It happens on your linoleum floor. Or worse, on your carpet. Your cat has done her litter-box business somewhere other than in the litter box.Why? And what can you do?

Cleanliness

Make sure the litter box is kept clean. Cats are fastidious about cleanliness, and if they have to get dirty to use the litter box, they may choose to relieve themselves elsewhere. Long-haired cats are known to be particularly picky as dirty litter may cling to their hair.

A thick layer of litter makes a litter box harder to clean, and therefore less likely to be cleaned. Provide just enough litter for your cats to bury their urine and feces — no more than an inch or so thick, and less for kittens. Liners may contribute to an odor problem, since cats can puncture liners with their claws, leaving moisture trapped below the liners.

A litter box cover has advantages and disadvantages. As long as the cat can be upright inside the litter box, a cover is usually okay for the cat, and it may give your cat a sense of security and privacy. It also keeps a dirty litter box out of sight. On the other hand, if you don’t see a dirty litter box, you’re less likely to clean it. In addition, the extra task of removing the cover each time to clean the box lengthens the time required for a simple chore.

If you don’t have time to clean the litter box as often as your cat would like, provide your cat with two litter boxes.

Location, location, location

Just as most people don’t like to eat in the bathroom, cats don’t like to eat near their litter boxes. It isn’t sanitary. Also, because the smell or urine can attract enemies in the wild, cats generally avoid urinating too close to where they sleep and play.

Cats like privacy when relieving themselves, and some may avoid a litter box if it’s in a noisy or high-traffic area. Then again, if the litter box is too far out of the way, your cat may not use it for that reason. Cats are territorial, and they might not leave their territory to use a litter box.

Cats with arthritis or other mobility problems may have difficulty walking far when nature calls. Older cats may have a failing bladder that simply doesn’t hold its urine long enough any more. These cats will benefit from having more than one litter box, placed in different locations around the home. It may also help to confine these cats to one area of the home.

Who’s been using that litter box?

Some cats don’t like to share their toilet facilities with other cats. In a multi-cat household, it may be necessary to have one litter box per cat. Some experts recommend having one more litter box than the number of cats in the household.

Type of litter

Litter comes in a variety of types: cedar, clay, recycled newspaper, silica, and others. Your cat may prefer one type of litter over another. Experiment if necessary. Mix the old and new types of litter when changing the type so that your cat can get used to the new litter gradually.

Health and litter box use

Cat bladder and urinary tract conditions have similar symptoms:

• The cat strains to urinate, often producing only a small amount of urine at a time.
• Urination is painful, and the cat may also react in pain from pressure to the abdomen.
• The cat doesn’t always use the litter box to urinate and instead leaves small puddles of urine around the home.
• There may be blood in the cat’s urine.

Both male and female cats can develop these conditions, but they can be more serious for male cats. Urine blockage causes toxins to accumulate in the cat’s bloodstream and is life-threatening. If you suspect a health problem behind your cat’s litter box behavior, take your cat to a veterinarian right away. Immediate medical attention is especially crucial if your cat is unable to pass any urine.

Behavior concerns

If your cat isn’t using the litter box to urinate but otherwise appears to be in good health, the reason for the behavior may be personal — or not. Some people see a cat’s leaving messes around the home as a message to the owner. Has there been a change in the household, such as a new pet or a new person? Has the cat felt neglected? Another line of thought is that cats wouldn’t deliberately mess in their own territory to make a statement, but that the stress of the situation aggravated the health problem that caused the accident.

Either way, punishment is not the answer. Cats don’t associate punishment with past actions. If the action was deliberate, extra attention will help, and if it wasn’t, the health concerns need your attention.

Cleaning up the act

After a cat has urinated on your carpet, floor, or furniture, she’ll associate the smell of urine with the place to urinate. Completely eliminating the smell will remove this association. Petrotech Odor Eliminator removes urine and fecal odors immediately, and it’s environmentally friendly. For particularly strong or stubborn odors, Odor Destroyer (liquid or dry formula) is recommended.

Preventing future litter box incidents

• Keep the litter box clean.
• Provide more than one litter box if necessary.
• Experiment with types of cat litter and with litter box locations.
• Have your veterinarian check and treat your cat for any health problems.
• Remove messes and odors thoroughly.

They didn’t have — or need — toothbrushes. For the ancestors of our dogs and cats, chewing through bone and skin of wild prey accomplished the same purpose. Unlike their wild ancestors, though, domesticated dogs and cats generally eat food that’s gentle on their teeth and gums. Without the workout that the teeth and gums need, dental problems typically develop after the first few years of life.

What causes dental problems in dogs and cats?

As with human teeth, plaque is the enemy. Plaque hardens and becomes tartar, which builds up and creeps below the gum line. It can cause tooth decay and loss, abscesses, and infection.

The dangers are not limited to the teeth and gums. If the condition is left untreated, infection can spread via the bloodstream throughout your pet’s body. Kidney, liver, lung, and heart problems, for example, may originate in your pet’s diseased gums.

Signs that your pet has dental problems

Your dog or cat:

• Has bad breath (often a sign of gingivitis or gum disease) *
• Chews on one side of the mouth
• Appears to be in pain when eating or drinking
• Hesitates to eat even when hungry

* Other health conditions can also cause bad breath, such as kidney disease, which can result from untreated gum disease.

Preventive dental care for dogs and cats

Diet

Dry food may help scrub away developing plaque, but dry food itself won’t prevent or remove plaque. Some commercially-available tartar control diets may help more, as well as tartar control biscuits for dogs and dental chew biscuits for cats. These products necessitate more vigorous chewing action for your pets, similar to how their ancestors chewed when they caught their prey.

The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) has a list of food products that help control dog and cat periodontal disease at the VOHC website.

Teeth cleaning

Toothbrushes and toothpaste for dogs and cats? Yes — but the toothpaste flavor is more likely to be poultry than mint.

Some pet toothbrushes fit over your fingers, while others have handles and bristles like toothbrushes for people. Pet toothpaste is safe for your dog or cat to swallow. (Do not use toothpaste intended for humans for your pet.)

Cleaning your dog’s or cat’s teeth twice a week or more may help extend your pet’s life. For instructions on how to brush your pet’s teeth, see these articles at placervillevet.com:

• How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth
• How to Brush Your Cat’s Teeth

Dental examinations

Your veterinarian will examine your pet’s teeth during annual checkups, but you can check your dog’s or cat’s teeth yourself between checkups.

• Teeth: look for yellow and brown accumulations of tartar.
• Gums: see if the gums are a healthy pink, or red, which indicates inflammation.

Tartar removal

Even with regular tooth brushing, your dog or cat will probably still have some tartar build-up, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Your veterinarian can do a thorough dental cleaning with your pet under anesthetic. With regular brushing, your pet’s teeth will need veterinary care less often, but professional teeth cleaning will still probably still be necessary at least every few years.