Most
felines have a knack for depositing their pee and poop in one spot, which they
then cover up from prying eyes. So why is it that some cats dislike the idea of
concealing their feces? Two experts weigh in to give us the scoop on kitties
who refuse to hide their poop.
Dr.
Melissa Bain, assistant professor and service chief of the Companion Animal
Behavior Service at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, says the exact
reason why felines cover their feces isn't fully understood, but one theory
speculates that the behavior developed to prevent parasites from becoming more
prevalent.
Could
Not Covering Poop Be a Medical Problem?
Although
Dr. Bain says that there's no specific medical reason why a cat would not cover
her waste, she stresses that “any medical condition that could cause pain or
pain associated with the litterbox, such as a urinary tract condition, could
cause a cat to not want to spend time in the litterbox.”
Dr.
Katherine Houpt, a certified applied animal behaviorist at Animal Behavior
Consultants of Northern Michigan, agrees with Dr. Bain, adding that cats who
have recently been declawed or who have a painful paw infection could be averse
to scratching and covering their waste.
Could
Not Covering Poop Be a Behavioral Issue?
“Primarily,
it is behavioral,” says Dr. Houpt, who has specialized in animal behavior for
more than 30 years. But there could be several reasons behind it.
Lax
cat parenting may be one culprit. Dr. Bain says that some cats never learn as
kittens to cover their waste.
Another
reason: Certain cats will not cover their waste because they prefer to
eliminate in their own territory, Dr. Houpt explains, noting that even an
indoor cat who's lived in the same place for a long period of time still may
not feel as though the home is truly her territory. “Some experts feel that a
dominant cat will not cover," Dr. Houpt says. "The smell lets other
cats know ‘I’m here.’ ”
For
some felines, the litterbox itself can be an issue. “It could be the 'wrong'
kind of litter for that cat, or it may be too dirty,” says Dr. Bain. "It
may even be that the litterbox is too small for the cat to adequately turn
around inside.”
Dr.
Houpt adds that a dislike for a certain type of litter can often lead to
avoiding the box entirely. “A cat who doesn’t like the litter will often not
dig before it eliminates, and she's more likely to be a house-soiling cat,” Dr.
Houpt says. “She doesn’t like the feel of litter and prefers the feel of the
rug.”
What
You Can Do to Get Your Cat to Cover Her Poop
Dr.
Houpt admits that this isn't the worst problem a cat owner can have, but there
may be ways to combat it. Once you and your vet have ruled out any medical
issues, such as tender paws or painful elimination, you can start by trying out
different types of cat litter.
In
the case of multiple-cat households, adding more litterboxes throughout your
home might also help because it increases the number of territories. In fact,
having more than one cat can actually be a benefit. “Sometimes one cat will
cover for another cat,” says Dr. Houpt.
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