Remove Cat Urine

By Jennifer Laurie

One of the most frustrating things about owning a cat is the unacceptable behaviour of inappropriate urination. I know this as I have experienced this problem first hand. It can drive you nuts especially if your cat has previously been meticulous about using the litter box.

What inappropriate urination means is that your cat decides to urinate in places other than his litter box. He might decide that your carpet or furniture is a suitable place to eliminate. However if you are able to understand the reasons behind this behaviour then you will be able to employ restraining techniques or perhaps medical therapy, which will in most cases result in the behaviour being resolved.

To understand this behaviour then you need to know that there are two types of inappropriate urination. The first one is house soiling where the cat will use your carpet/floor as he would his litter box, by scratching and squatting and then releasing a puddle of urine. He may even try to cover the puddle after he is finished.

The second type is spraying where your cat will back up to a surface and let loose a small amount of urine. This is usually done as a display of territorial or sexual behaviour and doesn't have anything to do with whether he has a need for urination.

If your cat starts displaying this behaviour you should get him examined by your vet so as to rule out any underlying medical problem that may be the cause of the problem. If there is a medical problem then this needs to be addressed first before any behaviour modification takes place. If your cat has a problem that is causing him pain on urination he will avoid the litter box as he will think that this is what is causing him pain. The likely cause of painful urination is cystitis which is inflammation of the bladder.

If your cat is older then he may be suffering from arthritis. If this is the case getting in and out of the litter box is probably painful for him and he will find other places to urinate that don't require him to lift his legs. Other disorders such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism can cause your cat to drink more therefore produce more urine. The need to go will increase and your cat may not be able to make it to the litter box in time.

Other reasons for your cat to develop an inappropriate urination problem:

It could be that the litter box is dirty. Cats don't like to use a dirty litter box so you should change the litter daily making sure to wash the litter box in hot soapy water at least every couple of day.

Your cat may not like the brand of litter you use. Or he may not like the location of the litter box.

Stress is another cause of this problem. Cats are creatures of habit, they don't like disruptions to there daily routine. If you have multiple cats this can cause stress. Some cats don't like sharing the litter box with other cats and will look for other places to urinate. You may find pooping is also a problem in a household with several cats. Urination problems are hardest to solve in a household with multiple cats. Not impossible, but harder.

If you have had your cat de-clawed then it may be too painful for him to scratch in the litter. De-clawing is a very painful procedure and it is not recommended that you do it. De-clawing is essentially an amputation of not just the claws, but the whole phalanx, that is up to the joint, including bones, ligaments and tendons. If you catch your cat in the act of urinating in an inappropriate place don't yell at him or chastise him as this will only add to the stress he is feeling and will make the situation worse. Instead pick him up and take to the litter box a place him in it so that he knows what you want him to do.

In the majority of cases, the problem may be resolved if the primary cause can be treated. To read more about this distressing problem please go to the address in the resource box below. There I will discuss the types of urination behaviours in more depth and I will offer some solutions to the problem.

Jennifer Laurie has been involved with Cats all her life and has a wealth of information to share with you. To read more helpful advice and solutions to this problem please go to How To Remove Cat Urine Smell Information.