By Kevin Fuller, DVM
Urinating outside of the litter box, or improper elimination is one of the leading causes for pet owners to relinquissh their cats to local shelters. While this may be a frustrating problem. Medical therapy is not always needed, but if there is ever blood in the urine, or straining to urinate, contact your local veterinarian.
One of the first steps
to consider if your pet is urinating outside the box is the number of boxes avaliable. The ideal number of litter boxes is the number of cats you have plus one. This is one of the main problems in multi-cat households. Cats may also be preferential to the brand of litter that is available. Some cats may do better with clumping/non, or scented/plain. These are easy switches that can be tried to improve consistency with using the litter box. Whether or not the box is covered or not may play a role in multi-cat households, as some cats may have aggression over litter boxes and pounce on others when entering/exiting the box. Size of the litter box is also of concern in larger cats that may not fit comfortably into the smaller boxes.
Last but not least, always ensure that the litter box is cleaned daily, and placed in areas that are easily accessible for all cats in the household. Be sure to try some of these easy changes before improper elimination becomes a barrier between you and your pet.
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