Cat can make you happy. But the cat that pees in the house can make your home smell like a litter box.
It can be upsetting and stressful for you, and can become incredibly expensive if you're forced to continually clean carpets and floors, or replace furniture.
Many cat owners mistakenly believe that the problem will eventually go away... Others give up in frustration and are forced to give their cat away, or worse...
While others scream and shout at their feline friend, which only succeeds in creating an even more anxious and confused cat that's MORE LIKELY to pee and spray in inappropriate places.
If any of this sounds familiar to you, then don't worry... We are here to help- http://catspray.org
2.
Has this ever happened to you? Your cat's peeing
outside the litter box, and you're desperately
trying to clean up after your cat, wondering if
you're actually doing anything to stop it from
happening in the first place!
Well, if you're like me, you probably want some
quick solutions to the problem, or at least a
list of checkpoints that you know you must, like
detective on a trail, work through, to get the
litter box behavior problem under control.
By the time you finish this article, you will
have learnt the 7 most important steps you must
know, when it comes to this problem of the cat
peeing outside the litter box.
Firstly, let's have a look at the reasons why
this happens. The reasons for peeing outside the
litter box are:
A medical problem.
The cat that has never been properly house
trained to use the litter box in the first
place.
Problems with the litter tray itself.
An unpleasant event that occurred while the
cat was at the litter box.
A temporary physical or emotional stress, or
change in the household causing the cat to
urinate in an area outside the box, which is
3.
perpetuated by the urine smell reminding the
cat to return to the same area over and over
again.
Old age causing a cat to not be easily able
to get to the litter box.
Now, keep these causes in mind, when checking
out the 7 action steps:
1. If there's a change in toilet behavior with
no obvious cause, it may be caused by
illnesses such as urinary tract infections,
blocked anal glands, worms and parasites,
diabetes and tumors. These illnesses may
have no other obvious signs, apart from
this urination problem. So you must
consider a visit to the vet. In other cases
you may see symptoms such as lethargy,
blood in the urine, diarrhea, or constant
licking in the anal area. If you see this,
then your first stop is the vet!
4.
2. Look at the litter box itself. Ensure
you're cleaning out the waste once or twice
a day, and changing the litter every 3-4
days for non-clumping litter (2-3 weeks for
clumping litter). Clean the tray with hot
water and mild detergent, without any
strong odors such as citrus or ammonia,
which will repel the cat from the box. If
you have multiple cats, remember - the
number of trays should equal number of
cats, plus one or two. If you've changed
brands of litter, this may have caused the
problem as many cats dislike this change,
especially to scented litter. Return to the
older litter. If you want to change,
introduce unscented litter gradually by
mixing the old with the new over 2 weeks.
And ensure that the location of the box is
acceptable: no loud noises, has some
privacy, and is not in view of other cats.
5.
3. Consider adding in 1 more litter box to
another suitable private location of the house.
This is because sometimes it's not the litter
box that's the problem, but a negative
experience there. For example, if your kids
played with the cat while she was on the litter
box, or if the cat had pain when urinating, such
as during a urine infection, after having
kittens, or had a procedure done on the bladder
or urethra at the vet, then the cat would
associate pain with that litter box. Even if the
pain is gone, the association and is still
there.
4. Thoroughly clean the area that has been peed
on. This is important because no matter what the
cause, the fact that the urine remains on the
bed, carpet, or sofa is a reminder for the cat
to return to pee there. The cat's sense of smell
is more acute than ours, so ensure you clean
with a solution such as Brampton's Simple
Solution. If you have remaining urine smell
together with a bad association at the box, then
you have 2 forces causing the problem to
continue. So get rid of both!
5. Next, if possible, deny the cat access to the
area that is peed on, especially if it's an area
that is repeatedly used. Many people forget to
do this, and their problem is prolonged. By
stopping access, the cycle of repeated urination
is stopped. Will the cat pee somewhere else?
Possible, though less likely if you provide a
6.
second litter box, show him where it is a few
times, and also do the step 7 below.
6. If you can't stop the cat from accessing the
area, make the area less attractive for peeing
instead. You can do this by either placing a
scent, or, by placing a bowl of dried cat food
there. If using a scent, try citrus or
eucalyptus. If using dried food, which often
works better, ensure that you top up the food
bowl during the day. Either way, once you have
success, continue for another 1-2 weeks to
ensure it stays that way.
7. If you're at home when the cat is, then you
have this step up your sleeve as well: the
startle technique. Only do this method if you
actually catch the cat about to urinate because
if you do it at any other time, that cat will
not be able to associate that urinating in the
area with the unpleasant startle. Startle the
cat with a loud "No!" or clap of the hands. Wait
5 minutes, then bring the cat to the litter
tray, and if she toilets at the tray, reward her
with praise and a food treat. As long as the
length and enjoyment of the reward if far
greater than the startle, this will be unlikely
to cause stress. Use this method carefully as
some cats may experience stress with it. Make
sure that the cat seems relaxed after the food
treat, and that it's actually improving the
situation.
7.
If you follow the above steps, most problems of
peeing outside the litter box will be solved
within days or gradually improve over 1-2 weeks.
Remember in all cases, you'll be even more
effective if you reduce stress at the same time.
This means more play time and attention.
In conclusion, it does take some effort and
detective work to see what has caused the litter
box behavior problem in the first place. And you
now know how to apply 7 essential steps to help
you solve this issue, as quickly and effectively
as possible.
If you'd like to learn more advanced tips on
solving your cat's spraying problem, click here
www.catspray.org