1. Unfamiliarity with a New Environment

Cause: When a cat moves to a new home, they may feel anxious and unfamiliar with the surroundings. To seek comfort, they might start marking various spots around the house to leave their scent, which provides a sense of security.

Solution: Give your cat some time to adjust to the new environment. Try to keep the area stable and quiet, avoiding frequent rearrangements. Familiar items like your cat’s bed or toys can help them feel more at home. As your cat becomes comfortable, this behavior should decrease.

2. Uncomfortable Litter

Cause: Cats have sensitive paws, and if the litter has large or rough particles, they may find it uncomfortable, making them unwilling to use the litter box.

Solution: Try switching to finer, softer litter with a gentle texture and low odor. Fine-grained litter tends to feel more natural to cats and is generally easier for them to accept.

3. Litter Box Too Small

Cause: Growing or larger cats may feel cramped in a small litter box, making it hard for them to turn around comfortably, which discourages them from using it.

Solution: Get a larger litter box, ideally at least 1.5 times your cat’s size. Bigger cats, especially, need extra space to feel comfortable. A roomier litter box can help reduce out-of-box incidents.

4. Insecure Litter Box Environment

Cause: In multi-cat households, sometimes one cat might bully another while they’re trying to use the litter box, making the space feel unsafe. The bullied cat may avoid the litter box altogether.

Solution: If you notice bullying, try keeping the cats separated for a while to help them gradually become comfortable with each other. Reassure the more sensitive cat and create a calm environment where they won’t be disturbed. Adding more litter boxes in separate areas can also help provide each cat with a sense of personal space.

5. Dirty Litter Box

Cause: Cats are naturally clean animals, and if the litter box isn’t cleaned regularly, they might avoid it in favor of other places.

Solution: Keep the litter box clean by scooping waste daily and changing litter regularly. In multi-cat households, this becomes especially important. A clean litter box can make a huge difference in encouraging your cat to use it.

6. Not Enough Litter Boxes

Cause: In a household with multiple cats, they generally don’t like sharing litter boxes. Insufficient litter boxes might lead to your cat eliminating in other areas.

Solution: For multi-cat households, a good rule is to have at least one more litter box than the number of cats. For example, three cats would ideally need four litter boxes in different locations to reduce competition and promote a sense of security.