Medical Warning - please note:
Avoidance of the litter box may be something much more serious than your cat's litter preference! If your cat is straining to urinate, having bloody urine, excessively licking the genital area, or urine marking around the house, please see your veterinarian immediately! This could indicate a bladder infection, urethral blockage, kidney infection, or other medical problem (i.e. diabetes or kidney failure).
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When shopping for cat litter, it is wise to pay attention to more than just the price. I was recently (and fragrantly!) reminded of this fact.
Cats on the whole are a sensitive bunch, and have very definite toilet habits. If you are using a litter that "works" (i.e. the cats are using it well), try to stick with it if at all possible. Subtle changes in texture (size of granules), scent, dustiness, or frequency of litter box changes may upset your cat's perception of proper litter box behavior, and this could lead to your cat finding litter box alternatives, such as the laundry room or bathroom rug!
I had been using a particular store brand litter for years, but the store chain was recently sold, and the replacement store brand was not as nice as the previous litter selection. My husband was on an errand to pick up cat litter, and my main requirement was not scented. What we humans find as a pleasant scent is often not what cats view as pleasant. (I even argue with what is "pleasant" for humans!)
The newly purchased litter seemed fine -- nice uniform texture, no obvious scent. A good choice. That is until I "activated" it by scooping the litter boxes. This released an overpowering amount of "good" scent. I could barely stand to be in the room. You can guess what my cats thought of this. Off to buy more litter!
Tip of the day: if your litter box is working fine for your cat(s), don't change any variables if possible!
Don't Miss:
Litter Box Essentials
From Franny Syufy, Guide to Cats
