A cat is an extremely clean animal. As experience shows, even a small kitten that has already been trained to go to the litter box will not just relieve itself in another place. If an owner regularly finds a smelly spot under the sofa, on the carpet or in a chair, he or she should think about the health of the pet or why this is happening.
You made a mistake during the learning process
You cannot force a kitten to go into the litter box. Any methods of punishing a kitten will be ineffective if the animal that has gone the wrong way is spanked, scolded, or poked with its muzzle into a puddle or pile. The innate quality of a cat is the desire to relieve itself in the same secluded place. Therefore, the process of training a kitten requires observation and a lot of patience. Harsh methods of coercion and punishment are unacceptable.
If the owner does this, the pet will choose a time, a place, hide and take revenge. Expert recommendations boil down to the fact that you should be especially attentive to the kitten after feeding, since the animal tends to go to the toilet after eating. At this time, you need to show him where the tray is located. Under no circumstances should you force him to sit in the tray, press on the sacrum, or dig for litter. With a patient, non-aggressive attitude, the kitten will definitely understand what is required of it.
Reasons when a cat does not go to the toilet at all
If a pet does not go to the toilet for a couple of days, does not experience discomfort, does not show weakness, lethargy, vomiting, or lack of appetite, there is no reason to worry. If you notice such a feature that the cat goes to the litter box, pushes, but nothing works, you should take a closer look at it.
Causes of constipation:
- poor nutrition;
- mixing dry food, natural products;
- low fluid intake;
- adding potatoes to the diet, which cats cannot digest;
- frequent stress;
- improper care of the cat for the kitten, without licking, which stimulates digestion;
- acute intestinal obstruction;
- helminthic infestation;
- inflammation of the intestine, the presence of neoplasms;
- chronic pathology – lengthening of the large intestine.
Algorithm of actions:
- Feel the stomach. If there is swelling, pain, or the cat meows pitifully, you need to show him to the veterinarian.
- If there is no stool for 5 days, you can use Vaseline oil. Pour into the mouth from a syringe twice a day. The medicine is infused at a time at the rate of 2 ml per kilogram of weight. If Vaseline is not available, you can replace it with regular vegetable oil. If within two days it was not possible to achieve the desired result, you need to take the cat to a specialist.
- In a clinical setting, animals are given an enema. It is not recommended to do it yourself.
To prevent constipation, you need to give cats more fluids, choose the right diet, and introduce bran into the diet, which helps digestion.
The place for the tray is not secluded
For a cat, going to the toilet is a very important and intimate ritual. The tray must be placed in such a place that the kitten does not feel prying eyes when relieving itself. An animal sitting on a tray may be frightened by conversations, laughter, noise, or the curiosity of children or a dog. Therefore, the kitten’s latrine should be secluded and inaccessible to children and other animals. For this purpose, many people make a special hole in the toilet door or buy a closed toilet for cats. However, the easiest way is to explain to your household that you should not chase your cat when it goes to the toilet. You also need to teach the dog not to approach the kitten's litter box.
Stressful situations
Some cat owners don't realize how sensitive they are. Constant scandals and clarification of relationships between household members can provoke stress in a pet. His reluctance to go to the litter box is a consequence of his protest and indignation.
Moving to a new place of residence is another reason. Even familiar things can irritate and not please a cat. He senses different smells, atmosphere, and needs more time to adapt.
Cats are very willful and sensitive animals. There are many factors to consider for their comfort. If they begin to behave differently at home, you need to figure out the reason, and not scold them. The decision is often in the hands of the owner. If you put in a little effort, the cat will gratefully accept it.
Litter tray is not suitable for kitten
As you know, cats hide what they did after going to the toilet. However, if they don't like the filler, they can walk away from the tray. When a kitten has just been purchased, you need to check with the seller what kind of litter the animal is accustomed to. Some breeders use trays with bars, without filler. Others use silica gel, bentonite clay or sawdust. There are fillers with a strong aroma, which can also scare away the kitten. For cats, everything is individual. Only attention, patience and love will help the owner choose the best option for the pet.
Understand your cat
A sudden change in behavior is always understandable, although the reasons may not be obvious. A kitten that has been trained to use a litter box will not dirty its home just like that; such oddities are not typical for clean and fastidious kittens. Moreover, professional advice and the most powerful tools will not help you if you do not find out the reasons for incorrect behavior.
Naturally, we cannot list all possible risk factors, but they all boil down to one, global concept – stress. Our pets are emotional, although this may not be noticed; they are jealous, worried, afraid, sense something is wrong and worry about quarrels in the family. A new pet is also a delicate situation ; the older cat knows that the baby cannot be offended, but at the same time sees him as a competitor.
Cat psychologists tend to reduce the uncleanliness of four-legged animals to the following series of psychological reasons:
- In the first place, stress : moving, renovation, sudden change in smells, loud noise, resentment, worries after visiting the veterinarian. The appearance of a child, not only in your family, but also in the neighbor’s (screams, the rumble of a stroller on the playground, etc.), can cause serious distress for the tailed one.
- Inappropriate location for tray or inappropriate litter.
- Dirty or too clean litter box – Some cats like to have their litter box cleaned daily. Other tailed animals perceive washing the litter box as barbaric - you wash away the smell.
- Competition with other animals, not necessarily cats.
Advice: analyze all the changes that have occurred in your family over the past 2-3 months. At first, the ward can cope with stress and not give reasons for worry.
The cat is going through puberty
Another reason why a kitten does not want to go to the litter box is the onset of puberty. It occurs between 6 and 12 months of age. At this time, you may find that the walls, furniture, clothing and other items in the house are splashed with your pet’s urine. Sometimes odor marks appear as large puddles throughout the house. Both male and female cats leave such signs. Therefore, if the owner does not plan to become a cat breeder, experts recommend spaying or neutering a young animal under the age of 1 year.
