Motivation
Every
organism must eliminate. Thankfully,
cats have an instinct to routinely
bury their waste and they are
the only domestic mammal that
does.
However, some cats respond
to medical, emotional or physical
stress by changing their elimination
habits. This may serve to lower
stress or communicate social
rank, sexual availability, territory
or a personal statement. One
theory suggests it is one way
to signal cat traffic. Another
is that a cat's urine
mark enhances his confidence.
The
individual may be attracted
or repulsed by a surface, scent
or location. In multiple cat
households there may be status
statements by forcing a low
ranking cat away from the litter box.
In other cats, it may be displacement
of another problem, or a statement
of fear. The easiest component
to correct is a medical motivation.
|
There
are some signs you can look
for at home that suggest a medical
problem. These include crying
out when urinating, straining
for an extended period, urinating
on porcelain surfaces, and a
pattern of frequent small eliminations
in a variety of locations. |
Medical
Evaluation
Inappropriate
elimination is one behavior problem that
frequently has a medical cause.
Have your veterinarian do a
complete medical workup. This
workup should include blood
work for ruling out diabetes,
kidney or adrenal disease, uterine
infection and thyroid dysfunction.
Diseases of the bladder include
infection, stones, crystals,
tumors or abdominal masses pressing
on the bladder resulting in
decreased control.
A fecal analysis
should rule out colitis, maldigestion,
malabsorption, diarrhea or constipation.
The physical exam should rule
out physical problems like neurological
tumor, trauma, infection, inflammation
and age-related senility.
All
this should be done quickly
since every day the problem
persists increases the inappropriate
surface and location habit.
Observe
for a relationship between stressful
experiences (like visiting the veterinarian) and a reoccurrence
of the problem. If a relationship
is noted, obtain oral tranquilizers
for use prior to predictably
stressful situations.
Discovering which cat
has the problem in a Multiple Cat Household
Inappropriate
elimination is most common in
multiple cat households. The
incidence increases from 25%
in single-cat households, to
nearly 100% in households with
more than 10 cats.
If,
feces is the problem, confine
one cat at a time. Use a small
room such as a bathroom or laundry
room. Give a big meal, a comfy
bed, and a more than one clean
litterbox. (See section on confinement.)
If the problem continues, it
was not this cat.
If
urine is the problem, it is
slightly more difficult to
identify
the cat, because the odor lingers,
and the spot is not visible.
Some pet stores sell an ultraviolet
lamp (about $30) that can be
used to show up urine stains
in a darkened room. If you suspect
one cat but can't confirm
it, you can give the cat a small
amount of fluoroscein which
you can obtain from your veterinarian.
Use a flouro impregnated (eye
test) strip, and dissolve in
several mls of sterile saline
solution. This can be given
to the cat orally each day.
If this is the cat that is
eliminating out of the box,
the ultraviolet lamp will show
a glowing green urine spot on
the carpeting.
|
Thankfully,
cats have an instinct to
routinely bury their waste
and they are the only domestic
mammal that does. |
Marking vs. Urinating
This
is an important distinction.
Marking is usually found
on vertical surfaces
(e.g. walls) and suggests a
territorial marking. Marking
near glass doors or windows
suggests a response to strange
cats seen from that location.
If this seems part of the problem,
cover the glass temporarily
during retraining.
Urinating
is always found on horizontal
surfaces (e.g. floors) and is
more suggestive of an emotional
or litterbox related problem.
Some cats will territorially
mark on horizontal surfaces.
If so, marking is likely to
occur near windows, doors and
imposing furniture, and at a
repeat spot.
Urine
Vs. Feces
Inappropriate
urination occurs twice as often
as defecation in cats. If one
occurs and not the other, it
may suggest a litter or location
preference. If the deposit is
close but just outside the box
it may be litterbox aversion.
The litterbox was initially
attractive, but at
the last
minute aversive.
Prognosis
for Problem Solution
Some
cases are easy, others are never
resolved.
Here is a list of
variables:
|
1)
|
Genetic
Predisposition |
|
2)
|
Duration |
|
3) |
Number
of cats in the household |
|
4)
|
Frequency
of soiling |
|
5) |
Number
of areas soiled |
| 6) |
Number
of different types of surfaces
soiled |
| 7) |
Number
of cats participating in
soiling |
| 8) |
Practicality
of allowing limited outdoor
access |
| 9) |
Ability
to discern one or more modifiable
causes |
| 10) |
Ability
to rearrange the structural
household environment (move
chairs, close doors, etc.)
|
| 11) |
Strength
of owner bond to this cat |
| 12) |
Willingness
of the owner to pay for
a complete medical workup |
| 13) |
Amount of time the owner
is willing to devote to
solution |
| 14) |
Willingness
to accept and execute use
of psychoactive medications |
Treatment for all cases regardless
of cause
|
1)
|
Get
a thorough medical work-up.
