Inappropriate Elimination - Cat
Introduction
Inappropriate elimination is a common problem that is often confused with indoor marking behaviour. Differences between inappropriate elimination and indoor marking are discussed discussed in the general section on housesoiling.
Housetraining in cats is the product of innate substrate and preferences, combined with learning during development and the past and current availability of suitable latrine locations. Kittens appear not to learn latrine preferences by observing their moth,r but rather by exploring and investigating with available substrates and locations. Failure to provide kittens with suitable latrine substrates can therefore lead to the development of undesirable substrate associations.
History taking should therefore include information about the rearing and early environment, the cat's level of housetraining prior to the problem developing, and information about changes in latrine provision such as switching of litter tray location or litter type. Cats prefer to use their own latrine sites rather than share them with other cats, so any level of antagonism between resident cats is likely to lead to housesoiling.
Normal Elimination Behaviour
To understand the preferences of cats living in a domestic setting, it is important to understand the cat's normal elimination behaviour. Wild and feral cats use separate latrine sites for urine and faeces, and may have numerous latrines located around their peripheral territory. Latrines are located away from hunting, feeding and resting areas. Latrine sites are not shared with other cats, even when cats exist together in a naturally formed colony. The preferred substrate is usually dry sandy soil that is easy to dig. Cats are vulnerable to attack whilst eliminating, so they tend to be secretive.
Diagnosis
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 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.
Common causal/contributory medical factors include:
- Conditions causing PUPD
- Lower urinary tract disease
- Diarrhoea and bowel disease
- Debilitating disease that makes access to latrines more difficult for the cat (e.g. osteoarthritis and cardiopulmonary disease)
- Cognitive dysfunction syndrome
Typical Causes
- Lack of privacy in latrine locations: litter trays that are placed too close to feeding areas or cat doors, or sited in busy places where the cat does not feel safe to go to the toilet. A previously satisfactory location may become unacceptable if the presence of new pets or children constantly disturbs the cat. New cats in the neighbourhood may overlook the litter tray from outside, again reducing privacy.
- Inappropriate substrate: Certain scented, pine or wood-pulp based litters are aversive to cats. When urinated on they may release odours that the cat finds repellent, especially if the litter tray is hooded or enclosed. Substrate depth is also important, with cats preferring a depth of around 3cm.
- Competition and excessive latrine use: if several cats are using the same litter tray then it quickly becomes soiled and cats may be forced to find somewhere else. Cats may be forced to displace each other in order to gain access to the solitary household latrine. Cats prefer to use separate toilets for urine and faeces wherever possible.
- Despotic control of entry/exit points: Feline despots may perch close to cat doors and threaten other cats as they come and go. Nervous cats may not have the confidence to go in and out so they cannot use outdoor latrines. Threatening of cats leaving or entering the litter tray may also occur from cats within the same household.
- Specific fears: Cats that are moved to a noisy or stressful location may be unwilling to go outside to use latrines. They may stay inside and soil the house if not provided with a litter tray.
- Negative litter box associations: If the cat has been attacked or disturbed whilst using a particular latrine, or if it has experienced pain on micturition, then it is likely to chose a different toilet location the next time it needs to eliminate.
- Inability to use/find litter trays: Elderly or debilitated cats may be less willing to travel to find a latrine, so they may resort to soiling in the house. They may be unable to make use of high-sided or covered trays.
- Medical illness: Cats with polyuria/polydipsia (PU/PD), incontinence, feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) or recurrent/chronic diarrhoea are unlikely to maintain a normal or acceptable pattern of elimination.
- Punishment: cats that have been punished for eliminating in the wrong place may refuse to go to the toilet in the presence of the owner. Litter trays tend to be placed in public areas like the kitchen or utility area, which means that the fearful cat ceases to use them for fear of being punished further.
Recent research has demonstrated a direct connection between psychosocial stress and feline lower urinary tract disease. Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is a complex condition that involves neurological changes in spinal pain fibres and biochemical changes in the bladder wall. The precise aetiology is not fully understood but cats with an anxious personality are predisposed to FIC and it is proposed that the condition arises from a combination of physical and psychological factors. Black and white cats, and Persian cats are commonly affected and FIC may account for a significant proportion of FLUTD in cats. Urine samples of FIC cats may be sterile or may contain crystals, plugs or traces of blood. Diagnosis is confirmed by double contrast radiography or ultrasound imaging of the bladder to reveal mural thickening.
Treatment
Medical aspects of elimination problems must be resolved. There is a close relationship between stress and FIC so that dealing with social and environmental stress is an important component in resolving this condition.
Environment and Social Issues
Typically, it is possible to identify one or two environmental changes that have initiated the housesoiling/inappropriate elimination problem. This may be something as simple as a change of cat litter. However, it is very important not to treat the problem at this superficial level. If a single inconsequential change has caused the cat to house-soil then it is very likely that there are other underlying problems that also need to be addressed. Not to do so may mean consigning the cat to a life of stress and impaired welfare.
