My cat is urinating outside the box and it’s driving me
crazy! How can I make him stop?
We see
a lot of cats that eliminate outside their box.
It’s a very stinky, frustrating problem.
I’ll walk you through the questions I consider in order to figure out
why a cat urinates inappropriately and some of the steps we take to correct it.
First
question: Is this a medical problem or a behavioral problem?
Medical problems like a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, an
inflamed bladder or a bladder tumor can make a cat urinate outside his or her box. A metabolic disease, such as diabetes or
kidney failure, which can make a cat drink and urinate a lot, can also make a
cat urinate outside the box. Have your
veterinarian examine your cat and perform the diagnostic tests deemed
necessary. This will usually involve
doing urine tests and blood tests. It may also involve either taking an X-ray
or performing an ultrasound examination to look at your cat’s bladder. If your cat
is free of any medical problems, then there is a behavioral issue causing him
or her to eliminate outside the box.
Second
question: If it’s a behavioral
problem, then is your cat marking his or her territory, or does he or she have
a litter box aversion or an inappropriate site preference?
Urine
Marking - Cats that are marking their territory often urinate on vertical
surfaces, like walls or the back of a chair.
When a cat marks (sprays), he or she will stand and their tail quivers. Even when spayed and neutered, cats can still
mark their territory. Cats may mark
their territory when a stray cat is hanging around, when there is a new pet or
family member, or if they are stressed about something like a diet change or
not enough attention.
Suggested
treatment - First spay or neuter you cat.
Second, try to identify why your cat is marking. Is there a stray cat coming around your house? Did you add another pet to the household? Have you switched foods? Have you been too busy
to interact with your cat? If you can
identify the cause, take steps to correct it.
For example, block your cat’s view of the stray with frosted window
covers or put in motion sensor sprinklers to scare the stray cat away. Separate new pets and introduce them slowly. Make diet changes gradually. Try to spend more time interacting with your
cat. Provide multiple feeding, perching
and sleeping sites. Third, give your cat
more appropriate ways to mark his territory: add scratching posts or use Feliway
products, which encourage facial rubbing instead of spraying, as a cat’s method
of territorial marking.
Litter
Box Aversion – Cats with a litter box aversion urinate on horizontal surfaces,
often close to their box. They may be
upset about the actual box, its location, or the litter in it. Some cats may have difficulty physically
getting in the box or may feel threatened by another pet hanging out close to
it.
Suggested
Treatment – Determine what type of box your cat prefers by temporarily giving
him several different litter box options and seeing which he chooses. In general, cats prefer a clean, uncovered
box with a fine textured, unscented, clumping litter. Most cats do not like their box in a busy,
noisy, dark or smelly area. If you have
multiple cats you should have a box for each cat plus one more, in different
areas of the house. Try putting the box in the location where your cat is
eliminating inappropriately and then when he or she begins using it, gradually
move it to the area you want him to go.
Litter box hygiene is important for any elimination problem but is
especially critical for cats with litter box aversion. Clean up urine outside the box with an enzymatic
cleaner such as Anti-Icky-Poo or Nature’s Miracle. Scoop the box twice a day, change litter
weekly and wash the box monthly with mild dish soap. Carefully rinse away all traces of the
detergent as cats find the smell of cleaning products offensive.
Inappropriate
Site Preference – Some cats would rather urinate or defecate in places other than
their litter box. The most popular sites
for cats are soft fabric (bedding, laundry, couch) or a smooth cool surface
such as a tile floor or a sink.
Suggested
Treatment – For cats with an inappropriate site preference, the goal is to
make that site less attractive and their litter box more attractive. First, try changing the texture of the site. For
example, you can place a vinyl carpet runner nub side up on your bed. Or put a
sheet of foil, plastic, sandpaper or double sided tape on your couch. Second, change the purpose of that site:
place your cat’s food or water where he is eliminating. Third, block access to the elimination site
by closing doors, keeping laundry off the floor or putting a potted plant in
the selected area. Fourth, put the box
as close as possible to the inappropriate location your cat has chosen, then gradually
move it to where you want to keep it.
You don’t have to try these ideas in the above order -- use whichever
order you think best for your cat.
Finally, do everything you can to make the litter box more appealing; see
the solutions for litter box aversion above for options.
For some cats, these environmental strategies are not fully
effective and we also treat them with Prozac or other behavior modifying
medications.
These are just some of the common causes and solutions. For
additional information, one excellent resource from the College of Veterinary
Medicine at The Ohio State University is www.indoorpet.osu.edu/cats/problemsolving/index.cfm. In all cases, I recommend you discuss your
cat’s specific issues with your veterinarian to come up with a specific treatment
to get your cat using his or her box consistently.
And that’s the scoop on litter box problems with cats!
Dr. Kristel Weaver is a graduate of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis where she received both a DVM and a Master’s of Preventative Veterinary Medicine (MPVM). She has been at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care in San Ramon since 2007. She currently lives in Oakland with her husband and their daughter, Hayley. If you have questions you would like Dr. Weaver to answer for future articles, please email info@webvets.com
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