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My cat pees outside the litter box. How can I stop it and keep her?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 12 years and 9 months old | 9 lbs

We recently moved into my in laws to save money, but unfortunately they said my cat Lilly is not invited to stay with us. She has been staying elsewhere. The reason the in laws won’t allow for Lilly to stay with us is because they noticed her peeing in our old apartment and they don’t want that in their house. As understandable as that is, where Lilly is staying she is no longer able to stay there. So we have to compromise. What could we do/buy so she’s not locked in a bathroom or cage all day?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Joy Fuhrman, DVM, MBA, CPA

Veterinarian

Published on March 1st, 2018

If your veterinarian has ruled out a medical condition you can start by making sure that Lilly has at least 2 litter boxes in the house an that they are cleaned out daily. You can also try using felliway room spray to encourage her to remain in a particular room and to use the litter box. You may also want to consider consulting with a veterinary behaviorist. You can find one in your area on www.accb.org.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I would have Lilly seen by a vet. Not peeing in the litter box can be a sign of a medical illness such as a UTI or bladder stones. In an older cat like her, it could also be a sign of kidney disease or diabetes. These are things that could be treated and could help stop the urinating outside the litter box, so having a visit with the vet to make sure she is healthy is best. If a medical issues is found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you. If not, then the vet can talk with you about solutions for her issues so she doesn't have to live in a cage all day or locked in a bathroom. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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