First of all, one of the reasons we need to know clearly is that cats will not change their behavior habits for no reason and suddenly stop using the litter box. Therefore, an ignorant punishment is useless and may also cause it to feel anxious. It is only right to find out the reason and solve it!

Reasons why cats refuse to use the litter box

·Hygiene

If the excrement in the cat litter box is not cleaned in time, the cat is likely to refuse to use it because it dislikes the dirty and messy environment, and will find another place to use it.

Of course, you cannot use pungent cleaners to clean the cat litter box!

·Cat litter/cat litter box

This may have something to do with preference. After all, cats are notoriously picky and sensitive. If you don’t like something, you would rather not use it than force it!

If you are going to replace your cat with a new litter box, it is best to do it "step by step" like changing food.

·The location of the litter box

Cats don’t like places that are too noisy, and they don’t like people (including other animals) walking back and forth when they go to the toilet, which simply disturbs their mood of defecation.

After the location is selected, do not move it suddenly.

· The litter box becomes the best place to sleep

Cats may feel very safe because the litter box is filled with their own smell. In addition, because of its square shape, it is cats’ favorite box and is simply the best place to sleep.

· Negative emotions

Sudden addition of new members, changes of owners/environments, strangers (cats) entering, making the cat feel threatened, etc. will all cause the cat to feel anxious and stressed. In this case, the cat may not only refuse to use cat litter. It's just a basin.

In addition, if the cat feels any discomfort while using the litter box, such as hitting his head in too small a space and feeling pain, it is very likely that he will associate the pain with the cat in the future when using the litter box.

·Physiological

Unneutered adult male cats will also urinate everywhere during the estrus period to mark their territory.

·Pathological

There are many urinary tract conditions that can cause inappropriate urination problems. Bladder stones, bacterial infections, and other inflammatory diseases can cause pain and urgency and frequency of urination. Kidney and Sjogren disease can cause cats to drink more water and urinate more frequently, which can prevent them from getting to the litter box in time.

But age-related decline in brain function and hormonal disorders such as diabetes cannot be ruled out, including medical problems that affect nerves, muscles or joints.

If your cat’s urination problem is serious, it is recommended that you send it to the hospital for a physical examination. At least rule out pathological problems first, and then discuss how to help them use the litter box again.

Training cats to use the litter box

·Choose the right cat litter box

You need to choose a litter box that is large enough for the cat to turn around without causing its urethra to hit the edge of the litter box.

If the cats at home have never used a litter box, it is best not to use a litter box that is too high or has a door, as this will prevent them from entering the litter box.

· Number of litter boxes and placement areas

If you are a multi-cat household, then the number of cat litter boxes you purchase should be the same as the number of cats; if your home is relatively large, it is best to place a cat litter box in multiple areas so that the cats can defecate in time. pot.

It is best to place the litter box close to food and the place where the cat sleeps. Many cats need to use the litter box to defecate immediately after eating or waking up.

·Cat litter selection

In terms of safety, it is best not to use soil sand. The soil sand has a strong viscosity. Once it sticks to the body, it will enter the intestines and stomach through the cat's own grooming, which can easily cause constipation or blockage.

According to foreign research statistics, unscented, fine-grained mineral sand is the cat litter accepted by most cats. Cats’ fleshy paws are soft and delicate. Imagine if they were allowed to step on hard-grained cat litter, the sharp and hard materials would make it difficult for them to move. , this toilet experience is really bad.

However, if you want to know what kind of cat litter the owner likes, the method is very simple. Buy several types of cat litter (just buy small-capacity ones), prepare a few ordinary express paper boxes, and put these types of cat litter in them and arrange them. a row.

Observe for 1-2 days to see which cat litter the cat likes to go to the toilet, and you will know which kind it likes. It should be noted that do not change the cat litter that the owner is accustomed to using, otherwise it may urinate randomly.

· Cat litter box care

Keep the litter box clean by scooping out poop at least once a day, changing all litter weekly, and deep cleaning the litter box every few weeks. If you have multiple cats in your home, it's important to scoop litter every day or multiple times a day.

When the cat litter box is used for a long time and the smell adheres to the cat litter box, the owner will refuse to enter the cat litter box because it cannot have a good toilet environment. So if the cat litter box is too old and always looks "dirty", it needs to be replaced in time.

· How to use the cat litter box

Usually, kittens can learn how to use the litter box from their mother cats (but you have to ensure that the litter in the mother cat’s litter box is also safe to prevent the kittens from accidentally eating it).

If your cat is separated from the mother cat at a very young age, then you can only help enforce it by force. As I mentioned above, when the cat has finished eating or just woke up, put it into the litter box, then grab its paws to dig out the cat litter, and it will almost understand.

If that doesn't work, there is a last resort, rub their reproductive organs to stimulate them to defecate. Generally, it can be learned in 6-7 weeks. The older you are, the faster you learn.

· A cat litter box is a cat litter box

If the cat has to sleep in the litter box, you can buy some cardboard toys to distract them. In addition, the cat litter needs to be cleaned more frequently.

Warm Tips

If cats like to pee everywhere, their smell needs to be completely removed.

·Carpet surface

You can first use a paper towel but preferably an old towel to absorb the urine as much as possible, and then use an enzyme cleaner (that is, an enzyme-containing cleaner), such as Nature’s Miracle. It contains special biological enzymes that can break down proteins in urine and reduce or completely eliminate urine odor.

If enzyme cleaners don't completely eliminate odors, try using a vinegar solution. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a bowl or spray bottle. Wet or spray where your cat pees.

· Floor surface

You can use detergent. It's important to note that ammonia smells like cat urine and dog urine, so it's best to clean the area where your cat urinates with an ammonia-free household cleaner. Wipe the stained area clean with water.

Then pour water and bleach into a spray bottle and mix well, the ratio is 10:1. Wearing rubber gloves, spray the solution onto the stain. Wait 30 seconds and wipe clean with a damp cloth.

But if the cat is in estrus, the urine smell will be stronger, so you need to increase your efforts during cleaning.