LoveToKnow Cats:Custom Inappropriate Urination

From LoveToKnow Cats

Past Questions

Question: Why do male cats spray inside the house? Is there anything to lessen the chance that this will happen? I am getting a black male kitten this afternoon, and he is approximately three months old. - Posted by: lauren.helms@att.net

Answer: Hi Lauren,

The main reason male cats spray is to mark their territory. This is how the cat leaves a message for other cats and it says, "Stay away. This is my place."

Typically, male cats will begin this behavior when they reach around six months or a little older. The biggest thing you can do to discourage this behavior is to have the male kitten neutered before this point.

Also, cats in homes with other pets are more prone to this behavior than if the male cat is the only pet in the household. If he is the only cat in the home, there isn't that much to be territorial about.

Did you know that a cat's urine contains pheremones? Wild cats use urine to communicate. In addition to marking territorial boundaries, it is also used during mating season to indicate availability to the opposite sex.

If he does start to spray at some point, you can do a couple of things. First clean any areas thoroughly with a good enzymatic cleaner.

Some cats respond to anti-anxiety drugs. Your vet may prescribe these if the situation is severe and other treatments have not helped.

There are items that can keep your cat from a particular area where you don't want him to spray, such as SSSCat. There are also friendly pheremone solutions that can make your cat feel less threatened and territorial.

These are a few ideas that have worked for others. Every cat is different and if you should have this problem you may have to experiment until you find what works for your cat. - posted by:LoriSoard

Question: I have a serious problem. My cat is around a year old, male and doesn't pee in the litter box. We have owned him since he was a kitten and lived in the same house. He seemed well adjusted to the house and other pets. We have two dogs and two cats, including him. He only recently started peeing elsewhere than the litter box. The two litter boxes we have are in the laundry room. One is open and one is closed. He has been peeing on the love seat and we cleaned it more than once. We also put up aluminum foil temporarily on the love seat so he would avoid that spot. That seemed to work, but then he found another spot to pee. This time it was the couch upstairs in the loft. I'm not sure if it is a health problem or a fight for dominance. You see, we own another male cat who is in between two and three years old. I really do not wish to have to give my cat away, but what can I do to prevent him from peeing all over the house? My parents won't tolerate much more of this. Please help. - Posted by: lovexjackjohnson@aim.com

Answer: Hi Liz,

I'm sorry you're having problems with your cat in this way. It may be because he is trying establish dominance, or it may be a health issue. You don't mention if your cat is neutered or not. If he is neutered, then it is less likely a dominance issue, but still a possibility.

I would try a few things to see if you can change this behavior, including taking him to the vet for a checkup to be on the safe side.

Male cats can get crystals in their urine or kidney stones. Left untreated, these conditions can be deadly. So, the first thing you should do is to take him to the vet and explain his behavior change. The vet will likely take a urine sample to test and perhaps a blood test. If he has a problem, the vet will provide you with medication and treatment. Your next job will be simply to make sure the cat doesn't repeat his behavior because he smells the past urine spots. If health issues are ruled out, then these next steps become vital.

First, you should thoroughly clean any and all spots where the cat has urinated with a good enzymatic cleaner. This will help to remove the smell, which can cause the cat to return to that spots.

It's good that you have two litter boxes. You may want to experiment with keep his box in a different location. It is possible if the other cat is dominant that he is picking on your cat as he enters or leaves the box.

Once you decide where his litter box will be located, isolate him with it in that room for a minimum of two weeks. You can go in and give him attention, but do not let him out of that room until he is using the litter box every time. If he goes on the floor in front of it, then he isn't using the box. During this time, you may want to experiment with the two different box styles, depth of boxes and even litter types. Just make any changes gradually. We own a little igloo style litter box and our cat really loves it. It is sheltered and quiet and as a plus the smell is very nicely contained.

Once you've done the steps above, let him out when you are there to observe his behavior. If he starts to squat anywhere, you immediately take him to the litter box and set him on the litter. Leave him in the room again for a few days. Once you are sure he is not trying to pee elsewhere in the house, it is probably safe to let him roam again.

This process does take patience, but I think it will be worth it. He sounds like a sweet cat. - posted by:LoriSoard

Question: (Pye is the cat of course.) I have a completely indoor, two-year-old Siamese, male cat who was fixed when I rescued him from a local shelter as a kitten. Everything has always been fine with Pye, no health issues, no problems of any kind. All of a sudden, just this morning, he jumped up on my sofa that he has been on thousands of times with no problems, he squated and urinated on it then ran away! Just a little sprinkle, but it was enough. It is strange because he has never, to my knowledge, done anything like this before. When I woke up, he was meowing like crazy and he is not really all that vocal for a Siamese. I noticed that his litterbox was a little dirty and so I assumed that was the problem and cleaned it. Right after that, he jumped up and pee'd on the sofa. Can you tell me why? Do I need to take him to the vet? I do notice a strong smell of the litter that I am using of his fur. I try and wipe him down after he uses it with a damp cloth. Could the litter be the problem? He smells very strongly of it. Could it hurt him to clean himself with that scent on his fur? Thank you so much for any information you can offer. It is appreciated. Lisa Marie... Pye's momma. - Posted by: aileron06@verizon.net

Answer: Hi Lisa Marie,

If your cat is ill, he may not be grooming himself the way he normally does, which would leave a lingering scent on him. Without knowing what type of litter you are using, it is hard to say if it might harm him, but it really isn't likely.

