It is no secret that cats are very neat animals, they do not only keep themselves spic and span but they also like to keep the places where they spend time tidy, such as their beds, litter boxes, feeders and other areas of the house. With this in mind, at AnimalWised we know that when a cat decides to urinate in places where they usually don't this is because something is wrong with with your pet, so this behavior should not be interpreted as a mere cat's whim.
If you have ever wondered: why is my cat peeing everywhere? Then this is the article you have been looking for. To know what to do the first step is to find out the reasons for such behavior and tackle the problem at its root.
Initial advice
If your cat has always used the litter box properly and he or she suddenly starts peeing all over the house, you must understand that this indicates that something is not right at either a health or emotional level.
If the cat can go outside, it is quite natural for your pet to urinate in different places around the outside of the house because that way it marks its territory. In this case there is no problem and it is normal behavior.
You must pay attention if you notice that your cat urinates indoors, only when your cat is used to using their litter box. If you notice that, from one day to another, your cat begins to use corners, furniture, beds and basically anywhere he or she can think of to do their needs, something has happened to your cat that deserves your attention.
Faced with such behavior you must be patient to detect what triggers this response in the cat, as the reasons may be related to a disease or to situations that are causing stress in your cat.
Diagnosing the causes is not usually easy, but with a little patience and lots of love you will find the cause of the problem. Avoid scolding or reprimanding the cat after spraying as this will only increase your pet's anxiety levels.
Health problems
Some diseases can cause your cat to start peeing everywhere in the house, such as cystitis, kidney stones and diarrhea. Why does your cat urinate everywhere in these cases? In the first two, the condition causes pain upon urination, so it is normal that your cat for your cat to not urinate completely in the moment that they want to, and they will finish spraying elsewhere due to the urgency that this will produce. Besides, those who have had a cat with cystitis will know how anxious they can get, leaving small pools of urine everywhere, leaving traces of blood in urine as if to alert their human companions of the discomfort they are feeling.
Peeing everywhere in the house is also common when the trouble is not of a urinary origin. If your cat is suffering from something else, such as pain somewhere in the body, they may decide to urinate outside the litter box. Why? It is just their way of draining the discomfort they are feeling. Therefore, when faced with this behavior, the first thing to do is go to the vet, who will carry out the tests necessary to rule out that this is a health problem.
Stress
You may not know this, but stress is one of the major causes that lead a cat to modify its behavior, and urinating everywhere is one of its ways of expressing it.
What can cause stress in your cat?
No matter how pampered they are and how much care you give them, offering your kitty a life that in your judgement is quite carefree, the truth is that changes in the home affect your cat deeply, causing anger, anxiety, fear and sadness, among other emotions.
What situations cause these emotional disorders?
The reasons are varied, from the arrival of a new member to the family (either a baby or other pet), which can make the cat believe they are being displaced from their rightful place, to moving home, a tense relationship with their owners due to previous scoldings, rearranging the furniture or even a change in your daily routine.
What to do if your cat is stressed?
The important thing is to back track to the point the cat began to change their behavior in order to find the necessary solution. Any changes should be introduced subtlety, allowing the animal to adapt to one before introducing another.
When it comes to the arrival of a baby, familiarizing the animal with the places that correspond to the baby and letting them gradually get used to the new sounds and smells that the child brings is crucial for a harmonious coexistence. The same applies to the intrusion of a new pet. The introduction of another animal into the home cannot be done abruptly, instead it should be gradual, giving them each their own space to sleep, do their business and eat. In this way, the cat will not feel their space being invaded.
All these measures, of course, require a lot of patience and understanding. It is also necessary to provide the cat with objects and spaces for them to carry out activities typical of their species, such as scrapers, toys to chase and search for, as well as shelves or cat-friendly trees where they can climb. Trying to suppress their natural behaviors will only generate more stress and will not prevent the cat from peeing everywhere.
Litter box
If there is something that bothers cats the most is to try to force them to use or do things they do not like. That is why if something in the litter-box bothers your feline it will steadfastly refuse to use it and, therefore, the cat will urinate everywhere.
What things in their litter-box things can annoy your cat? Well, the following:
- Not cleaning enough. The cat is unable to go to the toilet in a place that is considered dirty, so you should collect their waste more often and keep the box clean. Lidded boxes are not recommended because unpleasant odors accumulate inside them.
- More than one cat uses the box. If you have several cats at home it is best that they each have their own container for their stool, and we even recommended to have an extra one because you never know what can happen to your cats. That is, if you have two cats then you must have three boxes, and so on.
- They do not like sand: Some litter comes scented to hide the smell of waste to the human nose. However, this scent is likely to disturb your feline, so it may decide to use another corner of the house as a bathroom. Also, the texture may be what displeases them and makes your cat urinate everywhere except in their box.
- They do not like the box. A box that is too high or too small box will annoy your cat when using it.
- They do not like where it is. Cats cannot stand doing their needs near where they sleep or eat, so if your litter box is very close to these areas you may want to move it away. In addition, if you place it in a crowded room of the house, close to the movement of people or where the sound from appliances can disturb your cat, they will look for a quieter place for spraying.
- It is not easily accessible. If you put the box in a location where your cat cannot access it quickly and easily, it is possible that urgency (or laziness) will make them prefer a closer place.
We hope these tips can help detect why your cat urinates everywhere and to look for an easy solution. Remember to be patient and consult your veterinarian in the case of any eventuality.
If you want to read similar articles to Why Is my Cat Peeing Everywhere? All Possible Reasons, we recommend you visit our Behavioral problems category.