Lapsed Users

By: Cats International

One in every 10 cats will have a litter box lapse in his or her lifetime The 20 most common reasons are:

1. The cat is suffering from a medical problem (cystitis)

2. The cat experiences a bout of geriatric constipation

3. The caretaker does not keep the box as clean as the cat prefers

4. The owner changes the brand or tries disposable plastic liners

5 The owner changes the location of the litter box

6. The owner switches to deodorized or perfumed cat litter

7. The owner buys a new box and throws out the old one, or covers the box with a hood

8. The owner cleans the litter box with too harsh a cleaning product

9. The location of the litter box is too busy or not private enough for the cat

10. The home is too large for just one litter box

11. The cat inadvertently gets locked out of reach of the litter box

12. The cat is kept from using the litter box by another animal in the house

13. There are too many cats and not enough territory

14. There are too many cats and not enough litter boxes

15. Stray cats can be seen/smelled near the cat’s territory

16. The unaltered male cat has come of age and is marking his territory

17. The unaltered female is in heat and advertising for suitors

18. Over time, the cat has developed an aversion to the texture of the litter

19. The cat was never properly trained to use the litter box in the first place

20. The cat is stressed by a change in routine or environment, including new baby, new furniture, work schedule changes, vacation, overnight guests, or a move

Cats International *