How To Wean A Cat Or Cat To Shit In The Wrong Place: Expert Advice On Weaning Kittens And Adult Animals, Folk Remedies

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

How to wean a cat or cat from shitting in the wrong place

Partial or complete abandonment of the litter box is not only a delicate problem that irritates pet owners, but also a reason to pay attention to your pet. Often, in this way, the pet tries to report poor health. However, in some cases, the emergence of a bad habit is associated exclusively with physiological characteristics and errors in upbringing.

Content

• 1 Reasons why pets shit in the wrong place

  • 1.1 Disease
  • 1.2 Wrong tray
  • 1.3 Territory labels
  • 1.4 Revenge
  • 1.5 Being too young and lack of habit

• 2 How to recognize the cause depending on the location that the cat chose

  • 2.1 The cat shits on the bed, carpet and furniture
  • 2.2 The cat shits on clothes and shoes
  • 2.3 The cat shits behind furniture or under the bathroom

• 3 Ways of re-education

  • 3.1 Removing odor
  • 3.2 Eliminate access
  • 3.3 Special sprays

  • 3.4 Folk remedies

    • 3.4.1 Vinegar
    • 3.4.2 Aromatic oils
• 4 Expert recommendations
• 5 Personal experiences of pet owners

The reasons why pets shit in the wrong place

The range of possible causes is wide and varied, so we will consider each factor separately.

Disease

Because of the pain during bowel movement, even those cats that do not have any bad habits and have an agreeable character can refuse from the tray. The deviation most often occurs abruptly, that is, yesterday the animal went to the tray, and today the owner discovers several puddles on the floor. However, sometimes the opposite picture is possible: despite the discomfort, the pet tries to behave diligently and visits the tray every other time.

The most common reason for refusing the tray is urolithiasis, which is accompanied by the appearance of blood in the urine.

Often, the disease can be detected by the appearance of the feces and the behavior of the animal. The pet becomes lethargic or, on the contrary, restless and irritable. Anxiety increases closer to the time of visiting the tray. A cat can choose a place for a long time, dig with its paws and sniff. Sometimes pets meow plaintively before or during evacuation. Blood may be found in the urine. The dark brown color of urine is another cause for concern. The feces can be too hard or, conversely, thinned. In feces, sometimes there are blood streaks or separate fresh drops, mucus, fragments of helminths, etc.

If uncharacteristic symptoms appear, it is important to see your veterinarian and get tested. Most often, rejection of the tray is caused by pathologies of the intestines and urinary system, but diseases of other organs are possible. If the habit has not been strengthened, after therapy or even during it, the animal will begin to defecate in the proper place. If the cat has not recognized the litter box, although the tests have returned to normal, it is necessary to re-accustom the pet to the "toilet". It may be worth changing the accessory to eliminate negative associations: the cat may think that the pain was associated precisely with the previous litter box.

When my cat refused the litter box, at first I thought that the problem was in it. I put in several trays, changed fillers, but it was all useless. When I thought to leave the cat in a diaper, it became obvious that the problem was related to health. The pet walked a little, but often. The urine was sometimes the color of meat slops, sometimes with a bright bloody admixture. The examination revealed pyelonephritis and cystitis. She began to give the cat hemostatic and antibiotics as prescribed by the veterinarian. After 2 days, the blood from the urine disappeared, but it took 2 weeks to fully recover. After that, the cat again began to walk on the litter box.

Wrong tray

The emergence of a bad habit can be associated with an inappropriate location of the tray, its shape and size, filler, etc. The cat can start to shit in the wrong place not only after moving or abrupt rearrangement, but also spontaneously, for no apparent reason.

Some cats like the grill, because they do not get their paws dirty in the process, while others, on the contrary, scare away

Replacing trays and litter is the first thing to do if a bad habit occurs. If the cat was bought from a breeder or taken from other owners as an adult, you need to ask the previous owners what the animal prefers: clay lumps, wood pellets, etc. it will be more familiar to them. Strong odor granules should be avoided. This is especially true of unnatural aromas: lavender, lemon, etc. It is also advisable to abandon the silica gel fillers: they rustle when buried and walked on the grate, which can cause fear in a cat.

