Solutions for Surface or
Location Preferences
All cats develop preferences for the type of surface that they choose for
elimination. Luckily for us, the majority of cats prefer to eliminate in sand or dirt, so
litter box training comes quite naturally to them! However, when cats stop using their
litter box they often develop new preferences during the period that they are avoiding the
box. Here are a few tips for changing your cat’s preference back to the litter box:
- Block off all access to areas of the house that your cat has been using. If
there are areas that cannot be barricaded, make the preferred spots less appealing to your
cat by covering them with aluminum foil, citrus-scented cotton balls, or inverted
carpet-runner plastic.
- If your cat has been eliminating on soft surfaces, switch to a litter that
is very fine. If she has been eliminating on smooth surfaces, place just a very thin layer
of litter at one end of her box, leaving the opposite end of the box bare and
smooth.
- Add one or more litter boxes, in several locations. If it is practical, add
a litter box to her newly preferred location.
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