All right folks, I've been hassled about this forever.
All right folks, I've been hassled about this forever.

We're going to talk about litter boxes.
We're going to talk about litter boxes.

As cats are all little individual snowflakes,
As cats are all little individual snowflakes,

they all come from the same place, from that big cat cloud,
they all come from the same place, from that big cat cloud,

right?
right?

And like any other cloud, a little bit of pee
And like any other cloud, a little bit of pee

must fall, or dingleberries, or-- let's get catified.
must fall, or dingleberries, or-- let's get catified.

All right, folks, we're going to break this down
All right, folks, we're going to break this down

in a very fast fashion because there's
in a very fast fashion because there's

a lot of information to cover in a very short amount of time.
a lot of information to cover in a very short amount of time.

Now here's the first thing.
Now here's the first thing.

If your cat is peeing or pooping outside the box, number one,
If your cat is peeing or pooping outside the box, number one,

go to the vet.
go to the vet.

Rule things out.
Rule things out.

Get a urinalysis done.
Get a urinalysis done.

Get a full blood panel done.
Get a full blood panel done.

Make sure that your cat's not acting out
Make sure that your cat's not acting out

from a very simple physical place.
from a very simple physical place.

You got to know.
You got to know.

I've had cases in the past where a cat has actually
I've had cases in the past where a cat has actually

been acting out-- this was in the shelter environment.
been acting out-- this was in the shelter environment.

The cat was within a day of being euthanized
The cat was within a day of being euthanized

because of this behavior problem.
because of this behavior problem.

And a friend of mine who's a fantastic vet
And a friend of mine who's a fantastic vet

had the presence of mind to check the cat's mouth.
had the presence of mind to check the cat's mouth.

And sure enough, that cat had an abscessed tooth.
And sure enough, that cat had an abscessed tooth.

And that's why the cat was acting out,
And that's why the cat was acting out,

not using a litter box.
not using a litter box.

And that abscessed tooth almost cost that cat her life.
And that abscessed tooth almost cost that cat her life.

So let's think about this.
So let's think about this.

Again, rule number one, go to the vet.
Again, rule number one, go to the vet.

Now here's the next really important chunk.
Now here's the next really important chunk.

You have to know the tools of the trade here.
You have to know the tools of the trade here.

You've got to know what you're going
You've got to know what you're going

to need in order to solve the problem.
to need in order to solve the problem.

You know I've talked to you about this before.
You know I've talked to you about this before.

It's the power of journaling.
It's the power of journaling.

This helps you in a number of different ways.
This helps you in a number of different ways.

You step away from the pee.
You step away from the pee.

You step away from the poop.
You step away from the poop.

It's not all about you and it's not all about the fact
It's not all about you and it's not all about the fact

that you're angry because your cat peed.
that you're angry because your cat peed.

You're looking for the whats, the wheres, the hows,
You're looking for the whats, the wheres, the hows,

the whens, the whys.
the whens, the whys.

Now if this wasn't happening a week ago
Now if this wasn't happening a week ago

and now it's starting to happen regularly,
and now it's starting to happen regularly,

what changed in my home?
what changed in my home?

All about observation, not interpretation.
All about observation, not interpretation.

Also use blue tape.
Also use blue tape.

Now I've talked about this as well.
Now I've talked about this as well.

You have paper tape that painter's use
You have paper tape that painter's use

and every time your cat pees, you
and every time your cat pees, you

put an x down on the ground.
put an x down on the ground.

The anti treasure map is what I call this guy, right?
The anti treasure map is what I call this guy, right?

You're going to look at that after a week of cleaning up
You're going to look at that after a week of cleaning up

and put that x down, you'll know exactly what's going on.
and put that x down, you'll know exactly what's going on.

The thing that you called random, not so random anymore.
The thing that you called random, not so random anymore.

You know that there's a pattern.
You know that there's a pattern.

Also a black light, really important.
Also a black light, really important.

If you want to discover what's going on in your house,
If you want to discover what's going on in your house,

I'm telling you, take a deep breath.
I'm telling you, take a deep breath.

It's not something you're going to like
It's not something you're going to like

but it will give you the tools.
but it will give you the tools.

Clean it up.
Clean it up.

Put your anti treasure map X marks the spot down there
Put your anti treasure map X marks the spot down there

and you are going to have a glimpse into what's
and you are going to have a glimpse into what's

making your cat insecure.
making your cat insecure.

I believe that almost all litter box problems come down
I believe that almost all litter box problems come down

to two things.
to two things.

It's either a physical problem or it
It's either a physical problem or it

revolves around territorial insecurity slash anxiety.
revolves around territorial insecurity slash anxiety.

Really important.
Really important.

You got to know the difference between peeing and marking,
You got to know the difference between peeing and marking,

spraying.
spraying.

Is your cat backing up to a wall and spraying
Is your cat backing up to a wall and spraying

that wall, spraying the vertical world there, the walls?
that wall, spraying the vertical world there, the walls?

