My cat digs in the litter box for a long time at night. Is it anxiety?

These types of behaviors can be very frustrating and can be difficult to resolve. The easiest thing to do is to add an additional litter box in that area to see if this helps. A good rule for cats is one litter box per cat plus an additional one. Another option would be trying feliway which is available as a spray or a diffuser to see if this helps with some stress your pet may be experiencing when you leave. Other types of medications for behavior modification would be prescription based so I would recommend reaching out to your family veterinarian regarding those options if necessary. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It sounds like something is making your cat nervous or scared. When we have a change in behavior, we have to ask is it only behavior, or is there a medical reason. A trip to your veterinarian for an exam and possible lab work would help to make sure there are no other concerns. If it is determined to be a behavior problem, I would start with a pheromone such as Feliway that can help with anxiety. It is available as a plug-in room diffuser for large areas, and as a spray for small areas like a mat or bed. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=8906 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37241 Another product I like is Composure, which is available as a little treat. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetri-science-composure-feline-bite-sized-chews If these do not help, you might consider discussing prescription medication for anxiety with your veterinarian. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello. Some kitties are just very exuberant diggers, & perhaps Mella is just searching for a familiar odor that is removed with the new litter. I do not think you will be able to change her behavior, but you may help keep things neater by using a litter box with higher sides, or switching to a box with a cover. At least this way the litter stays in the box while she happily digs through it. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This definitely sounds like a behavior problem and that your cat is acting out because of your recent move and having to be alone during the day. The first thing I would do would be to not allow her to sleep in the same room as you. This way she will not be able to urinate on you at all. I know this will be difficult but if you do this along with some other tactics I'll lay out below it will hopefully alleviate the problem. Try adding pheromone diffusers around the house. These can help relieve any stress your cat may be having. Add an additional litter box to the room you usually sleep in. Even though Jane will not be in your bedroom at night for a couple weeks it will help her get used to the idea that there is a litter box in there she can use as opposed to going on your feet. Finally, you may want to consider a visit to the vet just to rule out any underlying issue like a urinary tract infection. It is unlikely since she's only have the specific episodes of going outside the box but I would check to make sure. You may also want to talk to your vet about a daily, long term anti-anxiety medication (like fluoxetine) if her anxiety is not improving over time. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

Laying in the litter box is not uncommon for a cat that just moved to a new home, many cats tend to do that, they tend to feel "safer" in the box. if he does not seem to have any problem urinating, if he is eating and drinking normally, just give him some time to open up, he will grow out of it.

I recommend to speak with your veterinarian about trying a medication to try to help with this behavior. Other options that may help include providing tall climbing areas with hiding spots, a Feliway diffuser or a diet called Calm. This may help relive some anxiety when you travel. Cats may also do this if the box is not clean enough for them. You may try an automatic litter box. Make sure to introduce her to the litter box well before your next trip. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend that you try a product called Feliway which can help cats deal with any stress inducing situations like the one you describe. You can buy this as a spray for example at your local pet store or online. If she does not improve, the other thing that should be considered is if there is a medical reason for all of this which is certainly possible. If her behavior does not improve, have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment. She is adorable! Good luck!