Amanda Campion / Cats.com
As cat mother and father, it’s not unusual to witness unusual behaviors surrounding your cat and its litter field. Whereas a few of these habits could seem innocent, they might be signaling underlying well being or behavioral points. On this article, we’ll dive deep into a number of unusual litter field behaviors, what they may imply, and when it’s time to take motion to make sure your cat’s bodily and psychological well-being.
Key Takeaways
Sleeping within the litter field might point out stress, sickness, or a choice for enclosed areas.
Refusing to make use of the litter field is commonly attributable to medical points, stress, litter aversion, or poor husbandry.
Consuming cat litter is usually a potential signal of dietary deficiencies, sickness, or compulsive issues.
1. Sleeping within the Litter Field
Aged cats might sleep within the litter tray in the event that they discover it troublesome to get out and in of. Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
One of many strangest litter field behaviors is discovering your cat curled up asleep of their litter field. There are a number of the explanation why your cat could also be napping on this uncommon location:
- Stress or nervousness: Cats might retreat to the litter field when feeling careworn as a result of it seems like a protected, enclosed house. That is notably possible throughout occasions of change, comparable to transferring, new pets, or guests.
- Territorial conduct: In multi-cat households, a cat may sleep within the field to forestall others from utilizing it.
- Sickness or discomfort: In case your cat is sleeping within the field and displaying different indicators of sickness—comparable to lethargy, elevated thirst or decreased urge for food—it might point out urinary tract points, constipation, or common discomfort.
How To Assist
Firstly, attempt to deal with any potential stressors on your cat. Make sure that your cat has different hiding spots or cozy beds in quieter areas of the house. Use pheromone diffusers to cut back nervousness. Inviting your cat to play of their enrichment program may assist.
When you’ve got a couple of cat, guarantee you might have loads of litter containers in a wide range of places, so that every cat has easy accessibility with out the necessity to turn into territorial and ‘guard’ them.
In case your cat continues sleeping within the litter field, seek the advice of your veterinarian to rule out medical points.
2. Refusing To Use the Litter Field
A cat refusing to make use of its litter field is a standard however irritating downside for cat mother and father. This conduct can have a number of causes, together with medical, environmental, and behavioral components.
- Medical issues: Urinary tract infections (UTIs), idiopathic cystitis (FIC) bladder stones, kidney illness, and arthritis could make utilizing the litter field painful or troublesome.
- Litter field aversion: Cats are explicit about cleanliness, location, and litter sort. A unclean field, an undesirable substrate that’s non-clumping, scented, or granular, tray liners, or a tray situated in a heavy-traffic space can deter them from utilizing it.
- Stress or nervousness: Modifications within the family or conflicts with different pets within the residence might result in inappropriate elimination.
How To Assist
It’s necessary to pay explicit consideration to your litter field hygiene and husbandry as it is a frequent explanation for field refusal. Scoop the litter field every day (or after every use) and clear it totally as soon as per week. Use unscented litter to keep away from overwhelming your cat’s delicate nostril. Present a litter buffet of completely different substrates and tray types to see in case your cat has a choice.
Additionally contemplate including in additional litter containers to your family. In multi-cat households, the ratio of trays to offer is one tray per cat plus one additional to cut back useful resource guarding and tensions across the toileting services. These ought to be positioned in several areas of the home.
In case your cat out of the blue stops utilizing the litter field, it’s really helpful to schedule a vet go to to rule out well being issues. Taking a faecal / urine pattern will help this line of inquiry.
3. Consuming Cat Litter
Consuming litter is an uncommon behavior, and will be troublesome to interrupt. Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Seeing your cat nibbling on litter will be alarming and depart you considering your cat is hungry. Whereas this conduct will be innocent curiosity in kittens, it’s typically a name to motion if seen in grownup cats. There are a number of underlying causes for this unusual conduct:
- Curiosity: Younger kittens might chew on litter as they discover their atmosphere.
- Pica: A medical situation the place a cat will eat non-food objects, comparable to material, plastic or litter. That is typically linked to emphasize, boredom, compulsive dysfunction, or dietary deficiencies. It will also be an indicative or extra severe neurological situation. In some instances, sure breeds, comparable to Siamese, are extra liable to exhibit pica.
- Anemia: Cats with anemia or nutrient deficiencies may eat litter, particularly clay or plant-based sorts.
