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Cat urination - what's the norm?

994 views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  Milky's Mammy 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I’ve had cats growing up, but they were always mostly outdoor cats…so we never had to deal with litter or any bathroom related issues.

However –

I was talking to some people at work about my cats and how awesome they are (like we all gloat), but all they ever seem to talk about is how much they want to kill their cats because they pee all over their house. I’ve had this conversation with other cat owners as well. They always tell me the same horror stories over and over and have warned me to prepare for my cats to start doing it. According to them, it's inevitable and if they're not doing it now, my luck is running out.

My cat, Nigel does not pee in my apartment unless it’s in the litterbox. Same with my new kitten, Archie. I’ve not had any urination problems with either of them.

Which is the norm? I don’t think that there really is a norm. There are so many circumstances that can cause a cat to urinate all over the place…but the people I talk to make it seem like having a cat that DOESN’T pee everywhere is abnormal.
 
#2 ·
Just my thoughts.

The norm is for the cat to use the litterbox. If they don't use it, there's something going wrong. Perhaps it's the litter itself is repulsive to the cat. Zenobi only went outside the litterbox once, and that was because she came in in a terrible hurry and couldn't wait. (Guess work, but she went right alongside the box.) Missy used to pee over the side until I bought the biggest box I could find. Both cats watched/watch me carefully as I scooped/scoop the box. Zenobi used to call from the box after she'd used it. Missy just comes along with a tiny 'meow'. Keeping the clumps and lumps cleared from the box is important. There's no way you can know what these people do and how clean their litterboxes are. I can only suggest that as long as you're free of the problem, to avoid any conflict, just proclaim youself 'lucky'.
 
#3 ·
agree with above poster, the norm is for cats to use the litterbox.

Now if these people don't think they need to spay/neuter their animals, then they may have a problem with cats spraying. Or if they stick the litterbox in the basement and don't clean it regularly...
 
#4 ·
Even when MowMow had a raging UTI and crystals he never eliminated out of the litter box. It would be unthinkable to him to eliminate anywhere in the apartment. So far so great with Shepherd Book as well (although I wouldn't trust him as much as I do MowMow).

If the boxes are dirty MowMow won't use them. He'll call and call until I come and clean one of them for him and hold it until I do. I agree with Jusjim, if the boxes are clean and the cats are healthy the majority will NOT go in the house.
 
#5 ·
I have never had issues with cats peeing outside the box, one time Cleo pooped in the kitchen tile, but this was because the door they normally push to get in to the coat closet had jammed, I was thankful she did it in a place that was easy to clean. All the pee issues I have seen in the shelter I volunteer at are always health related, URI, or they hate the litter etc. It is very very important to keep the litter clean, pepole that complain are normally those that clean the litter once a week and have no clue how to take care of a cat.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yes! This is what I thought!

Unless they’re ill, the litterbox is gross, or they can't get to it - they won’t use the bathroom anywhere else.

I think that they’re cats are spayed/neutered, but I’ve only ever had casual cat convo with them, so I don’t know all of the details.

I scoop the litterbox twice a day for my boys (especially now that I have 2) so that they always have a clean box.

I’m still a little untrustworthy of the kitten since he’s still learning the litterbox, but Nigel has full access to my entire apartment without me worrying at all.
 
#7 ·
Agreed that it's more normal for them to use the litterbox than not. If it weren't, it wouldn't be so easy to "train" kittens to it - they use it pretty naturally.

In addition to the conditions of their litterbox and the type of litter they may be using, something else to consider is whether their cats are spayed/neutered and when they were altered. If they had already begun spraying after reaching sexual maturity, and were then altered after beginning to spray, it is no wonder they urinate in the house - too little, too late in many cases.

The other thing I always questions is WHERE the cat urinates that's inappropriate, as that is also often the humans fault - anywhere they can dig and bury may be used (i.e. leaving a pile of dirty clothes or rumpled blanket on the floor is inviting the cat to use it as a litterbox, IMO).

These people probably have other behavioral issues with their cats as well, and there's no reason to suspect your cats will someday start peeing wherever they want, if they are using the box well now and are altered. If they do, it's a temporary problem, not a suddenly developed behavior - your cats are well cared for and (from your description) well mannered, so there's no reason for it.
 
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