Cat Behaviors to Worry About Around the Litter Box
Every cat has at least one or two unique behaviors. Most of the time, these aren’t cat behaviors to worry about. Many cat activities are just a way of your feline friend showing off their personality, expressing an evolutionary urge or letting you know that they care about you. Whether your furry friend enjoys taking their daily cat nap in a tiny cardboard box, dropping a mouse at your feet at the end of a long day or throwing themselves across your keyboard when you’re working, these are usually justsignsof a cat acting like a cat.However, there are some cat behaviors to worry about. When you learn about the signs of unusual cat behaviors, it’s easier to know how to deal with them when they arise — especially regarding cat litter box habits.Here is Skoon’s guide to litter box cat behaviors to worry about. Discover some of the strange ways cats might act around the cat litter box and howSkoon cat littercan help eliminate these kinds of behaviors.
Not Using the Litter Box
One of the most pressing (and frustrating) cat behaviors to worry about is when your cat isn’t using the litter box. This can quickly lead to a messy situation that you’ll be stuck cleaning up, and it’s not ideal for your cat’s health and hygiene either. Fortunately, there are some clear and easy-to-solve reasons a cat will avoid using thecat litter box. Here are some factors that might cause your cat to avoid using the box:
- Health Conditions— Complete avoidance of using the litter box can signify a serious underlying health condition. If your cat stops using the cat litter box suddenly, it would be a good idea to give your veterinarian a call. Potentialhealth conditionsinclude diabetes, arthritis, infections and issues with the kidneys.
- Location— An abrupt change in litter box location can pose a significant disruption to your furry friend’s regular schedule. This can lead to the development of cat behaviors to worry about, such as not using the box at all. Instead of moving the box’s location suddenly, it’s better to makeincremental changesin its position, leading up to the desired new location.
- Litter Preferences— Artificial fragrances can sometimes offend your kitty’s nose, and a sudden change in cat litter texture can also lead to disapproval and cat litter box rejection. Changing thetype of littershould be done gradually for the best results.
- A Dirty Box— Even if you don’t think the cat litter box is filthy, your cat might have other opinions.Certain catsprefer cleanings after each time they use the box. The cleaner the litter box is, the more likely it is thatyour catwill use it. Try scooping out the box more often to see if it encourages your cat to use the litter box more. This is especially important if you have more than one cat.
Guarding the Box
Guarding the litter boxis an important cat behavior to worry about and typically occurs in a home that has multiple cats. A cat who feels threatened and unable to use thecat litter boxwill probably end up not using the box at all — the easiest and least stressful solution for them. To discourage litter box guarding, ensure you have enough litter boxes in your house for all of your cats to use. An excellentguidelineto follow is to take the number of cats you have and add one to get the ideal number of boxes.
Using the Side of the Box
If you find that your cat has done their business against the outer side of the litter box, around the edges or right next to the box, it’s a sign that there is aproblemwith the actual litter box itself. If you notice these particular examples of cat behaviors to worry about, you might need a biggerlitter box. If your cat feels cramped in the box, they won’t be able to use the litter box properly. Similarly, if the box is not in an ideal location, your cat might feel uncomfortable. If you notice that your cat is using the side of the box, reevaluate where the box is placed and how big it is relative to the size ofyour cat.
Eating the Cat Litter
This is certainly one of the stranger cat behaviors to worry about. If your cat iseating their cat litter, a trip to the vet is in order to rule out medical reasons for the behavior. Nutritional deficiencies or anemia could cause cats to eat litter. Kittens may nibble on litter when they are young and new to your home out of curiosity or boredom. Try enticing your kitty with a new toy and work in some more playtime throughout the day or introduceyour catto a food puzzle and cat grass for healthier activity.
Waiting for a Clean Box
Some cats are known to wait until right after thecat litter boxhas been cleaned to use it. This might seem like an example of cat behaviors to worry about, but it’s usually not very serious. Certain cats have specific preferences about how clean and odor-free they require a box to be before they will use it. In other cases, a cat feels the need to use a box right after it’s been cleaned to re-mark itsterritory and ensure its scents are reestablished on the box right away.
Solve Cat Litter Box Problems with Skoon
When you chooseSkoon cat litterto fill your cat’s litter box, you’ll cut down on cat behaviors to worry about. Here are some of the most impressive features ofSkoon cat litter:
- All-Natural Cat Litter— Never worry about your cat nibbling on litter again because, withSkoon, it won’t be harmful or toxic.
- Absorbs Odor—Skoon cat litterhas a 100 percent odor-free guarantee.Skoonis made of incredible diatom pebbles that expertly absorb litter box odors, so your cat won’t have to worry about encountering any unpleasant smells when they need to use the box.
- Multiple Formulations— Skoon comes in multiple formulations, fromOriginaltoFine Grain, and also comes in unscented original,LemonandLavenderscents. Skoon’s scented litters don’t use artificial perfumes like other litters, so they should keep both you and your picky felines happy.
- Lightweight Box— If you need to move your cat’s litter box or try out several new locations, you don’t have to worry about lugging a heavy box around the house withSkoon’slitter box made out of lightweight cardboard.Skoon cat litteris also lightweight, so you won’t have to risk straining your back as you find the right litter box location for your pet.
- Subscription Service— There’s nothing worse than running out of cat litter and being unable to provide your cat with the clean and newly filled litter box they’ve grown accustomed to. When you sign up forSkoon’s subscription service, a fresh shipment of litter and a new cardboard litter box will arrive at your door each month, so you’ll never have to worry about running out of cat litter again.
Try Skoon cat litter todayto keep yourself from having any more litter box cat behaviors to worry about!
