Top 5 Reasons Your Cat Pees outside the Litter Box

If you’ve owned a cat you may have experienced a time when your cat eliminated outside their box. When this happens, it can be a sign that a problem exists. It’s best to get to the bottom of things quickly before your cat develops a preference for eliminating elsewhere. Here are the top 5 reasons your cat may be peeing outside their box.

1. Urinary tract infection- If you notice your cat licking a lot, straining to pee or producing only small amounts of urine he may have a UTI.  Feline UtI can have your cat feeling an urgency to urinate, causing your cat to associate the discomfort with using her litter box.

1. Not enough boxes- A good rule of thumb is to have one litter box per cat plus one extra. So, one cat-two boxes. Two cats-three boxes. You get the idea. Cats can be territorial so they don’t always like to share.
2. Dirty litter box – If your cat’s box is not cleaned regularly it may have them choosing to eliminate elsewhere. Let’s face it, would you want to go in a dirty toilet? I didn’t think so! Scoop their box daily. Empty the litter box and thoroughly clean it weekly.
3. Change in environment- If you’ve had a major change lately such as moving to a new home, arrival of a new pet or new baby, or there has been a change in your routine (new job, illness etc), it is probably causing your cat to be stressed.
4. Multi cat conflict- Cat fights or conflicts can also cause stress and therefore cause your cats to change their toileting habits for the worse.

The best approach is to prevent these problems before they happen by making your cat’s toileting experience as cat-friendly as possible.

Make sure your cat has multiple, shallow litter boxes and keep them clean. If you see your cat straining to urinate or excessively licking consult your vet as a UTI may be present. Keep your cat’s routine as predictable as possible to minimize stress. If you are experiencing conflicts between your cats, seek advice from your vet or a cat behavioral specialist. To learn more common reasons why your cat is peeing outside their litter box and how to resolve them visit www.aspca.org .