Episodes > 104 > Pet Vet

“Thinking Out of the Box"… Or Something Else?

We’ve all heard the saying …you need to “think out of the box!” Could that be what Cats are thinking when they go to the bathroom out of their litter box? Our guess is no, it could be something more serious.

Our Pet Vet, Dr. Jenna Castner, says that one of the most common reasons that cats are brought to a vet is that they are urinating out of their litter box. Most likely it’s not because they have decided to be creative, but could be a medical or personality problem.

This can be a sign of bladder infections, bowel disorders, kidney stones, epilepsy and more. If you think that your cat could be suffering from one of these problems you need to see your Vet right away.

Once it’s been determined that your cat is physically OK, it’s time to look at their psyche. Although stress is the leading cause of behavioral issues there are other things that could lead your cat to an animal physiologist.

Things That Could Lead Your Cat to an Animal Physiologist:

• Poor diet & exercise
• Change
• Declawing
• Poor Environment
• Dirty Litter Box
• Territorial Changes
• Environment Adjustment.

Thinking outside of the box means not allowing your thinking to be determined by traditional ideas…but it also doesn’t apply to Kitty going potty on your new cashmere sweater instead of his litter box either. So get it checked out before you can’t afford your dry cleaning bill!