"He won't use his litter box"

Cats are by nature very tidy creatures, who will go out of their way to find and keep their world clean by their own standards. They are also very communicative creatures, and will look for ways of telling their humans that something is not right.

Illness

The main reason a cat urinates outside the box is illness. If your kitty suddenly begins to piddle next to the box, don't scold him or her, but call the vet! The cat is trying to get your attention because he doesn't feel well. In most instances, a bladder infection is the most common culprit, but other illnesses can cause cats to urinate in unwanted places too. The cat is trying to get your notice so you will solve his problem.

Once a cat is diagnosed and begins treatment, the inappropriate urination will still continue because the cat still feels sick, so don't scold him then, either. He is still trying to get you to notice. Only when kitty feels well again will be stop alerting you to his illness.

Dirty Litter Box

Another cause for urinating in inappropriate locations will be a litter box that should have been changed last week! Cats are neat creatures and they don't like to get their toes dirty walking through messy litter. The solution is easy: change the litter on a regular schedule. The number of cats you have should determine the frequency of attending to the box.

Note also that with more than one cat you may need more than one litter box. Sometimes a cat will refuse to use a litter box another cat uses. An additional litter box may solve the problem.

Marking Territory

A third cause for inappropriate urinating occurs when un-neutered males mark territory. The best solution for this is neutering!

Sometimes a neutered male will urinate to cover the smell of another animal who is not a member of the household. I know of a seventeen-year-old cat who squatted over a spot where a visiting dog had an "accident" and covered the dog scent with his own scent. This was a cat that had never before (nor after) piddled outside the litter box.

Solving the Problem

Whatever the reason for your cat's inappropriate urination, it is really not a reason to abandon him. Too many cats are dropped off at shelters across the nation because they "wet," and no one has bothered to investigate why. A bad bathroom habit is not a reason to invite a cat out of your life--it is a reason to call the vet quickly.

If a cat does happen to hit a rug or other location that will hold the scent of his urine, clean that area with distilled white vinegar to remove the smell.

Whatever your cat's reason for urinating outside of the box, yelling will only make it worse. Cats do not respond to scolding. Since their actions were reasonable to them, they will not understand what you are fussing about. Remember, a cat that urinates outside the litter is trying to tell you something, so listen!

--Terry Early

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