Last updated on March 23rd, 2023 at 05:44 am

Reading Time: 9 minutes

My Cats Peeing Everywhere

Are you worried about your cats inappropriate urination? Cats peeing everywhere frustrate their owners which is understandable. Many cat owners often ask, why is my cat peeing outside their litter box? But before you kick your cat out, WAIT! We’ll share some possible reasons why cats pee on the floor. Moreover, we’ll share some proven and valuable tips to stop your cat from peeing everywhere. So, are you ready? 

The 7 Main Reasons Why Cats Pee Everywhere Except Their Litter Box

When cats skip the litter box and pee on the floor, it frustrates their owners. They don’t only need to clean the house constantly, but the strong smell also negatively impacts the guests. But, first of all, it’s crucial to find out why my cats pee everywhere? So, below given are some reasons why cats pee outside the litter box.  

1. Medical Issues 

If your cat is peeing outside the litter box, cats might have some health issues. Most commonly, cats do this when they suffer from diabetes, kidney disease, and urinary tract infection. There can be other health issues as well. Anything that will put your cat in discomfort can be the reason for your cat peeing everywhere.  

When cats get older, they suffer from severe arthritis issues, and they find it challenging to get into a litter box. Moreover, any change in litter box habits can annoy your cats, and they’ll refuse to use it. So, if you’re not sure about whether medical issues are causing your cat to pee outside or not, consult your vet. They’ll take some blood and urine samples to find if it’s due to a medical issue.  

2. Dirty Litter Box 

Cats don’t want to use a dirty and smelly litter box. When you don’t maintain a clean litter box, cats will find other places to do their business. If there is no medical issue in cats, then a dirty litter box might be the reason your cat is peeing on the floor.  

3. A Hard to Reach Litter Box 

Sometimes there is no issue in the reasons mentioned above, but still, cats won’t use the litter box. If it’s the case with your kitten, then it might be because of the wrong placement of the litter box. For example, if the litter box is present on the roof or in the basement, it will be difficult for younger kittens and older cats to get there. As mentioned earlier, due to arthritis, older cats can’t climb stairs.  

Most pet owners don’t want a litter box in the social area. Therefore, they place it far away from the living room. But cats find it unappealing. Yes, keeping litter boxes out of traffic places is a good idea, but keeping them in scary places won’t be suitable for cats. For example, when you place a litter box next to machines that make noises or vibrations, your cat will never use it.  

4. Type of Litter 

Remember, there are unlimited types of litter boxes, but each one is not perfect for your cat. For example, litter boxes made of recycled newspaper and clay litter are disliked by the majority of cats. Moreover, kittens learn from their mother about the best litter type when they’re only 3 weeks old.  

Some pet owners change the litter box when their cats grow. It seems like a good idea, but cats don’t like it. Therefore, it can be a root cause of many litter problems. So, you’ll have to make some extra investment in trying different litter boxes to find one that works best for your furry friend.  

5. Presence of Multiple Pets in Home 

Another reason for cat peeing everywhere might be the presence of multiple cats in the home. Cats don’t like to share their litter box or food bowl with other animals. Some cats are timid, and for such cats, you need to have a devoted space and litter box so that other cats can’t access it. Another pro tip is to avoid covered litter boxes if you have multiple cats at home. Cats can’t see other cats coming towards the litter box in covered boxes.  

6. Stress and Anxiety  

Along with medical issues, behavioral issues can also be the reason for cats peeing on the floor. Do you know anxious and stressed cats pee everywhere to relieve their anxiety? They do this because their urine smell makes them feel safer. There can be many reasons for stress in cats, and we’ll not discuss them here. But when cats feel stressed, they display a particular urinary behavior by marking their territory.  

7. Old Urine Smells 

When cats pee on the floor or carpet, the smell will still remain even after cleaning the area. Cats have a much better smelling sense than humans. So, when an old urine smell exists in the home, it will attract cats to return to that place to do their business.  

How to Stop Your Cat from Peeing Outside the Litter Box? 10 Ways 

Now you understand the reasons why does my cat pee everywhere? The next and most important step is to stop your kitten from peeing everywhere. So, follow the below-given ways and stop inappropriate urination in cats.  

1. Consult Your Vet 

If you’re frustrated with inappropriate urination, set an appointment with the vet. The vet will perform a urinalysis and physical exam to determine medical or behavioral issues. Some most common health issues that force cats to pee outside the litter box are discussed earlier, and the vet will suggest some medications and changes in their environment to fix this problem.  

2. Clean It Up

By doing this, you can enjoy two benefits. The first one is it will help you get rid of the bad odor. And secondly, your cat will not get attracted to the same spot. Mostly cats’ urine smell can easily be detected with a nose, but you can also use a flashlight to identify all the dirty areas.  