The goal is to be able to
say with confidence that
there is no medical component
to the case. |
|
2)
|
Increase
frequency of cleaning of
all boxes. Don't use strong-smelling
cleaning solvents. |
|
3) |
If reducing the number of
cats is part of the plan,
try to find them a good
home, especially aggressive
or problem cats. They will
likely be happier and nicer
as an "only cat"
in a new household. |
|
4)
|
Confine
the suspect cat to a single
room for litterbox retraining.
|
|
5) |
Feed
meals twice a day. Food
is only available for 5
minutes, no dry left out.
The food is a treat that
will later be used to lure
the cat into the room during
litterbox retraining. |
| 6) |
After
each meal, gently put the
cat into the litter box
and pet and praise. Give
food treats for successful
elimination in box. If the
cat leaves the box without
using it, don't interfere,
just stop praising and ignore
the cat. |
| 7) |
Spatially separate the cat's
bed, water and feeding spot
as far as possible from
the litterboxes. |
| 8) |
During
confinement, offer multiple
boxes with different types
of litter. |
| 9) |
Keep
track of what litter and
or style of box is used,
and plan on using that combination
in the future. |
| 10) |
Soak
any carpeted urine spots
in enzymatic odor neutralizer,
then have the affected carpets
cleaned |
| 11) |
After
at least 5 repetitions of
successful litterbox use,
begin to let the cat out
for 10 minutes, then gradually
increasing periods of freedom.
Do this just before the
next meal, so that you have
an incentive to get the
cat to reenter the confinement
room. |
Additional treatments
for a spraying problem
If
the problem is limited to urine
sprayed on vertical surfaces,
the prognosis is good based
on two new therapies implemented
as of 1997.
The
first new approach to spraying
is use of feline facial pheromone.
The new product is called "Feliway".
This synthetic chemical mimics
the scent found in the gland
near the lips of cats. The Feliway
is misted daily on each spot
the cat has marked (not on the
cat!). The product is now commercially
available, produced by Abbot
Labs, and available through
veterinarians from most veterinary
supply companies. (Cost = about
$40/bottle). A similar replacement
strategy is to provide a scratching
post near the affected site.
Cats also mark with their claws
and the scent from glands in
their paws, so this might satisfy
the need to mark territory.
The
second new therapy is the behavioral
drug Clomipramine. The protocol
is to use it initially at 0.5
mg/kg SID until the problem
is corrected. Then taper until
the drug can be stopped after
the new habit pattern is in
place. The goal is to change
the cat's "thought
process" to reduce the
need to mark.
Additional
treatments for a non-spraying
problem
|
1)
|
If
the existing box is one
year or older, discard and
replace the box. The urine
may seep into the plastic
over time and the smell
may be enough to repel a
sensitive cat. |
|
2)
|
After
you have identified preferred
litter and boxes, provide
multiple boxes as the cat
is reintroduced to the entire
house. Temporarily, try
providing boxes in pairs,
each with a different litter.
Provide at least one more
box than the number of cats
in the household. Introduce
each new box by gently placing
the cat in the litterbox,
praising and holding a paw
so it strokes the litter
to demonstrate the surface
is appropriate for digging.
Don't force anything. |
|
3) |
Try larger and taller boxes
in the mix. It may be necessary
to cut a "passageway"
into the box. |
|
4)
|
Don't
place any boxes near appliances
that might suddenly make
a noise, or otherwise be
scary. |
|
5) |
Make
sure at least one of the
boxes has the very fine
"clumping" litter,
since cats seem to prefer
it. |
| 6) |
Temporarily
feed the cat at locations
previously used for urine
or fecal marking. Cats loathe
to eliminate near their
feeding area, so this encourages
them to look for new locations.
|
| 7) |
When there is no further
"accidents",
return to feeding the cat
in its normal location,
but leave an empty food
bowl at the spot for at
least an additional week. |
| 8) |
Another
way to discourage returning
the same spot is to cover
it with plastic, such as
a carpet runner, or deposit
potpourri in the area, since
people don't usually
mind the smell, but cats
seem to dislike it. |
Urinating on a specific
person's belongings
If
urinating on one person's
items (identified by scent)
it probably represents an emotional
response on the part of the
cat. The tricky part is that
it can be a positive or negative
message. Most likely, the cat
is exhibiting separation anxiety,
or a status conflict. Try to
have everyone else ignore the
cat, and the targeted person
feed and be the only source
of attention for 2 weeks. During
this period, shut the cat out
of the rooms previously used,
and make special effort to pick
up clothes or other previous
targets. This type of urination
is one indication for anti-anxiety
medication.
Punishment
and Praise
What
if you catch the cat in the
act? If just beginning to assume
the position (prior to elimination),
try to gently pick up and relocate
to the box. Praise correct use
if it occurs in the box. If
she's in process or just
finishing, use a water pistol,
shake can, or thrown object
(the negative consequence came
out of thin air). Don't
punish the cat, since it increases
anxiety, and reduces the chances
she will allow you to observe
her do it again. Part of the
strategy is copious praise and
treats when you see the cat
use the box correctly.
If
all else fails
consider making your pet an
indoor/outdoor cat, even if
declawed. If allowing any unsupervised
outdoor time, give Kitty an
identification chip implant
and put an ID tag on the collar.
