Has this ever happened to you? Your cat's peeing outside the
litter box, and you're desperately trying to clean up after your
cat, wondering if you're actually doing anything to stop it from
happening in the first place!
Well, if you're like me, you probably want some quick solutions
to the problem, or at least a list of checkpoints that you know
you must, like a detective on a trail, work through, to get the
litter box behavior problem under control.
By the time you finish this article, you will have learnt the 7
most important steps you must know, when it comes to this
problem of the cat peeing outside the litter box.
Firstly, let's have a look at the reasons why this happens. The
reasons for peeing outside the litter box are:
1. A medical problem.
2. The cat that has never been properly house trained to use the
litter box in the first place.
3. Problems with the litter tray itself.
4. An unpleasant event that occurred while the cat was at the
litter box.
5. A temporary physical or emotional stress, or change in the
household causing the cat to urinate in an area outside the box,
which is perpetuated by the urine smell reminding the cat to
return to the same area over and over again.
6. Old age causing a cat to not be easily able to get to the
litter box.
Now, keep these causes in mind, when checking out the 7 action
steps:
1. If there's a change in toilet behavior with no obvious cause,
it may be caused by illnesses such as urinary tract infections,
blocked anal glands, worms and parasites, diabetes and tumors.
These illnesses may have no other obvious signs, apart from this
urination problem. So you must consider a visit to the vet. In
other cases you may see symptoms such as lethargy, blood in the
urine, diarrhea, or constant licking in the anal area. If you
see this, then your first stop is the vet!
2. Look at the litter box itself. Ensure you're cleaning out the
waste once or twice a day, and changing the litter every 3-4
days for non-clumping litter (2-3 weeks for clumping litter).
Clean the tray with hot water and mild detergent, without any
strong odors such as citrus or ammonia, which will repel the cat
from the box. If you have multiple cats, remember - the number
of trays should equal number of cats, plus one or two. If you've
changed brands of litter, this may have caused the problem as
many cats dislike this change, especially to scented litter.
Return to the older litter. If you want to change, introduce
unscented litter gradually by mixing the old with the new over 2
weeks. And ensure that the location of the box is acceptable: no
loud noises, has some privacy, and is not in view of other cats.
3. Consider adding in 1 more litter box to another suitable
private location of the house. This is because sometimes it's
not the litter box that's the problem, but a negative experience
there. For example, if your kids played with the cat while she
was on the litter box, or if the cat had pain when urinating,
such as during a urine infection, after having kittens, or had a
procedure done on the bladder or urethra at the vet, then the
cat would associate pain with that litter box. Even if the pain
is gone, the association and is still there.
4. Thoroughly clean the area that has been peed on. This is
important because no matter what the cause, the fact that the
urine remains on the bed, carpet, or sofa is a reminder for the
cat to return to pee there. The cat's sense of smell is more
acute than ours, so ensure you clean with a solution such as
Brampton's Simple Solution. If you have remaining urine smell
together with a bad association at the box, then you have 2
forces causing the problem to continue. So get rid of both!
5. Next, if possible, deny the cat access to the area that is
peed on, especially if it's an area that is repeatedly used.
Many people forget to do this, and their problem is prolonged.
By stopping access, the cycle of repeated urination is stopped.
Will the cat pee somewhere else? Possible, though less likely if
you provide a second litter box, show him where it is a few
times, and also do the step 7 below.
6. If you can't stop the cat from accessing the area, make the
area less attractive for peeing instead. You can do this by
either placing a scent, or, by placing a bowl of dried cat food
there. If using a scent, try citrus or eucalyptus. If using
dried food, which often works better, ensure that you top up the
food bowl during the day. Either way, once you have success,
continue for another 1-2 weeks to ensure it stays that way.
7. If you're at home when the cat is, then you have this step up
your sleeve as well: the startle technique. Only do this method
if you actually catch the cat about to urinate because if you do
it at any other time, that cat will not be able to associate
that urinating in the area with the unpleasant startle. Startle
the cat with a loud "No!" or clap of the hands. Wait 5 minutes,
then bring the cat to the litter tray, and if she toilets at the
tray, reward her with praise and a food treat. As long as the
length and enjoyment of the reward if far greater than the
startle, this will be unlikely to cause stress. Use this method
carefully as some cats may experience stress with it. Make sure
that the cat seems relaxed after the food treat, and that it's
actually improving the situation.
If you follow the above steps, most problems of peeing outside
the litter box will be solved within days or gradually improve
over 1-2 weeks.
Remember in all cases, you'll be even more effective if you
reduce stress at the same time. This means more play time and
attention.
In conclusion, it does take some effort and detective work to
see what has caused the litter box behavior problem in the first
place. And you now know how to apply 7 essential steps to help
you solve this issue, as quickly and effectively as possible.
If you'd like to learn more advanced tips on solving your cat's
litter box behavior problem, go to the website described in the
resource box below.