One thing that I think might be going on with Pye is something very common to male cats and that is crystals or even kidney stones. Although I suspect crystals.

Since, when he tried to urinate, he was unable to urinate much, this makes me suspect even more that this could be the problem.

Also, when a cat has never had this type of behavior, is neutered and just pees on the couch out of the blue, the pet is usually trying to get your attention and let you know something is wrong. Add to that his behavior of being vocal all of the sudden.

My advice is to get him to the vet as quickly as you possibly can. If he is not able to urinate more than a few drops, it can quickly turn into urea poisoning and kill him. Or, if left untreated, this can cause kidney and other organ damage. It is something that is worth a trip to the emergency vet, even though I know that is costly.

The vet will likely give him medication to break up the stones. If it is advanced, he may need to sedate your cat and do a catheter to release some of the urine from his bladder.

Please check back and let us know if Pye is okay. - posted by:LoriSoard

Question: My cat has started to jump up on me and urinate (she does this to my husband as well). Her litter is clean and there has been no changes within the household. Why would she do this? How can we make it stop? - Posted by: tubbahoe@aol.com

Answer: Hi Kelly,

There are a couple of reasons she might do this. The first is that she is ill and trying to get your attention so you'll help her. This is probably the most likely reason.

One thing that happens with a lot of cats is kidney and bladder infections and kidney stones. This can be quite painful to the cat and make her feel that she has to urinate, even when she really doesn't. It is easily cured with a course of antibiotics most of the time.

With stones, you will likely notice some blood in the urine and they are quite painful for the cat. Most of the time, these pass on their own, but not always.

It is also possible that she is simply excited to see you. Is she home alone a lot?

I would go ahead and take her to the vet and have him check her for bladder infection and kidney issues just to be on the safe side. - posted by:LoriSoard

Question: Every now and again my cat pees just outside of his box. It doesn't seem to matter if the box is freshly cleaned or if it's a day or two old,(never more than two days). He has a mat that he pees on, not on the floor. Why does he do this? - Posted by: lawson8@telus.net

Answer: Hi Madelaine,

I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with this issue. If he is not experiencing any other health issues, then there are a number of things you can try to break him of this habit. At least he is containing it to the mat and not spraying your entire house. This should be easier to remedy.

First, the mat may have urine scent on it. Perhaps he missed a bit one time or had an accident. Now, he is likely attracted back to that mat because of the scent. I would try getting rid of the mat altogether for a while.

If that does not solve the problem, then start experimenting with different styles of litter box and litters. Be sure whenever you make a chance to do so very gradually. For example, when you change litter brands, you should use the following pattern:

Use 25 percent of new little to 75 percent of old for a few days, then...
Use 50 percent of each, then...
Use 75 percent of new and 25 percent of old.

I think you can get him to stop doing this. I have a cat that is large and she cannot use a small box. She misses and dribbles every time. We had to purchase a deeper, giant-sized box and it remedied the problem.

Good luck! - posted by:LoriSoard

Question: Our Sinnie is a healthy eight-year-old cat, always excellent blood test results and good overall behavior. We have no children or other animals in household. In the last two years, sometimes daily, sometimes not for a month, she will spray outside the box from within litter box. The litter is cleaned at least daily and fully cleaned weekly and she has the choice of another box. Box size, litter type makes no difference. If covered with a top, she'll hit the opening, won't tolerate a flap to cover entrance. If we turn the higher side around, she'll turn around and hit the wall. In general she urinates once a day and defecates once. We have seen her start squatted and then raise up. We got her from a shelter when she was just a couple months old. She was spayed and declawed that first year. Indoor cat only. - Posted by: kelly007@sbcglobal.net

Answer: Hi Dan,

This is strange, because it sounds like she is trying to use the litter box, but is not quite making it. Yet, it almost sounds like it is on purpose. My first response would be to mention this to the vet to rule out any health problems. However, it sounds like she is fairly healthy.

You may just want to put up some paneling that can be easily cleaned, such as intended for a bathroom or such. Since she only goes about once a day, this may fix the problem for you.

Another thing you can try is when she starts to lift up her bottom is to very gently push it back down. Try not to startle her, though, or she may stop using the litter box altogether. If she allows you to push her bottom down and finishes in the proper position, praise her like crazy. Cats respond best to positive reinforcement. - posted by:LoriSoard

Question: Can I diaper my male cat, after his movement in the morning, to keep the urine off my carpet? Why do fixed male cats still pee everywhere? - Posted by: weasie1000@yahoo.com

Answer: Hi Laura,

There is a product called a pet diaper that claims to work for cat problems. However, I have to say that knowing most of the cats that have come into my own life, very few would tolerate wearing this for long.

It might be better to try some other techniques first, and use this as a last resort only. It might also cause some irritation and fur loss if left on for long periods of time.

Some things to try to stop your cat from urinating on the carpet:

Use an enzyme cleaner to thoroughly clean any areas the cat has previously urinated. You may need to use a black light to find these areas.

Isolate your cat for a full week in a contained area with his litter box, food and water. This will remind him where his litter box is located.

Watch the cat carefully. If he urinates outside the box, take him immediately back to the contained area for a few days.

If you plan to be away from home, put the cat in his contained area. This will keep him from having an accident that doesn't show up until days or weeks later.

Most cats do not respond well to scolding. They respond much better to praise and rewards. So, if you catch him using the litter box, praise him lavishly and perhaps even offer a small treat, once he is finished.

Hope this helps! - posted by:LoriSoard