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My 5 month old kitty has started urinating outside the litter box when I come home from being away for any length of time. Yesterday I was away about 8 hours and when I returned he urinated on the floor. Just the once and then he returns to the litter box like normal. This has happened on 3 separate occasions. He initially did it twice right next to the litter box so I moved the box and then he just did it in a different spot. Is there anyway to change this habit?
Updated On June 25th, 2021
Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 5 months and 24 days old | 7 lbs
Answered By Lauren Jones VMD 119
Veterinarian
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I'm sorry to hear that you've been having some difficulty with Jude urinating outside of his litter box! This is an extremely frustrating situation. As Debi mentioned, most of the times, inappropriate urination is due to behavioral issues. In this case, since he was left alone, Jude may have been a bit anxious. Ideally, it's best to rule out medical issues, like a urinary tract infection, crystals in the urine, or bladder stones, as these can lead to potentially life-threatening issues, like a urinary tract obstruction. Once those issues have been excluded, there comes a bit of trial and error regarding litter box management. You may need to add an extra litter box, scoop it more often, or change the litter type. Calming pheromone diffusers, like Feliway, can be very helpful in minimizing mild anxiety for some cats. If that doesn't do the trick, then you may need to talk to your vet about prescription anti-anxiety medications (again, once medical issues have been ruled out). I hope that everything goes well!
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Other Answers
Answered By Debi Matlack
Veterinary Technician
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 eliminating outside the box. If medical issues are ruled out, take a look at other reasons. Has there been a lot of unusual activity? Has you cat been left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox 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? Is it big enough? Have you changed the type or brand of litter? Is there something attractive about the spot he uses? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out to express their dissatisfaction. The general rule 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 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 crystals, it makes a hissing sound when wet that startles 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.
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