How To Assist
In case your cat is liable to a nibble on the litter, attempt altering the litter sort to interrupt the cycle. Use non-toxic, unscented, clumping substrates. Offering enrichment may assist if the conduct is inspired by an absence of extra appropriate stimulation. Have interaction your cat with toys, scratching posts, forage mats, and interactive every day play to assist forestall boredom and stress.
Nevertheless, additional motion could also be wanted. Persistent litter consuming warrants a veterinary go to to test for anemia, dietary deficiencies, or different well being issues.
4. Scratching Outdoors the Field (Caching)
Some cats scratch across the field somewhat than in it. Whereas that is typically innocent and innate caching conduct, extreme scratching might point out dissatisfaction with the field
How To Assist
Some small changes to your cat’s litter field may help to cut back this conduct. Make sure the field is massive sufficient on your cat to maneuver comfortably. Facilitate digging by ensuring there’s sufficient litter – the depth of substrate ought to be at the very least 7-10 cm deep. You can additionally attempt completely different litter sorts to see in case your cat prefers a particular texture.
5. Utilizing the Field Too Steadily
In case your cat repeatedly goes to and from the litter field or spends extreme time there, it might point out a medical problem comparable to urinary illness, or constipation.
How To Assist
In case you discover your cat within the litter field extra typically, pay shut consideration – you possibly can even hold a diary. Monitor your cat’s elimination habits carefully, in addition to their water enter. Search veterinary consideration for those who discover straining, blood within the urine, or frequent journeys with little output.
6. Pawing on the Water Bowl After Utilizing the Field
Pawing on the water bowl is usually a signal your cat’s paws are soiled or uncomfortable. Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Popping out of the litter field and pawing at their water bowl will also be a type of caching. Cats may additionally exhibit this unusual conduct as a type of instinctual cleansing or to deal with dry paw pads attributable to litter supplied.
How To Assist
As this is usually a sign of discomfort on the really feel of the litter on delicate paws, contemplate altering litter option to a extra light substrate. Virtually talking, it could actually additionally assist to interrupt the cycle by maintaining their water dish away from the field. At all times make sure that your cat’s water supply is separate from their meals to take care of hygiene.
Bizarre Litter Field Habits: When To Fear
Whereas some litter field points are innocent or momentary, others can point out underlying severe well being or behavioral points. Right here’s when to seek the advice of your veterinarian:
1. Medical Signs
Straining to urinate, blood within the urine or seen within the litter, or an entire lack of urination or defecation are all purple flags for a veterinary go to. Some older cats can wrestle to get into the field attributable to musculoskeletal ache.
2. Persistent Behaviors
Everyone knows that cats will be adorably quirky, however uncommon behaviors comparable to sleeping, consuming, or refusing the litter field over a number of days could also be an indication that one thing is amiss.
3. Indicators of Stress
You recognize your personal cat greatest, so for those who suppose that their behaviors could also be rooted in stress, you’re most likely proper. Modifications to toileting behaviors are a standard signal of stress in cats, however different indicators of tension embrace hiding, vocalizing excessively, or sudden aggression along with litter field issues.
Suggestions for Selling Wholesome Litter Field Habits
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Bizarre litter field habits will be puzzling for cat mother and father, however they are often your cat’s approach of speaking their discomfort, stress, or medical points. By paying shut consideration to their conduct and making needed changes, you possibly can preserve a wholesome and harmonious atmosphere on your feline companion.
- Select the Proper Litter Field: Choose a field that’s appropriately sized on your cat, with low entry factors for seniors or excessive sides for diggers. Some cats want a hooded selection while others want an open tray however take away flaps from hooded trays.
- Experiment with Litter Sorts: Cats will be explicit about texture. Unscented, fine-grained clumping litters are sometimes most well-liked.
- Place Packing containers Strategically: Guarantee easy accessibility in quiet, low-traffic areas of the house; this contains not inserting close to a loud laundry machine.
- Clear Frequently: Scoop every day and disinfect weekly to forestall odor buildup.
- Scale back Stress: Create a chilled atmosphere with predictable routines, loads of hiding spots, and interactive toys. Artificial pheromone diffusers will also be useful.
- Get assist: If uncommon behaviors persist, attain out to your veterinarian for steerage.
