A cat claiming its territory by urinating beyond the box may be exhibiting this behavior. But in addition to environmental factors, there are several underlying medical issues that can make a cat urinate beyond the litter box. Bring the cat to the veterinarian to rule out any health issues if this behavior has occurred at least once or twice. There are actions you can take to stop the behavior if it has been, in fact, a marking behavior.
What are urination spray marks?
What are urination spray marks?
Cats who engage in the behavior known as "spray-marking" will stand up straight and lightly urinate on vertical surfaces. It differs greatly from peeing, which requires squatting and the large-volume discharge of urine over flat surfaces. Your cat may urinate beyond the litter box for a variety of medical reasons, such as kidney failure, arthritis, diabetes, urinary tract stones, or crystals.
How do I get my cat to quit marking in the house?
1 - Marking Their Turf
Cats mark vital areas with their urine. Up until the age of 2 to 4 years old, when they acquire social maturity, cats frequently get along pretty nicely. While urine marking typically targets vertical surfaces, house-soiling typically entails sitting and dumping pee or feces on a horizontal surface. Cats can pee on both horizontal and vertical surfaces, though. The majority of the time, intact male felines are the ones who shower the house with pee, but neutered cats of either sex can also choose to do so.
2 - Verify the litter box.
Cats will avoid using the litter box when it is placed improperly (too close to food or sleeping areas), is dirty, or if they must share it with another cat occasionally. They might prefer an additional container for solids or other liquids, whether or not they want to "go" after another cat. Additionally, cats have very particular tastes for the surfaces or filters of boxes, and occasionally the box might be too tiny to fit a big-tailed cat.
3 - Stress
Cats prefer routines, and even minor changes to their surroundings might cause them to get upset. This can include welcoming a new child or pet into the home, noticing an odd feline in the backyard, and the absence of a caretaker. Numerous additional environmental conditions might make cats stressed and cause them to stain their pee. Cats tend to become uncomfortable in stressful situations, and one way they can combat this anxiety is by marking their territory. The aroma of their pee is left behind, highlighting how agitated they are.
The sound and smell of stray cats in heat during springtime make indoor cats feel agitated, which increases their territorial marking.
4 - Use rescue remedy and feliway.
If there are a few cats, they can be at the stage of social development where they are vying for dominance in the home. The synthetic pheromone Feliway can be useful since it alerts the cat to the safety of its surroundings. Some cats respond well to Rescue Remedies stress-relieving effects.
5 - Get rid of the smell and make new connections.
Keep an eye out for cat urine stains. Urine should shine under a black light, making any dirty surfaces visible. Clean the area completely with an odor neutralizer, such as Anti-Icky-Poo, to get rid of the smell that causes cats to return to the crime scene (and its aroma). Both ammonia and bleach are effective. The idea is to get rid of the smell so the cat won't feel free to "go" there again. Place toys, a feline bed, or a bowl of food directly on the location to further change the association with the space. Where cats play, sleep, or eat, they will not want to spray. Feliway can be sprayed on the offending area to discourage repeat behavior.
6 - Adding a second litter box
If you have more than one cat, you might need to pamper them twice as often or more. Provide each cat with at least a single litter box and place them throughout the house. Check that they are extra large because some cats prefer the extra room for movement.
Similar to this, give each cat a variety of resting spots and scratching posts throughout the house. Cats may climb and escape from one another if there is more vertical space, and each "owns" its own resting place. Cats can avoid having to share by using single-cat shelves, which only have room for one cat.
7 - Issues and proofreading practice
If you are unable to stop the spray, a trip to the veterinarian is necessary since a multitude of health conditions can cause urinating outside of the box.
Diabetes and kidney disease can increase urine production, making it difficult for the cat to go to the litter box in time. Inflammation of the bladder (cystitis) brought on by bladder stone crystals, bacterial infection, and cancer can result in cat lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). Cats with cystitis experience pain and feel the urge to "go" more frequently. They may occasionally associate discomfort with their litter box and seek out other locations to urinate.
Additionally, since there is no known etiology in 60% of these cases, the illness is challenging to treat. The symptoms of idiopathic cystitis typically disappear on their own in five to seven days, although they can return, especially under stressful circumstances.
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