Reasons Your Cat May Not Be Using The Litter Box
Despite how it may seem, your cat isnt peeing on your favorite shoes to get revenge. However, you should take this as a signal that something isnt right. Never scold or punish your cat for inappropriate urination – this will only add to her stress and possibly worsen her condition.
Causes of inappropriate urination in cats can usually be divided into two categories: underlying disease or behavioral.
Cat Peeing On Shoes & How You Can Stop This
In this article youre going to learn how you can stop your cat from peeing in your shoes
Youll discover why they are doing
How you can stop it
The best part?
Im going to reveal to you a awesome guide that teaches you via a step by step system that you can follow to get your cat to use the litter box
So if youre tired of your cat peeing outside the litter box and in your shoes then youre going to love this article
Sound good?
Homemade Products To Stop Your Cat From Peeing There
These are my homemade recipes for cleaning and repelling cat urine. I usually use a vinegar solution and a citrus spray. I like vinegar because it’s better for the environment and better for me. If you have anyone in your home with breathing problems, harsh cleaning products can make things worse.
First, clean up the urine on the floor. Use paper towels or anything else you are willing to throw away. Then use either of these two solutions:
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Why Does My Cat Have To Piss On It
In the wild, cats sometimes complain about certain things as part of their mates behavior. This behavior is instinctive and may be more common when cats are in heat and urination contains hormones and pheromones reported by males. Since there are no wild areas to mark, pussies can piss on your stuff instead!
They Might Be Spray Marking Not Urinating
Its important to determine whether your cat is urine marking or relieving a full bladder. Urine marking is a natural instinct for cats, as unpleasant as it may be for us cat parents! If your cat is urine marking, they will be standing with their tail upright, while a small amount of urine is sprayed backwards onto a vertical surface, leaving a scent mark. Common places that cats may do this include near doors, windows, curtains, sofas and sometimes even shopping bags – basically anywhere that may smell different to what they are used to, which challenges their feeling of safety.
This is different to your kitty deciding that another area is preferable to their litter tray. Soft items, such as sofas, carpets, duvets or pillows may be attractive to them, as they are comfortable on their paws, the urine soaks into the material, and they may be areas that have a scent that makes them feel safe. If your kitty has taken to urinating in other areas and they are not using their litter tray, get them checked with your vet to make sure there are no underlying medical causes. Also check the location of the litter tray as well as the litter substrate.
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How Do You Stop Cats From Peeing Everywhere
You should reevaluate your litter boxes if your cat is peeing all over the place and you have ruled out medical reasons for this behavior.
How To Get Cat To Stop Peeing On Bathroom Rug
However, in some cases, certain cats may retain the behavior out of habit, especially if they are fixed at an older age.I know it sounds gross, but get as much pee out of your clothes as possible before you actually start treating anything.I know some kitties dont like to go where the other has been.I used to have a cat that wouldnt revisit his own litterbox to poop if hed already pooped there.
If a cat is peeing somewhere because another cat has used the litterbox, it might be helpful to have more litterboxes.If not, you may have to guess and work your way through the housecats until you get the right one at the vet.If that is the case with your cat, you may want to switch to a rug without this type of backing.If the litter box is in this location, he might urinate outside the box to avoid that location.
If your clothes have been peed on by your cat, there are a few specific steps that you can take to fix the situation.If your litter box is tucked away somewhere, like a closet, your cat might be having trouble accessing the litter box.Ignoring the problem or yelling at your cat will not make the problem go away.It can be upsetting and very stressful.
It is advised that you scoop your pet cats litter box at least once per day.Move the box to a new location.My cat has started peeing outside of her litter box.Play with the cat around the litter box
Your cat may dislike a certain location in your home.Your cat will most likely then use the litter box.
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Evaluate The Litter Box Location
Where are the litter boxes located? If you have multiple stories in your home, you’ll want at least one on each floor.
Think about it: if you were on the second floor of your house, would you want to run all the way downstairs to use the bathroom? Neither does your cat.
And when litter boxes are too tucked away, say inside cabinets or in the corner of a basement laundry room, cats may not bother to go find them. Making it convenient for your cat to use the litter box will often alleviate problems.
Finally, if your cat keeps peeing in the same spot, try placing a litter box over that area, and then slowly moving it to a more appropriate location.
The placement and setup of your litter box can make a real difference.
Inappropriate Urination: How To Change Your Cat’s Behavior
Once you’ve isolated the reason your cat is peeing in the house, you can begin to change its behavior. This will take time.
