Your normally fastidious kitty starts missing the litter box. Is this a serious problem or is there a quick fix?

A change in litter box habits may indicate a health problem, especially in an older cat. But, according to the American Animal Hospital Association, there are many reasons a healthy cat will start to eliminate outside his or her box. Since it doesn't take long for a cat to develop bad habits, it's important to identify and correct the problem quickly.

Check the Litter Box
A good place to begin is to evaluate the litter box itself. Is it clean enough or is kitty being put off by the mess? The type of kitty litter you use may also be the culprit. Many cats object to scented litter additives, and a study by a New York animal behaviorist, Dr. Peter Borchelt, found that most cats prefer fine-grained sandy litters that are not dusty.

What about the placement of the litter box? Have you moved it recently? Is it too close to your cat's food and water bowls? Most cats will not soil in the area where they are fed. Is the litter box located in an area that is noisy or busy? Loud appliances - like a dishwasher or washing machine - can be frightening. Is the box in an area where other pets in the household area active?

Correcting the Problem
The key to solving elimination problems is to make the litter box more attractive, and the area where the cat is soiling instead, unattractive.

Sometimes, just cleaning the litter box more frequently or changing its location will correct the problem. Other times, you may need to experiment with different combinations of location and kitty litter to find a solution. You may even want to offer your cat the choice of several different boxes, each with different kinds of litter, to see which he or she prefers.

At the same time, you must break the cat's habit of soiling in the new location. Be sure to clean the soiled area thoroughly with a pet odor remover to get rid of any urine scent -- or your cat may be attracted back to the same spot.

It's important to keep the cat away from the area. Try covering the spot with carpet runner, prickly side up, or use a device that delivers a harmless static shock or that produces a loud noise when the cat comes near, to help redirect kitty to his litter box. Adding a room deodorizer with a scent the cat finds offensive - such as a strong citrus or floral - can also keep the cat away from the area.

When to See the Vet
If your cat continues to eliminate outside of the litter box, a trip to the vet is in order to check for health problems. No behavior techniques will help a cat with a problem that requires the attention of a veterinarian.

Urinary tract infections are a common cause of litter box problems, which your pet's doctor can diagnose and treat. A urinalysis can also rule out diabetes. Other conditions that may affect elimination behavior include arthritis - which makes is painful to climb in and out of the box - and constipation.

For more on dealing with litter box problems, visit the American Animal Hospital Association's website at www.healthypet.com or check out the Cat Fanciers Association site at www.cfainc.org.