Home

>

Cat

>

Training & Behavior

>

5 Reasons Your Cat is Peeing (or Pooping!) Outside the Litter Box

5 Reasons Your Cat is Peeing (or Pooping!) Outside the Litter Box

Updated On March 22nd, 2017

Image profile

Reviewed By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

If you’re a cat owner, you know that there’s nothing quite as frustrating as finding out that your cat has been peeing or pooping outside the litter box. This is one of the most common behavioral issues that we see in pet cats, and one that can cause a tremendous amount of stress for cat owners – and in some cases, even leads to rehoming of the cat. **Fortunately, this is often a very treatable problem** that can be successfully resolved once we determine what is causing it. Read on for some common possible causes of accidents outside the litter box.

Medical Problems

There are a number of different illnesses and medical problems that can cause cats to have accidents outside the litter box. Some common possibilities include [FIC (feline idiopathic cystitis)](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/lower-urinary-tract-disease/), [bladder stones](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/urine-crystals-and-bladder-stones/), [urinary tract infections (UTIs)](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/utis-in-cats/), [chronic kidney disease](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/kidney-disease-1/), [diabetes](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/feline-diabetes/), or [hyperthyroidism](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/hyperthyroidism/).

It’s actually much more common for litter box accidents to stem from a medical problem rather than a behavioral one, so it’s important to have your cat examined by a veterinarian before assuming that it’s a training or behavior issue. If there is an underlying medical issue causing the accidents, this will need to be diagnosed and treated properly in order to resolve the problem.

Litter Box Aversion

Some cats have accidents in inappropriate places because they don’t like something about their litter box – it can take some detective work in some cases to figure out what the problem is! Some common litter box problems that can cause cats to look elsewhere for a good spot to use the bathroom are a box that’s too small, a strongly scented litter, a cover on the box, an inconvenient location, or a lack of cleanliness.

Most cats prefer a large, low-sided litter box that is kept very clean – meaning scooped once or twice daily, and litter changed out completely every one to two weeks. Covered litter boxes can be off-putting to some cats since they trap odors inside and may also make the cat anxious by blocking the view of its surroundings. Finally, litter boxes should be in a quiet, safe location away from high traffic areas or noisy appliances that could scare your cat. Often, if the litter box is the problem, a few simple changes may be all that is needed to encourage your cat to use it again.

Stress or Anxiety

Very often, accidents outside the litter box [can be a sign of stress or anxiety in cats](https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-signs-your-cat-is-stressed/). One common cause of stress for cats would be a sudden change in their daily routine or environment – such as moving, their owner leaving town for a trip, a house guest staying with them for a few days, a member of the household moving out, or a new baby in the house. Problems with other pets in the home, such as a dog who pesters the cat, or two cats who don’t get along can also cause stress… which in turn leads to accidents.

If you suspect that your cat may be having accidents due to stress or anxiety, it’s best to talk with your veterinarian since many cats with significant anxiety issues can be greatly helped by prescription medication. Other options that may be helpful include Feliway pheromone diffusers, or natural calming supplements such as Zylkene or Composure.

Urine Marking

Urine marking (also called spraying) is a very normal behavior for unneutered male cats. This is one of the main reasons that almost all indoor male cats are neutered! Generally, spraying is done on vertical surfaces, like the side of the couch or the kitchen cabinets. The urine of intact males is also extremely smelly, which makes it difficult to clean up and very hard to live with. It can be almost impossible to curb this behavior in an intact male, so it’s strongly recommended to have your male cat [neutered](https://www.petcoach.co/article/spay-and-neuter-basics-for-dogs-and-cats/) if he lives in the house and you haven’t done this already.

Some intact females also spray, although it’s less common than in males. If your female cat is marking in the house, spaying her may help to resolve this behavior.

Cognitive Dysfunction

Some older cats can develop [cognitive problems](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-signs-of-feline-dementia/) similar to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease in humans. This can lead to having accidents outside the litter box in some cases, since they may forget where it’s located or not realize they need to go until it’s too late.

Other symptoms of cognitive dysfunction may include excessive vocalization during the night, getting “lost” in familiar places, or staring off into space. If you suspect that your cat may have some problems with cognitive dysfunction, it’s best to discuss this with your veterinarian – there are medications available that can help.

Vote icon

1500Pet Parents found this article helpful

Related Questions

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

Read More

Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

Read More

My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

Read More

My 3 year old long haired tuxedo female pees just fine in the litter box, but she preferred to poop on the bathroom rug or on the carpet behind the sofa. Then, she will go weeks and everything is fine only start pooping outside the box again. I have 4 litter boxes and 3 cats. I clean all several times a day. She is the youngest. I've put wee wee pads down and she lifts them up and poops under them. Any ideas to help? Thanks!

A good first step, if you haven't already, is to rule out any health issues with your vet such as arthritis that may be causing the accidents. Secondly, making sure none of the other cats are bullying her away from the litter box may also alert you to any issues. Thirdly, a good enzymatic cleaner may help reduce the smell/discourage use of these areas in the future. That said, if you've done the above and the issue is still happening, it's probably time to call in a veterinary or animal behaviorist that can visit in person to see what may be going on. They may be able to check for stressors that could be causing the accidents where they are, look for issues with refusal to defecate in the box, or see if there is a cycle that is happening that is triggering this reaction. From there they may be able to set up a more tailored plan to help reduce the accidents and encourage use of the litter box at all times. If you're in the US, you can use this website to help find someone available in your area: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

Read More

My 8yo Golden had a falsepregnancy w milk. Cabergoline has resolved it now. I hear conflicting opinions about spaying. She has never mated. Some say not spaying would cause pseudopregnancy recurrence+dangerous conditions like Mammary T. But UCDavis studies say spaying increases other aggressive cancer risks among GoldenRs. Also, vet thinks that her anemia that keeps coming back after prednisolone trtmnts *might* be due to Ovary cysts, suggests spaying. What's the right approach for her health?

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Lav. I've heard many owners quote the UC Davis study, and there are a number of things wrong with the study. Check out this article on it: https://humanepro.org/magazine/articles/deconstructing-spayneuter-debate Not spaying her can cause a pseudopregnancy reoccurrence, but it doesn't increase her risk of mammary tumors. That's already going to be 25% because she's had more than two heats. Keep in mind, 50% of mammary tumors in dogs are malignant. She is eight years old, so she is already at a higher risk of developing cancer simply because she is an older dog. She is also at risk of a pyometra, which is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. The treatment for a pyometra is spaying the dog, which is an emergency during a pyometra and can cost many thousands of dollars. In all honesty, it's best to spay her. It will keep her from developing a pyometra as well as a pseudopregnancy, and it will keep her from getting pregnant if she accidentally mates. Dogs over the age of six should never have puppies. In my opinion, it's best for her to health to get spayed asap. I hope this helps!

Read More

There seems to be two wounds underneath my cat’s ear. There is not one on the other side. Does it look like ringworm or caused by fleas? What can I use to help her? It was smaller a week ago.

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Tor and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Yes, I see the two wounds, and they could be caused by her scratching at her ear. While that could be due to fleas, it may be she has an ear infection causing her to scratch at her ears. Continually scratching at them would cause the wounds to get bigger. This does need to be checked out by a vet, as if she does have an ear infection, it could be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria. In addition, the ear drum needs to be visualized through an otoscope to make sure it's still intact before any medication is given. Ear problems can be considered an emergency as leaving them untreated can lead to hearing loss. Given that these wounds are getting bigger, I'd see if you can get her into her vet asap. I hope this helps!

Read More

image

Have a Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Filed Under

Sponsored