Why does my cat kick litter all over the place? 4 tips from cat experts

Does your cat kick litter all above the floor? What does this necessarily mean and how can you prevent it?

In spite of becoming qualified predators, cats are also mesopredators, this means they are the two predators and prey. Compared with apex predators at the top of the food chain with no natural predators, cats are in the center, preying on lesser animals and staying preyed on by greater animals.

Since they are also a prey animal, cats developed instinctive behaviours to safeguard them from nearby predators. 1 of these behaviours is digging in the litter tray. Cats probably dig and cover their waste to hide their existence from traveling to predators, who may be captivated by the scent.

Masking squander may perhaps also help cats to keep away from parasites.

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Cat squander also functions as an vital communicator to other cats in the space, signalling how long in the past a cat arrived through, a feminine that could be in heat or quite a few other messages a cat may depart at the rear of.

Which provides us to: what can you do about it, so your cat isn’t kicking litter almost everywhere?

In phrases of transforming the cat’s conduct, the shorter solution is: very little. Digging is a all-natural and important behaviour and hoping to interrupt that could result in stress and confusion for your cat.

In truth, cats who dig in their litter box for longer almost certainly like their litter box additional and are fewer most likely to have problems with pooing or weeing.
Inappropriate pooing or weeing, in particular outside the litter tray, can show urinary challenges in cats. In a study, of Australian cats around 20{95b18eb6fc4f42efd0d92738dfc3fb79fde21da267a711ecdf0381147c27bb86} pooed or weed outside the litter tray.

There are some basic answers in location up litter trays that can maintain you and your cat content – and litter in the tray.

1. Litter hygiene (you, not them)

Have you at any time had to pull a gross little bit of foodstuff from the sink? Your cat may come to feel equally about positioning their paws in a soiled litter box.

Your cat’s hesitance to use their dirty litter tray could be main them to hedge their bets, sticking to the edge, exactly where the litter is a lot less soaked, and kicking litter all about the ground.

The resolution: Clean the tray frequently. Ideally, eliminate sound squander as it takes place or once a working day, and absolutely modify over the litter each couple days or just before the top rated layer becomes soaked.

2. Overfilled litter

When it comes to filling the litter tray, more isn’t generally improved.

For cats with health and fitness concerns these types of as arthritis, suffering or limited mobility, an overfilled litter box usually means seeking to stability on an unstable mound of litter. And the much more litter in the tray, the additional litter that can finish up on the floor.

Even cats without having wellness issues might really feel the need to have to dig further to uncover a stable floor to squat on. This usually means a lot more litter on the flooring each mainly because of the greater volume and the cats further efforts in digging.

The alternative: Fill the tray with all around 2-4cm (1-2 inches) of litter.

3. Litter box range and choice

The typical rule of thumb is a person litter tray for each cat as well as just one for the home. These really should be positioned all over the property if doable, in locations where your cats come to feel risk-free to go about their organization.

Many litter bins are way too little. If your cat is regularly kicking litter about, check out investing in a bigger box. A covered litter box may perhaps be a remedy, but cats are folks far too and some don’t like being cooped up when hoping to poo or wee.

You can come across trays with higher sides or an further edge that hangs over and stops some of the litter from traveling.

If you can’t obtain anything substantial sufficient or suitable, you can try building your possess from a thing as easy as a plastic washing tub.

A terrific way to do the job out which variety of litter box your cat prefers is to place two distinct types aspect by facet and see which one they use the most.

4. Wipe your paws

If it is not any of the above, its feasible your cat just has a real zest for kicking up litter.

If the litter on the ground is a true issue for you, you can area certain mats all around the litter or in the doorway to the home(s) where the litter is.

These mats support to gather the litter as the cat walks more than them, that contains that kicked up mess to a more compact location and halting litter from becoming tracked into your other rooms.

Toileting outside the litter box could reveal a behavioural or medical challenge. If producing the improvements instructed above does not assist do consult your veterinarian.

If your cat is squatting commonly without the need of significantly result, you really should talk to your veterinarian as quickly as possible.

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