Why Is My Cat Peeing Outside the Litter Box?
Hey hello!
Do you get tension for your cat outside of the peeing behavior. Some of our cats pee outside of the litter box even though they are already potty trained. But also having potty training they also pee outside of the litter box.
I know this behavior is not only problematic but also annoying for the owner. There are many reasons for peeing outside of the litter box. So now I am talking about some of them which may help you to identify your solution. After that I also give you some solutions.
Lets explore some reasons why cats peeing outside of the litter box:
1. Medical Issues: Is Your Cat Trying to Tell You Something?
When cats start peeing outside the litter box the first thing you should be concerned about is their health issues. Because most of the time your cat starts this behaviour due to their illness.
Sometimes we mistakenly assume it is purely behavioural but this does not happen.
Common Health Issues Leading to Inappropriate Urination:
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs):
Urinary tract infection or UTI is a problem of a cat pee system. In simple words it means when a cat feels burning pain while peeing.
This makes it uncomfortable for them when they try to pee. It should be treated quickly or this problem can cause more serious problems for your cat.
Bladder Stones:
Bladder stone means hard lumps inside a cat’s bladder. These stones block their pee from coming out. This makes it painful for your cat while peeing.
Kidney Disease:
Kidney disease means when a cat’s kidneys are not working well. When kidneys do not work well they cannot clean their blood properly and do not make enough urine. They also fail to hold their pee and pee outside of the litter box.
Diabetes:
Diabetes is also a problem especially for old cats. This problem makes them thirsty so they drink more water and make more urine. Because of this they often cannot hold their pee. Diabetes can cause frequent urge to pee which they cannot control. Diabetes also causes urine infection this is another reason your cat pees outside the litter box.
What You Should Do:
In these situations you should immediately consult a vet and do a checkup of your cat. This is the best solution for your cat’s health and wellness.
Also observe your cat’s behavior and other health issues. Sometimes you get more symptoms from your cat’s behavior and it also helps to share more info with your vet.
So never delay consulting your vet because the situation might worsen rapidly.
2. The Litter Box Setup: Meeting Your Cat’s High Standards
Besides health problems there are other reasons why a cat might pee outside the litter box. One of them is a litter box issue.
We will discuss a few of them below:
Dirty Litter Box:
A dirty litter box is another reason for your cat to pee outside the litter box.If the litter box of your cat is dirty they do not want to pee or potty there.
We know cats are very hygienic creatures they do not like dirty things they always like to live and do their daily activities in clean places.
If they notice that their litter box is dirty they pee outside of the litter box.Through this they often try to tell you that their litter box is dirty and they want you to clean it.
Poor Placement:
For peeing cats always like a silent and calm place.If you put the litter box in a noisy place where people, birds or other insects are moving around, they do not like to pee there.
This makes them feel uncomfortable and they pee outside the litter box in other calm and silent places.
Sometimes they do not like places with too much sunlight. In these cases they also avoid peeing in the litter box.
So put the litter box in a silent and calm place.
Sometimes if you explain the matter to them in different ways a few times they can adjust to such an environment. Just like when the cat was young and you had to repeatedly explain during potty training that they have to pee or poop in a certain place. You can try once again in that same way.
Litter Type Sensitivity:
Many cats are seen to be very picky about the litter box. They do not like some types of litter. They do not like to change their litter quality and also they do not like some flavors of the litter.
At this moment you should ensure some things like
Let me know if you want me to continue or check more.
Daily scooping, weekly deep cleaning:
Always keep your cat litter box clean. This is very important for cat wellness also. So scoop daily and after a week you need to clean the litter box properly.
Choose the right litter:
Not every cat likes all types and flavors of cat food. So you need to ensure which kind of cat food your cat likes. Also ensure that you use a good amount of litter. When you do not put enough litter they do not like to use the litter box.
3. Stress and Anxiety: Invisible Triggers for Inappropriate Urination
Cats are creatures of habit and are sensitive to changes in their environment. Any disruption can result in behavioral issues including peeing outside the litter box.
Sometimes due to environmental changes cats get some stress and show some unwanted behavior including peeing outside of the litter box.
There are many things that might cause stress in a cat’s mind like:
New pet or family member:
The introduction of another animal or baby can cause anxiety.
If you get a new pet in your house and your cat is shy and afraid of the pet or another animal they sometimes get nervous and show behavioral changes.
