Dear Cathy: I love my four cats but am at my wits’ end. My brown tabby is so mean to my black cat that she is afraid to leave the kitchen. Since the black cat is afraid, she doesn’t go to the litter box. She relieves herself in her food bowls instead.

How can I convince the brown tabby that the black cat isn’t a threat? How can I convince the black cat that it is safe to go to the litter box? I want to avoid moving a litter box into the kitchen. Also, I don’t understand why the black cat is afraid of me. She dodges me every time I try to pet her. I scolded her for relieving herself in her food bowl. Other than that, I have been nothing but nice to her.

I am also having trouble with my elderly cat using the carpet between the basement steps and the basement, instead of using the litter box.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

— Marian, Lincoln, Nebraska

Dear Marian: With several cats having litter box issues, your home may have stress. The stress doesn’t have to come from you. It also can come from other pets who may be bullying each other. Bullying between cats is subtle; one cat may stare down another cat to keep the other cat from using the litter box.

Begin by creating a calmer environment for everyone. Do not scold, yell or berate your black cat for relieving herself in her food bowls. She is already stressed, and harsh words or tones will only worsen things. Use only soft voices around her and your other cats.

Are all your pets fixed? If not, do so immediately, as this helps help reduce territorial aggression.

How many litter boxes do you have? The general rule is one litter box per cat plus one. So, you should have five litter boxes with four cats. The more litter boxes, the more challenging it will be for your brown tabby to guard them all. I suggest at least three boxes in different areas of the house.

Next, place feline pheromone diffusers around the house. They can help reduce conflict, making it easier for the other cats to return to the box.

Because lack of exercise and stimulation can create pent-up energy and cause stress between cats, make time to play with each cat twice daily for 10 minutes. Laser toys are great for engaging more than one cat at a time, and they make automatic ones now with timers that you can turn on and walk away to do something else.

Cover the lower part of your windows to block any outdoor cats from view. Indoor cats may react to outdoor cats by bullying other indoor cats.

Multiple-cat households benefit from having upper areas where they can cross a room. Add cat trees around the house or clear off part of a bookshelf so your cats have high places to explore. Frightened cats may feel safer if they can see everything around them more easily.

It may benefit everyone if the brown tabby has a timeout in a bedroom for a few hours daily. (Make sure the room has a litter box, food and water.) Be consistent with the schedule so the other cats learn that from 1 to 3 p.m., they have free roam of the home.

Providing this space will build their confidence for when the brown tabby is around.

Finally, take your senior cat to the vet to rule out any health problems.

Dear Cathy: I have a 14- year-old Yorkiepoo who will not cuddle with me, but will sit with everyone else. I had a Yorkie who always sat with me that recently passed away. Does my current dog think my deceased dog’s spirit is still sitting with me? It makes me sad and is forcing me to get another dog to cuddle with me.

— Linda, Mt. Sinai, New York

Dear Linda: It often takes weeks after a dog has passed before another dog is comfortable sitting in their old friend’s spaces. You can encourage your 14-year-old with affection and treats or by trying to cuddle with them in a different chair or part of the couch that isn’t associated with your other dog. I fear if you get another dog now, your current dog will never be top dog in the house. Please give your dog more time to adjust.

Cathy M. Rosenthal is an animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert. Send your questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city and state. You can follow her @ cathymrosenthal.