Examples would be carpet, laundry, tile, etc. Some cats prefer to urinate on a particular substrate. If your cat is scared by these devices when they switch on, he or she may avoid this location in the future as a result of a fear response. A typical situation might be a litter box near the furnace or water heater. If you notice that your cat prefers one of these boxes over the other, then placing additional boxes throughout the home can help them find a more preferable location. Place another litter box in a different location to help determine if there is an aversion to that particular spot. If your cat is not using the litter box because they are put off by its location, then this may be an issue. ![]() If your cat, however, urinates in that location but beside the box, then there is another issue present. If your cat then uses that box, a location preference may be the issue. For example, if your cat continues to urinate in a corner in the basement, placing a litter box in that location can help determine if there is a location preference. You will notice that with these particular cats, the inappropriate urination continues to be in a specific, predictable location. Some cats may prefer a specific location to urinate. If there are wildlife or outdoor cats that are "taunting" your cat, this could be interpreted as stress for your cat and can cause your cat to urinate outside the box. We commonly see this behaviour occur in the springtime when there is more activity outdoors. Cats are sensitive to change so if anything in their routine changes, this can contribute to stress and anxiety. This can be due to a new cat in the home, moving or rearranging furniture, adding more pets to your family (particularly if they did not get along previously), or changes in their routine such as feeding times. Cats will start to associate the location with the stressful event and begin using this place as an area for urination. Anxiety and StressĬats that suffer from anxiety or have other components of feline stressors can start urinating inappropriately. Below, we follow a step-by-step analysis of the cat's environment and potential stressors to better determine why your cat is urinating outside the litter box. Most but not all cats that urinate and defecate outside the box are a result of a behavioural problem. When we have ruled out the medical causes, we can then tentatively diagnose the problem as a behavioural issue. The Behavioral causes why your cat is urinating outside their litter box It's not uncommon for cats with arthritis to have trouble using their litter boxes, as the well the high-lipped design of this particular type poses problems that make it even more difficult for them! In this case, you will notice that your cat is finding other places to go. Specifically, the discomfort is noticed when he or she squats to urinate and/or the litter box has a high lip. Hind-end Pain and DiscomfortĪrthritis can cause pain and discomfort in the hind end region. This will often result in your cat seeking other places to urinate. The cat's litter box will be less appealing as it will become full much more frequently than what the cat is used to. Diabetes Mellitus, Hyperthyroidism and Kidney Diseaseĭiabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease are all conditions that will result in a cat drinking more water and therefore urinating larger amounts and more often. If your cat has hair loss on its abdomen and is urinating outside the litter box, this could be a sign of lower urinary tract disease. As your cat continues to associate these changes with the litter box, he/she will seek other places to urinate. If your cat is suffering from FLUTD and is still using the litter box, you will notice very small urinations in the litter box and the frequency of urination will be increased. This will often result in a painful bladder and will cause your cat to associate painful urination with the litter box and result in your cat urinating outside the litter box. Urinary crystals, stones, and cystitis all contribute to FLUTD. It is due to inflammation of the lower urinary tract and can be infectious or non-infectious. Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)įeline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) is a common medical condition seen in cats. An example would be pain due to arthritis. Another medical cause of inappropriate urination would be pain or discomfort, especially affecting the hind end region. There are many medical reasons why this could happen, but the most common causes are due to lower urinary tract diseases, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease. ![]() When your cat urinates outside the litter box it can be due to a medical condition. ![]() The Medical causes why your cat is urinating outside their litter box
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