Have a cat that’s decided the bathroom sink makes a good restroom? Or your laundry basket, or worse yet, your pillow??? Well, I can tell you it isn’t out of spite. There are lots of medical reasons for these urinary accidents, as well as behavioral ones, and it is important to get to the root of the problem to help avoid the issue altogether.
The medical issues:
1) Urinary tract infection (UTI). Infections can be painful, and if your cat experiences pain in the litter box, she may associate the litter box with the pain and try to go elsewhere to alleviate it. These can also cause a cat to drink a lot of water, and have frequent urges to urinate, so she may not always make it to the box before she has to go. Your veterinarian can rule out a UTI with a urinalysis (microscopic exam of a urine sample) or a urine culture.
2) Bladder stones: These are usually diet related, and cause a lot of irritation in the bladder, leading to frequent trips to the litter box, discomfort when urinating, and sometimes blood in the urine. Most stones will show up on an x-ray, and the few that don’t can be seen with an ultrasound.
3) Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC): This disease is fairly common, and has had many names over the years, including feline urologic syndrome (FUS) and feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). The causes are still being worked out, but basically anything that causes inflammation in the bladder can lead to FIC, resulting in discomfort while urinating, excessive licking or grooming around their rear end, blood in the urine, straining to urinate, and sometimes leading to a urinary blockage (neutered male cats are especially prone to this) which is a medical emergency. This disease can be recurrent in affected cats, and environmental stressors are often a trigger. Environmental stressors can be anything from changes in the owner’s schedule (weekend away or suddenly working full time), to a friend bringing a dog over, to something as simple as rearranging the furniture or changing their litter. I could dedicate an entire post to FIC, but for now I’ll refer you here: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=612
4) Anything that causes an increase in drinking (therefore an increase in the need to pee) can cause a cat to have urinary accidents. Diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease will do this.
5) Anything that makes it more difficult for a cat to get to the litter box can lead to accidents. An arthritic kitty may not be able to go up and down the stairs like she used to, so instead opts to go somewhere else. If the litter box has a high ledge to step over it may hurt to get in there to do her business. Injuries or other illnesses can cause similar issues.
Behavioral causes:
1) Separation anxiety. Dogs with separation anxiety make it obvious. They whine, bark, chew things up, and try to break out of their kennel or room. Cats, being cats, can be much more subtle in their anxiety, and urinating on things that smell like their beloved, lost owner is just one of the symptoms. The urine in your laundry was not put there out of spite, your kitty just misses you! If your schedule has changed recently or you’ve left for a weekend you may be more likely to see this type of behavior problem. For more information: http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/separation-anxiety-in-cats/
2) A new pet in the house. As mentioned before, stress in some cats can lead to FIC. But another possibility is that your cat is worried about being interrupted while she goes to the bathroom by that strange pet in her house, so she goes somewhere else for more privacy. Or perhaps the new cat is resource guarding, and preventing your cat from getting to the litter box (or food and water). Some cats feel the need to mark their territory with urine. This may be the case if you are finding the urine on vertical surfaces (door frames, walls, side of the couch, etc.).
3) Dirty litter box. Cats are very clean creatures, and don’t like walking in their own excrement to relieve themselves (can you blame them?). Covered litter boxes can get a very strong ammonia odor inside if they aren’t cleaned regularly. Scooping the litter box daily, washing the box with soap and water once a week, and replacing the litter box annually can help with picky cats.
4) Litter substrate. Have you changed the type of litter you use? Or if it is a new cat, what did the previous owner or shelter use? Cats are creatures of habit, and can be very particular about these things. If you want to change the litter you are using, try mixing the new litter in with the old a little at a time to give her time to adjust.
For more info on kitty litter box care: http://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats/basicneeds/litterboxes/
5) Intact kitties are much more likely to spray urine around your house to mark territory, particularly if they can see a neighborhood cat wandering around outside. Territorial spraying is telltale because it is usually by a door or window, and typically it is on a vertical surface, such as the wall or door frame. Spaying or neutering your cat at a young age will almost always prevent this behavior. Even if your cat is an older adult the procedure can help diminish this habit.
How do we fix the problem?
1) First and foremost, get your cat to the vet! You need to make sure you’re not dealing with an underlying medical issue. Your vet will want to get a urine sample to look for bacteria, crystals, blood, and other clues. They may suggest x-rays if they suspect a bladder stone, or blood work if they are concerned about a systemic medical issue, such as diabetes.
2) Make sure you have enough litter boxes and that your cat can get in and out of them easily. It is recommended that you have 1 litter box per cat, plus an extra. They need to be in different areas around the house, and preferably in a quiet spot so your kitty doesn’t get startled with a loud noise (washing machine changing cycles, AC kicking on, etc.). You can try covered or uncovered boxes, and different types of litters (make sure it is a gradual change) to see what your cat prefers. Keep the litter box cleaned daily, and wash it and exchange for a new litter box on a regular basis.
3) Address stress. If a new pet has been introduced, make sure your kitty has her own space to escape to. Don’t force introductions, but do reward her with petting or treats or praise when she does venture to come out of hiding. Give her separate space to eat or use the litter box so she doesn’t feel forced to interact. Try pheromones! You can get plug-in diffusers, sprays, or even a collar to help your kitty relax. Pheromones can help in a lot of situations, including separation anxiety.
4) Last but not least, if there does not appear to be a medical cause, and other approaches to behavioral issues have not helped, anti-anxiety medications may help. Talk to your vet about what may be the best option for your pet.