Moving to a new home:
Sometimes we change the location of our house and go to a totally new house or apartment.
So for changing the cat’s location and experiencing a totally new place can sometimes be stressful for the cat.
In that case they try to mark their territory and also try to get familiar with the new place. For that reason they pee outside of the litter box.
Routine disruptions:
For various reasons our working schedule changes and we also change the routine of our everyday tasks.
Due to the change in our schedule our cat’s schedule also changes and because of that they may face different problem.
Cats usually do not like changes in their routine. They do not want their routine to change.
So due to changes in routine they may feel stress.
This can also be a reason.
How to Minimize Stress:
If your cat is in stress then first identify the reason of your cat and take steps to reduce the stress.
If they need to spend more time with you then try to give them properly and you can also add some new treats and toys to reduce their stress.
You should not ignore this issue otherwise you will continue facing the problem of peeing outside the litter box.
4. Marking Territory: Behavioral Causes Behind Peeing Issues
Cat has a behavior which is marking their territory. This happens for some reasons like
Why Do Cats Mark Their Territory:
Intact (unspayed unneutered) cats:
An unneutered or an unspayed cat tries to mark their territory to attract mates. This happens especially when they are in heat.
Feeling threatened:
Not only unspayed or unneutered cat even neutered cat do this behaviour when they are introduced with a totally new environment.
They peeing outside the litter box to mark their territory and they feel good when they are stay in their territory.
Conflict with other pets:
When you have more than one cat in your home
Sometimes the cats don’t get along well. They may fight avoid each other or compete for food toys or space. This creates stress and tension for them.
Cats like to know who is in charge or who has the upper hand in their space.
If they are not sure about this or if one cat does not accept the other or both try to be the boss then the hierarchy becomes unstable.
When this happens
They are starting to mark their territory to feel more secure. So they peeing in different places and both are trying to be the boss in their area. This is called “marking behaviour.”
Solutions to Manage Marking Behavior:
Spay or neuter your cat:
If you spay or neuter your cat this can significantly reduce or eliminate spraying behavior in most cats.
Block outdoor animal views:
If stray cat or other animal trigger your cat close the curtains or block the window. This helps not to trigger your cat.
5. There Aren’t Enough Litter Boxes
Sometimes we have 2 or more cats in our same house. At this moment many cats are using the same litter box.
Sometimes cats do not like to share their litter box or the litter box becomes dirty very quickly so the cat does not like it.
So if you have many cats you should use multiple litter boxes and always have one extra litter box with you.
Suppose you have 2 cats then you need to have 3 litter boxes. Because when one litter box gets dirty you can easily use another. For this your cat feels comfortable and does not pee outside the litter box.
6. Additional Tips for Stopping Peeing Outside the Litter Box
Sometimes the issue is multi-faceted, requiring a combination of approaches.
Environmental Enrichment:
If they are feeling bored you can provide them toys scratching posts and climbing areas. These things help to reduce their boredom and relieve stress which may manifest as peeing outside the litter box.
Positive Reinforcement:
Giving them reward is helpful to building a good habit. You can use treats praise or affection to create associations. After using the litter box perfectly give them treats. By doing this they feel happy and it helps them to create a good habit.
Clean Accidents Immediately:
If they pee outside the litter box clean it immediately. You need to make sure that your cleaning product is appropriate for your cat. Avoid using those kinds of cleaning products which smell too much.
Because, Cats do not like these products.
Regular Vet Checkups:
Preventative care is key.
We all know that once a year a cat needs a health check up. This is truly very important for our cat. Regular check ups help you identify various problems in your cat and protect your cat from any kind of damage.
If you want you can do this even more often.
7. Monitor Your Cat’s Behavior Regularly
You always have to pay attention to your cat behaviour. You have to observe if there is any change in their behaviour.
If you notice any specific changes such as they are eating less they are hiding themselves and along with that pee outside the litter box.
This will help you understand if your cat has any problem.
Final Thoughts: Patience and Understanding is the Key
Solving the peeing outside the litter box requires patience and a systematic approach. Generally cats do not do this unless they have a health issue or they want to tell you something about their discomfort.
So you should try to understand their problem and solve it quickly.
At this time you must act with patience. Many times if you explain environmental problems to the cat in different ways they slowly start to get used to it. So during such times you can try to explain to them a few times just like how you potty trained them when they were young.
Thank you.
