Changes

The presence of urine and/or faeces outside the litter tray is not definitive evidence of a behavioural problem; medical causes and underlying factors should always be ruled out before reaching a behavioural diagnosis. In multi-cat households, it is therefore important to  [[Housesoiling - Cat#Identifying the Culprit|identify which cat is responsible for the housesoiling]]. It is extremely unusual for a non-resident cat to enter and eliminate in another cat's home, but this may also need to be considered.

The presence of urine and/or faeces outside the litter tray is not definitive evidence of a behavioural problem; medical causes and underlying factors should always be ruled out before reaching a behavioural diagnosis. In multi-cat households, it is therefore important to  [[Housesoiling - Cat#Identifying the Culprit|identify which cat is responsible for the housesoiling]]. It is extremely unusual for a non-resident cat to enter and eliminate in another cat's home, but this may also need to be considered.

A behavioural diagnosis should only be attempted after [[Housesoiling - Cat#Medical Assessment|medical underlying and contributory factors]] have been investigated. A diagnosis is reached after collecting a detailed history and [[Housesoiling - Cat#Behavioural Assessment|making diagrams of the soiling locations]]. Causes of housetraining breakdown are many and varied and detailed history taking and in-depth consultations are essential to get an accurate picture. Post trauma breakdown is relatively common and examples of trauma can include a period of enforced confinement, fear of the litter tray due to administration of medication or negative associations with the tray as a result of medical problems. Inappropriate facilities may be at the root of inappropriate toileting problems and it is important to consider the type of litter used in the tray, the sort of tray that is being offered and also the location of that tray. The cleaning regime may also be relevant since most cats are reluctant to use trays that are dirty and some others will fail to bond successfully to their latrine if it is cleaned too frequently. Other potential causes of a breakdown in house training include challenges to security in nervous individuals, overcrowding within a small-sized territory where there is competition over the resource of the latrines or access to the trays is controlled and manipulated by one individual within the household. There is also the issue of old age and debilitation.

Common causal/contributory medical factors include:

* Diarrhoea and bowel disease

* Debilitating disease that makes access to latrines more difficult for the cat (e.g. osteoarthritis and cardiopulmonary disease)

==Typical Causes==

==Typical Causes==