Cat’s toileting outside the litter tray is a common problem that can be due to many underlying causes. We need to find the actual cause so that we can reach the best treatment plan, to help your cat.
Some of the underlying causes of this include:
• Litter tray aversion
There are many reasons a kitty may turn their nose up at a litter tray. Cats dislike going in an already used litter tray (litter trays need to be cleaned daily and straight after a poop), they may dislike of the substrate used, or the tray itself. Some cats hate a covered tray while others prefer it, so you may need to play around to get the right configuration.
• Anxiety
Even small environmental changes can be a big deal for a cat, and be one that triggers anxiety i.e. other cats coming into their territory, you’re away more than usual, visitors in the house, new family member etc. This anxiety can result in toileting outside of their tray.
• Medical issue requiring treatment
Lower urinary tract disease, infection and the presence of crystals are all medical reasons why a cat might eliminate in the ‘wrong place.’ In addition, arthritis or leg and pelvic pain can also prevent your cat getting comfortably in the litter tray, and conditions causing increased drinking and urination can make it harder to get to the tray in time.
What do you do if your cat is toileting outside of the litter tray?
Firstly, a hands-on examination from your local Vet would be a great place to start. Medical causes need to be ruled out first. Vets may even recommend a blood and urine test as a great way to assess your cat’s health. A urine sample can be collected and examined for the presence of blood, bacteria and crystals. Sometimes it’s necessary for the urine to be sent to an external laboratory for testing.
If all medical reasons and tray aversion issues are ruled out, the inappropriate elimination can be presumed to be behavioural. If your cat is otherwise healthy, next steps are:
- Regularly clean the litter tray
- Thoroughly clean the area that is dirtied (the scent must be eliminated or your kitty will continue to return to the same spot. Their sense of smell is far more sensitive than ours and regular cleaning products won’t do- try a product such as Urine-Off)
- Relocate your fur baby to an area they are yet to christen.
- Identify any changes at home that may be a source of stress (home perfume, litter type, house guests etc.) and remove or address if possible
- Multicat households need a litter tray for every cat, plus an additional tray. So a home with two cats, needs to have three litter trays available. This reduces competition and gives the cat/s plenty of choices and if one tray is dirty or not ‘ideal’ in the cat’s eyes, there is another option
In the case of anxiety, it’s worth trying a stress reducing device such as Feliway (artificial feline pheromone which is calming to cats). This plugs into an outlet and is best used in the room they are spending most of their time. However, some extreme cases may require medications from your Vet.
Is this serious?
If your cat is unwell, or if the inappropriate toileting is paired with reduced appetite, vomiting, lethargy, blood in the urine, straining to urinate (producing no or small amounts of urine) they will need to see the local Veterinarian for a hands on examination as soon as possible. Straining and producing reduced or no urine can be a medical emergency.
Please note that due to their anatomy, male cats are more susceptible to urinary tract obstruction. This can be a life threatening condition so inappropriate urination should never be ignored in male cats (or any cat for that matter!).
