Dealing With Problematic Cat Spray and Urination

By CS Swarens

If you own a cat, you are already aware that a litter box can become quite smelly if not properly cared for. You may be surprised to learn, however, that it is possible for your cat to be just as disgusted by the smell of the litter box. As a result, your feline friend may start leaving its messes elsewhere. If you are experiencing problems with your cat urinating or even defecating outside of the litter box, there are a few possible causes and solutions to the problem that you might wish to explore.

Looking at the Litter Box Design

Sometimes, the reason for your cat's bathroom problems is simply because it doesn't like the design of the litter box. One popular design among cat owners is the litter box that has a top that sits on the regular box. While you may like this design, your cat may not. Think about it - having this wraparound structure is similar to having to use the port potty. Not only does it make your cat feel closed in, the smaller space and additional walls also trap in the smell further.

As a result of your cat's dislike for this design, it may decide to go to the bathroom outside of the box. Therefore, if you are having problems with your cat's toilet habits and you have one of these litter boxes, you might want to consider removing the top and seeing if you get better results.

Keep it Clean and Private

Every cat owner knows that they can be quite finicky. This is particularly true when it comes to the litter box. If you allow it to get too messy, your cat will simply refuse to use the box. So, be certain to clean out the feces every day. If you use the type of litter that clumps up from urine, remove those clumps as well. You should also change all of the litter once per week. In addition, if you have more than one cat, you might want to consider having enough litter boxes to allow each cat its own box. Some cats simply don't like to share this space with others.

Get Your Cat Spayed or Neutered

Sometimes, cat owners think their pets are urinating when they are really spraying. Spraying is actually different from urinating, as urination is done to get rid of waste while spraying is done as a means of marking territory.

Cats that are not spayed or neutered tend to spray more than those that are not, particularly male cats. Therefore, it is a good idea to get your cat spayed or neutered by the time it reaches 6 months. If you get it spayed or neutered at this time, it likely will not develop the behavior of spraying. At the same time, adding a new cat to the household, moving to a new home, or otherwise causing your cat to feel stress may cause it to start spraying even if it never engaged in the behavior as a kitten. In this case, do what you can to reduce your cat's anxiety in order to get the spraying to stop.

CS Swarens is the president of Find a Pet Online. 800 998-7065 For additional information on dogs, cats, birds, horses, and exotic pets visit the internet's pet resource including pet classifieds at http://www.findapetonline.com Research over 430 pet breed profiles http://www.findapetonline.com/breeds.html