Do you love your cat? As a cat parent, you adore your cat baby, but it isn’t very pleasant if it continues to pee anywhere it wishes. Despite training, many cats urinate everywhere around the house except the one place where they are supposed to. Getting annoyed or frustrated serves no purpose because cats will not understand. You, as a pet parent, need to understand the issue and see how you can solve the problem.
Why Do Cats Pee In The House?
Some cats are trained to go out on their own and relieve themselves. It is great if you live in a house with an open area all around. With a small cat door, you allow the cat to move in and out independently. However, if you are living in an apartment and that too in a high rise, then it is difficult for the cat to go out to pee. Most pet parents keep a litter box in the house and train their pets to poop and pee.
Cats are smart animals, and most of them learn to do this in no time. However, if you find that your cat is spraying everywhere around your house, it is time to take stock. First of all, you need to know that a cat pees outside of designated area due to:
- A medical problem
- A behavioral issue
Medical Problems
If you find your cat peeing inappropriately despite regular training, it is best to visit your vet. A physical examination and analyzing your cat’s urine sample will help you find any medical problems. The most common urinary problems are:
- Stones in the bladder: if your cat has developed stones in the bladder, it may cause irritation and blockage. This may lead to complications and infections and cause the cat to pee anywhere and at any time.
- Cystitis means inflammation of the bladder, and cats with cystitis may leak blood in the urine. This causes pain, and the cat may not be able to control its bladder.
- UTI: though rare in young cats, UTI or Urinary Tract Infection is quite common in older cats. Usually caused by bacteria in the urine, this issue can cause incontinence in cats.
- FLUTD: the Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease condition affects cats when they have one or more urinary issues.
- Injury+ Pain: sometimes, the problem could be due to an injury or pain in some part of the body. A physical exam can rule out any such issues.
Behavioral Issues
If there is no medical cause for your cat’s inappropriate peeing, then there could be other factors at play to make it behave this way.
- Dirty Litter Box: Cats are known to be particular about their cleanliness. If the litter box is too dirty, then it may not want to use it. Another problem could be its location or size. The right litter box is necessary.
- Stress: like us humans, stress affects cats too. It could be another animal in the house or a new baby causing the stress. Cats are sensitive, and even a small change in their environment can be the source of this stress.
- Old Smells: the smell of old pee may remain even after cleaning. The cat will not come back to the area if the smell lingers. They have a heightened sense of smell.
How To Stop Your Cat From Peeing Around The House?
You have seen some of the reasons why cats may indulge in inappropriate behavior. Once the medical reasons are ruled out, then you need to take certain steps to nip this habit in the bud.
- Clean the litter box thoroughly. It is important to clean the litter box regularly and clean it after every use.
- Please choose the right size of the litter box and keep it uncovered. Many cats don’t like covered boxes. Make sure it is not cramped, especially for large cats.
- Place the litter box in a quiet corner away from where the cat eats. You can even place a curtain to maintain some privacy. Placing it in a corridor or areas where constant movement is there may put off cats from using the litter box.
- If your house has more than one level, then place a litter box at every level. This is even more important for older cats who may move slowly and may avoid going up and down frequently.
- Cats love to climb and jump but placing a litter box in a convenient place is important. For older cats, a ramp is useful when the litter box is at a height.
- If you have more than one cat, then it is better to have two separate litter boxes. As far as possible, reduce any conflict between your cats. It will add to the stress levels and may cause other behavioral problems as well.
- Make sure that your cat gets a lot of play area in the house. Add multiple vertical features for the kitty to climb. Spend time with your cat. Keep the cat stress-free as far as possible. Exercise and playtime are crucial for a cat’s well-being.
Cleaning The Mess
Even after ruling out any medical issues and ensuring the right environment for your cat, there may be some accidents. What do you do? What is the best way to clean the mess? It will mainly depend on where your cat has urinated. However, it would be best if you used a special cleaner to get rid of odor from any areas where your cat has peed. It is important to eradicate the smells completely; otherwise, your cat may continue to pee there.
When you are dealing with fresh urine, blot up as much as you can with paper or cloth towels. Now, pick the best cleaning method based on where your cat has peed.
- Beds, clothes, towels: you can soak them in water and rinse first and then wash them in the washing machine. If possible, hang them outside to dry.
- Hard surfaces, floors: clean thoroughly with a strong household cleaner. You can also use a special pet odor remover. You may have to repeat the cleaning to ensure the complete removal of stains and odors.
- Rugs, carpets, mattresses, couch: you need to use an enzymatic or bacterial cleaner specifically made for urine stains and odors. Just make sure to follow the instructions fully for maximum benefit.
Conclusion
While it is upsetting and annoying to come home and find that your cat has peed all over your favorite couch or rug, you need to understand that they are not doing this to trouble you. Sometimes it could be some physical discomfort or psychological issues causing the cat to urinate inappropriately. You would be surprised to know that many cats feel guilty about peeing uncontrollably, and it may even stress them more.
Generally, if you are an attentive and caring pet parent, it is not difficult to stop and correct this behavior. Keeping your cat healthy with the right nutrition, regular visits to the vet, and providing a great environment is your duty, and you must do your best.
