by T. Scott Randolph

Created on: October 11, 2010

The reason that a cat may choose to relieve itself outside of the littler box can usually be summed up into one of three reasons. Two of them are legitimate/scientific reasons, the third will seem odd if you are not a cat owner. In this case the term "owner" is used for people who do not share their homes with a feline companion, because anyone who does, knows that the question of who controls who is a lengthy debate.

For the sake of this article, we will assume that the cat is doing it's business outside of the litter box, but in the same area. Basically, right beside or in front of the litter box. If it is happening in a different place all together (a different room for example), the reasons could be completely different.

The first reason is very simple to fix. The litter box is dirty. That is, it is too full of feline waste. If you put it into a human perspective, which would you prefer, a clean toilet in your house or a disgusting port a potty at a construction site? The fact that a cat's sense of smell is hundreds of times more sensitive than ours only makes it worse. If you can smell a dirty litter box, then you can be sure that the cat can as well. Nobody (the kitty included) likes to romp around in their own waste. The solution? Simply change the litter more often. Don't wait until you can smell it two rooms away to change it. Either completely replace the litter or at the very least scoop out the waste every couple of days.

Reason number two is just as simple to fix. Your cat may not like the brand of litter. Cat litter is more complicated than most people think. Each brand has their own particular mix, but the ingredients are usually the same basic components. To imitate a sand like environment that the cat would use in the wild, the littler is made up of fine granules. These granules will be made of sand, clay, and often some sort of odor absorbing (such as baking soda) or odor masking material. As was stated, each company will have their own recipe. If the cat does not like the particular brand, or if it is causing discomfort (similar to very rough toilet paper for a human), they will not want to use the box. Changing brands is an easy way to fix the problem in this case.

The third reason is the one that may seem unlikely unless you are a "cat person". If the cat in question is upset with you, they may decide to use the floor next to the litter box just to prove a point to you. If you have made them mad for some reason, it may be the type of food or you were away from home for too long. The list can go on and on, cats are very finicky creatures that tend to want to rule the roost so to speak. If this is the case, try to figure out what it is that you did and make up for it with a can of tuna. While it may sound insane to anyone that doesn't share their home with a feline companion, those of us that do are well aware that this is a very valid reason for the cat to use the area next to the litter box.

This is just a few reasons why your kitty may decide that the litter box is not good enough for them. Keep the box clean and hygienic, make sure that their is not anything in the litter that may harm the cat's health, and do your best to stay on their good side. By doing this, hopefully they will use the litter box and all will be well in your household.

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