Check Into It!

There seems to be a disturbing rumor out in the world that every house cat has an ‘expiration date’.  Many clients have told me that they have been told every cat will eventually start peeing around the house, and then they will have to get rid of the cat.  While this seems ridiculous, it cannot be denied that a problem with ‘behavior’ is still far and away the number one cause for euthanizing or relinquishing cats in this country.  I’ve been writing about behavior issues, and many of these involve the litter box.  We make all of these recommendations in the hopes of preventing problems. 

I’d much rather talk about the ideal litter box than try to solve a problem of unknown duration.  If your cat is eliminating outside the box in any way, the first step is always the same:  Take your cat in to your veterinarian to rule out medical issues.  We all want to think it’s a ‘naughty cat’ situation that can be solved with a phone call, but even behavior issues often start with a physical problem, and that requires a visit to your veterinarian.  This is always the first line of every behavior book because no amount of behavior counseling will solve a physical problem.  Whether the problem is a bladder stone or a true behavior issue or something in between, we want to help.