There are many reasons that make the cat urinate in a place other than the designated place for this, your cat may stop using the litter box as a result of stress, diseases, or just because the box is not cleaned adequately. Depending on the problem the cat is facing with the litter box, you may need help from the veterinarian. There are several things you can do to encourage the cat to urinate in the litter box instead of carpets or pieces of furniture, such as trying a new type of box or sand, cleaning the box more, playing with the cat near it, adding more boxes, and doing things that keep the cat from urinating outside of it. Read on to find out more.
Understand common litter box problems
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Cats do not like a dirty litter box and may start to urinate elsewhere if the litter box has become so dirty that they become disgusted. pay attention to how often you clean the litter box because your cat may stop using it, simply because you don't clean it every day.
Besides changing the sand in the box every day, you should remove all of the sand once a week and clean the box with warm water, unscented soap, and baking soda. When you are done cleaning, dry the box and add fresh sand. you can use try self-cleaning sandboxes to make it easier to keep clean.
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Count the litter boxes in your home because it is important to have one litter box more than the number of cats in the household. For example, if you have three cats, you should have four boxes, because if you only have two boxes for three cats, then this may be the reason the cat refuses to urinate in the designated space.
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make sure that your cat can easily reach the litter box, because if the cat has to take a long trip to reach the litter box, or if the size of the litter box is not easy for the cat to get in and out of, then this may be the reason cats urinate elsewhere. If the cat is in a hurry, place litter boxes in places that are easy to reach, for example, one upstairs and one downstairs.
Make sure that the cat is able to see humans and animals approaching it.also, as cats do not like the feeling of being trapped, remember to keep it where the cat is able to easily escape.
Meet the needs of older cats by placing boxes with lower sides, so that they can easily get in and out of the box.
Place litter boxes near places where the cat urinates a lot.
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another thing you need to check is if the sand you are using is the problem. Cats may avoid urinating in the litter box because they do not like the smell or feel of the sand, or because it is too full. Sand should preferably be shallow and fine to medium grains, but you can still offer your cat different types of sand to see which one she prefers.
Give the cat multiple sand options by placing two boxes of two different types of sand just next to each other, and at the end of the day check which box the cat urinated in.
Make the sand shallow, as most cats love sandboxes with a thickness of 2.5-5 cm.
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Determine if the box is the cause of the problem.
Some cats avoid urinating in a litter box because they do not like its size or shape. Padded bags can also cause trouble and make your cat avoid the box. Remove the material or padded bag and cover from the box to determine if this is causing the problem.
Take into account the size of the litter box as well - if it's too small your cat may shun it.
Potential health and behavioral problems
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Determine if stress is the cause of your cat's litter box problems. Noises, other pets, and children can cause your cat to feel the stress of avoiding the litter box. Make sure to place the box in a semi-dark, quiet, and secluded place. If the litter box is in a place crowded with people and animals, the cat is more likely to refrain from using it.
Try using the Feliway device, which diffuses a fragrant scent that helps cats feel comfortable and relaxed.
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Take into consideration your cat's current or past illnesses. Your cat's medical history may explain why she abstained from using the litter box. If you suspect that your cat is sick, take it to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Early treatment of illnesses helps stop litter box problems as well as protecting your cat from pain and fatigue. Urinary tract infection and feline interstitial cystitis are common causes of a cat urinating outside the litter box. Urinary Tract Infection can cause a cat to avoid the litter box even after recovery from it, as the cat associates the litter box with the pain and wants to avoid it.
Feline interstitial cystitis is another common problem that causes cats to turn away from litter boxes, as cats with this infection urinate into the litter box because they feel the need to urinate a lot.
Kidney stones or a urinary blockage can also cause the cat to move out of the litter box. A cat may meow or howl while urinating into the box, and fear of pain may persist even after treatment.
Keep in mind that prompt treatment of these illnesses is necessary so that the cat does not become used to the aversion to the litter box.
