Why is my neutered 8-month-old cat peeing in the laundry basket?

Sometimes, cats will return to the same location where they have had an accident previously and continue to urinate there - this is often because there is still some lingering odor that they can smell, which acts as a signpost saying "pee here!" He may also have learned that the bed was a pleasant place to use the bathroom, so in his mind it's a convenient option when he needs to go. I would recommend closing the door to your bedroom to block his access to the bed for the next month or so - this should be long enough to break the newly-formed habit of urinating on the bed. You should also make sure that all of the bedding has been washed, and the mattress has been treated with a deodorizing product that is made for getting rid of urine odors, such as Nature's Miracle or Urine Off. If he continues to have accidents in other places around the house even with the bedroom door closed, I would be suspicious of an underlying medical issue causing this behavior. In that case, it would be best to take him to the vet for an exam and urinalysis to help determine what's wrong.

That must be very frustrating for you! There can be a couple of reasons why Cooper will not use the litter box. Cats like a very clean box, and the litter should be scooped every day with the litter itself being changed once a week. If the box isn't clean enough for him, he won't use it. Cats can also be very picky about the type of litter used. If you changed litter recently, he may not like it and won't want to use it. Don't use scented litters, cats typically don't like the scent and will not use the box if it smells funny to them. I would use an unscented litter only. The litter box itself may be a problem. It could be too small for him to turn around in, or if it has a cover, he may not like using the box under a cover. Conversely, if it doesn't have a cover, he may not like going to the bathroom in the open. Cats also won't use a litter box that is too close to their food and water sources, so if the litter box is close to those, he won't use it. Finally, there could be a medical issue behind him not using the litter box. If not of the above scenarios apply to Cooper, I would take him into your vet for a health check to see if there is a medical cause behind him refusing to use the litter box.

One of the most common causes of inappropriate urination for a young adult cat is actually lower urinary tract disease. Cats can develop urinary tract inflammation and crystals or occasionally an infection that can cause discomfort and lead to them avoiding the litter box. If you notice any straining in the litter box or frequent urination, or if your cat urinates outside the box again I would recommend seeing your veterinarian for a physical exam and possibly a urinalysis before you assume that this is behavioral. The inappropriate defecation however is a little more suggestive of a behavioral problem, unless the stool was loose or had blood present. I'm wondering if this happened while the boxes were being cleaned today and were unavailable. You may also want to make sure you haven't changed the brand or type of litter and that you didn't use any strong smelling cleaners both of which could make the litter boxes less appealing to your cat. I doubt the skunk pelt is part of the problem.

No, there isn't. If you have multiple cats, keep a litterbox per cat plus an additional box in a "neutral" area of the house. Try litterbox attractants. You can find them in most pet stores or at www.pet360.com. Consider pheromone sprays or collars to decrease any stress or anxiety. If he can see out a window, draw the blinds to restrict his view. He could be seeing an outdoor cat that he perceives as a threat. Use a small animal repellent along the border of your property. Use an enzymatic cleaner such as Nature's Miracle to thoroughly clean sprayed areas.

If he is a tomcat, one of the best ways to control inappropriate urination is by having him neutered. Tomcats love to urinate all over everything as much as possible as a means of marking their territory. This sort of behavior usually ceases once the hormones are eliminated. Other things you can try is switching up the litter box or the type of litter, adding additional boxes, changing the amount of litter used, or any other variable thereof. Hope this helps.

Well, it can take about 60 days for the hormones to leave his system after neutering, so some may still be hormonal. However, cat’s will often have inappropriate urination if they are stressed about other things or if they are painful or otherwise upset. If the marking doesn’t improve in the next month then I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon to discuss options. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

That is a common problem, particularly with multi cat households. Cats love to pee on laundry, blankets, bath mats etc, especially if their litter box isn’t clean, or convenient to use. To break him of this I would confine him to a room without any fabric items and a large, clean litter box. Once he gets back into using the litter box normally then I would gradually give him access to the rest of the house. I would always pick up dirty clothes, and not leave bath mats, throw rugs, and blankets laying around. With three cats in the house I also recommend having three litter boxes in different places so they can use them privately and it’s best if you clean them daily. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Church.