Feline Inappropriate Elimination
Erin Hicks, DVM

Is your cat not using the litter box properly? It's time for a trip to the vet. While most people believe that not using the litter box is strictly a behavioral issue, it's usually caused by a medical problem ranging from a urinary tract infection to diabetes to arthritis. Don't bother saying "No!", punishing your cat, or moving it to the litter box when you catch it in action. Instead, please schedule a consultation with one of our doctors to rule out a medical problem, and bring a fresh stool sample with you to test for intestinal parasites. If possible, please bring in your kitty earlier in the morning so that they are more likely to have a full bladder and be able to provide us with a urine sample.

Once the medical problem has been treated, it's time to make sure that your kitty returns to using the litter box normally. Here are some general guidelines for making the litter box more attractive and the previously soiled areas less attractive:

Making the litterbox more attractive
1. Make sure you have the proper number of litter boxes: you should have 1 for each cat in your home, plus 1 extra.
2. Location, location, location: the boxes should be spread throughout the home, with no more than 1 per room, and at least 1 box per floor of the house. Place the boxes in open areas (not in corners - some cats get anxious if they can't see around them while they do their business) in low-traffic places.
3. Size matters: the boxes should be large (1.5 times the length of your cat's body) and most cats prefer an open design for even more space.
4. Provide appropriate litter: most cats prefer unscented clumping litter, though each cat's individual preference may vary.
5. Keep it clean: scoop out the litter daily to remove solid waste/urine clumps and wash each litter box with warm water and mild soap once a week.

Making the soiled areas less attractive
1. Clean thoroughly: clean the soiled areas with an enzymatic cleaner such as Nature's Miracle, Zero Odor, Anti Icky Poo, OxiClean, etc. You can use a black light to check for leftover urine residue and confirm the area is clean. If you can't get the residue or odor out, pitch the item if you can (no one wants a household item that smells like a cat's eliminations anyways).
2. Keep away: you can move the cat's food dish to the previously soiled area to discourage kitty from going there again. You can also cover the area with aluminum foil (cats usually hate the texture) and use a citrus candle or body spray in the area (cats usually hate the smell) to deter the cat from getting near the area.

Discuss these tips with your veterinarian - he/she may be able to offer you additional recommendations. Please note that these general recommendations are not intended as a substitution for a consultation with a veterinarian and should only be implemented after your cat has been examined to determine the underlying cause of the inappropriate elimination.