Health problem
Do not rush to scold your pet - perhaps this situation arose due to a disease that cannot be recognized by sight. Excessively frequent urination, when the cat simply does not have time to reach the litter box, is often associated with various pathologies. It can be:
- injuries (especially when the blow was to the stomach or kidney area);
- cystitis (inflammatory process in the bladder);
- stones in the kidneys;
- disorders of the nervous system due to stroke or brain tumor;
- severe pain of any etiology, when the animal’s normal reactions are disrupted.
Therefore, the first step to get rid of the problem is to show the cat to a veterinarian, get tested and undergo the necessary examinations. And only when the pathology of the internal organs is excluded, do we look for other causes.
Kitten is stressed
Many cats react very nervously to any changes. They do not like moving, changing furniture, or repairs. They have a hard time with the arrival of new people in the house. For pets, having a baby can be stressful. In this case, you shouldn’t be surprised when puddles appear in unexpected places throughout the house. This only means that the kitten is stressed, he is marking his territory and defending himself. He should not be punished for this, but it is better to show him to the vet so that he can prescribe sedatives. This will help the cat recover and adapt to new living conditions.
- Author: Elena Romanenko
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Instincts
Our pets belong to the class of domesticated animals, but this does not mean that instincts are alien to them. One of the unconditional habits is the desire for safety . A four-legged animal strives for comfort and peace, and this state is achievable only when the entire home has “its own” smell.
The cat marks the territory with special secretions , which are secreted by glands between the fingers and in the area of the folds of the lips. During sexual heat, the animal strives to intensify the scent and uses urine mixed with secretions from the glands that are located under the tail. The cat lifts its tail and sprays secretion into every corner, especially generously sprinkling the area near the front door. The cat's behavior is less predictable; in fact, the pet craps everywhere and does not understand why it is being scolded.
Behavioral aspect
Well, what could be easier than to explain the behavior of a cat? Unless you prove Fermat's theorem
The main psychological reasons for the uncleanliness of cats:
- Disgust: I don’t like the place where the tray is. Or its filler
- Preference: I like a certain place (oh, but the tray is not there at all!). Or a certain filler (and which one, let the owner guess for himself)
- Insufficient cleanliness of the toilet: the filler must be changed in a timely manner, and the tray must be washed. And preferably with a soap solution, and not a toxic chemical
- Intraspecific aggression: social friction between cats living in the same apartment
- Increased anxiety: stress caused by moving or renovation, the appearance of a new family member or animal, changes in noise or smell, family quarrels, a trip to the clinic, resentment towards the owner, etc. For example, the reason for walking past the potty may be the appearance of a small child in the neighbors' house. Go figure!
If a cat leaves “standard” puddles or piles in the wrong place, then this is most likely a psychological problem. If urination is frequent and in small portions, a doctor is needed. The same thing applies to “unhealthy” stools.
From personal experience. When puddles or piles are left in the “frontal area” (on the sofa, bed or just in the middle of the room) – this is generally revenge. Think about what you did wrong?
A medical cause can easily turn into a behavioral one and vice versa. Painful sensations when urinating or defecating during illness are transferred by the cat to its tray and create a persistent aversion to it, which remains even after recovery. And severe stress, in turn, can provoke some kind of disease of the genitourinary system (idiopathic cystitis, urolithiasis).
It happens that both medical and behavioral causes are present at the same time. Bingo!
Interesting facts about Alabai
The gray-haired aksakals of Central Asia, just like their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, still pass on from mouth to mouth the legend about the true origin of the current Central Asian wolfhounds.
And according to legend, it turns out (no matter what scientists say) that the ancestor of modern Alabais was a strange beast that has lived since time immemorial in the Turkmen steppes. In appearance, he resembled a huge half-dog, half-hyena of the most terribly terrifying appearance. The locals called it “Syrtlon”. The animal received this name because of the huge dewclaws on its hind legs, which leave a characteristic mark on the ground. It was from this “calling card” that Turkmen hunters and cattle breeders learned about the deeds of the terrible beast. Syrtlon was smart, cunning and treacherous. For many decades he terrified local shepherds, exacting a bloody tribute from their flocks. And on full moon nights, the syrtlon fearlessly approached the shepherds’ homes and took with him the best shepherd dogs.
Caring for a cat after sterilization: everything the owner should know about
In recent years, more and more owners are deciding to sterilize their cats. And this is not just a matter of reluctance to have kittens: it has long been proven that animals who have had their uterus and ovaries removed before puberty and the first heat are 70-80% less likely to develop mammary cancer. So if you do not plan to engage in “breeding cat breeding”, there is a point in carrying out such an operation.
As a rule, young cats tolerate surgery relatively easily, but caring for a cat after sterilization can present certain difficulties. Especially if the breeders have never done this. In this article you will find answers to particularly pressing questions.
Important! We strongly do not recommend taking the operated animal home right away! It’s better to trust the professionals and leave the cat in a hospital for two to three days. Your pet will be under constant medical supervision during the most dangerous period
Control after anesthesia
So, your pet successfully underwent surgery, and you brought her home. During this period, you should closely monitor her condition, since many postoperative complications appear two to three days after surgery. The most dangerous signs are as follows:
Complete lack of appetite and even thirst. Note that polydipsia (increased thirst) after surgery is an absolutely normal and completely physiological phenomenon. But if it is not observed, something is clearly wrong.
If you notice any of these signs in your cat after surgery, notify your veterinarian immediately. In addition, it would be a good idea to check how well your pet tolerated drug injections using
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