Reasons Why Your Cat May be Peeing/Pooping Outside of the Litter Box
-> MEDICAL!
-> MEDICAL!
-> MEDICAL! Before you automatically assume your cat is peeing on your clothes because it is “mad” at you, TAKE YOUR CAT TO THE VET! There are SO many medical reasons why your cat is inappropriately eliminating. Your cat could have a UTI, it could be blocked (Is he straining to pee, peeing little bits all over, or screaming when he pees? THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!!!!!!!!!), it could have arthritis and can’t jump or move to wherever the box is anymore. There could be kidney disease, endocrine disease (hyperthyroid, diabetes), GI disease, etc. PLEASE, if you cat is suddenly peeing or pooping outside of the box when it has never done that before, GO TO YOUR VET.
-> Stress: Cats normally don’t pee out of “spite”, but they can surely pee out of stress. Stressers can be any sudden change, new baby/pet, moving, etc.
-> Litter Box Aversion: Whether it be the box itself, the type of litter, or the location, cats can have aversions to these things and decide to eliminate elsewhere. One important thing to remember here is to frequently clean your box! This is simple solution that is easy to forget!
-> Unable to access a box: Similar to the one before, but some questions to ask: Can your cat get to the box? Are there multiple litter boxes if in a multi-cat household? (A rule of thumb I always heard of is 2 litter boxes plus 1 for every extra cat). Is there a dominant cat or dog that is preventing the cat from getting into or out of the box?
