My cat pees outside the box. Is it medical or should I crate him?

I'm sorry to hear that Oliver is not using his litter box appropriately. How frustrating! The first thing you want to do is have your veteriarian rule out a medical problem. If he has inflammation, crystals in the urine or an infection, he will be less likely to use the box. If he has a condition causing him to drink excessive amounts of water, he will urinate more and likely out of the box. If there is not a medical issue, then it is a behavior issue. The first step is to neuter him. You should have a litter box for each cat in the home plus one (2 boxes for 1 cat, 3 boxes for 2 cats, etc). Try adding a box in a new location away from any loud noises (furnace, washer/dryer, etc). You can also try a new litter substrate and see if that helps. I hope this information gives you a starting point. Good luck!

Inappropriate elimination in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his defecating outside the box. Once medical issues are ruled out, take a look at other explanations. Has there been a lot of activity that wasn't normal? Were you away and your cat was left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox located in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Have you changed the brand of litter or kind? Is there something about the spot he has chosen to use that is attracting him in some way? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out to express their dissatisfaction. The litter box may not be big enough. The general rule of thumb is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped daily, if not more often and changed completely weekly washed with soap and water only. You can also offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don't recommend the crystal kind, it makes a hissing sound when wet that can startle some cats and make them reluctant to use it again. The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure any other pets or people aren't giving them a hard time around or in the litter box. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat's preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. And, when cleaning up pet accidents, don’t use any cleaner containing ammonia. This leaves behind a scent similar to urine

It sounds like you are on the right tract with Neko in that fact that you clean the box daily and that you purchased a larger litter box. Some other things that may help would be to make sure the box is in a quiet, private location where he cannot be started/trapped in the box by another animal. Additionally, as far as litter goes, most cats prefer a clay based, clumping cat litter. If he seems picky, you could set up a few boxes, each with a different type of litter (corn based, pellets...etc) and see which one he prefers. Lastly, going outside the box can indicate a medical issue or behavioral issue. If he is urinating outside the box, have his urine tested for an infection. If he is having a soft stool, then I would recommend to have him seen by his veterinarian and the stool tested. If it is a normal stool, then you may try adding in canned food into his diet which can increase water content and make it more comfortable to pass. You could also try changing his diet to something that is very easy to break down such as Royal Canin kitten food. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tobei. First, it is a good idea for him to see his veterinarian to determine there is not a medical cause contributing to his condition. For example, a disease that will increase his thirst will make him urinate more and this can lead to going out of th box. If he does not have an underlying disease, then it is a behavioral problem. In this case, you need a minimum of one litterbox for every cat in the house plus one. Most cats prefer uncovered boxes. The boxes need to be in safe locations away from loud noises such as appliances. Older cats are prone to arthritis and it can be difficult to get in and out of the litterbox. In this case using the lid to a large Sterilite storage container is an option. The very low lip may make it easier for him to access it. I hope this information helps!

Hello, thank you for your question. Inappropriate elimination can be a sign of few possible underlying conditions. One possibility is that your car has a UTI, this is more common in female cats but does occur in males. Another possibility is that your cat could have bladder stones. Stones are very irritating and cause discomfort especially when trying to urinate. A third possibility is that your cat has a stress condition called FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease). This condition is common in young male cats who live indoors. A stressful event in their environment leads to inflammation and the symptoms you are seeing. I would recommend having your cat seen by your veterinarian so that they can check for a UTI. They will likely collect a urine sample and look for signs of infection. If there are no signs of a UTI they can discuss FLUTD more with you and go through management options. Hope this helps, good luck!

If this is a recent behavior change for Cuddles, the first step would be to have him examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - there are a number of medical problems that can cause accidents outside the litter box, so your vet may recommend basic blood work and other testing to check for any evidence of a problem. If everything comes back normal, then it is likely that the issue is behavioral. Having accidents like this is often a stress or anxiety-related behavior in cats - if there have been any recent changes in the household, such as a new pet or a new baby, a move to a new house, or a guest staying with you, these could all be reasons for him to be pottying in inappropriate places. There may also be something about the litter box that he finds objectionable - he may not like the type of litter provided, or the location of the box. It can sometimes take some detective work to pinpoint the problem in cases like this, so if you're still stumped, I would consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist - he/she can meet your cat in person and do an in-depth evaluation to help diagnose the problem and develop a plan to treat it. In the meantime, you can try a Feliway diffuser in the house or a natural calming supplement such as Composure to see if this helps.

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Inappropriate elimination (peeing or pooping outside the litter box) in cats can be frustrating and difficult to treat. The first step you should take is scheduling an appointment for Udang to see a veterinarian. A lot of times a cat will start going outside of the litter box due to health problems like urinating tract infections, pain, urinary tract inflammation and digestive problems. Once you have established that there aren't any medical reasons for inappropriate elimination the following may be helpful: 1. Cats will urinate or defecate outside of the litter box for stress related reasons. Therefore it is best to keep the litter boxes in several different, quiet areas of the household. 2. A pheromone diffuser like Feliway can be quite helpful. 3. Ensure you have at least one litter box in the household per cat plus one. For example, if you have 3 cats, then 4 litter boxes are recommended. 4. Feeding an all canned food diet can help if there is inflammation in the bladder. There are also prescription diets available to help with bladder inflammation or digestive issues. Your veterinarian can help you choose the best one for your cat. 5. The litter boxes should be cleaned once to twice daily and completely emptied and washed weekly. Most cats prefer litter to be the clumping type that is kept a few inches deep. Certain litter types like Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter may be helpful. 6. You can also place aluminum foil over the areas Udang normally likes to urinate to prevent him from going in that area. If you have done a lot of the above suggestions you may also want to talk to your veterinarian about behavioral medications that may help prevent inappropriate urination. Good luck!