As cats get older they may start to change their behavior or even develop what we see as cat behavior problems. But with the right diagnosis, treatment and some patience many of these problems can be resolved.
Urinating or defecating outside of the litter box is one of the main behavioral problems in elder cats. There are many possible reasons for this, including a possible medical condition. It is important to have your cat checked by her veterinarian in case there is a medical condition causing the litter box problems. Diagnosis and treating a health condition can help stop the litter box problems, or help you make adjustments in your home that may help curb the problem.
Pay close attention to her habits to watch for changes in these habits. You may need to move or add a litter box to make it more convenient for an aging and possibly arthritic cat.
Read Elder Cat Not Using the Litter Box?
While it’s pretty frustrating to us when it happens indoors, cat spraying is a natural behavior for cats; it’s the way they mark their territory. Spraying is done on vertical surfaces like curtains furniture or even walls, unlike inappropriate urinating which is done on horizontal surfaces like floors.
One of the best ways to prevent this often male cat behavior is by neutering your cat by the time he is 6 months old. Cat’s rarely start spraying if they are neutered before the behavior begins. If your cat is already past 6 months old neutering can still help reduce or eliminate cat spraying, plus it has a great deal of other benefits.
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Cats can be very picky about the cleanliness of their litter box and they won’t use it if it’s too dirty. If you have a cat like this you might want to consider getting an automatic litter box. Even if your cat isn’t quite this picky there are several reasons why you could be tempted by automatic litter boxes.
If you have more than one cat you should still have more than one litter box, but if one of them is an automatic litter box they know they’ll always have a clean litter box. Keeping your cat happy in this area can help you avoid some unwanted cat behavior problems.
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If your cat is exhibiting one of the dreaded cat behavior problems — urinating outside of the litter box — take her to the veterinarian first to rule out any medical conditions that may be causing the problem. Once you’ve ruled that out you’ll need to be a bit attentive to find the root of the cat behavioral problems.
Cat stress, cat aging, and litter box preferences are some of the main factors that commonly contribute to cat behavioral problems like peeing outside of the litter box. There are some specific things to watch for to determine if one of these things may be the root of the problem. Once you find the cause of the problem you can work to remedy it.
Read Cat Behavior Problems
