First of all, you have to pull yourself together and face the truth: cat is not human and it makes no sense to look for human motives in its actions. The reason why the cat suddenly stopped using the litter box is probably concrete and not connected with moral qualities of cat. That is why it is useless to appeal to the cat’s senses and it is cruel and harmful to poke your cat’s face into a pile or a puddle, all the more to slap it with your slipper and shout.
Causes
One of the most common reasons why an adult cat, or a cat that has suddenly chosen a place for “thinking about eternity” instead of its usual litter box, and a secluded corner, an old rug, or even a soft and warm owner’s bed, is pain. Numerous diseases can cause the so-called “pain syndrome”, which leads to changes in animal behavior. Its mechanism is the following: the cat, when peeing in the litter box, feels pain and associates it with the litter box. Subsequently, the cat will look for another place to urinate, sometimes choosing something soft and cozy, where she feels completely safe.
That is why the first actions of any responsible owner should be directed to the exclusion of possible diseases: to visit a veterinary doctor, make necessary tests and examinations (as a rule, if the cat urinates in the wrong place, the doctors of Zoovet Veterinary Center recommend to take urine test, possibly blood test and ultrasound of the abdomen to exclude inflammatory process of genitourinary system).
If the cat’s health is not a concern, the next thing to rule out is sex tags. If a young animal reaches puberty (1-1, 5 years or earlier) and at the same time begins tagging, the main method of correcting the behavior will be castration. Cats tag territory: cats tag “in a jet”, and furniture, vertical surfaces, and household items suffer. Cats tag with small amounts of urine in various places, sometimes also in a stream (as a rule, area tagging in cats coincides with the period of “pubescent hunting”).
The third possible reason for ignoring the litter box may be strong stress caused by a new family member (human or animal), moving house, renovating, buying new furniture, or scaring the cat at the very moment it decided to use its litter box. This stress may well be excessive for the cat, and will often cause the cat to choose a more secluded and protected place to defecate than the old litter box. In this case you should as soon as possible stop or minimize the scaring factor and create conditions so that the cat can use the tray without fear (it is very desirable to use light soothing preparations. The best thing will be to put in each room, where you met “cat’s surprises” a litter box with the usual and pleasant cat litter, and when it will start to use them regularly, you should slowly begin to take them away, but not faster than one a day.
If you can’t find any objective reason for such an unpleasant change in the cat’s behavior, it is possible that the size of the litter box (too big or small according to the cat), the filler (you should try using several types of fillers in order to choose the one that the cat likes. As a rule, cats tend to choose a smaller, looser filler like Catsan’s, which you can dig in beforehand). Also, the cat may not like the place where the litter box is located (noisy, located on the aisle, open, unprotected place).
What to do to stop a cat from peeing on the floor
The following steps should be taken:
Place several litter trays in the favorite places of the cat, of different sizes and with different height of sides, if the cat continues to ignore litter trays – change the filler and choose the one that the cat prefers. Closely monitor the cat in this period – if you notice that the cat scratches the floor, meows suspiciously, fussing in one place – you need to immediately put it gently on the tray, fondly saying, what a great clever cat.
Don’t forget that the smell is what signals the cat where its litter box is! Any of the above methods of correcting a cat’s problem behavior, should definitely be backed up by the complete elimination of the smell of cat urine and feces in undesirable places. To do this, thoroughly wash the places where the cat urinated or defecated with a product that does not contain chlorine (chlorine will only increase the smell of urine). You can use detergents marked “bio” and special remedies for getting rid of cat urine smell, which are now available in sufficient quantity. To consolidate the result, it is better to treat these places with a strong-smelling agent that is unpleasant for the cat: a special repellent or a lemon or orange peel.
The ideal is to make the place you don’t want the cat to litter inaccessible and/or unpleasant for him. To do this you can barricade the narrow alleys and passages with plastic bottles and cardboard boxes (you can also spray them on top with repellent spray), so that the cat cannot get in. If the cat prefers the bed to the litter box, then it should be covered with polyethylene and put double-sided tape on top. The cat, jumping on the bed, will stick, get upset, and realize that this place is not so nice and cozy, and in general, the litter box is much more convenient for the toilet! You can take away the bottles, boxes and plastic after about 2 months, when the cat will have forgotten that he once wanted a cozy corner under the bed.
And most importantly, remember that the cat certainly can not resist human patience, generosity and perseverance, and the joy of aiming at the litter box will reward all the effort!
What to do in specific cases
Diseases of the genitourinary system
Before looking for causes of inappropriate urination, you should examine the cat by a veterinarian and rule out urolithiasis, kidney failure, cystitis, etc. Especially if the cat has always peed in the litter tray or other established place, nothing has changed in his life (no move, no new family member or pet, no other obvious reasons for stress), but for some unknown reason the “behavioral problems” began.
Cats in nature have adapted to concentrate urine, which increases the risk of developing urolithiasis, which you can read more about here. Stress – even non-obvious to humans – can provoke idiopathic cystitis.
