If your cat is suddenly urinating in inappropriate places outside of their litter box, there could be several reasons behind it. It is estimated that at least 10% of all cats will develop issues with urination and using their kitty litter box. And once you figure out the reason, there are solutions you can implement in your household to solve it.
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An Unpleasantly Wet Bed
When I crawled into my bed and for the THIRD day in a row slid into a warm, stinky wetness of cat urine it prompted me to think a bit more about why my cat was doing it!
Miesha has always been an odd and scared cat. She frequently comes running down the stairs at top speed, stops, looks around…And even if she hears nothing she tears away like her life is in danger!
With Miesha, the peeing in my bed started a few months ago. One of the dogs noticed her and barked at her a bit. That was it. Miesha was freaked out to the point that she repeatedly started peeing in my bed…In the exact spot where I sleep…every time. I was sick of stripping down my bed EVERY SINGLE DAY (usually not noticing it until bedtime).
If you have a cat that is not using their litter box, and other inappropriate places around the house I am sure that you share in my frustration. In Miesha’s case, I knew that she was doing it because she was scared of the dogs. Yes, even after over a year of living with them. She practically lives upstairs during daylight hours, and will sneak down to the basement for food and to go to the bathroom…Then it is right back up into hiding! But she has always hidden for most of the day.
Medical Reasons Behind Litter Box Issues
There are several reasons that could be behind your cat’s sudden aversion to the litter box. The first things to rule out are medical issues. If a medical reason is behind your cat’s behavior watch for signs of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Signs of a UTI are small, frequent trips to the litter box. You can read more on this on Pets WebMD here.
Feline intersistial cystitis could be another reason. Signs for this are attempting to go to the bathroom but being unsuccessful. They could also lick themselves while going to the bathroom or you may spot blood in the urine. This could be life threatening if it is the cause. And kidney stones are another medical reason behind litter box issues. Symptoms for this also include frequent trips to the litter box but pain or meowing and crying. Their sides may also be tender to touch.
All these medical conditions are serious and require a visit to the vet.
Behavioral Issues Behind Kitty Litter Issues
Behavioral issues can be another factor behind litter box issues if medical conditions have been ruled out. This was the case with Miesha, and it wasn’t overly difficult to figure that out!
Gizmo had one episode where one morning before getting out of bed he peed on my bed right beside my HEAD! It never happened again, and I think it was simply because he was getting old and either forgot himself or couldn’t make it to the box.
Bubbles was also the culprit a couple times. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this was because she was taken from her other house where she was marking and had gone a little wild and she was NOT happy about being in my condo.
Any cat owner can attest to how finicky they can be…about just about EVERYTHING!
There are many things that can cause them to go off their litter. This can including a change in litter (texture), not being clean enough, not being in a good location, not enough litter in the boxes, not enough boxes for the number of cats, hoods or liners, or even a conflict with another cat in the house.
Things To Try to Address Behavioral Issues
Observation of your cat while using the litter box should provide you with important clues as to the reason if one of these is the case. If it is due to the texture of litter, you can experiment with different litters until you find one that works. Cats tend to prefer unscented clumping litter (although this can present a danger to very young kittens so be mindful of that).
If you notice your cat jump into the box all wild eyed and nervously use the box and BOLT like a shot out of it after, you may want to consider changing the location of the box. An ideal location is in a quiet spot out of way of the daily action and should provide escape routes to make them feel safer while using it. Also, don’t put food and water near the litter box. You can try different spots to see if one works better, or you can try one on each level of your home to see which one is preferred.
Finicky Cats
Keeping the litter cleaner can be another thing to attempt. If I let mine go too long I KNOW that they are going to just end up going on the floor right beside the boxes! An unpleasant lesson if I let it slip and end up with a wet knee when I bend down to do it…Some cats I know won’t use the litter box after even just ONE use! But ideally you should be trying to clean it daily, and cleaning the box with either unscented soap or baking soda weekly.
Add More Litter Boxes
Not having enough litter boxes or having them be too small can also be behind a cat’s reluctance to climb in. I have three cats currently and four litter boxes. You should try to have at least one extra for the number of cats in your household. If the box is too small that can also end up being an issue they will contest to. Hoods and liners can also be a reason behind the cat’s dislike for it. Try not using them and see what the result is.
Automatic litter boxes also sound great to people! And while they can do the job of keeping the litter cleaner by sweeping it after every use…watch out. Fear can cause our feline friends to snub the litter box! I had gotten one (they are not cheap!) for Gizmo and Chester. But the sound of it turning on and motion where it was unexpected freaked them out and after using the box they would bolt like lightening right out of there to avoid it!
Amount of Litter In The Box
Sounding counterintuitive is the amount of litter in the box. Cats actually prefer only 1-2 inches of litter in the litter box. It is PEOPLE who prefer more! Try letting it run a little lower and see if that makes a difference!
Stress
Household stress can also be a cause. If there are multiple cats who don’t get along it could end up preventing one of them from using the litter box. Try moving the boxes around and see if anything works. With Bubbles I ended up getting
With Miesha being a HIGHLY stressed out cat in the best of times though I needed to try a different approach rather than just changing the litter. To calm her, I purchased Feliway Classic pheromone diffusers and pheromone spray. This has helped her calm down significantly, and she is even prone to hanging out on the main floor of the house again! Along with these suggestions make sure that you are not using an ammonia based cleaner as urine contains ammonia and the cat could continue to use this spot. Instead, same as with puppies, use an enzymatic cleaner to thoroughly remove any traces of urine. Making the inappropriate area less appealing can do the trick. I have double-sided tape in my house at all times for this very reason! It also helps when your cat is scratching something they shouldn’t be…but if you do not have this, tin foil or even just turning a rug over can work. There are definitely things that you should NOT do if your cat is having accidents around the house. DO NOT rub their faces in it. They do not understand why you are doing that and it can make them more fearful! Yelling at them or throwing them into their litter box can also be more adverse to their mental health than anything. Same with confinement as they just do not understand why it is happening. With some patience and trial and error you should be able to narrow down the cause of a cat peeing where they shouldn’t be. Make sure that you are willing to work with them to find a solution and everyone will be very happy!
Enzymatic Cleaner
Make It Less Appealing
What NOT to Do
1 comment
[…] While some vets may ask for this, I haven’t been asked to provide urine at a regular wellness check. With cats, it may be asked if your cat is having trouble urinating or you notice blood in their urine. Your vet will want to rule out crystals or a urinary tract infection. Often you won’t be able to tell though if your cat is having issues in this area. They are masters of hiding pain. The biggest sign could be peeing outside their litter box – you can read more on what to look for if they are peeing around the house HERE. […]