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Behavioral Problems Associated with Feline Elimination |  |
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Elimination aversion for substrate or location has the following necessary condition: consistent avoidance of locations or substrates formerly used for elimination. The following condition is sufficient: consistent avoidance of locations or substrates formerly used for elimination, accompanied by behaviors that are concurrent with active or passive avoidance or distaste that is amplified if the cat is forced to eliminate in the area or on the substrate that the cat finds aversive. |
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Location preference has the following necessary and sufficient conditions: consistent elimination in an area or a few areas that are restricted to one location and are not linked by some common sensory aspect. |
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Spraying has the following necessary condition: elimination of urine through species-specific postures, including vertical stance, elevation and quivering of the tail, and treading of the feet, that propel urine against a vertical surface if one is available. The following condition is sufficient: the detection of urine at a height that is equal to that of the cat; dripping could contribute to a secondary puddle on a lower, horizontal surface. Spraying can be a variant
of normal feline elimination behaviors and can be performed by both males and females. Cats also spray when they are distressed or anxious. |
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Substrate preference has the following necessary and sufficient conditions: consistent elimination on a particular surface or substrate (eg, carpet, ceramic tile). The behavior may occur in a single or multiple locations. |
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Treatment of Behavioral Problems Associated with Feline Elimination: |
| Treatments for feline elimination disorders include addressing any underlying anxieties and their associated active or passive aggressions, observing meticulous litter hygiene, and determining what combination of litter, box, and location is preferred by the cat. The first involves making a competent diagnosis; appropriate social intervention and manipulation (eg, separating the cats); and potentially the use of synthetic pheromones or tricyclic antidepressants,
benzodiazepines, or some of the newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (see
Table:
Drugs that May Be Useful in the Treatment of Feline Behavioral Diagnoses). The second involves regular daily cleaning/sifting of the litter, weekly changing and washing of the litter box, and the use of good odor eliminators after cleaning soiled areas with copious amounts of water and mild soaps. The third involves use of litter substrates that more closely resemble the ancestral substrate (sands, clumpable litters) and alteration of the overall litter environment (changing box shape, size, number, location and
type [eg, covered vs open]). |
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