Kitten uses litter box all day but pees on sofa at night. Why?

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jimmy Choo. I am sorry to hear about your situation. How frustrating! A lot of times, I recommend that the cat is seen by his veterinarian to ensure he does not have a medical problem. However, at his age, a urinary tract infection or inflammation is less likely. My guess is that he is very young and is having accidents. You can add another litter box to your bedroom or place him in a small room with a litter box over night. Be sure to provide water. This will help him to use to the box overnight. Once he is not having accidents at night, you can allow him access to your bed again. I hope this information helps!

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Kiki is urinating on your couch! This may be related to a medical problem or a behavioural issue. I would start by using an enzymatic urine cleaner designed to neutralize the odour on the couch, as the pee smell on the couch may keep her coming back to it. I would also think about any possible stressors in the house. Have you changed the litter type recently? Have you moved recently? Loud noises? Frequent visitors, or pets that are bullying her? I would also try out a product called Feliway, which is a feline pheromone designed to help reduce inappropriate urination behaviours and reduce stress in cats. If these have been tried and she is still urinating on the couch, I would take her to a vet to evaluate for medical issues such as a urinary tract infection, urinary crystals or stones, or bladder inflammation. They will likely examine a urine sample and conduct a full physical exam. I hope this helps, and that Kiki is feeling better soon!

Use a litter box attractant. You can purchase one from most pet stores. If she defecates under the bed, remove the stool and place it on the litterbox. Block her access to the bed. Use tin foil or a carpet runner flipped upside down (pokey side up) to keep her off the bed.

This sounds behavioral to me based on your description. I typically recommend having multiple litter boxes around and wherever she is urinating, place a litter box right there and see if that helps. Spaying may also help reduce this behavior. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I recommend you get her an extra tray - many cats will not reuse a tray once it is wet/dirty. Placing the new tray in the bathroom (or tub) until she accepts it or closing the bathroom door to prevent access should help to create new toilet habits which are more acceptable!

I would be a little worried that Jinx might be urinating somewhere else in the house! I'd recommend confining her to a small area like a bathroom with the litter box so that you can closely monitor what is happening - pull all rugs up. It is also possible that she is nervous about her new situation and simply hasn't urinated yet. If she is eating and drinking well and you're not seeing her straining to urinate or defecate you could probably give her another 24 hours of very close supervision. If she still does not go I would recommend seeing a veterinarian.