Things That May Scare Cats

• Cats will usually keep their distance from dogs.dog and cat image by Dennis Carrigan from Fotolia.com
  
  Cats tend to have a very keen sense of territory. Female cats especially feel the need to be in surroundings where they feel safe. If other animals, such as dogs, other cats or large aggressive rodents are near a cat, it can feel threatened. Boisterous children or adults who move in a brisk manner may also make a cat nervous. Occasionally, strange smells or noises will cause a cat to be on alert. Frightened felines will seek shelter. If a cat's litter box is the only or most familiar secluded place it can find, it will likely chose to sleep there.
  
  

Helping a Cat Feel Safe

• Safe havencat 6 image by Galyna Andrushko from Fotolia.com
  
  If a cat is sleeping in its litter box, it likely feels significantly stressed. The first step in helping a cat feel safe is to try to understand what it feels threatened by. In most cases, the cause will be fairly obvious. Once you have an idea of the cause, you can take steps to help. The first is to give the cat enough room to find what it feels is a safe distance from whatever might be intimidating it. Creating a clean cubbyhole or bed that is uniquely reserved for the cat will provide it with a better alternative to its litter box. Over time, the cat may come to understand that what scares it, such as a friendly family dog, an enthusiastic child or a noisy clothes dryer, is not dangerous. Once the cat has a safe alternative or loses its fear, it will chose to sleep in places other than its litter box.
  
  

Giving a Cat Time and Space

• Some cats may have been traumatized.cat image by Annika from Fotolia.com
  
  Cats are creatures of habit. It takes time for them to get accustomed to unfamiliar situations. If, after you have arranged a new space as a safe alternative to your cat's litter box for sleeping, the cat does not immediately use it, within a few days it will probably chose the new space. Some cats, however, will take longer to change their habits. If the cat has been traumatized at a vulnerable time in its development, it will likely require a longer time to learn it is in a place where it can feel safe. Shelter cats and adopted strays can take a very long time to learn to trust a new environment. A cat owner's gentle patience will help the cat feel confident in a shorter time.
  
  

Helping Cats Share

• Taking care of many cats requires special effort.four cats are resting image by jonnysek from Fotolia.com
  
  Another reason a cat might choose to sleep in the litter box is that it may feel the need to guard it from other cats. If more than one cat shares a litter box it is especially important to keep the box clean. Otherwise, one of the cats may want to "keep it all to itself" and defend it by sleeping in it. If it is not possible to clean a litter box shared by more than one cat at least once a day, multiple litter boxes may be necessary.
  
  

Health Issues

• A cat may have a health problem.cat image by Simon Zolt??n from Fotolia.com
  
  Occasionally a cat may begin sleeping in its litter box for no apparent reason. In such cases it is important to have a veterinarian check the cat for urinary tract infection or other illnesses that make the cat feel especially vulnerable.
  
  

A Happy Cat

• Part of the fun of being a cat owner is watching a sensitive creature learn to trust and thrive in a safe environment. It is important to remember that if your cat is sleeping in its litter box, it feels safe there. In surroundings of trust and encouragement, healthy cats will naturally respond by coming out of their shyness and share their appreciation, affection and enthusiasm with their caretakers.