Cat not using the litter tray? Rule out the vet first

A cat going outside the tray is not making a point. Cats do not do things out of spite, and treating it as naughtiness is the reason these problems drag on for months.

It is almost always one of three things: something medical, something about the tray, or something stressful. Work through them in that order.

Read this part first

A male cat straining to urinate and producing little or nothing is a life-threatening emergency.

Male cats have a narrow urethra that can block completely. A blocked cat cannot pass urine, goes into kidney failure and can die within a day or two. It is one of the genuine emergencies in cat medicine.

Signs: repeated trips to the tray with nothing produced, straining and crying, licking at themselves constantly, a hard painful belly, vomiting, hiding.

That is a same-day vet call, out of hours if necessary. It is very often mistaken for constipation. Do not wait until morning to see how it goes.

Then rule out the rest medically

Even without an emergency, a cat that has always been clean and suddenly is not should see a vet before you change anything at home. Common causes:

• Cystitis, which is extremely common in cats and often stress-related. Small amounts, frequently, sometimes with blood
• Urinary infections
• Kidney disease or diabetes, both of which increase volume and urgency, and both common in older cats
• Arthritis — badly under-diagnosed. A stiff older cat may simply be unable to climb into a high-sided tray comfortably, and will choose the floor instead
• Constipation or diarrhoea, which makes the tray an unpleasant place to be

That arthritis one catches a lot of people out, and the fix is a tray with a low entry rather than any behaviour work at all.

Water intake matters for several of these, cystitis and kidney disease especially, and most cats drink less than they should. Our guide on getting a cat to drink more water covers what actually increases it, and the one sign that means the opposite.

Now the tray itself

Once the vet has cleared them, go through this list honestly.

• How many trays? The rule is one per cat plus one. Two cats need three trays, in different places, not lined up together.
• How clean? Solids out daily, full change and wash weekly. Cats have a far better sense of smell than we do; a tray that seems acceptable to you may not be.
• What are you cleaning it with? Anything strongly scented, and especially anything containing bleach or ammonia, can put a cat off completely. Hot water and a mild unscented detergent.
• Where is it? Not next to food and water. Not next to a washing machine that might start unexpectedly. Not in a busy corridor or anywhere with only one way in.
• Covered or open? Some cats like the privacy, others feel trapped. If you have a covered tray and a problem, take the lid off for a fortnight and see.
• Size. Most trays sold are too small. It should be about one and a half times the length of your cat.
• Did you change the litter? This is a very common trigger. Cats develop strong preferences, usually for fine, sand-like, unscented litter. If you switched brands and the problem started, switch back.

Stress, which is usually the answer when nothing else is

Cats are far more sensitive to change than people expect. Common triggers:

• A new cat, dog, baby or housemate
• A neighbourhood cat visible through the window, or coming in a cat flap — a surprisingly frequent cause and easily missed
• Building work, new furniture, a house move
• Anything that makes the route to the tray feel unsafe, including a dog that lingers near it. If the dog is new, our guide on introducing a cat to a dog covers how to give the cat routes the dog cannot block

Stress cystitis is a real, physical, painful condition caused by this, which is why the medical and behavioural sides are so tangled.

Cleaning up, and the mistake that guarantees a repeat

Use an enzymatic pet cleaner. Never anything containing ammonia, which is most ordinary household cleaner, because ammonia is a component of urine and to a cat it marks the spot as a toilet. You will have signposted exactly where to go next time.

Blot rather than rub, soak the area properly rather than wiping the surface, and let it dry naturally.

What never works

Telling the cat off, putting their nose near it, or shutting them in a room with the tray. All of these increase stress, and stress is frequently the cause in the first place. You will make it worse.