My cat suddenly stopped using the litter box. Why is this happening?

Question

Why has my cat quit using his litter box? Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 2 years and 1 month old | 13 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

There can be a couple of reasons why Loki 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 him, he won't use it. Cats can also be very picky about the type of litter used. If you changed litter recently, he 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 him to turn around in, or if it has a cover, he may not like using the box under a cover. Conversely, if it doesn't have a cover, he 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, he won't use it. Finally, there could be a medical issue behind him not using the litter box, such as a UTI or bladder stones. If none of the above scenarios apply to Loki, I would take him into your vet for a health check to see if there is a medical cause behind him refusing to use the litter box.

My cat suddenly stopped using the litter box. Why is this happening?

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