The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [55]
IDENTIFYING THE CULPRIT
If you share your home with two or more cats and one is boycotting the litter box, how do you identify the culprit?
If your perpetrator is pooping outside the box, give one cat a few drops of red or green food coloring by mouth or in some canned food. His stool will look distinctly more vibrant than those of the other cats. If you have more than two cats, wait a few days and test another cat or give two cats different colors, which is a bit more efficient!
If the issue is urination outside the litter box, ask your veterinarian about an ophthalmic dye called fluorescein that you give orally. Don’t worry — it will not harm your cat. At night, you shine a black light around your home for urine spots, which appear as a bright fluorescent tone.
Once you have identified which cat is missing the box, book an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out any possible medical causes for his litter box avoidance before resorting to behavioral tactics described in this section.
Howling in the Litter Box
Q My cat, Billy, has always used his litter box since he was a kitten. He is now nine years old and an indoor cat. There has been no change in the household routine. No recent houseguests, no new furniture, and no changes in what he eats. Lately I have noticed that Billy is making frequent trips to the litter box but producing only small amounts of urine. Sometimes he will squat and nothing comes out, but he howls as if he is in pain. What is happening?
A When a well-trained cat suddenly avoids the litter box and there has been no change in the daily routine, the cause is generally medical and not behavioral. Please have Billy checked immediately. He may be suffering from a feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). He is exhibiting the classic signs: frequent bathroom visits, piddles instead of puddles, and pain.
At his age, he may also be at risk for kidney disease, diabetes (especially if he is overweight), hyperthyroidism, or liver disease. These serious medical conditions can make urinating or defecating painful. In addition, arthritis, anal sac disease, and loss of vision may make getting in and out of the litter box difficult. Treatment of these medical conditions may help to resolve this behavioral problem. Also consider adding a couple more litter boxes (try ones with lower sides) and placing the litter boxes in areas where Billy spends the most time. These strategies may be helpful in getting Billy to return to using the litter box normally.
Toilet-Training Tactics
Q I love my cat, Bica, but not her litter box. I hate the smell and the mess, and I hate dealing with the litter. I live in an apartment with a bath-and-a-half, so I have two toilets. I recently started to work from home. I don’t want to scoop the litter box every day or clean it every week, and I certainly don’t want to be working next to it in my small place. I’ve read about cats who use the toilet. Bica is a smart, friendly cat, and I think I could teach her to do that. Any advice?
A Toilet training a cat is not for everyone — nor every cat. Still, it is easier than you may realize. Some cats can learn in as little as three weeks, but most need a couple of months. The keys are patience and persistence. Training can be messy at first, so you need to keep your bathroom clean for Bica, you, and guests.
Confident and dominant cats make the best bathroom candidates because they tend to deliberately leave their urine and feces uncovered in their litter boxes. Cats with these personalities are more outgoing and willing to learn. Toilet training, however, may prove to be more challenging with shy and submissive cats.