Owning a cat can be one of the most rewarding and emotionally valuable opportunities for many people. Their independent yet caring nature makes their owners fall more and more in love with them each day. However, when you have a cat who suddenly starts doing their business outside of the litter box, it can be incredibly frustrating, not to mention smelly.
However, rather than just punishing your cat for peeing in your shoes or on your sofa, it’s important that you recognize that this behavior is, in fact, a result of your cat acting out due to certain circumstances that you need to make yourself aware of and that addressing these factors can help get your cat back to using the litter box once again.
Here are a few tips you can keep in mind that will help you learn how to stop your cat from peeing in the same spot over and over again.
Visit the Vet (As a last resort)
When it comes to keeping your pet happy and healthy, regular vet visits will be essential. And when your cat starts with this kind of behavior, make sure that there’s not some serious pain or health issue behind the scenes provoking them.
Not only do you want to get this kind of thing checked out first for the well-being of your pet, which goes without saying, but also if this ends up being a medical problem, there are few training techniques that you can try or environmental changes you can make that will stop them from engaging in cat peeing in the same spot outside the litter box
There are many different medical issues that could be causing your cat to pee wherever they can. Most often, this will be due to an urgency to urinate caused by a UTI, inflammation of the bladder, or even bladder stones or a major blockage.
Luckily, these issues are easily identifiable for a vet and can often be treated rather quickly, helping to get your pet back to feeling better than ever and helping you figure out how to stop your cat from peeing in the same spot.
Clean the House
Once a cat has started urinating in a spot outside of the box, getting them to stop can be a bit tricky. This is because cats often urinate in the same space as a form of respect for territory. If you’re hoping to get your cat to stop this behavior, you’ll need to make sure that you thoroughly clean every single space in your home where your cat has gone before. Unfortunately, this can often be more difficult than you’d think.
While it’s true that cat pee has a strong and distinct smell that will be easy to pinpoint, completely removing that smell can be a hassle, and cats will often pick up on that scent long after humans can. Make sure that you use quality urine removal products as well as a blacklight to help you find areas that you perhaps would have missed on your own.
By making the litter box the only space in the home with this familiar scent, you’ll be giving your cat the limitation it needs to get back into the habit of using that box.
Keep the Litter Box Spotless
While you might think that leaving a few pee spots or pieces of feces in the box for a bit shouldn’t be a problem, cats are notorious for cleanliness, and having a dirty litter box can be a serious deterrent for many cats who would rather find a clean, unused space than do their business someplace like this.
If you start to notice that your cat is urinating in a wide range of areas, keeping your box as clean as possible needs to become a much larger priority. How to stop your cat from peeing in the same spot<span style=”font-weight: 400;”> is accomplished by making sure that where you want them to go is clean and spotless to their standards each and every time they step foot in the box, even if it means scooping it all out every single time they go.
Add More Boxes
Every cat owner knows just how finicky their little felines can be, so why would you think their bathroom practices would be any different? Some cats just don’t like going to the same place over and over and would prefer to have multiple options from which to choose.
Cats are creatures that love choices and love to feel like they have everything they could ever need, which will mean that adding another box into your home just might be the solution that you’ve been looking for. The typical rule for cats is one litter box per cat plus another to add variety.
So, even cat owners with only one cat in their home should have a minimum of two litter boxes for their pet to choose from. Try adding another box in a completely separate space, and see if having an option put in front of them helps the situation.
Think About the Location
Do you have a problem performing in public? Well, your cat isn’t any different. Many cats find it difficult to use the bathroom in spaces that they feel are too open and easy to see as well as louder spaces that could disturb them.
While it may seem convenient to place the litter box in the mudroom next to the washer and dryer, the reality is that this is one of the worst places for a cat to go to the bathroom. Not only is it a commonly used space that your family and friends will walk through constantly, but it’s also one of the loudest rooms in the home.
Cats are known to hate going to the bathroom with the harsh noise that these machines produce and will often start seeking out other areas to handle their business in peace and quiet. Think about moving the litter box to a more separate and isolated space in the house so that your cats can feel at peace and comfortable whenever they need to go to the bathroom.
Change the Box
Many cat owners find themselves choosing litter boxes that are enclosed simply because it seems like a more stylish choice and will help keep you from having to see that mess every time they go to the bathroom. However, while this may be a more comfortable choice for you, it won’t necessarily be for your cat.