Treatment of housesoiling/inappropriate elimination, therefore, involves dealing with general environmental and social issues that cause stress, as well as the specific aspects of latrine location and type. Aggression between cats sharing a household is often overlooked because actual fights may be uncommon and most of the threatening behaviours between them are subtle.
Overall resource levels should be increased and resources should be distributed so that individual cats and cat-factions can make use of them without coming into conflict with each other. This also helps to undermine the activities of feline despots who try to monopolise specific resources. Additional cat flaps may be needed if aggression between cats is preventing certain cats from using outdoor latrines.
The cats should be provided with a range of suitable latrines, inside and outside the house, discussed on the Cat Latrines page.
F3 diffusers are traditionally used to treat spraying problems, but can be used to make a latrine location more attractive. The diffuser is placed very close to the litter tray in a confined area. This can be effective for cats that choose to eliminate on piles of the owner’s clothing or on the owner’s bed because these locations are associated with increased security. F3 diffusers may also be used to reduce general social stress in the household. In this situation, the diffuser should be allowed to warm up for at least a couple of hours before allowing cats to have access to the room where the diffuser is installed.
Conversely, inappropriate latrine sites should be made less appealing. There are a number of ways to do this, including changing the floor substrate to make it less pleasant to stand on, placing small bowls of food close to the location so that it becomes designated as a feeding station instead of a latrine. The best guide for how to modify a particular latrine site is the cat’s reason for choosing it in the first place. For example, a dark and secluded corner can be made a lot less discrete by moving furniture, putting in a loud radio close by or illuminating the corner with a bright spot lamp. Battery powered infra-red activated lamps can be bought very cheaply from hardware stores and can be installed in small corner, where it will switch on every time the cat approaches. This can act as an effective deterrent.
Altering inappropriate latrine sites to make them less appealing to the cat (this must only be done when a potential alternative has been made available)
- Cover the location with thick polythene: urine will then drain towards the cat’s feet when it is standing on the sheet.
- Cover the location with a large sheet of silver foil: some cats do not like to stand on this.
- Apply strips of double-sided sticky tape to either of the above to make them even more repellent.
- Place small bowls of food on top of the latrine sites, so that they become feeding stations. Cats are usually reluctant to urinate near sources of food.
- Illuminate dark corners with a bright spot lamp so that any privacy is taken away.
- The same effect can be achieved using a small, battery powered infrared activated lamp, which will turn on each time the cat approaches (these are very inexpensive).
Psychoactive Drug Therapy
Cats that are inhibited, fearful and therefore unable to utilise improved resources because of their apprehension, may benefit from psychoactive drug therapy. Selegiline is not licensed for use in the cat, but it can be used for the treatment of specific fears, a condition for which it is licensed in the dog (in the UK). This drug increases confidence and exploratory behaviour, but takes 4-6 weeks to show efficacy. It should be continued until the cat is fully utilising resources and has not eliminated in the house for 8 weeks.
Where signs of chronic anxiety are apparent, despite the use of F3 diffusers, then an SRI or SSRI type drug, such as Clomipramine or Fluoxetine, may be appropriate.
Trial treatments for Feline Idiopathic Cystitis have included polysulphated glycosaminoglycans and Amitriptyline. Response to glycosaminoglycans was variable, with some individuals responding extremely well and others less so. Treatment with Amitriptyline has produced good results, with the affects being attributed to the nor-adrenergic effects of the drug. Amitriptyline is 5:1 selective in favour of nor-adrenaline over serotonin reuptake inhibition, whereas Clomipramine is 5:1 selective in favour of serotonin reuptake. However, both drugs do have significant effects on nor-adrenaline reuptake and Clomipramine may be a suitable alternative if there are concerns over adverse effects with Amitriptyline.
In all cases, psychoactive drug therapy should only be considered after reaching a specific diagnosis and taking into account the risks of disinhibition of aggression. Obstructive urinary tract disease should be ruled out before initiating therapy with SRI or SSRI drugs, which have a risk of increasing outflow obstructions through their effects on acetylcholine transmission.
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| Latrine number, location and substrate: |
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| Owner behaviour: |
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| Psychoactive drug therapy: |
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Prognosis
The prognosis for cats with house-soiling problems is good, as long as owners can accept that there may be brief relapses in the future. Even if the domestic indoor and outdoor environment is optimised and relationships between cats in the household have been improved, there is always the possibility that new cats to the neighbourhood may upset the situation.
Cats with a history of inadequate housetraining, or inappropriate substrate or location preference are likely to relapse on occasion during periods of stress, or if the owner makes changes to existing toilets. These cats may always be a short step from reverting to using their own preferred toilet sites so it is important to stick to environmental modifications that work.
Also see:
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