Wood litter can scratch cats' delicate paws if there is no grate on the litter box

The size of the tray must match the size of the animal. Once my friend's cat started to shit in the wrong place. She thought it was related to age. As it turned out, the cat did not mark. When I came to visit a friend, the fact that the tray was "childish", for kittens, small and with low sides, immediately struck my eyes. This is despite the fact that the cat already weighed 5 kg and continued to grow. After replacing the tray, everything worked out, the pet immediately stopped shitting.

Stressed cats are more likely to visit closed litter boxes.

If there are no other apparent reasons, and the animal walks by, it is advisable to try to change the location and type of the tray. Cats do not like to defecate where they sleep and eat, as well as in open areas: in corridors and in the middle of rooms. This can be used for weaning if the pet has chosen one spot. Trays should be placed in the toilet, behind furniture, in corners, etc. Your cat should always have access to them. You can try buying a house-tray: your pet will feel safer in it. You should experiment with the height of the sides.

Territorial labels

Territorial marks can be left not only by cats, but also by cats. A distinctive feature of urine and secretions is a strong odor. The animal can either leave a small amount of liquid, or fully defecate by. Most often, a bad habit appears in adolescence (6-12 months), although it may occur earlier. Adult pets are not inclined to change their behavior, but the appearance of a new animal or family member, as well as a move, can provoke a struggle for territory.

When leaving a tag, cats will lift their tails and spray the secret in small portions, but as territorial claims, they can also leave feces and urine

An adult cat of my friend (6 years old) started tagging for no apparent reason. First of all, he went with the pet to the veterinarian to be examined. The animal had minor heart problems, but this could hardly provoke an unwillingness to go to the litter box. My friend changed the trays, and the fillers, and tried to retrain … Nothing helped. The problem was solved spontaneously by itself. It turned out that the cat began to mark due to the appearance of the dog from the neighbors. She was temporarily placed for overexposure, then taken away. From that moment on, the cat no longer walked by.

To prevent the emergence of a bad habit, it is recommended to carry out castration in a timely manner. It is advisable for cats to remove not only the uterus, but also the ovaries, since the presence of the latter can provoke the onset of estrus and the desire to mark the territory. If the animal stops going to the tray after a new pet appears, you need to place several trays and smoothly make friends with the pets. With delayed castration in cats and cats sometimes the habit persists. In advanced cases, it is not possible to wean the pet from the marks even with the help of sprays and oils.

Revenge

Cats do not take revenge on their owners in the usual sense of the word, but they can punish for disobedience if they consider themselves the leaders of the pack. Pets have a hierarchy. Depending on the role, each member of the pack has its own rights and responsibilities. The leader is responsible for the distribution of goods and educates the rest. He punishes others for any disobedience and encroachment on his own status.

The leader cat is characterized by aggressive behavior. She herself decides when she will be stroked, and herself determines the time of the game. If the owner does not do what is required of him, the pet may bite and hiss. Aggression in such cats is active: they come, not run away. The leaders' sleep is sensitive. Often such cats and cats experience stress, because they cannot rest properly and are constantly on high alert, because they are obliged to protect their flock. Puddles are found after an act of aggression or any undesirable actions on the part of the owner: bathing, cutting claws, etc.

When grabbing the withers, cats reflexively relax, but in the case of a struggle for status, this will only cause aggression

To re-educate an animal prone to domination, it is enough to behave according to the status. The owner must independently distribute benefits (food, games, attention), protect the pet and show strength where it is needed. The latter does not imply punishment, but a demonstration of status. In the natural environment, the leader grabs the offender by the withers and pushes him to the ground. This is how the cat holds the opponent until the latter stops resisting. Food should be given to the animal slowly and not when the pet requires it. You should also initiate games and affection yourself. Gradually, the cat will get used to the new rules and give way.

Too young age and lack of habit

A small kitten does not go to the litter box, not because of harm or health problems, but as a result of a lack of habit. Usually, a mother cat teaches babies on her own, setting an example, but due to some circumstances this may not happen. In this case, the responsibility for training to the tray lies with the owners.

In the learning process, it is advisable to limit the available territory. You can purchase a cage for a kitten as a private room and leave it in it during the absence of the owners of the house. First, the entire floor of the room is covered with newspapers, then the paper is gradually removed. The kitten is guided and rewarded for doing the right thing. As soon as the baby starts digging and looking for a place, he is transplanted to newspapers. If the kitten went by, they do not scold him, but patiently wait for the next good moment. Gradually, the animal develops the habit of defecating on paper.

