An excerpt from "Hints, Clues & Innuendoes-Your Handy Pet Message Decoder"

by Joyce Leake, Animal Communicator

Litter box problems? Why is my cat missing the box?

Sometimes cats "miss the box" intentionally, and sometimes it is because of something else.

First of all, make certain your cat is not physically infirm. Aging, arthritis, strokes, or other infirmities can certainly add to the navigation, or lack of it, if that be the case, in proper aim for the litter box. Youth can be a factor, too!

Make certain that you haven't put the box in an awkward place. In our efforts to provide an "appropriate" placement or environment, we may make the space too fancy and impractical to get in or out. One client went to great extremes to provide "privacy" and in so doing, placed the box at such an angle with a fancy "lid" that the cat just couldn't get in it in the first place, so his remedy was to purposfully "miss the box" to get the owner's attention. Clever!

On the other hand, if your kitty is under the weather, check for changes, i.e., infrequency, frequency, strong odor, crying or whimpering while urinating, being agitated or anxious about approaching the litter box.

And, don't forget intimidation from the other occupants using the box. If one cat wants exclusive rights, another may disagree. You may have to provide a separated box until they work out their territorial issues.

Rule of thumb: Become a detective and watch for all and any signs. Is your cat trying to tell you something? If you really can't find a reason, then seek help!

Joyce's book series,"Hints, Clues & Innuendoes Your Handy Pet Message Decoder" for cats, dogs, or horses, offers excerpts from real-life scenarios, and the practical application of intuition and instinct; paying attention to behavioral innuendoe, clues and hints that we might otherwise overlook.

"The more people learn how to do this, the more they'll enrich their lives," Leake says. "I'm convinced there's not one person who cannot do what I do. It just depends on who wants to."

"You know what the point of an animal is in relationship to a human?" she asks. "They are here to . . . get us to 'get it' - to let us know that we are making life way too difficult, that we're supposed to relax, to be good to each other.

"The point of the animal is to be our teacher, guide, instructor, our helper. . . . We're here to assist each other."

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