Complete Cat Training - Is Your Cat Not Using The Litter Box

By N L Macdonald

Cat training is more about learning why your cat does what he does. Did you know that cats require privacy when going the bathroom? If you have a litter box kept in a very commonly used area, he probably won't use it. But your carpet or somewhere else in the house may be used instead! Cats in general want a quiet, secluded area, away from family members and other animals. The importance of your cat toileting regularly cannot be over-emphasized.

Sometimes owners do not provide their cats with private & clean litter boxes, plenty of water or the ability to go outside. This can quickly lead to urinary tract disease which is very common in cats and often very debilitating. In this disease, large crystals form in your cat’s bladder, which can then flow through your cat’s urethra (the tube linking the bladder to the outside world) and they often become lodged and stuck! This obstruction of pee then causes a cat to become very ill and very sore. Then a visit to a veterinarian is required.

The key to preventing this problem is to encourage your cat to drink more which will make him go more! This helps prevent the formation of the crystals in the bladder in the first place! Ensure that you have a couple of full water bowls for your cat around the house as well as outside. Your cat should always have an unlimited supply of water.

Part of your cat training, having your cat go in his litter box, requires privacy and security so that he'll feel secure. In general, there should be more than one litter box in your household. In fact, the generally accepted formula for the best number of litter boxes for your household is, one per cat you own, plus one. So, if you have 2 cats, you should have 3 litter boxes around the house, while if you only have one cat, have 2 litter boxes – and so on.

Just as important is that you use a good absorb able litter that your cat likes and that you regularly replace this litter once every 2 – 3 days (rather than once a week!). The cleaner the litter, the more your cat will want go in it and the easier time you'll have training your cat. When placing the litter boxes around the house, make sure you don’t leave a litter tray in a corner, or anywhere where your cat may feel trapped.

The key to avoiding your cat developing urinary tract problems and having problems training your cat, is to make sure the experience as stress free for your cat as possible. By providing unlimited water, allowing some outdoors access and maintaining clean litter boxes in private areas of your house you will be providing your cat with an environment where he'll want to go in the litter box.

Nancy Macdonald is an online researcher who specializes in finding information to make homelife just a little bit better. For more information on cat training please see http://www.cattrainingreview.com/

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