Attempts to play, sleep and lie in the tray are a clear sign that the animal simply does not know what the toilet is for

In the future, the owners place trays throughout the room and leave newspapers at the bottom. You can add some soiled patches to make it easier for your pet to sense the smell. There should be several trays, because kittens do not always have time to reach the "toilet". Containers with low sides should be preferred so that the pet is comfortable. The kitten may need to be placed in the litter tray first. Later, with positive reinforcement and praise, the baby will go to the "toilet" on his own.

How to recognize the cause depending on the location the cat has chosen

Depending on the location where the pet defecates more often, inferences can be drawn about the cause of the disorder.

The cat shits on the bed, carpet and furniture

Furniture, bed and carpets have one thing in common: they are all upholstered. Cats often prefer these surfaces if they are sick. Territorial marks are not excluded, since the bed and furniture absorb the smell of family members. It is not uncommon for animals to defecate on carpets after claw removal because they feel severe pain when trying to dig.

The cat shits on clothes and shoes

Shoes and clothing are most often attacked when fighting for territory and hunting. Thus, the animal tries either to interrupt the smell of a person, or to inform the others that it is here. Sometimes cats only label one member of the family. In this case, revenge should be considered as a possible motive.

The cat shits behind furniture or under the bathroom

Those animals, which are often scolded for mistakes, diligently hide their excrements. It should be understood that punishment does not guarantee litter training. In most cases, the pet will begin to experience stress, and the bad habit will only take root. It is desirable for such pets to create the most comfortable conditions.

Reeducation methods

The main reeducation method is to eliminate the cause of bad behavior. If the habit has not disappeared on its own, you should resort to additional means.

Odor removal

First, you need to eliminate the smell of urine and feces so that the pet does not habitually try to relieve himself in the wrong place. Lemon juice, potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda help a lot. In advanced cases, you can mix water and vinegar in a ratio of 10: 1 and add dish detergent at the rate of 1 drop per 25 ml. After processing, the animal will be less willing to defecate in this place, but may choose a new one.

Ultraviolet helps to detect even old spots: they are less bright, but still visible

The use of enzymatic agents is allowed. They are among the most powerful and help get rid of even old tags. Traces of urine can be detected using ultraviolet flashlights. It is not recommended to use chlorine-containing products, since they will provoke the consolidation of a bad habit.

Eliminate access

If the cat stubbornly relieves, for example, under the bed, you need to physically block access to it. You can close the door or put boxes. In the case of furniture, scotch tape will help if you place it with the sticky side up, or foil. However, the method works only with an integrated approach: otherwise, the cat will simply choose a new place for the "toilet".

Special sprays

There are several types of sprays: deterrent ("Antigadin") and attractive. It is advisable to use them together so that the cat quickly understands what they want from her. Sprays treat trays and favorite places of the pet several times a day.

Sprays help in about half the cases, but with complex measures, the likelihood of success increases

Additionally, you can purchase a special aerosol, which is used to mark places for games. They should treat play areas, scratching posts, a bed, a cage and the area in which the cat defecates. Pets do not shit where they eat, sleep and have fun, so the associations created are placed to reinforce the habit.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies can replace sprays and scare a pet away from favorite places, but they are effective only with an integrated approach.

Vinegar

Vinegar has a pungent odor that irritates the delicate mucous membranes of your cat's nose. The agent is mixed with water, then sprayed on the problem area with a spray bottle or used as a liquid for treating soft surfaces. Add 1 tbsp to 2–2.5 liters of water. l. 70% vinegar. It is necessary to first make sure that the cat is really scared off by the pungent smell, since some pets like it.

Aromatic oils

Cats dislike the harsh aromas of lemongrass, lavender, rosemary, mint and citrus essential oils. It is enough to put a few drops on cotton swabs and spread them in the places that need to be protected from the animal's marks.

Expert recommendations

Personal experience of pet owners

Refusal from the litter box is not whims and not cat harm. This is a sign that something is wrong with the cat. Perhaps the old tray has become small, the animal is forced to fight for territory or is sick. It is important to pay attention to the pet in time and provide him with help, because he himself is probably not happy with the fact that he has to shit where he lives.