Cat owners are well aware that their pets, after visiting the toilet, try to cover up traces of their presence by burying feces. At the same time, the cat buries itself in the tray even when there is no filler in it, but only a plastic mesh. Where did this habit come from and what underlies this cats craving for cleanliness?
According to zoologists, the reason why cats bury themselves has nothing to do with cleanliness. Like many other things in the behavior of our pets, this is an echo of life in the wild, so to speak, a legacy from our ancestors, fixed at the genetic level.
Health problems
First, it is ALWAYS necessary to exclude the possibility of illness! There are various diseases that can cause litter box problems in your pet. It is impossible to list them all in this article. Often problems in the genitourinary or digestive system are the cause of pain when visiting the toilet. The cat begins to be afraid of his toilet because of his associations with pain - “when I go there, it hurts!” Painful and frequent urination can be a symptom of urolithiasis or urinary tract infections.
These are the most common pathologies in cats and they cause severe pain. The result is a fear of your litter box. Observe behavior . Often, owners learn about the disease by manifestations of anxiety when visiting the toilet - the cat can rush around the room, settle down in different places, and make plaintive sounds.
If you see any changes in the animal’s excrement (for example, blood), contact your veterinarian immediately Most likely, you will need to have your urine and blood tested. In some cases, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity will be required.
If after using the toilet the cat does not bury the waste or, having finished, immediately disappears, then this may be an alarming signal: the animal is running away from the place where it hurts.
If the problem is illness, after recovery the cat returns to its litter box. Older cats may experience involuntary urination when relaxing. Just like in humans, animals' pelvic floor muscles also weaken with age. See your doctor.
Why do cats bury their waste?
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Why do cats bury their waste?
These animals do a lot of different interesting things that from the outside seem “eccentric”! Moreover, each cat has its own “quirks”. It can chew the owner’s hair, stare with a long, unblinking gaze, hide in ambush and hunt pets - the list is long and almost inexhaustible. Let us turn today to one very characteristic “oddity” - how cats, having gone “big”, begin to concentrate and carefully bury the results of their “labor”. Are cats really that clean?
Place in the hierarchy. Indeed, cats are naturally very clean animals, and everyone who has ever encountered them knows this. But the love of cleanliness is by no means the only reason for burying “waste”! It is no secret that cats, like other animals, have their own social hierarchy: there are “dominant” cats, and there are also “subordinate” ones. So: in the wild, dominant cats do not bury their excrement! And, if this happens, everyone else receives a clear signal: “I claim this territory.” “Subordinate” animals, on the contrary, bury their “waste”, showing their agreement with the existing order of things, expressing complete submission. The general message is: “Of course, I am present here, but it’s as if I’m not there.” Accordingly, the cats that dominate the territory do not feel any threat to their “dominance.”
Cover your tracks. But let's not forget: cats, although predators, are very, very small. They can easily become prey for larger predators that follow their scents. Therefore, hiding “waste” is, if you will, a basic safety requirement. For us humans, cat litter is just a source of a pungent and unpleasant odor, but for other cats it is a storehouse of valuable information. Among other things, cat droppings emit unique pheromones that can tell a lot about the personality of the “owner.” It is clear that it is better not to leave such useful “gifts” to competitors - it is safer and easier to hide them away.
Does your cat bury its feces? Letters on this topic are sent to the editor from time to time; Based on their content, we can conclude that domestic cats are “willful” here too. Some animals bury them, some flatly refuse. What is the norm in this case? Both. Especially when the cat defecates strictly in its litter box and does not cause any inconvenience to the owners. Let's look at why cats don't bury their droppings at home.
First. Your pet may give signals that he is claiming territory (as described above). This is what makes cats different! You got a dominant male - this is already a reason for pride.
Second. Some cats simply haven't learned to do this. Burying droppings is a learned behavior. Kittens learn this “art” from their mother. The mother did not teach the appropriate lessons - therefore, the kittens do not know how to “act”.
Third. The most “advanced” cats are simply picky - they do their owners a favor by using the litter box, and at the same time show how uncomfortable they are there. Just in case, check whether your pet’s tray is large enough and whether its area allows you to change position and turn around. There may be something wrong with the filler - you should try replacing it. It is possible that you were lazy and have not cleaned the tray for a long time. The cat expresses displeasure - what should we bury here? You will only “disturb” the old... One way or another, take into account all the reasons we have named and draw your own conclusions.
We anticipate the next question: why is the smell of cat litter considered one of the worst in the world? The short answer is that we hope science will soon dispel our curiosity!
Photo: wisegeek.net (from open sources). From: cuteness.com
Various psychological reasons
Cats are conservative animals; they react subtly to stress, which provokes behavioral deviations in the cat.
Any change in your usual routine can cause anxiety and stress. If there are children in the house, then explain to them that cats should not be scared! Make sure that guests do not cause fear or anxiety in the cat by their behavior. If the cat is sick or simply does not like the touch of strangers, then do not allow guests to disturb it. If necessary, warn guests not to close the door where the cat's litter box is located. The litter box should be a safe place for her! A loving owner must do everything possible to make his pet feel comfortable and completely safe. If the stress is caused by a medical aspect - illness, rehabilitation after surgery, parasites, then a doctor will help. And if the anxiety is emotional in nature, then you can help the animal.
It happens that a cat feels that she is losing control over her territory and then begins to go to the toilet in inappropriate places in order to leave her smell there, making it clear to others and convincing herself that this is still her territory. In this case, you need to understand individually the reasons for the cat’s lack of self-confidence - perhaps a new animal has appeared in the house, a new person, there were unpleasant guests for the cat that she is afraid of, for example. There were cases when a very timid cat, sitting on the windowsill, saw street cats at her window every day, and this forced her to pee on her owner’s bed, thus protecting her right to own the territory. How can you restore your cat’s confidence, relieve her of stress, so that she doesn’t have to mark her territory with her scent? You can try it yourself, you can contact animal psychologists (easy to find on the Internet) for advice, you can watch episodes of the “Hell Cat” program, where the host of the program, Jackson Galaxy, analyzes such cases and effectively solves the problem. Read more about common anxiety factors in cats in the article “Causes of stress in cats and how you can help them.”
Cats live by different laws. To help your beloved four-legged friend, you need to try to understand what laws of nature they live by, and not try on our way of thinking on them, and not “humanize” cats. Cats are living beings, so troubles can happen to them, but it is important to remember that love involves caring. Take care of your four-legged friends, they deserve it!
