Cat Urinating Issues

Cats urinate outside of their litter boxes when they become upset or anxious, and this can indicate a medical condition. When stressed for any reason, a cat may urinate outside of its litter box or spray urine to mark its territory. Cat urine spray contains pheromones that communicate messages to other cats concerning territory or reproduction. If your cat is urinating outside of its litter box or has trouble urinating, you need to determine the cause of this behavior to effectively treat it.

  1. Medical Issues

    • A cat urinates outside of its litter box if experiences pain while urinating from an infection or disease. In addition to inappropriate elimination, your cat may cry out in pain while urinating, urinate more frequently, have blood in the urine or strain to urinate. Common medical conditions that cause problems urinating include a urinary tract infection, feline lower urinary tract disorder, feline urologic syndrome and feline idiopathic cystitis, according to Vetinfo. These conditions can lead to the formation of crystals in the cat's urine that block the bladder and cause your cat extreme pain and even can lead to death. Cats with a blockage from crystals need immediate medical attention to prevent permanent damage or death. Cats with pain or trouble urinating may also suffer from kidney stones. All of these conditions require veterinary attention.

    Litter Box Issues

    • Cats who eliminate outside of the litter box and have a clean bill of health may have issues with the cleanliness of their litter box, its location, type of litter box, or type of litter you have. Scoop the litter box daily and rinse it out once per week with a nontoxic enzymatic cleaner. Cats prefer scoopable litter and a large, open litter box. Place your cat's litter box in an area of your home that it can easily access. Cats prefer boxes in low-traffic areas, and you need to provide at least one litter box per cat plus one extra box, according to the Humane Society of the U.S. Older cats may have trouble using a litter box. Provide litter boxes with low sides near your elderly cat's favorite spaces.

    Behavioral Issues

    • Both male and female cats spray urine to mark their territories and advertise for a mate. These cats urinate in their litter boxes normally but leave small amounts of urine in other parts of your home as a method of indirect communication. Unlike inappropriate elimination issues, this behavior has nothing to do with an aversion to the litter box. A cat marks on vertical surfaces with its tail held up and twitching while spraying urine. This urine smells more pungent than normal urine because it contains pheromones. Spaying or neutering your cat usually resolves this problem, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

    Considerations

    • If your cat begins to urinate outside of its box, has pain while urinating or strains to urinate, you must first rule out a medical condition causing the behavior. Take your cat to a veterinarian to test it for a medical problem. Spay or neuter a healthy cat to stop it from urine-marking inside of your home. Reduce stressful situations that might propel your cat to urinate outside of its box by providing your cat with a selection of different types of litter boxes it may prefer. Place these boxes next to each other and try various types of clumping litter to determine which one your cat likes best. Use a calming pheromone diffuser in your home to make your cat feel at ease and use its litter box correctly. Provide separate spaces and cat beds in your home for multiple cats to reduce any intercat aggression.