[Alison]

Hello!I was hoping that somone out there can help me.I have 2 cats, one whom we've had for 3 years and the other for 6 months.Orion (the original cat) has recently taken to peeing where Travis sleeps.Even though we boil wash where he's gone, he comes back every time to the same 2 places where Travis sleeps.We're going to do the separate litter tray thing from today but is it possible that this is a dominance issue?A way of saying "get out" to Travis?Orion never pees anywhere else and we've noticed that he no longer covers his poop which I think I've read somewhere as a sign that he feels he's dominant over everyone else.Any ideas on how to "unchallenge" Orion would be welcome! Thank you!

 

[drjean]

The first step with any pee issues is a vet exam. There could be a urinary tract infection going on.

There are many reasons for a cat to go outside the box. Aside from infection, the most common problem is that the box is not clean enough. Waste should be scooped daily and the entire box emptied, washed, and filled with fresh litter every 2-4 weeks. Also, for two cats you should have a minimum of 2 boxes, preferably 3, in different locations in the house. If you have stairs, there should be a box on each level.

Is this cat declawed? That's another reason for litterbox discomfort, that can sometimes be improved by softer litter (most scoopables except Dr. Elsey) and/or less litter in the box; just an inch or so.

Washing does not necessarily break down the urine odor; soak the item in an enzyme cleaner designed to remove urine before washing.

For other insights and suggestions, please read the litterbox articles in our free article library at http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library

Cheers,
Dr. Jean