WHAT EVERY CAT OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE PREVENTION OF LITTERBOX PROBLEMS.

1.  Have your cat spayed or neutered at six months of age.  Sexually

mature, intact cats frequently use urine and feces to mark their territory.

Neutering will correct the elimination problems in 90% of these cats.

2.  The rule of thumb for the number of litterboxes is:  one per cat in

the household, plus one.  Extra litterboxes are necessary because some

cats like to defecate in one and urinate in another.  Others will not

use a box that has already been used by another cat.  Different areas

for the litterboxes can prevent location-avoidance problems.

3. Clean the litterboxes DAILY.  The single most common reason for a

cat's refusal to use a litterbox is because the box is dirty.  Non-

clumping litter should be scooped daily and the litterbox emptied and

washed every other day.  Clumping litter should also be scooped daily

and the litterbox washed when soiled.  The cheaper clumping litters

that break-up easily should be dumped out as frequently as the non-

clumping litters.  (Bacteria left in the litterbox will smell to the

cat even if you can't smell it.)

4.  Choose a litter that appeals to the cat.  Most cats prefer the

texture of the sand-like scooping litters.  Be sure to select a brand

that clumps into a firm ball, making scooping easier and cleaner.

(Everclean HD is excellent.)  As a health precaution for kittens that

might be prone to ingest the litter, use a non-clumping litter until

the kitten is four months old.

5.  NEVER use scented litter.  Perfumed, chemical scents repel cats.

When you wash the litterbox, use hot water and a mild dishwashing liquid.

Do not use harsh chemicals that will leave a lingering odor.

6.  Do not use litterbox liners--they can be irritating to some cats.

Also covered, or hooded litterboxes can be offensive to cats as they

do not satisfy the cat's need for escape potential when eliminating.

They also trap the odor inside, creating an "outhouse effect".  The

litterbox should be uncovered and at least 22" x 16" for an adult cat.

7.  Place litterboxes in quiet, private places that are easily accessible

to the cat and where it will not be disturbed by children or ambushed by

other pets.  Noisy areas near washing machines, furnaces, or under stairs,

may frighten the cat away from the box.  A house with several stories should

have a litterbox on each floor.  NEVER place litterboxes near food and water

dishes.

8.  While kittens have an innate predisposition to use an easily raked

substrate as their litter, they may also choose other, more convenient,

locations.  You should limit their territory until they learn that the

litterbox is the only acceptable place to eliminate.  Praise and rewards

will speed up the learning process.  Like small children, they should

not be expected to travel very far to find their toilet areas.

9.  When introducing a new cat into the home, confine the cat to one

room with its litterbox, bed, food and water, until the cat has used

the litterbox several times and shows an interest in exploring the rest

of the house.  Once you have decided on the placement for the litterboxes

in your house--Don't move them!

10.  Help your cat feel comfortable in his home territory.  Play games

with him, give him a massage, talk to him frequently.  Give him positive

and affectionate attention.  A confident, secure, contented and relaxed

cat does not need to relieve anxiety and stress by such extreme measures

as urine or fecal marking.