cat behavior problem?

Question

My cat is two years old and not fixed. She is urinating and pooping outside of her boxes, the boxes are scooped everyday. She does her business outside the box right out in the open, she will poop in the bathroom two feet from her box when it is clean. Any help will be appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi Debora...if this is something that recently developed, first consider all the possibilities such as:
- unspayed/un-neutered if cat is over the age of 5-7 months. Cats will become aggressive as they sexually mature and territorially mark with either urine or defecating. I would suspect this is most likely the cause of why your cat is soiling inappropriately. Therefore consider having her spayed. If finances are of concern most animal shelters will perform spays for a very low fee and sometimes for free in some regions throughout the world. By contacting your local shelter you can ask if they offer free spays or enquire about the low fee spay services. If you are located in the USA you can ring 1-800-SPAY-USA to locate a shelter nearby you.

Other reasons to consider:
- 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)
- as a general rule there should be one litter box for each cat plus one extra as a back up

If all these have been ruled out, there's a chance that your cat 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.

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.

Urine Spraying
When your cat rubs against your leg with his face, or scratches his scratching post, he is also depositing his scent from the glands in his cheeks and paws. Another equally normal but less pleasant marking behavior is urine spraying--the deposition of small amounts of urine around a given area. Spraying announces a cat's presence, establishes or maintains territorial boundaries, and advertises sexual availability.

Cats usually spray on vertical surfaces, like the backs of chairs, or walls. They don't squat to spray (as they do to urinate), but the tail lifts and quivers, and small puddles of urine are left in several consistent locations. Cats that spray are usually unneutered males and, to a lesser extent, unspayed females, but 10% of neutered males and 5% of neutered females also spray. In households with more than seven cats, the likelihood of spraying is high.

Cats may spray when they perceive a threat to their territory, such as when a new cat enters the home, or when outside cats are nearby. New furniture and carpet smells can prompt spraying as well. Cats may also spray out of frustration resulting from factors—like restrictive diets, or insufficient playtime—often wrongly perceived by humans as revenge.

How can I stop my cat from spraying?
Because spraying is different than other types of house soiling, different tactics are necessary to manage it. First, because there are often hormonal components to spraying, any intact animal should be neutered or spayed. Next, identify the stimuli that cause your cat to spray. If outside cats are responsible, motion detectors that trigger sprinklers can be used to deter them from coming onto your property. Additionally, you can discourage your cat from looking outside by closing blinds or shades, or by placing double-sided tape or electronic mats that deliver mild shocks onto your windowsills.

Address possible sources of frustration that may be causing your cat to spray. For example, introduce a new diet gradually, or discontinue it until the spraying is under control. Increasing the amount of playtime for an under-stimulated cat may also help ease frustration.

Spraying can also result from territorial disputes between cats in the same household. They may need to be separated and reintroduced slowly, using food treats to reward and encourage peaceful behavior.

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Answer 2

When my cat peed on the sofa, it was because she had a kidney stone and was in pain going to the bathroom and she needed a way to get our attention. She hasnt done it since she had an operation to clear up her stones. If this is a sudden behaviour then it's possible a medical condition and you should book her in for a check up. If there is nothing wrong with her, then her vet can suggest some ways to train her not to do this. Otherwise you can try just putting her in her box every half hour until she gets the message.

Also, have you changed brands of litter lately? Or something else in the household changed, alot of guests over xmas/new years, or someone in the family away? Cats can be quite sensitive to stress in humans or change in their households so she may settle down if this is the case.

Answer 3

First of all--eeww. But seriously, she might not like her litter. If it is too strongly scented or she doesn't like the texture on her paws she will get as close as she can without actually stepping into the litter. Also if your litter box is too high-tech I would switch to the old open box model. Complicated doors or noisy mechanisms can be a turn-off for a cat who didn't grow up with them. I also had a cat one time that would pee into our white bathroom sink when she had an infection so we could see that there was a problem. If it's not the litter I'd take her to the vet.

Answer 4

Try scooping the boxes more and adding a litter box. Some cats will not use a litter box that smells or is dirty. Some owners have to change the litter daily to keep up with the cat's demands.

Get her fixed and have the vet do a check-up to ensure that it's not something medical. Then, work harder to keep the box clean.


Yay, I see my stalkers are back doing mature things like negging my answers again. You know, no matter how much you try to get me to love you, I like my lovers to be intelligent and grown-up. Sorry. I'm sure one day you'll find someone.

Answer 5

have you moved the box lately? keep the food and water in a different area away from the litter box. cats don't eat where they go to the bathroom. the next time you see your cat doing this squirt it with some water. i would get your cat fixed immediately. if you can't afford to take it to the vet, try your local animal shelter. they usually have vet services for a fraction of the cost a vet would have. good luck.

Answer 6

Get her spayed. Once she is spayed, she will start using the litter box properly. Cats are clean animals. Your cat may not like the brand of kitty litter you are using so try a different brand.

Answer 7

Try using a different type of litter as some cats are very picky about their litter, also she will continue to urinate and defecate elsewhere if she can smell the enzymes or her urine therefore you need to clean the area with an enzyme killer (eg Bio zet laundry powder mixed with water to make a paste), even if you can't smell it she can.
Praise her when u see her use the litter.

Answer 8

1. get her fixed as soon as possible (unless, of course, you intend to breed her), this will make her a much calmer much cleaner female to live with
2. keep her litter not just scooped but fresh. maybe try a different brand. I use arm & hammer and my female cat loves it, but my male is a stinker and frequently is naughty
3. the urinating outside her box is to leave her scent around to attract males.... get her fixed!

Answer 9

i would get her fixed unless you are trying to breed because there is always a possibility of her getting outside and if she finds a male theres no knowing when she would come back till you do that put news paper around the litterbox so its easy to clean up

Answer 10

This could be a behavior problem. Have you had someone or something new come to the home lately? Maybe your cat doesn't like something that is going on in your house.

Answer 11

Try using a different type of litter, maybe something more grainier...also consult with your vet. Fixing the cat also will help a lot! It makes them more calm and more obedient.