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Did you know that a cat that is allowed to go outdoors has an average life expectancy of less than 3 years, while a cat that is kept strictly indoors can expect to live to the ripe old age of 15-18 years?  It shouldn’t come as a surprise, since outdoor cats are at risk for getting hit by a car; being attacked by a dog, coyote, or the neighborhood bully tom cat, contracting an infectious disease like feline leukemia, or simply getting lost or taken. These hazards all take their toll.

It would seem that these reasons would make a compelling argument to keep all cats indoors, but many people still choose to let their cats go outside. One of the reasons often cited by those who let their cats go outside is avoiding all the hassles of dealing with a litter box. Let’s face it: litter boxes can be smelly, messy, and dirty, and require daily attention. Most people don’t want their house to smell like a giant litter box but they don’t have the time or the inclination to scoop the litter on a daily basis. Even if they make time for this household chore, scooping a litter box is no one’s idea of a good time. Fortunately, there is an easy solution.

The LitterMaid™ team has developed a self-cleaning litter box that takes the chore out of litter cleaning and provides you and your cat with a constantly clean, odorless environment. The LitterMaid™ Self-Cleaning Litter Box automatically scoops the litter and empties the waste into a sealed, disposable receptacle. How it works is easy.  Once the cat leaves the unit, sensors are triggered, turning on the timer for the cleaning cycle.  The unit will not start a cleaning cycle while the cat is in the box.  After 10 minutes the cleaning cycle starts.  If the cat re-enters and leaves the litter box before the initial 10 minutes have elapsed, the timer will automatically reset and delay the beginning of the cleaning cycle for an additional 10 minutes.  Not only will your cat love the LitterMaid™ Self-Cleaning Litter Box, but you also will love how easy it is to keep your house smelling fresh and clean.

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It can be very upsetting when a cat begins to urinate outside its litter box, and trying to resolve this problem can be difficult and frustrating.  If you have a cat that has started to urinate outside of its box you need to first know if the problem is behavioral or medical.  Inappropriate urination can be the first sign of a medical problem, such as kidney or bladder infections, diabetes, kidney failure, bladder or kidney stones, or even cancer of the genitourinary system. Some medical conditions, like diabetes and kidney disease, can cause cats to drink more water and subsequently urinate more. Diseases that affect the genitourinary system can result in urgency and ultimately accidents. Even a lesion of the lower spinal cord can cause inappropriate urination by causing neurological incontinence.

At the first sign of inappropriate urination you should have your cat examined by your veterinarian. Your veterinarian may suggest blood and urine tests, and possibly imaging like x-rays or an ultrasound, to diagnose any of the previously mentioned medical conditions. If your veterinarian diagnoses a medical problem they will talk with you about treatment options, which can be as simple as a course of antibiotics for a bladder infection. Only after your veterinarian has determined that your cat is healthy and has ruled out these medical conditions can you say that the problem is behavioral. Becoming familiar with these behavioral issues will help you identify the reason your cat is urinating inappropriately, and will allow you to address and ultimately solve your cat’s problem.

Territorial Issues

First, many cats will often urinate outside the litter box because of territorial instincts. In the wild, cats are solitary animals that need their own territory in order to hunt for themselves. To prevent excessive territorial fights with rivals, they mark the boundaries of their territory to tell neighboring cats to stay away.  Not surprisingly, domestic cats have maintained certain behaviors that have their origins with their wild ancestors. Unaltered male cats in particular are more likely to spray or “mark” the outside of the litter box as a way to claim their territory. Often neutering these cats will solve the problem, but neutering is most effective when done at 6 months of age or younger. Usually cats do not exhibit spraying behavior until they become sexually mature under the hormonal influence of testosterone. Occasionally, even neutered male cats or female cats can become territorial under certain circumstances. If you have multiple cats and only one litter box, it is not uncommon for the cats to “claim” the litter box by marking it to try to prevent other cats from using it. Having multiple litter boxes in different locations may help prevent this behavior.

Location, Location, Location

Where the litter box is located is another reason why cats may urinate inappropriately. Like in real estate, it’s all about location, location, location. Cats, like people, demand privacy when using the bathroom. If you have the litter box in a high traffic area or in a noisy location, many cats will refuse to use it. Choose a quiet location for the litter box where the cat will not be disturbed during this vulnerable activity, otherwise your cat may become afraid of using the litter box. 

Litter Box or Litter Aversion

If you recently switched litters or litter boxes and your cat has begun to have accidents, this may be a sign of litter box or litter aversion. Litters come in all forms: clay, clumping, corn-based, pine-based, paper-based, and “pearls”. Most people recognize cats can be picky: they are picky eaters, they are picky about whom they like and they are picky about when they want to be loved. It should not be surprising that they can also be picky about the litter they use. If you recently changed the litter, they may not like the way the new litter feels when they walk on it, they may not like the smell, or they may dislike the dust.  If this happens, simply go back to the litter that they like and that they are used to using. If you feel strongly about changing the litter, begin by mixing-in the new litter, and gradually adding more of the new litter until it completely replaces the old litter. Occasionally cats will also not like certain types of litter boxes.  You can acclimate your cat by: Placing the new litter box next to the old one and don’t clean the old litter box (cats prefer a clean litter box.  Also, some cats like the privacy of a covered litter box, while others feel claustrophobic. Just watch for this and remove or add a cover as needed. 

Arthritis

As cats get older, the incidence of many diseases increases, with arthritis being a commonly seen ailment in older cats. Just like in humans, arthritis is a painful progressive joint disease that limits mobility. Arthritic cats can have trouble getting in and out of traditional litter boxes and have no choice but to urinate or defecate outside of the litter box. This problem can be resolved by using “low profile” litter boxes or boxes with a ramp. 

Dirty Litter boxes

In my experience a dirty litter box is the most common reason cats start to urinate inappropriately. Cats are by nature very clean animals. They meticulously groom themselves daily. And so it should not be surprising that they would want to use a clean litter box. When the litter box is dirty, the presence of waste and the strong odor of ammonia may deter cats from using their litter box and they will go elsewhere. Most of us have busy work schedules and keeping the litter box clean is a household chore we often neglect. Even if we made time, changing the litter frequently or scooping daily is a chore no one likes. Unfortunately, keeping the litter box clean is often the only way to cure inappropriate urination. 

Fortunately, the LitterMaid™ Self-Cleaning Litter Box can help with all of these issues. As a self-cleaning litter box, the LitterMaid™ box is always clean and fresh. It is available with a removable tent to add privacy for shy cats. Any premium clumping litter, either clay or corn-based, can be used in the LitterMaid™ Self-Cleaning Litter Box depending on your cat’s preference. The LitterMaid™ Self-Cleaning Litter Box also has a non-slip ramp to help arthritic cats get in and out of the box easily. In the case of territorial issues in multi-cat households, the fact that the LitterMaid™ Self-Cleaning Litter Box removes waste with the cat’s scent to a covered container may be sufficient to solve the problem. If the problem persists, multiple LitterMaid™ Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes can be provided so that the cats do not feel compelled to mark their litter boxes. Hopefully, by recognizing the cause, you can resolve the problem of inappropriate urination.

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