- If your cat has been peeing where it shouldn’t, you’ll need to remove all trace of the smell or block off the area entirely. Clean the spot with an enzymatic cleanser rather than an ammonia-based one, cover with foil or plastic, and prevent access for several weeks to give the neutralizer sufficient time to work.
- If there is a new cat in the house, give them separate litter boxes. Give them different territories until they are comfortable with each other. Sometimes not getting along can cause cats to show aggression through urination.
- If your cat is threatened by a new baby, guest, or other change, give it time to adjust.
- Moving to a new home is a big change in your cat’s life. Not only is the cat claiming and adjusting to a new territory, but it might also be reacting to the scent of a former tenant’s pet. You’ll need to reassure your cat and completely remove all odors of other cats so your cat won’t feel the need to mark its territory.
Don’t forget to give extra attention, affection, and praise to your cat. Reassure your pet that it is a loved and important part of the family.
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Does Peppermint Oil Stop Cats From Peeing
What exactly is it? After you have completely cleaned the area, squirt this solution into all of the spots where the cat has previously peed. Even after the peppermint fragrance has faded, my cats avoid certain spots to this day. It has been several months since I had difficulties with my cats urinating in those spots, but I still spray the areas on occasion, around once a month.
Dont Stress Out Your Cat
There are a couple of things that stress out your cat. As a cat owner, you need to be aware of the causes that can make your cat unhappy. Observe your cats behaviour in dealing with certain situations such as the presence of a new family member, or a new cat. Focus on the problems once youve identified the cause. Allow your cat to get used to the new environment.
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Help Your Cat Be Happy With Their Litter Tray
If your kitty doesnt seem to want to use their litter tray, try changing the litter substrate you use. Why not make it into a little experiment? Have 2 or 3 trays in the same place but with different substrates in each and see which your cat prefers. Many cats prefer to use a clumping, unscented litter with a fine consistency, like sand. Try to introduce your cat to the new litter substrate gradually so as to put them at ease, and ensure the litter is deep enough for them to dig in. Its been said that the less they dig, the less they like the litter, so monitor this closely!
Cleaning Your Clothes That Were Peed On
Another thing that you might want to know is how to remove the pee from your clothes?
After all, it is an unpleasant smell that you will want to remove straight away.
A quick washing in the washing machine might not be enough. What to do?
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Is Your Cat Peeing Out Of Spite
Walking through the front door and finding that your cat has peed somewhere rather than use their cat litter box can be quite upsetting especially if your cat has used a rug, bath towel or your favorite jumper as their toilet.
It is not a good idea to tell your cat off, but it is certainly going to be beneficial if you can discover what has caused your cat to act in this way.
Cats are not daft but in fact they can be quite complex and easily stressed, so for your cat to pee outside their cat litter box, this usually indicates that there is a problem.
You know your cat well, so you should be able to deduce what has upset your cat and made it behave in this way.
Its their way of communicating with you
They cant literally tell you this is whats happening
But heres the problem
You have no idea what is causing your cat to pee outside the litter box
Yes, theyre communicating with you but what exactly are they saying
So lets look at why your cat is peeing on your stuff and not in their litter box
How To Help Your Kitty With Urinating Outside The Litter Tray
Inappropriate urination is a common problem among households with cats, but by identifying the cause, you can help your pet. The most important thing to remember is to never punish your cat for urinating outside of their litter tray – whether there is a medical reason or they are simply anxious, punishing them will only make the situation worse. Instead, here are some tips on how you can help your kitty:
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Why Is My Cat Peeing Everywhere All Of A Sudden
You have a big problem: your cat, who was trained to use a litter box years ago, is suddenly peeing in random spots around your home. You’re at your wits’ end. As a cat owner, I can empathize: it’s maddening, destructive, and confusing. Your normally sweet and pristine little kitty is making your house a mess.
The thing to remember is that your cat is unhappy about the situation, too. Cats are very clean animals. If yours has been “inappropriately urinating” , then it’s trying to tell you that something is wrong.
There is a reason for this behavior, and it’s up to you to figure out why or it will continue. Below, you can find reasons and solutions to your cat’s litter box problem.
Did You Know?
The number one reason cats are given up is that they can’t be trained to use their litter box.