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Find out if urine marks are the cause of your cat's problems with the litter box. Urine marks result from a cat sprinkling some urine on a piece of furniture or other surfaces to mark its own area. The amount of urine used for marking the area is much less than when urinating normally. If your cat is behaving in this manner, then many of the suggestions in this article will help you, but there are additional things you must do to help the cat stop spraying urine marks.
Urine marking is more common in unneutered male cats, but unspayed females can also do this, so it is important to neuter or spay your cats.
Urine marking behavior is also common in households with more than 10 cats, so reducing the number of cats to fewer than ten in the home will help solve this problem.
Prevent your cat from urinating other than the designated place
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If the cat starts to urinate on the carpet or any other place on the floor in the house, move the sandbox gradually to that place. put the box over that spot to encourage it to urinate in the box, after the cat has used the box for a month, move it 3 cm every day until the box returns to the desired location.
2. Brighten dark places where your cat pee.
Cats love to urinate in dark spaces, so a wardrobe is an attractive place for a cat. If the cat starts to urinate on the floor of a dark place, keep the light on or buy motion-sensitive light devices to prevent the cat from urinating in that place.
3. Turn carpets and rugs upside down.
Cats may prefer some types of surfaces and start using them to urinate, so turning rugs and carpets over may prevent them from this behavior by changing the texture of their surface. Try turning your rugs and carpets over for several days to see if this stops the cat from urinating on them.
4. Apply double-sided tape to the furniture.
The tape prevents cats from urinating on furniture because they do not like the feel of the tape on their hands and feet. Try applying this tape to furniture edges and spots that cats tend to urinate on.
5. Clean urine with an enzymatic cleaner.
Pay attention to the immediate cleaning of the urine that comes out of the cat in a place other than the designated place, because this helps to prevent the cat from urinating in the same place again. Use an enzyme detergent instead of ammonia cleaners, as ammonia cleaners may make the cat urinate more in this place because she thinks that the ammonia is urine for other cats and that she must cover it with her own urine.
6. Cut the long hair around the back of the cat.
If your cat has long hair, she may feel alienated from using the litter box because it gets dirty after urinating in it. Keep your cat's hair trimmed and give her a bath to scrub her so she doesn't smell urine or feces.
If you are not used to bathing your cat, find an experienced cat breeder in your area.
7. Play with your cat around the sandbox.
The cat's negative association with pain or something similar can be improved by playing around with it. Try playing with the cat within a meter of the litter box several times a day to generate positive feelings about the litter box.
Do not try to reward your cat for urinating in the litter box by giving her food and treats, as cats do not like to be bothered while they urinate in the litter box.
You can leave rewards and toys near the litter box, but do not leave their food and water bowl next to it, as cats do not like to eat near their bathroom.
8. Talk to your vet if this doesn't improve.
It takes time and effort to stimulate your cat to urinate in the litter box, but it may not work every time. Some veterinarians undergo special training to help people deal with problems with their cats urinating outside of the litter box. If your cat does not improve over time, take her to a certified veterinary behaviorist or you can check this product cat spraying no more
Helpful ideas
If you have multiple cats at home and you are unaware of any cat urinating in other than the designated area, consult your veterinarian about using fluorescein tincture to identify the cat that is causing this. Use a black light to check your cat's urine. Fluorescein stains the urine of this cat, making it easier to identify.Always wear gloves when handling litter boxes and sand disposal. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after you are done.
You can install a cat door if your cat is one of the cats that spend time outside and inside the house, as this door makes it easier for her to get out if she wants to urinate outside instead of inside the house.
Warnings
Do not rub the cat's nose in the urine, or pick it up and force it into the box or lock it in a small room. These measures will not solve the problem and may make it worse because of the negative associations that punishment creates in the cat’s mind towards the box.Do not use ammonia cleaners to clean your cat's urine, as it will increase the cat's desire to urinate in the same place again.
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