Has your cat stopped using the litter box? Understanding the reason is critical to correcting your cat's behavior. Follow these instructions to help diagnose and resolve the problem.
1 - Keep the box away from food/water. Cats are motivated to eat/drink and use the potty by scent. They usually won't go potty in a place that smells like their food/water.
2- Keep the box in a quiet open area; don't enclose your cat (igloo-type boxes aren't ideal).
3- Isolate your cat in the bathroom or cage with food, water, blanket and litter box. Check on him twice a day for routine box cleaning. Leave him there for several days, until the behavior is corrected.
4- Take your cat to the vet to rule out a medical problem. Talk to the vet about the need for Clomicalm: kitty prozac. This may be a major step, but if the cat is overly anxious, it works and will allow them to return to previous behavior. Start on 1/4 tab and increase to 1/2 tab depending on size
5- Is the cat using the litter box for either peeing/pooping, but not both? Do you have only one box? If so, try providing a second litter box. Some cats are very picky and won't pee and poop in the same box.
6- Consider if you have recently changed the brand or type of cat litter that you use. Cats can be very sensitive to scent and may refuse to use a new type of litter if they do not like the scent
7- Do you have more than one cat? If so, do you have enough potty boxes for all the divas? There should be one potty box per cat plus one, and they should be scooped at least once a day. Again, cats are very sensitive to scent. If you have more than one cat, is the cat in question intimidated or chased by one of your other cats? If so, the scared cat might feel too vulnerable to use the litter boxes in the present location. If this is the case, additional pee spots may be cleverly hidden behind or underneath furniture, on top of kitchen cabinets, under the bed, in a closet, in your shoes, etc.
8- Is your cat peeing right next to the litter box? Try cleaning the box more frequently and see if that helps. Also, if your cat is especially large, she might get in the litter box but overshoot the end of it. Try watching him/her pee to see if this is the case, or place newspaper or peepee pads in the spot where the cat pees next to the litter box to see if this helps. Perhaps a longer litter box might help
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