dismay of gardeners and parents.
Most kittens learn the basic ABCs of litter box lessons from their mothers by about four weeks of age. It’s a case of kittens see, kittens do, in their quest to mimic the actions of their wise moms. Kittens who are orphaned or weaned away from their mothers at a very early age may be clueless about litter box etiquette. Or they may just be slow learners.
WHY CATS LOSE THEIR HOMES
The National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy offers a comprehensive look at why cats are relinquished to animal shelters. When looking strictly at behavioral reasons, house soiling was the top reason, coming in at 43.2 percent. Overall, this council reports the following top reasons for cats being surrendered to shelters:
Human lifestyle (too many cats in home, allergies, personal problems)
Housing issues (moving, landlord issues, inadequate facilities)
Behavioral problems (house soiling, issues with other pets)
Here are some tips to help your new kitten ace her litter lessons and get off on the right paw:
Purchase a small litter box with low sides (no higher than three inches) so your short-legged kitten can easily climb in and out. Large litter boxes with sides four inches or higher or the kind with hoods can be too intimidating for some small kittens.
Locate the litter box in a place in your house that is easy to access but not in a noisy, high-traffic area like the kitchen. Never place the litter box near the food and water bowls. Cats are clean creatures and abhor the notion of having their chow next to their bathroom. If you live in a multilevel house, locate a litter box on each level.
When you bring home your new kitten, escort her to the litter box (filled with about two inches of litter) and place her in the box. Gently move her front paws through the litter to let her feel the texture. Use your index finger to paw through the clean litter. Then let her explore the litter box and jump out