Enclosed boxes can often end up being incredibly smelly, dark, and tight, none of which will be encouraging for your cat in any way. While cats certainly like small, enclosed spaces to sleep, doing their bathroom business is a whole other ball game. Try changing things up and buying an open litter box for your cat. You may just find that removing the lid was the best decision you could have ever made for everyone involved.
Check the Type of Litter
Do you prefer to buy a heavily perfumed litter in order to keep your home smelling nice and fresh for as long as possible? This may be a great option for you as a homeowner, but as a cat owner, it may be time to think again. Just because something smells pleasant and acceptable to you doesn’t mean that your cat will agree with you.
Cats have an unbelievable sense of smell, and having an overpoweringly smelly litter can actually be a major turnoff for them when it comes time to handle their business. Consider switching to an unscented option that contains activated charcoal in order to help lessen the powerful smell, giving you both the best of both worlds.
Keep an Eye on Interactions
When it comes to figuring out how to stop your cat from peeing in the same spot over and over, taking a look at the interactions between your pets can play a major role. Problems between cats that had always gotten along till this point or the introduction of a brand new cat to the home can often be major concerns for cats and can lead to them acting out and looking to assert their dominance over the home space.
While having multiple litter boxes will certainly help with this problem, you may want to consider separating your pets for a period of time so that they’re able to resolve their tensions and work things out on their own before you slowly reintroduce them to one another down the road.
Block off the Area
Are you noticing that your cat has one favorite spot in particular that they always return to? Then restricting their access to that area can be a big help. Cats prefer to go to the bathroom in familiar spaces, so if you remove the space that has become the most common for them, they’ll often choose the next best options, which will more often than not end up being the litter box.
Go about it the same way you would when house training a puppy. Limit their space to smaller areas, and gradually open them up to the rest of the house as they learn to use the litter box exclusively once again.
Positive Reinforcement
While you may not think that your cat needs to be praised for using the litter box properly, the fact of the matter is that every animal enjoys receiving treats for good behavior, and using a bit of positive reinforcement can be a great way to get your cat back in the habit of using the box rather than your shoe bin.
Keep a bag of treats close at hand so that you can make sure that they receive a few bites each time you notice them using the litter box. This will give them the positive association that they need in order to continue using it time and time again.
Clean the Carpets
If your cat has been going regularly on the rugs and carpets, getting them professionally cleaned will be an absolute must. Even the most expensive carpet cleaning products just won’t be able to completely remove the scent enough to deter your cats in the future.
Allowing the experts to clean your rugs with high-end products will not only save you a tremendous amount of time and money, but it will also keep your house feeling bright and fresh like never before.
Neutering
While spaying your pets should be a go-to move for all pet owners, the reality is that many cat owners end up forgoing this step, which can result in serious consequences later on. Male cats are especially notorious for marking their territory. If you’re looking to avoid this kind of behavior, getting your cats neutered before they reach puberty needs to be the main priority.
However, even if your cat has already matured beyond this point, having them spayed or neutered can definitely help with this problem, removing the internal urges that they naturally feel to spray their personal area to mark it as their own. speak with your local vet about how to best go about addressing this problem, and get your pet taken care of as quickly as possible.
Having to put up with a cat that’s constantly peeing wherever it sees fit can get extremely annoying. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons that many cats are left and abandoned on the streets. However, understanding the reasons behind why your cat is acting out in this way and what you can do to stop it will help ensure that it ends quickly and never happens again.
My final thoughts on cat peeing in the same spot outside the litter box
While cats are definitely one of the most independent and remarkable pets out there, they are also incredibly picky creatures and like to have things just the way they want them. And, when things don’t go according to plan, they can often act up and look for more acceptable alternatives. Make sure that you keep these tips in mind so that you can always remember how to stop your cat from peeing in the same spot starting today and lasting for the rest of their lives.
Another question I am commonly asked is “Cat Peeing In Same Spot Outside Litter Box” This is a common problem amongst kittens and even older cats. However, this smelly habit can be stopped now by using a method that will actually work before the whole house smells like a litter tray.
All you have to do at this point is Go Here and have a free look at this method. I do not have any of those annoying pop-ups requesting your contact. All you should do is go and have a look and you decide. It has been downloaded many thousands of times and has made cat owners just like you now happy and content. The only action you should do today is to download the method now before it is too late.
[su_box title=”Affiliate Disclosure”]This website is supported by its readers. Please assume that all links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of the links we will make a commission from Amazon. Thank you.[/su_box]