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Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/My Cat Is Not Using Her Litter box

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 9/14/2008


Question
Hey,
my cat has not been using her litter box for 2 weeks now, she seems to like using my house. She is 4 years old and has never done this before. What is wrong with her, or what can I do to help it stop? She is an indoor cat and about 4 weeks ago was on antibiotics because something had bit her while she was in the backyard. Does that have anything to do with her behaving like this!!!! Please try to help my parents want to give her away!!!!

-Agatha

Answer
Agatha,

I would give your vet a call and ask him if he checked her for a urinary tract infection or urinary crystals. They are painful and the cats associate that pain with the litterbox and go elsewhere.

I would also ask him if the antibiotic has any side affects that could cause her behavior.

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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