When Cats Miss the Box

If you have a cat that is urinating outside it's box; you have a problem. The smell of cat pee is disgusting and can smell up the whole house. You may think the only alternative to getting rid of the problem is getting rid of the cat.

The first thing you need to do is figure out if the cat is urinating or spraying. There's a difference between the two. If the cat squats down and makes a big puddle, it's urinating.

Here are some common reasons why cats' urinate outside the box.

• The litter box is dirty. It needs to be cleaned everyday.
• The cat may not like the smell of the litter. Don't buy litter that is scented or has a lot of chemicals.
• Don't use liners or box tops. Some cats don't like either of these.
• If you have more than one cat, you should have a litter box for each cat plus one.

If the cat is spraying (lifting its leg and letting only small amounts of urine come out) it's marking its territory.

Here are a few things to consider if this is happening.

• The cat could be under stress. Try to eliminate the stress or reduce it.
• There could be a medical problem. Make an appointment with the vet to either treat or rule out the problem.
• Do not clean the area with ammonia-based products. Ammonia has a smell similar to urine and the cat may continue to spray.
• Male cats are known for spraying. If the cat is not neutered, consider doing so.

As you are dealing with the problem you can use pheremone sprays which produce a good smell. The cat often does not pee in an area that has a pleasant smell.

Try putting foil in the area they are spraying. The may not like the feel of this on there feet and avoid the area all together.

This article is written on personal experience. My cat started spraying when I brought a stray into the house. The problem has not completely gone away but I have been able get to the point where he is not spraying as frequently by using the pheremone spray every day even if he has not urinated.