Sorry for bothering you but I need some advice. I've asked my mom about getting a new dog but she would rather get a cat. I like cats, but the problem is one of the last cats we had refused to use the litter box. We had to change the carpet in two rooms because it was destroyed. I told her to take him to the vet but she said he was just stressed by our dog and when we DID get him to the vet they said he was just a marker. Was it just because he was a male??? Our female used the box just fine
I can’t really say either way for sure, but from what I’ve read, marking is much different from just straight up not peeing in a litter box at all. It’s a different position & behavior than regular urinating. I’d be willing to bet that your previous cat had other issues causing the behavior & that it wasn’t just marking.
If you guys do get a cat, read up on litter box issues so you know how to help keep it from happening again. Things like litter choice, box type, box placement, cleanliness of box, number of boxes per cat are all major factors for a cat’s comfort with their litter box. If the cat is easily stressed, you’ll want to narrow down the reasons they’re stressed & try to alleviate them as much as possible. There’s also products you can get to help calm a cat, like Feliway plug-ins & sprays.
One big important note: Always rule out health issues first. Health problems, either urinary or otherwise, can also be a major cause of litter box problems, and this NEEDS to be checked for first thing. Especially with males, who can develop urinary tract infections and blockages that can quickly become fatal. A good vet will know this and help you narrow down whether the behavior is medical or could be from other things, and give you suggestions to help resolve the situation.
