Cats are very clean animals, and the cleanliness of their litter pan will affect how they are using it. If your cat defecates or urinates right in front of the box, he/she is probably trying to tell you something regarding the cleanliness or size of the box. Your cat may have an illness if she is urinating or defecation in places outside the litter pan. All cats that urinate outside the litter pan should be examined by their veterinarians for urinary tract problems and medically treated if appropriate. Other reasons for failing to use the litter pan is that the cat may not like the litter, the location of the litter pan, or the surface on which the litter pan is placed.
Before you start training your cat or kitten to use the litter pan, you will have to place it somewhere in the house which will be easy for them to find and use. Now you can gently pick up the cat or kitten, and place them in the litter pan to show them where it will be and allow him to explore at his own pace from there. The important thing to remember is do not keep moving the litter pan every other day.
There are many different types of litter pans available, from the basic plastic “tub” to elaborate self-cleaning models. There are also storage containers for the soiled litter that allows you to only have to dispose maybe once a month depending on the number of cats you have. If you have more than one cat, it is advisable to have one more litter pan than the number of cats in the household and placed at various locations throughout the home. There are also litter pans that look like a piece of furniture and are attractive enough to be placed anywhere in your home. Only you and your cat will know!
It is important to keep the litter pan clean. As said before, a dirty litter pan can teach your pet some bad habits that can be difficult to “unteach”. If your cat “unlearns” use of the litter pan, it may help to clean it and then place a bit of his stool in the box-again. This gives him the information he needs to associate that “box thing” with his toilet. Just because we love cats, doesn’t mean we have to love all the scooping or the odor that is usually the result of a dirty litter pan.
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