Urinating in the house, also known as urinating out of the litterbox, is common. The causes are not medical and are often classified as behavioral problems. Generally, they are regular responses by felines to environmental stimuli and are usually subdivided into urine marking and regular voiding outside the box. This latter one, the most frequent cause of feline soiling in the house, comprises instances where cats stop together at the toilet because they do not like the style of litter used or the placement of the litter box. The reason for this could be the pain of a medical condition, fear of being frightened or assaulted by another cat at the litter box, or odors caused by frequent clean-up. An animal behaviorist can determine why your cat isn’t together in the litter box and offer suggestions to bring him back.
Cats, on the other hand, mark objects to identify territory, compete against one another, as well as announce their sexuality. Marking is prevalent among females who are neutered more than females and also in overcrowded homes.
While some cats mark their territory with their feces, most cats mark it with urine. Cats usually void their bladders by sitting down and dropping an oozing puddle that is medium-sized to massive across a horizontal area. In the event of spraying, the cat is standing with its tail up straight, moving around, and sprays a tiny amount of urine on a vertical surface. Since my patient’s second left urine droplets across a horizontal surface, such as the drapes in the living room, I could conclude that it was an instance of marking. The majority of Mrs. Green’s cats are neutered. I concluded there was a person who felt stressed because of numerous cats in a smaller area. The urine samples were examined on the remaining cats, and each was healthy.
Remedies to try
Blocking windows where outdoor cats might be noticeable might help. It could also be helpful to bring more litter bins to the house and segregate cats so that they each have their own space. Space for privacy can be made even in small spaces with shelves accessible above the walls or by providing cat houses with caves that are sheltered at the uppermost.
Removing any trace of urine smell is vital so that it does not attract the perpetrator or another cat that may begin marking as well. It is highly recommended that urine odor removers be used to do this.
The function of drugs
If the behavior is persistent following environmental or social problems that have been addressed, then drugs could be a significant component of the therapy. This is especially true for situations that last for a long time or which are frequently encountered. It is essential to stop marking whenever possible because repetitive behaviors can be more ingrained in the mind and brain of the animal. There is no need for drugs regarding non-marking of house soiling.
Treatments for marking can include human sedatives as well as anti-anxiety medications, as well as antidepressants. They are not approved for use for cats. Therefore, their usage could carry an amount of danger. However, many cats react just partially to the medication, and most cats will relapse after stopping the drug. Editor’s Note: According to the research of our Animal Sciences department, a novel product known as Feliway (c), which is an artificial feline facial pheromone that is sprayed into the environment of the cat, is able to reduce the amount of urine marks, and stress. It is
Behavioral Peeing
There is a cat in my house that has a habit of peeing on towels in the rear. We’ve tried to remove the towel, but she pees on the rug, which is close to our litterbox. Also, she peed on a cat tree an employee of mine gave me. It’s probably a behavioral issue.
We’ve tried the antibiotic method multiple times. All the cats are using the urinary tract formulation of Hills Prescription Diet. I only give them distilled water. I tried getting them to consume canned food, and she peed more often. My cats were also averse to it.
I’ve made efforts to put each cat’s litter in the sun and almost all kinds of litter boxes you could imagine. This one, in the most recent time, was the most efficient. The base was the top of a Rubbermaid container, which we punched a hole through the upper part of.
She’s peed out of the litter box twice for the past two weeks. (Usually, this happens daily, at times twice.) One thing that has changed over the last 2 weeks is that we purchased an extra litter with crystals. There isn’t another change that’s been made.
She’s never going to leave. I’m dedicated to her. HELP!
Answer 1
Based on the duration she’s been practicing this behavior, the cat may have come to accept it out of habit, and you will need to teach her. Consider your cat in a different way and consider how the surroundings at home could influence your cat’s behavior.
These are some suggestions to think about:
- What is the length of time that the cat has been peeing outside of the cage?
- How many litter bins are you using to accommodate all of your cats?
- Are they in different areas of your house?
- What is the way other cats behave towards her? Do you think she is a target of others?
- Do other cats bother her whenever she has to go to the toilet? The cat who is being victimized may react to the pressure by urinating inappropriately.
- Do you always bring your foster kittens? The result could affect the way she sees things.
- Aversion can be triggered by many reasons. We need to know how the cat behaves.
- Are the litter boxes cleaned each day? She may stop the box together because of the smell or perhaps because she has a negative association with this box with something negative.
- This could be due to stress.
- Are you sure to thoroughly clean the area around the box with a quality cleaner to eliminate the odor?
- Are you familiar with or efforts Cat Attract, which helps get the cat into the litter box?
- You said she was in good health at her health check-ups, so I would assume there was no sign of infection.
Debby Williams
Veterinary Services Manager, Erie County SPCA
Tonawanda, NY
Answer 2
You’ve done everything, which is a great thing, and I applaud your efforts! I am also grateful for staying committed to the cat, no matter what. I truly wish that there were many more people as dedicated to this cat as you.
As someone who has experienced this particular condition myself, I can feel the angst of dealing with it. It’s great that you went to the vet first! I’d guess that the majority of urinary tract issues among cats are caused by urinary tract infections. They are extremely risky (deadly) when not addressed promptly.
It is mentioned that you’ve tried an antibiotic twice, which means there was a problem at some point. Yes? Do you also think your vet has finally provided the cat with the all-clear as long as the issue continues? If not, you should strongly recommend a visit to your vet. Chronic urinary problems aren’t unusual and should be taken care of before there is any chance of solving the issue.
If, however, you have a cat that has recently undergone a urinalysis, and it came back “clear,” here would be my recommendations:
- The cat has acquired a “substrate preference” for fabric areas (towel/throw rug) in preference to litter items that are pretty typical. Can you pick up all towels, throw rugs over some time, and then relocate the cat tree to prevent your cat from practicing unintentional behaviors?
- If you aren’t sure this cat is responsible, you may need to isolate it from others for at least a few days.
- Consider adding the extra litter box to let the pet “vote” on what she “likes” in terms of litter box material. If you can, use the litter box you have purchased that appears to be doing great so far before you purchase a second one with a different type.
- Try experimenting with the size of your litter (if you still need to do this). My experience is that many cats prefer more litter; while we like more, this can result in a “quicksand” experience for the cat. You can put less litter into one container and more in the other and then see what cat prefers to use.
- It is perhaps a no-brainer (but I’m going to admit it) that every litter box needs to be cleaned out regularly, at minimum, when you’re trying to tackle this kind of issue.
Have a great time!