What Is A Good Homemade Cat Repellent
Citronella oil may be used as a homemade cat repellent, and many people have reported success using it. Citronella is primarily recognized as a mosquito repellent, however cats dislike the odor of Citronella since it is unpleasant to them. Simply combine one part Citronella oil with four parts water and saturate the affected regions extensively with the mixture.
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Determining The Cause Of Inappropriate Urination
Figuring out the underlying cause of inappropriate urination starts with a thorough history and complete physical exam, including a urinalysis that is run right away to look for crystal formation, blood tests to look for diabetes, kidney disease, and hyperthyroidism.
Often, we will also recommend bladder imaging, such as X-rays or an ultrasound, to look for bladder stones and possibly at kidney health.
If all tests check out, well explore possible behavioral causes. Here is where a house call visit from a veterinarian experienced in cat behavior can be very helpful in assessing life from the cats point of view.
Fortunately, there is hope for most cats that are urinating outside the litter box if the problem is addressed quickly, before it becomes a more serious medical issue or a habit, if its a behavioral issue.
Cat Pee In The House: Removing The Scent Will Prevent Its Return
There are several ways to stop your cat from peeing in the house.
First, you must remove the odor from your home. Your cat will keep returning to that area if he can pick up the scent. Clean up the urine as soon as possible. Wipe up the mess with a paper towel and then use a disinfectant and odor neutralizer. Avoid ammonia-based disinfectants because your cat will think it’s urine and continue peeing in that area. A cleaning spray that lists orange oil in the ingredients works well. Cats dislike and will avoid the smell of citrus. A home remedy I use is homemade citrus cleaner made with orange peels. You can also use a good old-fashioned warm water and vinegar solution. Both are inexpensive and “green” alternatives to toxic chemical cleaning products.
Even if you can’t smell it, your cat can.
- To make sure you got all the urine off the floor, use a black light. A black light will show everything, even in spots you didn’t know about.
- You can also try moving your cat’s food and water dish since a cat won’t pee where it eats.
- Aluminum foil is another option. Cover the spot where your cat has peed with foil. Cats don’t like the sound or texture and will avoid it.
Homemade remedies for cleaning and repelling cat urine
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Changes In The Home And Other Stress
Cats arent fans of change, especially changes inside their territory. Any changes about the home can result in stress or anxiety, causing your kitty to urine mark their territory. So if you have recently made changes, such as rearranging furniture, or had new visitors that your furry friend isnt accustomed to, consider if that coincides with your cat starting to urinate outside the litter tray.
You can help comfort your cat during these changes by making sure they have key resources available. Ensure your kitty has access to resting / hiding places, plenty of space, food and water bowls, as well as litter trays – and make sure they have a predictable routine.
Find Target Spots Where The Cat Pees
Most cats are going to have specific spots where they pee.
This means they arent going to sprinkle the entire couch. Instead, they are going to find one area that is good enough for them to pee on.
As a result, its best to think about using mouthwash to stop cats from peeing on furniture and making sure you are applying the solution to specific areas. This is how you are going to deter the cat and make sure it doesnt get comfortable with the idea of peeing on the couch.
Anything short of this is going to waste your time and may end up causing the cat to pee on the couch regardless of the mouthwash.
Be vigilant when you are doing this and pay attention to how the cat reacts. This is key information and is going to dictate what you end up doing at home.
Otherwise, there are times when cats continue to stick to their target zones and forget about the mouthwash thats present. By sprinkling mouthwash on those specific zones, you are going to have a far easier time seeing results.
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Thoroughly Clean Up The Mess
Whether your vet determines that the problem is medical or behavioral, be sure to thoroughly clean all areas where your cat has peed outside the box. You want to be sure youve eliminated the odor, not just for your own sake, but also so the smell doesnt draw your cat back to that same spot.
You can use a black light and your nose to identify all the problem areas.
If you are dealing with fresh urine, first blot up as much as possible with paper or cloth towels. Next , pick the best cleaning method based on what has been soiled:
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Bedding, clothing, towels, etc.: You can clean these in the washing machine using a cold cycle, and then hang them outside to dry.
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Floors and other hard surfaces: Thoroughly clean with your favorite household cleaning solution or a pet stain and odor remover solution.
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Rugs, carpets, mattresses and upholstery: These are best cleaned with an enzymatic or bacterial cleaner like Nature’s Miracle Just For Cats Stain and Odor Remover, but make sure to follow the manufacturers instructions to maximize the effectiveness.
Image:Olesya Kuznetsova/Shutterstock