litter problems.?

Okay i have 6 cats. 5 are kittens about 6 months old. and the other is an adult, there all litter trained. but recently they dont use there litter box that much. there litter box is alwayse clean and nothing about it has changed, but they just dont use it at all. if anyone knows what could be causing this please help me?
Answers:
Inappropriate urination is the most common and least acceptable behavioral problem seen in cats. There are a variety of reasons that a cat may stop using its litter box, including both medical and environmental changes.

Have your cat examined by a vet and possibly have some test done. Medical caused of inappropriate urination in cats can include diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, hyperthyroidism, urinary tract infections, urinary crystals or stones, constipation, senility and bone/joint problems.

If medical problems have been ruled out or cured, then environmental modification or medication may be required. Problems can include:

1. Territorial conflict in a multiple cat home. Sometimes a dominant cat will even attack a subordinate cat in the litter box.

2. Cats often refuse to use a dirty litter box.

3. They may not like the location, size and/or the type of litter box (covered vs. open).

4. Changes in a routine such as different people in the home, a move, or new animals can cause stress for your cat.

Try multiple cat boxes and change the litter more frequently.

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You cannot just have one litter box for 6 cats. Ideally, there should be one more litter box than there are cats. That means that if you have 6 cats, you should have 7 litter boxes. One is not enough. Regardless of whether or not it gets cleaned every day. Six cats/kittens will produce a lot of waste. If a cat is in the box and another needs to go, the second cat might go somewhere else rather than wait for the "bathroom" to be free. You need to address this problem immediately because once a cat pees outside the box, the others might follow. The scent of urine is difficult to get rid of and the cats might associate that spot with an okay place to go to the bathroom.

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if you have 6 cats, you need a minimum of 6 cat pans, preferably 8. the general rule of thumb, i believe is 1 box per cat per household. good luck.

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you need more than one litter box