Outside the box
I have a new area rug in my dining room and I am thrilled beyond words. Now, when I walk through the room, the spongy softness underfoot is luxurious. The new carpet smell is exhilarating. The colors are subtle and a room with a covered floor is so pleasant and cozy.

You're probably thinking: This is really silly. However, if you have ever had cats, particularly multiple cats, you can understand why an acquisition of this sort is so momentous. For years we have lived with a bare floor in the dining room necessitated by our household of three territorial cats.

Over the past several months, we have had a major shift in our feline dynamics as two of our treasured old girls crossed the rainbow bridge. Our remaining cat, Miz Edna, without a territory to defend or competition to fend off, has been without incident. So we decided the coast was clear to try a rug in the dining room again. So far, so good.

One of the most difficult problems of cat ownership is unwanted litter box behavior and it is the primary reason cats or kittens are relinquished to shelters. Failing to use the litter box generally falls into two activity types: spraying and marking behavior or inappropriate elimination, leaving urine or feces outside the litter box.

The causes of litter box misbehavior can be either medical or behavioral.

If your kitty begins to

eliminate outside the litter box, one of the first things you should do is have a vet check. Urinary tract infections or crystals in the urine can make urination

painful and if pain is associated with a litter box, the cat may start to avoid it. Cats don't always act sick, so it is best to have your vet make sure there is no physical problem.

Marking is often caused by anxiety and can frequently be the result of inter-cat disputes within the same household. Not a behavior limited to intact cats, as I can attest, fixed cats, regardless of gender, will mark.

Eliminating the stressors can go a long way to solving the marking problems. At my house, we separated the cats so that our original two lived upstairs and the downstairs was Miz Edna's space. Close the curtains if your cat is reacting to strange animals outside. If you are having work done on your house or are moving, confine cats to a quiet room until things settle down. If there is a new person, try interacting more with your cat so they don't feel left out, or assign the new person food duty.

If your cat is healthy, then there are a number of reasons why your cat might have decided the litter box no longer pleases. The location is very important. It should be in a quiet place away from rumbling machines in the laundry room or in the basement. It should also offer privacy and safety from intrusion by other household pets.

I personally prefer covered litter boxes, but cats could feel trapped in them, and they like to have escape routes if they feel threatened. Cats also do not like to eat and drink in the same area they use as a bathroom, so serve food and water dish in a different room. The size of the box should fit the cat. If you haven't changed the size of the box since your cat was a kitten, now is the time to upgrade to a larger size.

Keep the litter box extremely clean and scoop every day. If you can smell your litter box, then you can be sure your cat finds it offensive. If you have more than one cat, or if your living space includes several levels, then more than one box is in order. Have one more box than your number of cats. Clean the box regularly with warm water and a mild detergent. Do not use ammonia based cleaners because cats dislike the ammonia smell. Avoid breaking up clumps when cleaning out a clumping litter to prevent leaving smaller odor producing pieces. Odorreducing commercial products are available to sprinkle on the litter as well.

Experiment with different types of litter. Clumping clay products have led the market for years. They are very easy to use and, because of their dehydrating qualities, generally have exceptional odor control.

Personally, I favor the pelleted pine products. Lightweight, flushable and odor free, the pellets break up into sawdust-like particles when wet. Solid waste is scooped and flushed, the fine sawdust is sifted out and new pellets are added in as needed. We use the pelleted pine exclusively in the shop and all cats seem to like it. But, no matter what you like, if your cat doesn't like it, choose an alternative. Other commercial litters derive from paper, grain and wood byproducts and silica beads.

A cat will usually be attracted back to the spot where it detects its scent. So if it is eliminating outside the litter box, treat those spots with a good quality enzyme product that will remove the stain and also break down the smell. Thoroughly soak the area, cover with a towel to get the maximum effect from those enzymes and then let it dry. A black light, on loan at the shop, fluoresces organic matter and can help detect the places you need to treat.

Whatever the cause, try to be sensitive to your cat's clues to come up with the right solution and make your litter box a place your cat will love to use.

Jan Jaeger is owner of Geronimo's, Ltd., Nantucket's pet supply and gift shop, and is a member of DWAA and CWA (Dog and Cat Writer's Associations of America). Her pets at home are Junior, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and Miz Edna. At the shop are cats Messrs. Fish and Chips, Flower bunny and three budgies. Send e-mail to jan@geronimos.com I