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Expert: - 2/16/2009


Question
We have 4 year old cat.  He is very affectionate with the family and gets along extremely well with our dog and kids.  Last week he flipped out his litter box.  I figured it as because when he jumped up, he accidentally hit it.  I COMPLETELY cleaned the area.  I moved his box to another spot in the room, thinking it was more secure.  He stopped using the box, I moved it back to the original spot where it was thinking he wasn't using it b/c of the location change.  He is still NOT using it!  He is using our laundry room - on the clothes that fall out of the basket or in the basket inself!  He is peeing and pooping.  He was a complete indoor cat - back slowly started sneaking out when the door would open.  We have sure there was no way he could get out this winter.  Is he mad b/c he can't get out?  I don't know how to stop this behavior. It has never happened before.  What can we do?

Answer
Colleen,

Sometimes, all it takes is one incident to get a cat off its proper litter box habits.  One thing you might try is a product called "Cat Attract" (available from most pet supermarkets) in the litter pan to get the cat back into its normal routine.

If this does not work, you can crate the cat where it has a litter pan, food and water dishes and nothing else until it gets back into its correct habit.

Anywhere there was a mishap, the are needs to be cleaned with an enzyme based cleaner specifically for pet stains and pet odors (available from most pet supermarkets and farm stores).

You can also follow the following link for a series of excellent articles on feline litter box problems.  There may be some further suggestions therein:


http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html


Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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