And then it comes down and drips onto the ground.
And then it comes down and drips onto the ground.

If they're squatting on the floor,
If they're squatting on the floor,

it's probably something a little different
it's probably something a little different

although it still can be a very insecure statement
although it still can be a very insecure statement

on their part.
on their part.

But take a look at where your cat is marking.
But take a look at where your cat is marking.

Now a lot of times marking is going
Now a lot of times marking is going

to happen by the front door, by the back door,
to happen by the front door, by the back door,

under the windows.
under the windows.

I call that perimeter marking.
I call that perimeter marking.

Now you've got to take a look at what is causing your cat to go,
Now you've got to take a look at what is causing your cat to go,

there are barbarians at the gate.
there are barbarians at the gate.

We have got to keep the Alamo safe here.
We have got to keep the Alamo safe here.

It's the Alamo effect, right?
It's the Alamo effect, right?

What's going on outside that window?
What's going on outside that window?

Chances are, you've got cats in your neighborhood.
Chances are, you've got cats in your neighborhood.

What can you do about cats outside your house?
What can you do about cats outside your house?

We'll get into that in later episodes.
We'll get into that in later episodes.

Right now, this is all about diagnosing,
Right now, this is all about diagnosing,

not just quick fixes.
not just quick fixes.

We've got another one that I see a lot of.
We've got another one that I see a lot of.

If your cat's going right outside the litter box,
If your cat's going right outside the litter box,

in my experience anyway, here's what's going on.
in my experience anyway, here's what's going on.

Your cat wants to go in that litter box.
Your cat wants to go in that litter box.

They are-- they know that this is
They are-- they know that this is

the place I'm supposed to go.
the place I'm supposed to go.

But they can't do it.
But they can't do it.

Why is that?
Why is that?

Because something-- I believe, almost always,
Because something-- I believe, almost always,

when it's right outside that box,
when it's right outside that box,

they're telling us something.
they're telling us something.

Now, could it be territorial insecurity?
Now, could it be territorial insecurity?

Are they marking right outside that box
Are they marking right outside that box

to send a message to somebody else in the home?
to send a message to somebody else in the home?

Possibly.
Possibly.

But here's the great thing, if you're doing your journaling,
But here's the great thing, if you're doing your journaling,

if you're doing your cat detective work, you'll know,
if you're doing your cat detective work, you'll know,

is this a one off thing, that they're going in this one spot
is this a one off thing, that they're going in this one spot

right outside the litter box?
right outside the litter box?

Or are they creating a semicircle
Or are they creating a semicircle

around that box to protect that box?
around that box to protect that box?

From what?
From what?

From a dog, from a kid.
From a dog, from a kid.

A lot of this is rational thinking after the fact.
A lot of this is rational thinking after the fact.

And if you notice, there's no room
And if you notice, there's no room

in here for emotional reactions.
in here for emotional reactions.

That's what causes cats to lose their homes.
That's what causes cats to lose their homes.

You think I'm kidding here but I've
You think I'm kidding here but I've

been working in this business for 20 years.
been working in this business for 20 years.

I have accepted more cats into my shelter
I have accepted more cats into my shelter

because they peed on the floor, they peed on the pool table,
because they peed on the floor, they peed on the pool table,

they were pooping in a bed.
they were pooping in a bed.

And we had no idea why they were doing it
And we had no idea why they were doing it

and emotionally we could not handle that.
and emotionally we could not handle that.

And that's what cost these cats their homes and a lot of times
And that's what cost these cats their homes and a lot of times

their lives.
their lives.

Please step back.
Please step back.

Start looking at things like a detective, like a journalist.
Start looking at things like a detective, like a journalist.

You're going to get where you need to go.
You're going to get where you need to go.

All right, folks, until next time,
All right, folks, until next time,

don't forget you can find me on Twitter and Instagram
don't forget you can find me on Twitter and Instagram

and Facebook and Google Plus and YouTube, all these fun places.
and Facebook and Google Plus and YouTube, all these fun places.

Watch the Animalist Network.
Watch the Animalist Network.

There's all kinds of fun stuff happening on Animalist.
There's all kinds of fun stuff happening on Animalist.

And catch me soon, we'll be doing another live Google
And catch me soon, we'll be doing another live Google

Hangout.
Hangout.

Lots more fun stuff, giveaways aplenty are all coming.
Lots more fun stuff, giveaways aplenty are all coming.

Until next time, all light, all love, all mojo to you.
Until next time, all light, all love, all mojo to you.

Love you.
Love you.

You're a bad cat.
You're a bad cat.

I'm not a bad cat.
I'm not a bad cat.

You're a bad cat.
You're a bad cat.

I'm not a bad cat.
I'm not a bad cat.

You're a bad cat.
You're a bad cat.

I'm just misunderstood.
I'm just misunderstood.

Meow.
Meow.