What Should I Do If My Cat Pees Outside The Litter Box?
Peeing outside the litter box is a frustrating situation for pet lovers, but you’re not alone. I’ve been through it too and I’m going to share our story and include lots of tips to help!
This is my floof Ted who I love so much, even if he pees in the wrong spot
Early in 2019 my furbaby, Ted, started peeing on my floor in the middle of the night. He’d sometimes poop outside the box, but never peed. Then, suddenly he started peeing in the wrong place nightly.
It was a nightmare. He’d go on the tile, which is better than the carpet, but it always got in the grout and spread into a giant mess. Cleaning it up drove me absolutely insane.
He’s always been territorial, so I thought it was him acting out against my other cat. However, I decided to take him to the vet to double check.
Tip: Peeing outside the box could be a health issue. Take your pet to the vet to find out.
At the vet they gave him a check-up and asked me a ton of questions about his habits, where the litter box is set up, what he eats etc.
They agreed it’s probably a territory issue, but there’s a chance he has crystals in his urine. It’s very common for male orange cats and if he has them then his box issues are due to pain.
They asked for permission to test him and I agreed. They gently put him on his back and inserted a small needle into his bladder, extracting a pee sample to test on the spot. I had no idea they could do something like that and I found it really interesting. Not to mention super convenient that I didn’t have to wait for him to pee to get a sample.
We lucked out because he tested negative for crystals. So, we could assume it’s a territory issue. The vet recommended that I put a litter box in the spot he likes to pee. I did that and its helped A LOT!
There’s a bunch of other rules for litter boxes. Some I knew beforehand, others I learned at the vet. Below is a list I created of the most important ones.
The 10 Commandments Of Litter Boxes
You need 1 litter box per cat PLUS an extra.
Each litter box should be placed on a different floor of your house.
If you have more boxes than floors, you can put multiple boxes on the floor(s) they use most.
If you want separate territories on the same floor, the boxes need to be at least 6ft apart.
Give them lots of praise after using the box (if you’re training/retraining them).
Never punish your cat. They wont understand and will start to associate negative emotions with the litter box.
Each litter box should be bigger than your biggest cat. That way they can go comfortably/turn around if needed.
Put the boxes in safe, calm spaces, but don’t hide them.
Clean the boxes TWICE a day.
Empty and refill the boxes once a week.
I also found an amazing cat litter that helped so much!
I’m not affiliated or connected to this company in any way. I found them while shopping at PetSmart, looking for a solution.
The brand is called “Cat Attract” by Dr. Elsey’s. Their litter is tested to be the perfect consistency that cats love, is dust-free, and includes a herbal scent that attracts them to the litter box (humans can’t smell it).
Since starting with this brand, Ted uses the box almost every time. There’s been a few times he hasn’t, but mostly that’s because I didn’t clean the box in time.
They have a money back guarantee you can use if you’re not personally 100% satisfied.
Visit their website to learn more
https://www.drelseys.com/products/cat-attract-litter
Dr. Elseys Cat Attract Litter
Photo found on Google
What about the territory issue?
Again, I’m not affiliated with this brand in any way.
Since Ted’s issue is a territory one, my vet recommended Feliway Friends Diffuser to help my cats get along better.
It gives off a scent that calms cats and reduces tension in the home.
I used the original Feliway Classic for a month earlier this year and noticed a big difference in my cats. They were definitely more chill towards one another, and it wasn’t even the “Friends” kind. So, I’m excited to try the right version for my furfam. I’ll report back once I’ve tried it for a while.
I’m buying mine off Amazon:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BW11FTP/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_O7d6DbRGJ4ATD
Feliway Friends
Picture found on Google
Going to the bathroom outside the box is the #1 reason cats end up in shelters. Your story doesn’t have to be like that. Please try these tips and products first, speak to your vet, and do even more research before giving up. I’m confident every kitty can be worked with!
Does your kitty have litter box issues? Share your story in the comments below with any tips or tricks that helped your furfam!