Stress and Litter Box Problems

By Darlene L. Norris

Is your cat stressed out? You may not realize it until she stops using her litter box.

Cats are creatures of habit. They don't like surprises. So when something happens to upset your cat's daily routine, she may respond to the stress by urinating someplace other than in her litter box.

Moving to a new home is probably the ultimate stressor for your cat. It's pretty traumatic for your cat to suddenly be in a new place she doesn't know.

You can't really prepare a cat for a move, but you can do a few things to make your cat feel more secure. When you get to your new home, keep your cat in one room for a day or two. Be sure she's surrounded by familiar things like her food and water dishes, her bed or favorite pillow, something she can hide in like a box or a large paper bag, and most importantly, her litter box.

Whenever I moved, I always gave my cat something that smelled like me, like a sweatshirt that I had worn. This helped her to feel more secure since she could smell me even if I wasn't there.

Remember to give your cat lots of extra attention every day. Most cats settle down in a few days and start feeling at home again very quickly.

When someone new joins your cat's household, it can be extremely upsetting for your cat. A cat can be terrified by a new baby. Suddenly there's something loud that smells very differently, and it's usually in your lap! Give your cat lots of love and extra lap time if he's a lap baby, and he should adjust quickly.

A new kitten or puppy can stress your cat to the extreme. Your home is your cat's territory, and suddenly, there's another animal there! She may mark "her" territory by urinating all over your house.

Introduce your cats to each other slowly. You may want to keep the newbie in one room for a few days with his own litter box and food and water dishes. Don't be surprised when they sniff each other under the door and then hiss or yowl or swat at each other. This is their way of getting acquainted.

When you let your new kitty out, they may growl and spar for a couple of weeks until they get used to each other. If you want to speed this process up, try wiping each cat's fur with a separate towel every day. Then put each cat's food dish on the other cat's towel. Your kitties will associate the positive experience of being fed with the other cat's scent, and they'll come to tolerate each other much faster.

Be sure each cat has his own secure hiding place he can retreat to. Give each of your kitties equal amounts of love and attention. You'll need a litter box for each cat, plus an extra one, which means that if you have two cats, you should have three boxes.

Cats do have a "pecking order." If a cat leaves the household, it can cause tension among your remaining cats until they establish who the new "head cat" is. This tension can also cause litter box problems.

If you've had two cats who have been together all their lives, and one dies, it can be just as hard on your remaining cat as it is on you. Your cat will probably miss his buddy and may look for her for a few days. Shower your furry friend with lots of love and attention during this adjustment period.

Stress can be a big factor in litter box problems. If you can identify the cause of the stress and remove it, you can solve your cat's urine odor problem.

Darlene L. Norris invites you to read How Can I Get My Cat To Use The Litterbox? for the solution to your litter box problems. Visit http://yourcatcareguide.com/wordpress now to sign up for The Cool Cat Care Ezine, and receive your free copy of Pamper Your Cat, a collection of 100 recipes for treats and main dishes for your favorite kitty. Your cat will love you for it!