Why Cats Choose to Reside in the Litterbox

A cat may sleep or rest in its litterbox to send its owner a message: I'm sick!

By J. Veronika Kiklevich, DVM | Posted: July 23, 2012, 8 a.m. EST

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Q. I'm wondering why my cat might take up residence in the litterbox for short periods of time.

If your cat is spending extra time in the litterbox this could be a sign of either urinary tract problems (infections, stones, inflammatory disorders, kidney disease) or lower gastrointestinal problems (colitis, megacolon). Please see you veterinarian as soon as possible to have a thorough physical examination, blood work and a urinalysis performed. Often this is the only way cats can tell us that something is wrong with them. Please listen!

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Why Cats Choose to Reside in the Litterbox

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Noel    Sydney, NS 9/18/2012 5:06:12 PM mine like them as beds, gives them their own bed choice, so I just give them an extra box so they can have a clean bed. I use wood chips, which makes them warm to sleep in, just like small animals do . CatChannelEditor    Irvine, CA 7/23/2012 8:21:18 AM To be safe, take your cat to the vet to find out whether this is due to a medical problem. Then you can uncover any behavior reasons for this. Good luck anonomous    clinton township, MI 7/22/2012 2:45:28 PM I thought my cat just did it for fun because he would just roll around in it. IS that a sign that he might be sick? Skyeyes    Fort Wayne, IN 3/26/2012 5:10:04 PM It can also be a sign of stress-they can retreat to the box to hide or try to shield themselves from any stressful situation.