Why cats stop using a specific litter box

Hi everyone. I am posting this because I am quite anxious about my cat's recent behavior changes and want to make sure I am not missing something serious.

My 2-year-old British Shorthair, Milo, has had some alopecia patches on his lower back for a few weeks. I have been closely monitoring his skin since we first noticed the hair loss, which I detailed in Milo's alopecia patches and recent scratching.

Since these skin issues started, he has completely stopped using his covered litter box in the hallway. He now uses only the open box in the bedroom. I am worried that the skin irritation is causing him to avoid the confined space, or perhaps he is associating the covered box with pain or discomfort when he is trying to groom the affected area.

Has anyone else seen a correlation between skin issues and litter box aversion? Is it common for cats to stop using a specific box when they are dealing with alopecia or itching?

Probably not the skin directly, but the stress from it could be a factor. I have two cats, an 8-year-old calico named Mittens who is a bit overweight and a 12-year-old gray named Smokey who has glaucoma.

Mittens used to use both my boxes but stopped using the covered one when she got too big for it. Smokey sticks to one specific spot because he likes the high sides for support.

I would check the Covered vs open litter boxes: which do cats prefer? thread that was up a while back. Most cats prefer open boxes if they feel vulnerable or if they are in pain, because they can see out. If Milo is itching, he might feel exposed in a covered box and prefer the open one where he can watch for threats or just breathe easier.

yo, my cat Milo is a 2 year old tabby and he is super healthy so this is not an issue for me but i think it is just the box type. covered boxes trap the smell which is bad. i keep mine super clean, like My routine for keeping litter boxes clean on a budget, scoop twice a day.

maybe try moving the covered box to a different room? or just get rid of it if he hates it. cats are picky. also check if the litter type changed recently. i use cheap clumping stuff and my cat loves it. if he is stressed about the skin thing, he might just pick the box that is closest to where he sleeps.

I must say, while I appreciate the practical suggestions, I believe the root cause is often far more complex than simply 'moving the box' or 'changing the litter.' I have three cats: a 7-year-old DSH named Bella with stage 1 CKD, a 5-year-old Maine Coon mix named Charlie who is quite large, and a 2-year-old black cat named Pip who is very playful.

Bella has always been particular about her substrate. When I switched to a coarser grain, she developed a mild aversion to one of her boxes for two weeks. It was not about the smell, but about the texture on her paws, which can be sensitive, especially if there are underlying health issues like the alopecia you mentioned, Claire.

I would suggest you look at Cat refuses one of two boxes, what to do? which discusses the psychological aspect of litter box selection. Often, cats create a hierarchy of boxes. If the covered box is the 'second choice' box, and he is feeling unwell or itchy, he will retreat to his 'primary' safe space, which is likely the open box in the bedroom where he feels most secure.

Please do not just throw away the covered box. Instead, try to clean it with an enzymatic cleaner, not just water, to remove any scent markers that might be triggering his aversion during this time of vulnerability.