Urination and/or defecation outside the litter box in cats due to discomfort or pain. Urination outside litter box is a common behavior in cats, especially those that are unaltered. There are many reasons why cats may urinate outside of their litter boxes; however, in most cases, it is due to filthy trays. Urination outside litter box is quite common in households where there are multiple cats as well. Finally, some cats will urinate outside their litter boxes because they are marking their territory.
How to Recognize
You will be able to tell quickly if your cat is urinating outside of its litterbox.
Causes of Urination Outside Litter Box
Urination outside the litterbox may be a sign your cat is suffering from an illness such as a UTI or Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). However, many times the reason a cat urinates outside of its litterbox is not due to an illness, but the litterbox itself. Your cat may not be using its litter box if the litter box is dirty, crowded, difficult to enter, or if your cat has made negative associations with the litter box.
Diagnosis
Give your veterinarian a call if your cat is urinating outside of the litter box.
Treatment for Urination Outside Litter Box
First, seek veterinary advice to rule out an underlying illness. If your veterinarian confirms your cat is not suffering from an illness, there are some easy tricks to get your cat to resume using its litter box. For example, try cleaning the litter box more often or buy a larger or different looking box.
Pet Insurance
When adding a dog or cat to your family you want to make sure your pet is happy, healthy and protected. During its lifetime your pet is exposed to many illnesses and diseases and some breeds are affected by a congenital disease which is a condition existing at birth. At these moments when your pet is ill or maybe needs surgery, you want to be protected for the unexpected and high veterinarian costs.