WWYD regarding cat not using the litter box

Celestrina wrote: Every once in a while she would go somewhere other than her litter box, but it was usually because it needed to be cleaned. Lately she has been almost avoiding it entirely. We have been keeping it very clean, haven't changed the brand of litter, or moved the box. I will be taking her to the vet today to be sure it isn't medical. But if its not, we have seriously considered taking her to the pound, which we don't want to do. Not only is this unhealthy for us, the house will smell of cat urine and feces.

holley79 replied: Maybe something in the cat litter has changed. I would have to send it to the pound if it were mine because i couldn't handle cat tt and feces in the house.

cameragirl21 replied: it's a typical sign of a UTI.
No way would I ever take any animal to the pound, not with a gun pointed to my head.
I hope the vet can help you resolve this problem.

Crystalina replied: Aww, poor kitty.
I take it you live in town? I was going to say, if not you could put it outside if it were not medical and still refused. It's very odd that a cat not use the box though, unless like Jennifer said it's medical. I love how people advertise a cat as "litter trained" to get rid of them. I've NEVER had to train a cat to use it's box. They automatically just do it. I would say it's sick because a cat's nature is to use the bathroom in a litter like (sand) material, not your floor (unless the box it unclean as you say).

I hope it gets to stay and it's just a sick kitty right now.

Boo&BugsMom replied: I for sure would take it to the vet first. If it's not medical I would not put up with the peeing and pooping outside the box. We had a cat that continuously sprayed in the house and could not get it to stop. We tried everything. We have a no-kill animal shelter up north where we originally got him, and took him back up there. They have a cat room where the cats are allowed to roam free and they are not stuck in little cages. He was later adopted by an older couple and from what I understand did not have that issue at his new home. I know so because I emailed and called once a week to make sure he was ok. Just because a cat pees and poops outside the box, or sprays at one home, doesn't mean they will do it in another environment. I am not a fan of pounds/shelters on the whole, but we have 2 no-kill animal shelters...one up north and another relatively close to us. The one near us is a wonderful facility, and they also have a program where they will help adopt out your pet while the pet continues to live in your home. IMO, it really depends on the shelter. We have another one near here that would put an animal down within a month if it wasn't adopted. I HATE that shelter and do not recommend that place to anyone...they are heartless creeps.

Have you tried using two litter boxes? Sometimes adding another one works. Also make sure you are getting the scent of the urine completely out or else it will think it can continuously go in that spot. I would use something like Nature's Miracle, because even though we can't smell it, animals usually still can.

coasterqueen replied: Sounds like a UTI to me. All my cats have done this when they got a UTI. Zukki (zooki) used to pee in the registers when he'd get one.

ETA: One of my cats did it when we changed the brand of litter, but I think you said you hadn't done that.

momofone replied:
I agree - My previous cat had a bacterial infection and was peeing all over the place that is a definite sign of illness they usually need a urine sample to test.

TheOaf66 replied: offer it a treat to go potty in the box like a big kitty

momofone replied: Natures Miracle works great for the odor found in pet stores.

Celestrina replied: We took her to the vet today and they said that it is probably behavioral since she is pooping outside the box as well. They took a urine sample as well just to be sure. She recommended using a non-clumping litter, picking it every day, totally changing and washing the box twice a week. If you use a clumping litter can (which we do), the clumps can hold a strong odor. Sometimes that will deter them even if it is picked out regularly.

There is a no-kill shelter nearby where if we had to we would take her. I hate the idea of having to take her there, but if it is between having her going all over the place and the shelter we would have to take her to the shelter.

cameragirl21 replied: you also may want to try a new litter box. I had a similar problem with my cat who has since passed away and she too was going outside the box and I got her a new box and apparently she must have liked that box because I never had that problem again.
Is your cat declawed? If not you can make him/her an indoor/outdoor cat and encourage the cat to go outside to do his/her business.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
No-kill shelters really are a blessing. I'm sure it has saved a lot of little lives. It sure saved my little orange tabby when we had to give him up. Any other shelter would have put him down.

coasterqueen replied:
Is this a cat you've had for awhile? How weird that all of a sudden the cat would start doing that and it be behavioral. Well, I hope it works out for you. It would be hard for me, too, but I'd have to take it to a shelter if the cat continued to do that.

Boo&BugsMom replied: About a different litter box...my cats prefer one that is enclosed. I don't know why. We had two...one that was open (without a lid), and another that was enclosed, and they preferred the enclosed one way more. Have no idea why....that's a cat for you. Cat's are finicky.

coasterqueen replied:
My kitty is declawed and she REFUSES to go inside. She will meow for hours if she has to to let you know she needs to go out and go. I was never able to keep her in from the time we got her declawed. I wouldn't have declawed her if I knew she was going to be more of an outside cat. She can keep up with the best of them, though, including the deer.

My3LilMonkeys replied: Our oldest cat is about 7 now and she is getting VERY finicky about the litter box in her old age - if it's the slightest bit dirty or smelly she won't use it. She was never bad about it in her younger years so maybe it's an age thing.

I recently switched to a non-clumping litter and she does seem to like it a lot better. I tried using a natural pine-based litter which I absolutely LOVED but she flat out refused to use it.

Crystalina replied: I would advise against declawing a cat. We declawed ours when Izabella was born and then we bought the farm and she had 20 acres to roam so there was no keeping her in the house. Well, the neighbors 2 dogs mauled her and she was unable to climb a tree or fight back. The dogs live over 1/5 a mile a way but that day they got loose.