Peeing outside of the litter box?

Question

My cat is litter box trained and she is neutered and I have never had any problems of her doing anything outside the litter box region - until now. I was cleaning the litter box - and as all you cat owners know that is the best time for our cats to decide that they need to use it...and well mine did...and her entire body except her butt was inside the litter box..and well she peed outside...
am i to think this is a one time occurance? or should i search my apartment for pee?

Answer 1

You probably need a litter box with higher sides. Cats will gravitate towards the edges (I don't know why) and eventually end up 'hanging over' the sides. Store-bought litter trays generally have 'too low' sides. Look for a square bucket (often sold for washing dishes). Note that you can train a cat to use (but not flush) a normal toilet - they are pretty good at balancing over edges. The training method involves placing their tray progressively closer to the toilet, and then on top (firmly secured), and then cutting a progressively larger hole in the bottom of the tray (at that stage using a minimal amount of litter in the bottom of the tray). When the hole is about two thirds the size of the toilet seat, remove the tray altogether.

Answer 2

If you dont put enough litter in the box this could happen. Also if you dont clean the box out daily, this could happen. She may have thought all her body was in the box and simply peed on the outside of the litter box. Usually they will pee or poop around the box if theres no more room inside it.

Answer 3

To me it sounds like he just missed.
Cats will go other places when they are upset as a way to mark their territory to make them more dominant, it is not a spite thing it's a nature thing. Same as they will bite if they are scared. I would not be too concerned with the rest of your house if you are cleaning the litter box every day and do not have any other cats.... Some cats have issues sharing their bathrooms.
Preventing it just get a litter house.

Answer 4

AHA HA HA HA!! My cat did the same thing once. It was because I was away for a few days & her litterbox was a little "chunky". When I went to clean it she raced ahead of me, scratched around looking for a clean spot, the backed up to the edge of the box and proceeded to pee over the side while looking me straight in the eye!! I laughed 'til I cried. The message was clear...keep the litter box CLEAN!

Answer 5

Make sure the litter box is clean almost all the time. Cats are very picky they dont like dirty litter boxes. They could have also scrached litter outside of it then used it on the outside bc there litter was spilt there ..my cats have done it b4.

Answer 6

i ought to attempt getting a 2d clutter field and preserving them both clean in any respect situations (each day). when you're concerned that your cat has an infection, a visit to the vet gained't damage. Cats end employing the clutter field for a kind of motives...they have an infection, this is dirty, do not favor to percentage, they are disillusioned and appearing out, ect... I had a lady cat once that end employing the clutter field all mutually after we moved right into a clean homestead. i did not comprehend it as this wasn't the first time the cat had moved yet she became of route mad about it. I under no circumstances did get her employing the clutter field back whatever I did. I had her checked for infections and tried each and every suggestion from each and every professional. finally, I had to discover her a clean homestead. i desire this helps and that i desire you success.

Answer 7

Get one of those litter boxes that looks like a house so they have to go in it to go to the bathroom.

Answer 8

You need to search..I just recently got a cat from my daughters boyfriends mom and she poo's when she gets excited..They told me she was trained and never had an accident...well she spends a lot of time outside now.

Answer 9

I agree with the last post, she just missed. If you notice her making a habit of it, maybe you have a problem like the other posts mention.

Answer 10

Hi there...when a cat suddenly begins to urinate/defecate outside the box it is indicative of an urinary tract infection or another medical issue. However, there may be chance your litter box is too small for your kitty if this happened.

Anyhow, for future reference you may find this article about inappropriate house soiling by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine of Feline Health of interest:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/Housesoiling.html

House soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. It includes urination and/or defecation outside the litter box, as well as urine spraying.

Why do cats eliminate outside of the litter box?
One common misconception is that cats soil in inappropriate places for revenge. It is tempting to conclude, "He defecated on the living room carpet to punish me for leaving him for the weekend." But this kind of calculation requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that cats aren't believed to possess. Furthermore, this conclusion assumes that cats view their urine and feces as distasteful, when in fact they do not. It is only we humans who view it that way.

Medical Problems
So why do cats urinate or defecate on your bed or carpet? Medical problems are one possibility. Inflammation of the urinary tract may cause painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine, and crying during urination. An affected cat is likely to eliminate outside the litter box if he comes to associate the box with painful urination, or if he has an increased urgency to urinate. In addition, kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases often lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumors, intestinal parasites, and other gastrointestinal conditions may cause painful defecation, increased frequency or urgency to defecate, and decreased control of defecation. Age-related diseases that interfere with a cat's mobility (for example, arthritis, nervous system disorders, or muscular diseases), or with his cognitive functions can also influence his ability to get to the litter box in time. In short, any medical condition that interferes with a cat's normal elimination behavior can lead to house soiling.

Litter Box Aversions
Behavioral problems, such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences, or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling. An aversion implies that there is something about the litter box that your cat finds unsavory. It could be the box, the litter, the location of the box, or all three.

...please see web article for full details

Consider ringing your vet first opportunity to have your kitty evaluated as soon as possible.

In the meantime, consider purchasing some Nature's Miracle for Cats found worldwide at any pet store to clean the urine stained/odours from the areas where you kitty has eliminated. It's an enzymatic neutralizer that breaks down urine/feces proteins by soaking the affected areas thoroughly and then allowing to air dry. Repeated applications are necessary for heavily soiled areas.

Here's the website for this product: http://http://www.petmountain.com/show_product/503266