cat spraying stop

While we may think that stress only affects humans, the fact is that cats can easily become stressed and show this by inappropriate elimination. The intelligence and sensitivity of cats make them susceptible to stress, and when you begin to find puddles on furniture or rugs, it could well be the result of an upset and fearful cat.

Stress can actually cause a physical condition, interstitial cystitis, to occur in your cat. Although this illness is not completely understood, it appears to affect the nerves connected to the bladder and can cause your cat to lose control. Once other medical conditions have been ruled out, it will be time to help your cat relax once again.

Meditation for Kitties?

Unfortunately, it's not possible to teach your stressed-out cat how to meditate, but there are some things you can do to help your cat relax and hopefully return to normal litter box use as quickly as possible.

• Multi-cat households usually have one cat who dominates others to some extent. A cat who is 'lower down on the totem pole' can feel threatened by the top cat. Providing a safe spot for the lower status cat can help relieve the pressure he or she may be feeling. A litter box, bed, food, and water in a separate area can help calm a nervous cat.
• Make sure there are enough litter boxes for all the cats at the home. Each cat should have its own box, and all the boxes should be kept clean. Jockeying for position with other cats at a single litter box can cause a cat to avoid using it.
• A change in a litter can also upset a cat and cause inappropriate elimination. If you are changing litters, do so gradually, adding a bit of the new one every day.
• Upsets in the household, such as illness, a new baby, or a new pet can stress your cat out. If possible, pay more attention to the cat and try to settle things in as quickly as possible – a return to a routine will help your cat back to the litter box.
• Indoor 'trees' for cats give cats a secure perch where they can get away from other pets and young children who may not understand how to treat animals.

Sit down with your nervous cat and spend some time simply stroking the animal. This is very soothing and comforting to a cat, and you will probably find yourself relaxing as well.

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The biggest mistake cat owners make when purchasing a litter box for their fussy cat is that what you may think looks like the perfect box may be anything but that to your kitty. Manufacturers design boxes that will appeal more to the buyer, in many cases, rather than what your cat will actually use. Understanding what constitutes an acceptable box for your cat will help keep the waste where it belongs - in the litter box.

Choosing the Right Box

You might find that there is a rather bewildering array of litter boxes for sale. Long gone, evidently, are the days when cat owners cut a cardboard box in half and filled it with litter. Not only can your cat use a basic plastic box, but there are also enclosed boxes and mechanical self-cleaning boxes and special boxes that fit on your toilet. A good deal depends upon the personality of your cat - a laid back kitty will be more apt to take whatever you give him or her, while a nervous cat might be spooked a fancier box.

• The plastic pan is probably the most widely used of boxes. These boxes should have the litter changed completely once a week. Washing them before putting in a new litter will keep the box smelling nice longer. If you are getting a plastic pan for a kitten, make sure it's low enough to allow the kitten access easily.
• Covered boxes look neater, but some cats don't like going into a dark spot to eliminate. These litter boxes also take up a good deal of room.
• Mechanical boxes that automatically remove waste are not only quite expensive to buy and maintain, but many cats are afraid of the noise and motion.
• Toilet seat boxes may be the ultimate in sanitary treatment of cat waste, but it can often be difficult to get the cat trained to use this kind of litter box.

You can help make it more likely that your cat will accept the box you have chosen if you put it in the right area - somewhere private, but not dark and cold, and somewhere still close to the main part of the home.

If your cat absolutely refuses to use the litter box you have purchased, it would probably be easier and less stressful for both of you to simply try another kind of box.

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