Submissive Urination in Cats

Submissive urination in cats is not as common as it is in dogs. Generally, it arises when the cat feels some form of anxiety or fear and becomes incontinent regarding bladder control in certain situations. Treatment includes reassuring the cat about its assumption of anxiety-producing environments and reducing the cat's perceived sense of fear. Often, calming synthetic pheromones, such as Feliway, will help calm the cat and give it a sense of environmental security. Other treatments may involve veterinary assistance and the administration of anxiety-reducing medications only available by veterinary prescription.

    • Cats being cats

    Description of Submissive Urination

    • Submissive urination is a behavior expressed in relation to the cat's perceived social order within a multi-cat environment, or fear of the cat's human owner.

    Misconceptions About Submissive Urination

    • The cat owner should show body postures that are perceived as non-threatening by the cat that is experiencing submissive urination problems. It is important not to scold the cat for such behavior, as it will only increase the perceived threat in the cat's mind.

    Home Remedies for Submissive Urination

    • The product Feliway (see Resources) is a synthetic pheromone with properties that soothe cats and increase their self-confidence. It can be used to both calm a fearful cat and to indicate that urination is not an acceptable response to perceived threats.

    Veterinary Intervention

    • The veterinarian who has a complete history of your submissively urinating cat and who knows about all other relevant triggers in the cat's immediate environment can make the best-informed decision about treatment options and possible medications that will improve the resulting behavior expressed in your cat through submissive urination. Possible assistive medications include alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide, clorazepate dipotassium, diazepam, and imipramine hydrochloride.

    Assisting with Behavior Modification

    • Increasing a Cat's Level of Self-Confidence

      Ensure that within a multi-cat environment, one cat is not expressing dominance over the fearful, anxiety-ridden cat whose response is submissive urination. Also, ensure that the cat's owner in no way shows displeasure at the cat displaying submissive urination, or the problem, instead of resolving, will only worsen. Be patient. Behavior modification can sometimes involve a period to ensure the behavior is fully planted and supported.