One of the biggest complaints cat parents have is when their kitty is eliminating outside the box. In fact, cats going outside the litter box is the most common reason they are brought to shelters and/or euthanized.
Doesn’t that seem crazy? It breaks my heart to think about cats being abandoned simply because of bad litter box behavior. Behavior that can almost always be helped by paying attention to our cat’s needs.
Is it really that important to scoop my cat’s litter all the time?
Did you know that one of the main reasons cats soil outside their litter box is because it’s not clean? Cats, just like (most) humans, are private and clean beings. Some cats will even hold their urine and develop bladder problems to avoid a dirty litter box.
Adrienne says it best in this short video, “would YOU want to poop in an already pooped in pot?”
We had this issue with our Pooh Bear when we first took him in. He would do his business on the floor of the bathroom or laundry room (both private, clean places), but not the litter box. Very frustrating. At first we thought it was a litter issue, so we switched litter brands and got him a new litter box. It appeared to work – at first. We would put the new box down, fill it up with new litter and show him. He would use it almost every time.
Then he wouldn’t.
Frustrated, we got the idea that maybe scooping the litter once a day wasn’t enough for him. We started scooping the cat litter twice daily and the problem went away. For good. Now if he needs to use the restroom while we’re scooping, he will sit patiently by the box and wait until we’re finished – then happily jumps in and does his business.
Now I scoop my cat’s litter not as a chore, but as a way to make my freakishly clean cat happy.
Washing and cleaning the box weekly really helps as well. Not only does it help stop bacteria from building up in the box, it’s a healthy habit to have for your cat – and for you too. Not to mention it helps your house smell better.
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