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During consultations , veterinary nurses ( VNs ) can be called on to advise clients on a range of topics . Some , such as neutering , flea control and the administration of medicines , are more common than others , and some advice is better adhered to by owners . Consultations associated with lower owner compliance include weight clinics , dental clinics and toileting advice . It is possible , in the case of toileting , that owner compliance could be improved if our advice was better tailored to the individual patient and if additional reasoning was provided . This guide aims to help VNs to support cat owners in making an informed choice about cat litter ( also known as substrate ), based on the preferences of their cat and their household .

Feline toileting problems

One of the most common behavioural complaints made by cat owners is that their cat is urinating and defaecating inside the house and outside the litter tray [ 1 ] . This inappropriate elimination ( IE ) can occur at any life stage . With kittens , it commonly occurs when they are learning to use a designated toileting area , while in adults or elderly cats it is often due to behavioural or medical reasons . Behavioural problems , including IE , are common reasons for people to surrender their cats to a rehoming centre [ 2 ] . Rehoming a cat could exacerbate the issue , particularly if it is a stress-related behaviour .

When a veterinary practice is first presented with a cat that is eliminating inappropriately in the home , it is best practice for the animal to undergo a health assessment by a veterinary surgeon , to rule out any medical cause . Once it has been established that there is no underlying medical reason for IE , a VN can begin the process of supporting the owner to tackle the cat ' s behaviour .

If inappropriate urination is the issue , it is important to differentiate between spraying and urinating . Spraying is predominantly a territorial or stress response . Most neutered cats that live indoors do not spray , and those that do are typically stressed and want to surround themselves with their own scent [ 3 ] . During urination , a cat will squat to void the bladder on to a horizontal surface , resulting in a larger puddle of urine than spraying . When spraying , a cat will be standing and will tread with its back feet and quiver its tail during the act .

Inappropriate urination that is not caused by a medical issue is usually linked to stress or negative associations with the litter tray . Stressors for cats can be very subtle and could be missed by an owner . An example of a subtle stressor is a change in smell within the home , such as a new perfume or air freshener , or a change in the location of the litter tray [ 4 ] . However , stressors can also be more obvious , such as a visit from a neighbouring cat , which could cause visible or audible distress to the resident cat . Negative associations with litter trays can be caused by resource-guarding behaviour by other cats , offensive smells or a cat ' s dislike of the substrate used in the litter tray .

Cat litter considerations

The substrate in a litter tray can affect the behaviour and habits of cats within the home , but relatively little thought or discussion is given to litter choice . Of the animals seen in veterinary practice , 30.3 % are feline [ 5 ] , with many of these being medical or surgical patients . After a clinic visit , a cat owner could be asked to keep their cat indoors , either to obtain a urine / faecal sample from the cat or to keep it rested . It can be stressful for an outdoor cat to be restricted to the house and deprived of its favourite area to empty its bladder or bowels , and this can lead to IE in the home .

There are a multitude of cat litters available , and each has pros and cons that make it better suited to one cat or owner than another . For example , scented litters with deodorising agents and strong-smelling disinfectants can be offensive to a scent-sensitive cat and could therefore act as a deterrent to using the litter tray [ 6 ] . A simple approach for such a cat would be to use an unscented cat litter and clean the tray only with a mild detergent and hot water .

Available products

The range of available cat litters encompasses a variety of different attributes – such as clumping , non-clumping , biodegradable and flushable – and these variations should form the basis of a discussion with owners when helping them to choose a litter type that best matches their preferences and those of their cat . Table 1 ( page 14 ) lists some of the most common types of cat litter , their attributes , and the pros and cons of each .

Cats Protection [ 7 ] reports that many cats prefer litters with a fine grain and a sand-like consistency , as these allow them to dig easily and are soft on their paws . Scented cat litters are generally discouraged . Most cats are happy with a properly maintained and regularly cleaned litter tray with a well-chosen substrate , particularly if it is the same type as the substrate used by the cat when it was a kitten [ 8 ] . Cats tend to favour a litter depth of approximately 3 cm [ 6 ] and the litter should be cleared of soiled or wet substrate on a daily basis [ 4 ] .

Volume 39 ( 2 ) • April 2024

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