how do stop your cat from peeing?

Question

i have 4 cats 3 male and 1 female they are all fixed. the two oldest are from the same litter and seem to pee on things esp on counter tops. i am from a house where as this is not acceptable behavior but understood that some times accidents happen. my husband is not so understanding and wants to get rid of my babies. so i was wondering if any one can give me advice as to make them stop. also i have heard about urinary problems what other that peeing is a symptom? please help !!! oh the two boys are about 4 years old

Answer 1

Hi Melissa...consider all the possibilities such as:
- as a general rule some if there are more than one cats in the home cats feel intimidated by sharing litter boxes so it may be helpful to offer one for each plus an extra box
- changes with litter brands
- location of the litter box isn't private enough
- some cats like to have one box to defecate and another to urinate
- cleanliness (some cats are very finicky and prefer a super clean box)

If all these have been ruled out, there's a chance that perhaps both your cats may have developed another underlying medical problem which can contribute to accidents outside of the box. Cats will associate pain while using box and change their habits as a result. It's a slight possibility, however I would lean on consider multiple litter boxes first to see if this resolves the accidental urinating.

Here's an article about why cats inappropriately soil outside their litter box by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: 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 consider visiting the website for further details

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Last year my beautiful Manx cat Theodore went out for the evening and never came back. I love cats and the house didn't feel the same without one, so I picked up Lola from a rescue centre. She was very frightened and would pee all over the house. I found Cat Spraying No More� on the internet and the techniques worked almost immediately. I haven't had a problem with Lola since. Amazing!

Can't stop your cat peeing in the house? Then worry no more...

Answer 4

I have 3 cats and need to keep 3 litter boxes, as one likes a special one or will poop on the floor. She also uses the other boxes. I hear that males like to mark their territory, but that sounds excessive! Peeing in strange places can signal urinary tract infection. To get a sample for the vet, put a little ripped up newspaper in the litter box (with nothing else). After the cat pees, squeeze the urine into a container. I also heard that you can retrain them to use the litter boxes by keeping the cats and the boxes in a small room with the doors shut until they learn.

Answer 5

Definitely need to make sure you have enough litter boxes, at LEAST one for each cat. They need to be cleaned every day. Don't use litter with fragrance unless you are sure your cat is OK with that. Some cats don't like it. Some cats like litter boxes with covers and some without. Also, a urinary check up would be a good idea especially if this is a new behavior. Urinary problems in male cats can be very serious.

Answer 6

Many cats will not use a communal litterbox. And if the litter box gets too loaded, as it can quickly with 4 cats, they often tend to "pee around," some more than others.

Try providing more litterboxes first and see if that works. If not, have a vet check them out. If nothing is wrong with them, try training them to stay off of the counter tops.

And if nothing works, I'm with your husband. I would not live in a house where cats peed everywhere, especially on kitchen countertops. I love my pets but I draw the line at having my food prepared where they do their business.

Answer 7

how many litter boxes?
4 cats = 5 litter boxes (spread out thru the house)

and they need to be clean - cats will not go in a dirty box

maybe they they are marking their territory!
hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Answer 8

wow! i have 3 cats and they go potty outside the box if their litter box is NOT cleaned... or if their sick. I would deffintly take them to the vet... if its an UTI hopefully you'll catch it early.

it could also be something wrong with the kidney area.

Answer 9

This is a very common problem among cat owners. There is a spray that can be sprayed that makes them want to go in that certain spot more. I know this product is for dogs, but it should work for cats as well. If you buy this at your local Petsmart, and it doesn't work, they will take it back, no matter what. They have a 100% statisfaction guarantee.
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441781994&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302033166&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1166226827869&itemNo=24&Nao=24&In=Dog&N=2033166&Ne=2

Also, there is a product called Bitter Apple. Cats hate the smell and taste of it, and they will stay away from the area you strayed. Careful not to confuse the two different sprays!
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441775320&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302026181&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1166227287462&itemNo=0&Ntt=bitter+apple&In=All&previousText=bitter+apple&N=2#detail

Answer 10

Call your local Vet Clinic and ask if they know the number to a behavioral specialist.