What you can do
Trace the cat’s behavior while urinating, so that you can describe the process to the veterinarian at the clinic. It’s best to film and show him: certain movements and postures may indicate pain and your observations will help the vet.
Painful urination, urinating in inappropriate places, blood in the urine may be a sign of an inflammatory process in the urinary tract. If you have one of these symptoms, you should see a veterinarian for an in-person examination, submit urine for analysis, and have an ultrasound of the urinary system. According to the results of diagnostics the doctor will prescribe treatment. All clear, no organic diseases? Look for the causes further.
Sexual Hunting
An un-neutered animal may not only tag with a special scented secretion, but may also urinate where it thinks the smell will be better heard by mating candidates. Most often at the front door, but not necessarily.
What can be done
Both dogs and cats not participating in breeding programs are recommended to be neutered – and not just as a behavioral correction measure.
Unless mating and pregnancy occurs, estrus (the period of heat) in mature cats can occur every 2-3 weeks, turning into a constant sexual hunt with few interruptions. The frequency and duration of heat is affected by heredity, the length of daylight hours (including artificial light), and individual hormonal characteristics. If you do not plan to use the animal in breeding, I recommend neutering the cat. Castration (removal of ovaries with uterus in females or testicles in males) rid the animal of anxiety and stress associated with unrealized sexual instincts; prevent hormone-dependent diseases (false pregnancy; cysts, neoplasms, inflammation of genitals and breasts, etc.) and avoid unwanted pregnancy.
Hormonal drugs to control heat do not solve the problem at all, moreover, on the background of their use there is a risk of future complications and hormone-dependent neoplasms in a pet.
It should be taken into consideration that the longer the delay with neutering, the more probability that the undesirable behavior will stay (that’s why 10-15% of cats continue to urinate after neutering).
Unsuitable tray location, tray of the wrong size and shape
Quite common cause: the litter box is in a place that is convenient to the owner, but not convenient for the pet. Different cats are uncomfortable in different ways: some are uncomfortable with constant presence of people near the litter tray, others – extraneous sounds, others – blocked retreats. The size of the litter tray must fit the cat’s body so it can stand up to its full height and turn around 180 degrees.
What you can do
“Try to look at the litter box and litter box space through the eyes of the cat, not a human. For example, if another pet with whom the cat has a tense relationship is always on the way to the litter box, the cat will prefer another place. If there is always someone in the room where the litter box is, a cat with certain psychological peculiarities will not feel comfortable doing things there, and so on”.
Sometimes the way out is just another spare litter box or a temporary change of litter box location. The cat may pee on the bed, because it’s safe there – but in the hallway where the litter box is, other people smell and walk around. If you try to curb the behavior, the cat won’t have a safe place to go at all. The solution: move the litter box to a safe place, and then remove the opportunity to pee on the bed. Usually, as soon as the animal’s need is properly realized, the behavior to try to satisfy it goes away on its own.
Cat does not like or does not fit the litter box without litter
This reason is easily established and neutralized: if the problems began after replacing the filler, it is enough to return the substrate or pick up one that will not cause a protest. Sometimes owners don’t think it’s necessary to buy cat litter at all, believing that a litter box with a net is enough. However, digging a hole to bury excrement is an inherent complex of actions in cats. That’s why many cats are much more comfortable to go to the litter tray with a filler, and in case of its absence, they can look for where to bury… And they find it.
What you can do
It is not enough to choose a substrate but you have to make sure that the place the cat likes to go to stop attracting the cat. It is necessary to remove the smell: there are special enzymes for this purpose, denture tablets dissolved in water do an excellent job. Cats do not like slippery surfaces: the place can be covered with oilcloth, film or foil. Positive reinforcement of desired behavior is mandatory (praise, give a treat).
Should a cat be scolded if it pees in the wrong place?
The assumption that a cat should be rewarded for right behavior and punished for wrong behavior is fundamentally wrong. You should not yell at it or punish it: it will learn that you must not let it urinate and it will either suffer to the end, causing health problems, or it will look for a hiding place to pee.
Stress or fear of meeting another pet
Even if the animals have been together for several days and their relationship seems to have settled, one of them may have toilet problems, indicating that the adaptation process is far from complete. Pay attention to the place the “intruder” chose. “High” peeing – on countertops, cabinets, window sills – is always a cry for help for the kitty who is feeling less confident. The actual message is: I’m scared to pee downstairs, I can’t relax, and I’m constantly expecting an attack.
What you can do
To let the situation on its own, I do not recommend strongly: it is fraught with escalation of the conflict and prolonged stress for all participants, which is also harmful to health. To begin with, if possible, the animals should be separated, and then gradually reacquainted, helping them to create a positive relationship with each other. No repressive measures will have any effect – they will only aggravate the situation. The concept “they will sort themselves out” with cats does not work, alas.
Separate anxiety, separate neurosis
Separation – separation, separation, separation – of cat and owner or cat and another pet. Against the background of separation, animals often develop anxiety accompanied by disruptive behavior. People often think that cats do not have separation anxiety because, unlike dogs, they do not demonstrate it in language people can understand. The dog clearly missed being apart – here’s how he greets you: barking, jumping. And the cat? Peeing on the bed!
