Are you wondering why a cat urinates outside of a litter box after having been trained? Whether you have a young cat that has started doing this, have an older cat that has started to pee outside their cat litter box out of the blue, or you’ve recently adopted an older cat and are having problems, there could be several reasons for this. One of those reasons could be a health reason that needs attention by a veterinarian. The cat isn’t necessarily doing this to be “dirty”. Read on for more information that could help you de-code this mystery as well as stop it from happening.
Stress
A cat can pee or spray when they become stressed out, either by events or other animals in the home. Watch for patterns to help you determine if this might be the case.
Sexual Maturity
When a cat reaches sexual maturity and does not mate it can spray. This type of territorial behavior is not necessarily the same as typical urination. Getting your cat sterilized according to recommendations by your veterinarian can help this stop or be prevented altogether.
Dirty Litter Box
A dirty litter box is something your cat might avoid. He or she might look for an alternate location. And if you have more than one cat using a box this can also mean that you have an increased likelihood of the cat urinating outside the box due to necessity. If you have more than one cat, it’s wise to have two litter boxes.
Daily scooping of dirty litter can help immensely. It may be helpful to try different litter boxes / litter brands. Some cats have a preference for the material of the litter.
Litterbox Location
If your cat urinates in the same spot all the time but it’s outside the litterbox, consider moving the box to that location, if possible.
Health Problems
Urinary tract infections could be a source of cats urinating outside the box. Other health problems could also have an impact. Talk to your veterinarian to rule out health problems before assuming your cat is simply choosing another preference location.
Odor
Sometimes a cat will go back to a soiled area repeatedly. There are products on the market that can be helpful in permanently removing an odor, which can help prevent re-soiling of that area.
No one wants their belongings to smell like cat urine. Some people seem to get desensitized to it but others may point out the odor in your home. In many cases your cat is trying to tell you something and paying attention to the advice above or talking to your veterinarian about the issue could be a big help in determining why this is happening as well as determining ways to stop it from continuing.
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