I've had my cat for about 2 1/2 years. He used to occasionally pee in spots around the house, but it gradually has gotten worse. He doesn't have any urinary issues i.e. UTI, but he does have Felv which the vet said should not be causing this. He used his litter box. I tried every suggestion I"ve found online. I changed litter, moved the litter box, changed his food, limit water somewhat. I can't put a 2nd litter box upstairs because the dog will get into it. It is now starting to cause damage in the house. I can't just let it continue. I know that I could rehome him, but I really don't want to. I feel that if he has this issue any new owner will also not want to keep him. Where might he end up....? So, what to do...? Any advice?
Cat peeing outside litter box
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Hi! What type of litter and litterbox are you currently using? How many litterboxes do you have? How does the cat interact with the dog? If your cat is scared of your dog, it could be the anxiety that is causing him not to use the litter box. If you only have one litterbox, PLEASE GET TWO! That may be a big factor in why he is peeing outside. Is the cat allowed upstairs? If he is, then I would figure out some way to get a second one upstairs. How big/what breed is your dog? Could you use a closed litter box with one of those clear plastic doors that allow the cat to get in but not the dog? Another thing you can try is to make a small room that is off limits to the dog by putting a baby gate. The cat should be able to fit through the bars but the dog can't. When he used to occasionally pee, did he pee in a certain spot all the time or was it random? If he peed in a certain spot I would put the litterboxes there. You can also try to use Dr Elsey's Cat Attract Litter. My kittens also had problems with the litterbox, so we have switched to Scoop Away litter (I had her on pine), and now the issue has basically been resolved. I understand that it may be frustrating to clean up after him, but it's not worth rehoming!! Another option that you can do is to consult a cat behaviorist. Hope this helps!
Hello! Koda&Jack above had really good questions. It's quite possible that this litterbox issue is due to anxiety. Tell us more about how your cat gets along with the dog. Is your cat downstairs or upstairs most of the time? I would definitely use a 2nd litter box somewhere in the house and if this is an anxiety induced issue I would even try to place a 3rd one to figure out if there is any litter box place that your cat prefers. Does your cat pee in many different places or usually in the same areas?
Some cats prefer peeing and pooping in separate places, so they need an extra litter box. The other issue I can think of is that if your litter box is too tall and your cat has arthritis or joint issues it could be difficult for him to get into the litter box.
Some cats prefer peeing and pooping in separate places, so they need an extra litter box. The other issue I can think of is that if your litter box is too tall and your cat has arthritis or joint issues it could be difficult for him to get into the litter box.
He is a young cat, so no issue with arthritis. I purposely have the litter box downstairs because the dog is small/part Yorkie and is afraid of the stairs. He goes down and uses the litter box and does both, but pees in random places in the house. He will go back to some of the same places, but i've cleaned every spot with everything known to man to try to stop that. No help. I have leaned toward the thought that it is an anxiety or some issue with the dog. They seem to get along most of the time, and even will play, but the dog is very protective of his things... toys.. where he sleeps. The placing of other litter boxes is really a last resort because of the dog, and i'm not at all sure if that would help at all if it an anxiety thing. I would just be cleaning two litter boxes and trying to keep the dog out of it all the time. I know there are different types of litter boxes, but the expenses start adding up. I do appreciate your help and suggestions.
@ koda&jack
Thank you for your reply. I am leaning to the thought that it's an issue between the dog and the cat. They get along and even play sometimes, but the dog is over protective of his stuff... i.e. toys, sleep space. He also seem very jealous that the dog goes outside and he can't. I switched to Dr. Elsey's awhile ago, and he still uses the litter box the same as always but still pees in different spots in the house. Cleaning the spots with everything possible doesn't keep him from going back to some of them again. The dog is small... a yorkie mix. He is afaid to go down the steps so that was the reason for putting the litter box in the basement. If it's an anxiety issue with the dog, I can't imagine how another litter box upstairs would help. So, thank so much for the suggestions. I hope that I can figure out a way to help the situation.
Thank you for your reply. I am leaning to the thought that it's an issue between the dog and the cat. They get along and even play sometimes, but the dog is over protective of his stuff... i.e. toys, sleep space. He also seem very jealous that the dog goes outside and he can't. I switched to Dr. Elsey's awhile ago, and he still uses the litter box the same as always but still pees in different spots in the house. Cleaning the spots with everything possible doesn't keep him from going back to some of them again. The dog is small... a yorkie mix. He is afaid to go down the steps so that was the reason for putting the litter box in the basement. If it's an anxiety issue with the dog, I can't imagine how another litter box upstairs would help. So, thank so much for the suggestions. I hope that I can figure out a way to help the situation.
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Putting a litter box upstairs may help the cat feel more confident because it marks his territory. Are you sure that they "playing" and it's not bullying? If your cat is jealous, you can try to leash/harness train him if you have the time. One of my kittens is leash trained and he enjoys the outdoors! Does your dog exhibit resource guarding? If he does, that may cause more anxiety with the cat. Luckily, resource guarding is easily fixed, there are many tutorials on how to fix it. The big idea is to take something your dog like and then "trade" him with a higher value treat such as food. As for peeing around the house, could that be a sign of confidence or a scared cat trying to mark his territory? If this is, try catifying the house. You can get cat trees or just putting in simple shelves can raise their confidence level. Sorry about the rant, but I hope this is useful.
House catification cat really help! The yorkie won't be able to jump up on shelves and your kitty knows it, so it would boost her confidence! Also, there are some anxiety pills you can give to your cat. The vet can recommend something and maybe CBD oil, they also use that for cat/dog anxiety.
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