Feline displays of separation anxiety are more often considered idiotic behavior. Why? Because there’s a myth that cats don’t need humans.
Look at this list. If everything or almost everything in it coincides with your cat’s behavior, perhaps he is poorly tolerating the separation from the owner or another pet, and needs help from a specialist:
- Trashes the house (torn doors and doorjambs).
- Peeing and pooping out of place – most often under the door.
- Screams when left alone or under a closed door.
- Suffers from sleep disorders.
- Tails after the owner.
Causes of separation anxiety can be different: owners are not predictable enough, the cat is not used to being left alone (often cats with deceased owners), there were two cats and now there is one left, etc.
What can be done
This is a complex problem which can’t be solved by magic pills and demands systematic and thoughtful work. It includes an analysis of each situation, the identification of problems and work on an individual plan. We can recommend anti-stress therapy aimed at stabilizing the nervous system: creating predictable “master-cat” contact; state management exercises; body practices to relieve muscle tension and change body patterns.
In addition, one can try to create a positive connection exactly with the departure of the person to whom the pet is attached: give a treat, leave at this very moment a puzzle with which the cat likes to play, etc. An expert can help you find the right method for your pet.
Chronic stress
Peeing in the wrong place or different places can indicate a constantly stressed nervous system. By surrounding itself with its own smell, the cat tries to calm itself down. However, for owners, this is an unpleasant problem that makes them think of the cat as a bad thing: it’s revenge or bullying. Very often a cat will pee on the things of a person with whom it has a tense relationship, so that they smell not of him, but of her – but this is not revenge, but a cat’s way to restore balance, to remove the stressor (the smell of the person causing the stress) and improve the relationship: “Can you smell of me?” Humans, on the other hand, with their human negative attitudes toward feces and their smells, do not understand such signals, resulting in punishment and intimidation often being heaped upon the cat. The circle closes, stress increases, and the cat learns a skill and gets a foothold.
What can be done
We need to act on two fronts. Search for and eliminate the cause of stress and try to eliminate the opportunity to pee in inappropriate places, so that the cat doesn’t reinforce the pattern of behavior (removing shoes, “favorite” mat in the bathroom, making unpleasant visits to the bed, on which the cat likes to pee – see above).
What not to do: do not escalate the conflict and close this vicious circle. A person to whom a cat reacts in this way should either leave it alone and put its things away, or try to establish contact with it: feeding it from your hands, talking affectionately, very gradually gaining trust.
You can’t punish the cat, scold it, or scare it – like splashing it with water.
Illnesses or conflicts among family members
This is one of the factors of chronic stress in a cat, but experts distinguish it as a separate cause of “toilet” problems. The point is that diseases and constant conflicts often become so commonplace in the family that people don’t notice them, it’s the norm for them to live this way. And cats are often more “delicate mental organization” – this is due to the peculiarities of the nervous system, and for them to be in this environment is especially uncomfortable.
What you can do
Naturally you should pay attention to the atmosphere in your family and work to harmonize it. You should give the cat a refuge, give it a quiet place to sleep and rest, lower the noise level, use sprays, collars or dispensers with artificial cat pheromones, ask your veterinarian to prescribe anti-anxiety therapy and a zoopsychologist to correct the cat’s behavior after you find out why the cat is stressed.
Whatever the cause, the owner will need understanding, patience, time, and a willingness to deal with it, not the cat.
All experts agree that any – especially sudden – change in the cat’s behavior should be seen as a reason to see a veterinarian.
How to keep your cat from shitting and peeing in the flowers and on the carpet?
Some pets perceive a pot of soil as a litter box. But pet urine can cause the flower to die, so the habit of peeing in the pot must be weaned. You can do it this way:
- Place a piece of lemon near the flowers, the smell of which will be a distraction;
- Make window sills slippery by using bags. It will be harder for the cat to get to, and it will change its mind to tag near the pot;
- Arrange the windowsill with a mini fence;
- Stick a few toothpicks or matches in the ground next to the flowers.
- But the most popular place where cats go to the toilet is the carpet. In this case, it must be well cleaned and get rid of the smell. The best way to do this is to have it dry-cleaned, although it can also be done yourself. Various disinfectants or vinegar are suitable for this purpose. It is also advisable to treat the carpet with essential oils, such as orange or bergamot. Also smells are particularly strong deterrents to cats.
Can you re-train an adult cat?
The same methods that you described above will help to wean an adult cat from shitting in the house. Although it may take more time and effort with mature cats. Also, some cats do not just pee, but mark their territory by secreting special enzymes. If this is the case, you should wipe the cat’s neck with a clean towel and then go over the places where the pet has left tags. Smelling its scent, the cat will not want to pee in the wrong place.
Do not forget that cats often poop during puberty. It is almost impossible to wean a cat from this habit, and neutering or spaying may help. Also pay attention to the cleanliness of the pot. If it is not cleaned, the animal may refuse to pee in it.
