Peeing Outside the Box

Updated on January 29, 2009
T.J. asks from Saint Paul, MN
6 answers

Does anyone have any ideas as to how to get my cat to stop peeing outside the box? It is usually just right outside the box, never anywhere else. I have 3 litter boxes for 3 cats, have tops for all the liter boxes and use the same litter for all boxes. I am thinking that it is the 10 month old kitten but it could be the other two but have no way of knowing. Any suggestions?

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So What Happened?

Thanks for all your help ladies. I do clean all the litter boxes out daily and add litter if necessary. However I do not actually dump the litter out and clean the box every day but maybe once a month. I will try those ideas you gave me and let you know how it goes.

More Answers

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J.D.

answers from Chicago on

This can be a hard one to fix. I was actually told to take the lids off the boxes, because the less dominant cat may be fearful of going into a covered box because he/she may be attacked. Are all of your litter boxes next to each other? We were also told to place a few boxes throughout the house to make it convenient for the cat/cats.
We went out and bought a diffuser from Petsmart, I believe it was called feliway? It was a little pricey, but WELL worth the money! It releases pheramones for the cat, and it made a HUGE difference for our cat! I was also told by someone who works over at the Huntley Animal House that they use those in their cat room so the cats don't get stressed out. Good Luck!

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E.W.

answers from Chicago on

Adrsma R is correct - I work for an animal rescue organization and work primarly with cats. The info she gave you is what our vet tells us too (she is a hollistic vet, not one from animal control)...try taking the lid off one of the litter boxes first and the cleaning - try every day to every other day...if that doesn't work, then take the cat to the vet for a test to see if it has a UTI - usually there are only a few reasons cats will not use their boxes (after they've been trained to) - (1) infection, (2) not clean enough for them, (3) don't like that it's closed or open.
Hope this helps.

B.K.

answers from Chicago on

You have gotten great advice. I just wanted to add that a trip to the vet to rule out a UTI should probably be the first thing you do. I have had cats with UTIs and it is painful for them. Cats don't show their pain though, so it's hard to detect. But peeing outside the box is one sign. I would rule that out first, then if she's healthy try the other things.

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A.R.

answers from Chicago on

It could be a number of things. You could try changing the litter more often as sometimes cats will 'protest' by peeing *right* outside the litter box if it is too dirty. Yes, some kitties are very particular and want a very clean litter box. You could trying changing the type of litter you use. You could take the lid off of one of the litter boxes because maybe the cat feels too closed in. Finally, it could be a sign of a urinary tract issue so a visit to the vet might be in order.

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K.R.

answers from Chicago on

I agree with the "Cat Attract" post. It did the trick for me-I had a similar question a few months back. And maybe try taking the lid off of one or two, that helped me too. I think my kitten was pouncing on my older cat when she was in "vulnerable" position. Taking the lid off helped her keep an eye on the pest.

It's funny-I got more responses to my cat litter question than any of my kid questions!

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N.W.

answers from Chicago on

You could also try a litter called "Cat Attract." It's a wonderful clumping litter that attracts the cat, making it a pleasant place to pee. They make it for kittens as well, perhaps the kitten is finding the litter too rough for his/her little paws. We've been using Cat Attract for a while and it really works! Plus it's a nice quality litter. Each bag of litter has a free booklet inside that gives tips for cats that are "thinking outside the box."

You can find it at Petsmart.

Good luck!

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