Could an automatic litterbox be frightening your cat and contributing to those unpleasant cat urine smells in your home?
There is a distinctive cat urine smell that signals your cat has stopped using the litter box. Sometimes it will be in the bedroom or on the bed, in the lounge room on on your children’s clothes. Many cat owners are often puzzled as to why their cat suddenly stops using their litter box and uses somewhere else. I have listed below some tips that can help you solve this problem quickly and easily.
The litter box is the first thing you should check. Make sure it is in a quiet room in your house. Quite a few people I know put them in their basement or laundry and leave the door open. This not only creates a secluded area for your cat but also helps to keep those unpleasant cat urine smells to a minimum in the rest of the house.
I strongly suggest using an area that is tiled as it will be much easier to clean if there are accidents.
If your cat is not making it to the litter box finding out why is of paramount importance.
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Has the box been moved to a high traffic area recently?
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Does the door get accidently closed by children, another pet or wind?
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Are there other pets that could be frightening your cat? A noisy dog next door?
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Is it near a washing machine or furnace. Sometimes if they start up when your cat is using the litter box the noise could frighten your cat.
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Does the box need cleaning more often?
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Is a new litter being used or does it have a heavy scent?
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Has the depth of the litter in the box changed? Some cats like their litter deep, others shallow.
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Has your cat outgrown the litter box and therefore needs a larger one?
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The box is too hard to enter and exit. This can especially be an issue for older cats.
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Have you changed the box itself?
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If it is an enclosed box, could the odor be off putting for your cat?
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Is it a self cleaning litter box? Could this be frightening your cat?
The only time I would suggest putting your cat’s food and water near where they eliminate is to discourage them from using a particular area. If your cat is continually eliminating in an area that can’t be closed off, try feeding your cat there. The strong smell of its own urine will discourage them from using that area if it wants to eat.
Remember, when you find that very unpleasant cat urine smell in your bedroom, your cat is trying to tell you of a problem. It is up to you to find out what the problem is and help both you and your cat. An excellent resource I use often is Liz Barton’s *Cat Secrets Revealed. She has a whole section on litter box issues. Dr Andrew Jones in his *Veterinary Secrets Revealed gives you possible causes as well as alternative therapies you can use on your cat. I refer to both books often when dealing with my own cats.
