Cat House Soiling Problems

By Connie Limon

Do you have a cat that uses the litter box, but also soils the house with either urine or stool? If so, you are not alone. This is the most common behavior complaint from cat owners. When this occurs it is important to find out if the problem is medical or non-medical.

Feline lower urinary tract disease is also very common. It can be the cause or at least associated with cat house soiling problems. A cat with feline lower urinary tract disease may soil the house with urine, stool or spray urine. Other diseases associated with house soiling are kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, constipation and inflammatory bowel disease.

Some house soiling behaviors are actually normal for the cat. For example, territorial spraying is a normal behavior for the cat, but obviously abnormal for the cat owner.

For your vet to determine if house soiling is a medical problem, you will need to provide him or her with:

A description of any associated events

A description of any corrections you have already tried

A description of the problem, how long it has been occurring and how severe

A description of the cat's environment that includes number of animals, number and location of litter boxes, interactions between animals.

A medical history

Medical tests may consist of a urinalysis, and blood tests for kidney disease and other diseases if appropriate.

The cat's elimination process involves: (1) Search and approach the location; (2) Dig; (3) Eliminate; (4) Sweep/cover motions

The behavioral factors include aversion to the litter, surface preferences, location aversion and anxiety-related causes.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is not meant to diagnose or treat any kind of health problem in your cat. You should always consult with a trusted veterinarian for all health problems.

Source: The Winn Feline Foundation Online

Written by: Connie Limon. I raise the beautiful, emerald green-eyed shaded and chinchilla silver Persian cat from champion and grand champion lines. For more information about us and to be added to our contact list, please visit http://www.fairydewsilverpersian.vpweb.com For a variety of reprint articles visit Camelot Articles at http://www.camelotarticles.com