Wash your bedding, towels, and clothing in a washing machine in a cold cycle and then let them get dried naturally. Get the best household cleaning solution to clean pet stains and odor from floors and other surfaces.  

Finally, clean your carpets and mattresses to prevent your cat from returning to the same place again.  

3. Ensure That Litter Is Easily Accessible

Placing your litter box in hard-to-reach areas encourage cats to pee everywhere. But when you put a litter box near the bathroom and hallway, cats will easily access and use it. The best way is to keep it in a peaceful and quiet environment so that your cats can do their business without too much distraction.  

For example, if you have multiple stories in your home, ensure that you keep one litter box on each floor because your cat won’t want to come to the ground floor just to use the bathroom. Moreover, when you place them in a laundry basement room or inside the cabinets, cats will not bother to find them.  

The best way is to find a location where your cat pees the most. Place the litter box in that location. Slowly move a box from that area to the most suitable location.  

4. Maintain a Clean Litter Box

Cats are clean creatures by nature. So, when a litter box is not clean, it will encourage cats to pee elsewhere. Therefore, it’s important to scoop the litter box every day to ensure that the litter box is clean. Moreover, if you’re using the same litter box for multiple cats, clean it multiple times a day. Perform deep cleaning every few weeks to keep it fresh.  

Remember, cats have a strong smelling sense than humans. So, if the litter box smell fresh to us, it might still smell disgusting for our cats. Cats might not have a problem with the smell of their own urine, but someone else’s urine smell can be disgusting for your cat. Consider a self-cleaning litter box system if it’s hard for you to keep up on the scooping.  

5. Fix Territory Issues

Cats pee outside the litter box to mark their territory. They do this to feel safer. They mostly do this when there are multiple cats at home. Provide different hiding places and perches so that cats can easily avoid each other. Moreover, get some stress-relieving products for cats that are spraying. But before using any medicine for stress, consult your vet.  

6. Get More Litter Boxes

Yes, you have read it right. If you have multiple cats at home, you definitely need at least one for each cat. But the best practice is to have more than one litter box for each cat. Cats don’t love using a litter box containing feces or urine, especially if they’re not their own. So, when you have multiple litter boxes, the cat will find one according to her needs. 

7. Get The Right Type Of Litter Box 

Some pet owners purchase litter boxes to meet their decorating standards, but cats might not like this idea. Yes, getting some enclosed boxes looks like a good idea, but they can be small and dark for cats. Moreover, they don’t like to do their business in these boxes.  

When cats get older, get a different litter box and ensure that the sides of the box are lower. It will ensure that older cats can easily step over them. When choosing the litter box, ensure that it is large and open. Moreover, the sides should be low. If it’s impossible to find a litter box with all lower sides, at least one side should be low so that cats can easily enter and get out.  

The best practice is to let your cat choose the litter box. A heavily perfumed litter box may seem a better choice to you, but cats might not like that smell. As mentioned earlier, they have a more powerful smelling sense than humans. So if one smell feels pleasant to us, it might be overpowering to cats.  

Studies have shown that cats like unscented clumping clay litters are cats’ favorites. Don’t throw the old one when you bring a new litter box home. There is a possibility that your cat might reject the new one.  

8. Spread Boxes Throughout The House

Studies have shown that the addition of a new cat to the home is another major cause of inappropriate urination. Therefore, it’s essential to reduce conflicts between your cats. When there is one box or multiple litter boxes in one place, one cat might guard all the litter boxes. Spreading boxes throughout the home will ensure that one cat doesn’t access all boxes at the same time.  

9. Make Your Home a Happy place For Your Cat

Cats’ living environment is often the most significant reason for behavior change in cats. As mentioned earlier, when cats feel stressed, they pee everywhere to feel secure. But you can prevent this by providing plenty of vertical space.  

Get some enrichment toys and play with your cat. Consult your vet to get some supplements or medications to help reduce stress in cats. When cats get stress-relief, they won’t pee everywhere in the home. They would love to do their business in the litter box.  

10. Become a More Responsible Cat Owner

Last but the most effective way of preventing inappropriate urination in cats is to avoid it altogether. You can stop inappropriate urination by becoming an attentive and responsible cat owner. Consult your vet whenever you witness irregular or frequent peeing outside the litter box. Make your home a happy place for pets so that they can live in a stress-free and healthy environment.  

Final Words 

A cat peeing outside the litter box is a frustrating and serious concern for many pet owners. Therefore many cat owners often ask, why is my cat peeing everywhere? So, after reading this article, you must have found the possible reasons why your cats pee everywhere. Moreover, you can try the ways mentioned above to stop your cats from peeing everywhere.  

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