Why did my 6-month-old kitten suddenly pee in the kitchen sink?

There are small water fountains you can purchase to use as her water source. This may keep her off of the counters. Restrict access to the rooms if possible. If not, a length of aluminum foil placed on the counter may deter her. Whenever you see her on the counter, gently remove her to another room. Be consistent and she will eventually learn the platform is not a place for her.

I had this exact same thing happen to me when my kitten was young. He would get so busy playing that he would "forget" to pee and when he finally couldn't hold it anymore, he would have to run to the litterbox. I found that I would have to take my kitten to the litter box every couple of hours just to "remind" him to use it for a few weeks until he got older. I suspect it is just immaturity, but certainly if it continues to happen as he gets older, have your vet evalate a urine sample to make sure there isn't something medical going on. The other thing would be to make sure that Merlin has a litterbox readily available since upstairs can sometimes be too far for a kitten. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

In a very general sense, cats typically avoid appropriate places to urinate (i.e. the litter box) because they associate doing so with pain. Any cat that is inappropriately urinating/defecating should be first checked for pain, either from urinary tract issues like an infection or inflammation, or skeletal pain from issues like hip or spinal problems. Once these issues have been ruled out, behavioral problems should be investigated. This can be done by increasing frequency of litter box cleaning (once daily), adding additional litter boxes (at least one per cat + 1), trying covered vs. non-covered boxes, trying a bigger box, and trying a few different kinds of litter to see if your cat has a different preference.

Since Squirt is only 4 weeks old, my theory is that he may be urinating and defecating on the bed because he has trouble getting down from it. If it is too high for him (or even if he can get down but it might just be a little scary), he is very likely to just use the bed for his business. If you are going to let him on the bed, I would only allow this for short periods of time until he is a little bit larger. The more times you permit him on the bed now and he continues this behavior, the more likely he may begin to thing it is acceptable. I would limit his bed time to no more than 30 minute intervals under direct supervision. After those periods of time have elapsed, place Squirt back into the area closest to the litter pan and see if things work out as they should. Hope this helps. Let me know if there is anything else I can do.

Causes of urination outside the box can be urinary tract infection, crystals in the urine, stones in the urinary tract, trauma to the area, or difficulty getting into the litterbox due to pain, or other reasons. It is important that you make an appointment to have Jinx seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment. If you notice his straining to urinate/unable to produce urine, this is a medical emergency and she should be seen by a vet immediately. In an unneutered male cat like Jinx, it may be that he is starting to mark around the house, in which case having him neutered may help. This will also help prevent him from getting your other cat pregnant. It is also possible that Jinx is exhibiting signs of stress in his home environment. You can do the following to help make sure Jinx’s environmental needs are being met: Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 , healthcareforpets.com and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic phisomone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com. Try an enzymatic cleaner like Nature’s Miracle on the areas where he has accidents to help with the smell and staining. Good luck!

I am sorry to hear about your kitten! Unfortunately blankets and towels left on the floor are often a favorite place for cats to pee! Since your kitten is young he may be more prone to this as he may not have completely established litter box habits. I would try to be sure no cloth items like this are left on the floor, and if your kitten continues to have accidents then a visit to the vet is needed to ensure he doesn't have a bladder infection or other cause for urinary accidents.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Axel. He has not gone through puberty being only 9 weeks of age. Therefore, this issue is likely related to not being fully potty trained yet as opposed to marking behavior. You can add another litterbox and make sure it has a very low lip to make it easy for the kitten to get in and out. You can try another litter substrate to see if he has a preference. Finally, wash your bedding and do not allow him access to it. I hope this information helps!