There are several things you can do when your cat stops using the litter box.

Do you have any suggestions for a 6-year-old female cat to pee in the litter box? Maine Coon muffins are starting to lack litter boxes.

I prepared three litter boxes for three cats: two female cats indoor/outdoor, and one male cat indoor. Men use boxes. The other woman will either go out or use the box.

Muffin had a urinary tract infection before, but when she went to the vet for the last time, she didn't notice any problems. She used rubbish to defecate. I bought a larger box and tried to keep all three boxes clean. I bought a puppy pad, it is easier to clean than newspaper. I would love to leave her outside for a few minutes in the morning and evening.

The first rule of thumb is to have one more litter box than cats. I know that you may not want or have space for another litter box, but sometimes more cats than you have can help.

If she has had UTIs in the past, she may associate the pain with the old trash cans, so she is reluctant to use them. If this happens, an additional trash can in the new location can sometimes correct the problem. You can also try different garbage in one of the boxes to see if she prefers to better simulate the base material of the ground outside.

I also recommend using a cat litter box attractant, which you can find online or in pet stores. Sprinkle some in the trash as instructed. This smell should help pull the wayward cats back into the box.

If these things don't work, please let me know.

Glad you advertise clicker training to pet owners. Most people don't realize how negative most training techniques are.

Most horse training is stress-relieving oriented, as is traditional dog training. But clicker training is positive.

However, you missed one step: "Load clickers". I think this is a step to help slower learners. Most dogs don't need it, which may be the reason you ignore it. But cat owners and some horse owners (and other less traditional pets) may benefit from it.

Loading the clicker involves clicking and treating your dog afterwards so that they quickly get the clicker to mean that treatment is coming. I have never pretended to sing a song with my dog, which is why I did not include it in my steps. I found that dogs can quickly learn the meaning of "sit down" commands and clickers.

But you are right; if someone is training a cat or other animal’s clicker, they may want to "load the clicker" so that the animal understands the meaning of the clicker.

Send your pet questions, tips and stories to cathy@petpundit.com. You can read the Animals Matter blog at http://blog.mysanantonio.com/animals and follow her at @cathymrosenthal.

Cathy M. Rosenthal has worked for local animal shelters and national humanitarian groups for more than 25 years. She is also a freelance writer for newspapers, magazines, and non-profit organizations, focusing on animal issues, pet behavior, and human/animal relationships. Cathy is the author of several children's books on pet care.