Many people think of the cat’s litter box as simply a private place to eliminate. Get a plastic box, fill it with litter and stick it in the corner and the cat will pee there, right? Not always. Although there are many reasons why a cat may choose another location for elimination other than his litter box, the subject I want to cover today is litter box ambushes. Before getting started though, I must remind you that if your cat is eliminating outside of the litter box, please have him examined by the veterinarian because there could be a medical cause for the problem.
Litter box ambushes can occur in multipet families although I have dealt with cases where a single cat has felt the fear of being ambushed by the human members of the family, but generally, it happens when there are multiple pets in the home.
When a cat goes into the litter box for elimination he, of course, expects the litter to be clean enough for him to use, but also, he expects to be safe. Being in the litter box is a very vulnerable time and kitty doesn’t want to be caught off-guard by another cat while in the middle of taking care of personal business. In homes where there is tension between pets, the litter box can become ground zero for ambushes. The specific set-up of the litter box can contribute to the ambushes if “escape potential” hasn’t been taken into consideration.
When we think of a litter box set-up, we think of cleanliness and privacy. Although the cleanliness is certainly high on a cat’s list as well, privacy isn’t as important as safety. So we sometimes make mistakes by getting covered litter boxes, even covered boxes with door flaps, or we place the litter box in closets, corners, under desks, or hidden in other out-of-the-way locations. Although it’s understandable that you don’t want the litter box front and center in the living room, keep “escape potential” in mind if you have the least bit of hostility in your multipet home.
Here’s an example: a cat who has been the victim of another companion cat’s aggression is on his way to the litter box. The box is covered so that leaves only one option for escape should the cat have to make a hasty exit. If another cat approaches and decides to attack or wait for the victim cat to exit, the kitty in the box may learn that it’s no longer safe to use the box so he goes in search of a better location. Often, that “better” location ends up being somewhere on your carpet.
If you think your cat has been eliminating outside of the box due to having been ambushed, look for these clues: First, take a long, hard look at the relationship between your cats. Is there hostility? Does one cat seem to always chase another? Even if the tension doesn’t end in actual physical confrontations, it can leave one cat feeling too anxious to allow himself to get trapped in the litter box. Second, look at the areas where the cat has been inappropriately eliminating. They’re probably out in the open, in areas that allow kitty to have not only more than one escape option, but the locations also give him more visual warning time to see if an opponent is approaching.
To reduce ambush opportunities, remove covers from litter boxes
and make sure the boxes aren’t tucked away in too-private areas.
Also, make sure there are enough litter boxes throughout the house.
The victim cat may be too frightened to cross through the other
cat’s turf. To make it easier on him, set up a box in a location
where the victim cat feels more comfortable. The less you put the
cats in a position where they must have a confrontation, the
better.
Here's a quick video tip from our website:
Pam's quick tips on litter box location
Here are some articles on our website about litter
boxes:
Covered litter boxes can cause problems
Five tips for litter box success
Litter box do's and don'ts
If your cat is having a litter box problem, you can find
step-by-step information in the book Starting From Scratch.
Pam Johnson-Bennett is a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and owner of Cat Behavior Associates, LLC.
Information in this blog is not meant to be used as a medical diagnosis. If you suspect your cat has a medical problem, contact your veterinarian.
