HELPING CAT PARENTS DOWN FROM A TREE – UNDERSTANDING LITTER BOX TROUBLES

            A cat’s relationship with his litter box ranks as one of the great mysteries of nature…at least humans think so.

Here’s the scenario. Kitty saunters off to the litter box. As the destination draws nearer, he begins to mull over some concerns. He asks: “What are my options?” He thinks, “This is my chance to advertise.” If not feeling well, he might ask, “Did it hurt the last time I did this?” In short, the decision to use the litter box results from a delicate balance of issues, more than just the urgency to go.

            Despite the good example of his mother during kittenhood, our cat doesn’t feel that he has a contract to use the litter box. He does so merely out of habit.  Some chief reasons for not sticking to routine include uncleanliness, inconvenience, territoriality, and discomfort. With trial and error, and patience, the problems of uncleanliness (“What is that stink?”) and inconvenience (“This thing isn’t big enough for a hamster!”) aren’t too difficult to solve. The problems of territoriality and discomfort, on the other paw, are the least understood, and most intractable.

Besides excreting metabolic wastes, when a cat urinates and defecates it is making a very personal statement: “Here I exist, and enter my realm at your peril!” Suffice it to say, kitty believes this with all his heart, especially when he shares his home with another feline. In fact, he is taking a risk if there’s a squabble going on over dominance. More often than not, the squabble is invisible to the human eye and is relegated to the field of battle, the litter box. The besieged kitty finds an easy solution:  Shred the litter box contract - ”It was never any good any way!” - and find another more original (and private) spot.

The discomfort problem arises when kitty is not feeling well, either from minor or serious illness, and learns to associate the uneasiness or pain felt while urinating and/or defecating with the litter box itself. In his mind the discomfort and litter box become one and the same thing (no one has to be Einstein here!). The litter box - for pooing, peeing, or both - suddenly becomes off limits. For the kitty experiencing muscle weakness or balance problems, going to the litter box may no longer be physically possible or worth the effort, or, if he has to go too frequently, not worth the trouble. Last but not least, a very old cat may just have forgotten about the litter box.

Well, so much for understanding the problem better. What can help? A new product is available that, though not a panacea, promises to significantly lessen the frustrations and tensions that crop up between cat and parent when a litter box problem rears its ugly head.

Catpaper is an absorbent paper that is pressed tightly to a plastic backing. Liquids (including urine, feces, and vomit) are blotted and can’t get through, making for spectacularly easy cleanup, and protection of household surfaces like rugs and upholstery. “The idea of Catpaper came out of desperation”, says its inventor, Ken Rossner, a retired biologist who lives in New York City. “Six apartment-bound cats, three with chronic renal failure, resulted in frequent mishaps with the litter boxes. I wondered if others could use this stuff too, and so began our small Web business.”