Ranger loves a clean box! |
First of all, we vets want to know about these problems early! At least 50% of the time there is a medical problem that your cat has but is not showing signs of illness thus causing litter box unhappiness. Now, if your cat hates to go to the vet, ask if a house call can be done. I do house calls, but I do not promote it heavily since I have the base clinic. I limit the days and number of house calls, but I do offer them. I can't know what cats are difficult to come in, so please tell my staff! There are ways to help your kitty ride better, but I will save that for another blog.
The short list of possible problems ( not complete but most common) are bladder infection, anal gland problems, arthritis in cats over 10, kidney insufficiency, diabetes, and irritable bowel disorder.
happy Mercy |
If a very complete exam, possible xrays and stool/urine and blood checks are fine, then be sure you are keeping the box how your cat would like it. Notice I said cat, not you. Cats want to have their own box, with no waste in it ( this is why they immediately jump in a freshly cleaned box), with enough room to scratch around, turn and position themselves easily and located where it is easy and nice to find. To put it simply, be sure to scoop all ( I mean all!!!) the urine clumps and stool clumps out of the box twice daily. Do you want to use a toilet that has not been flushed? Most of us just turn around and leave it is so bad. Your cat feels pretty much the same way. So, keep it clean, clean, clean!
since this box is in the kitchen, it is easy to get to, and cleaned often. |
These litter box problems can be frustrating but often they can get better working together with your veterinary staff that understands all the litter box issues. Go to www.okawvetclinic.com for more articles and information.