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My cat won't use her litter box for months. What can I do to help?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | British Shorthair | Female | 1 year and 7 months old | 26 lbs

Bells will not wee or poop in her litter tray this has being going on for 2 months ...she was a very clean cat ...what am I going to do

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on August 26th, 2017

There can be a couple of reasons why Bells will not use the litter box. Cats like a very clean box, and the litter should be scooped every day with the litter itself being changed once a week. If the box isn't clean enough for her, she won't use it. Cats can also be very picky about the type of litter used. If you changed litter recently, she may not like it and won't want to use it. Don't use scented litters, cats typically don't like the scent and will not use the box if it smells funny to them. I would use an unscented litter only. The litter box itself may be a problem. It could be too small for her to turn around in, or if it has a cover, she may not like using the box under a cover. Conversely, if it doesn't have a cover, she may not like going to the bathroom in the open. Cats also won't use a litter box that is too close to their food and water sources, so if the litter box is close to those, she won't use it. Finally, there could be a medical issue behind her not using the litter box, such as a UTI or bladder stones. If none of the above scenarios apply to Bells, I would take her into your vet for a health check to see if there is a medical cause behind her refusing to use the litter box. I hope this helps!

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