Why is my cat peeing outside the litter box in our new multi-cat home?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Hi,my 4 year old spayed female Persian cat is peeing(not droplets but good amount) near the door horizontally. We had moved to new house with other cats(who she can't see since door is closed) 4 months back and it was all fine. Recently she is doing that. Enough litter boxes are available. Its a multi cat household(male/female) so I am not even sure if it's her. Can to please help with next steps? Urine is normal and it has happened twice. They are active and eating well. God's Grace,all be well
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on March 15th, 2020
It sounds like your cat might be marking, which some female cats will do. However, she should be checked by a vet to make sure there isn't a medical cause for her urination, such as a urinary tract infection or stress cystitis. Here's a link to some more information on inappropriate urinating in cats: https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/inappropriate-urination/
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on August 1st, 2017
She may have a serious medical issue that should be addressed. Many times when cats urinate outside the box, we think it is due to a behavior issue, but more times than not it can be due to an infection, or bladder stones or several other medical issues. I would recommend a trip to the vet to rule these things out and start there.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Have moved and been in new home 2 months she is urinating on bed covers and in bathtub
First I would make sure she doesn't have an infection. Stress can lead to inflammation in the bladder which can lead to an infection or inappropriate urination. I would also add feliway diffusers throughout your house. Feliway is a cat pheromone used to help calm cats. It doesn't work on everyone. I would also add extra litter boxes around the house especially in the area when she is urinating the most. Finally, if this doesn't help and she doesn't have a UTI, I would talk to your vet about starting her on an anti-anxiety medicine like amitryptilline. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
If her owner is dying, will this cause a cat to urinate on everything but the clean litter box?
Stress for a cat can definitely cause them to urinate outside the litter box. It is very important to rule out a medical cause for inappropriate urination like a UTI or bladder inflammation. If the issue is more behavioral in nature some suggestions I have are to have at least two litter boxes for the cat in different locations. Cleaning the litter boxes at least once a day can also be helpful (think about if you'd want to go into a very full portopotty- probably not!). The litter box should probably be uncovered and located in a quiet area. A Feliway diffuser or spray may also be helpful to reduce stress for the kitty. If this continues, please seek veterinary care as some urinary issues can be quite serious. It is best to rule out a medical cause first and then work on behavioral issues.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
My cat has been spraying on our living room curtain but urinating on shoes and dirty clothes in our closet. He also has been pooping inside his litter box but he urinates on the floor while he squats on the entry of the litter box. He also has been u
Causes of urination outside the box can be urinary tract infection, crystals in the urine, stones in the urinary tract, trauma to the area, or difficulty getting into the litterbox due to pain, or other reasons. It is important that you make an appointment to have Moon seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment. If you notice his straining to urinate/unable to produce urine, this is a medical emergency and she should be seen by a vet immediately. I highly recommend speaking to your vet about having Moon neutered, as this kind of behaviour can happen in male cats as a form of marking behaviour, and sometimes having them neutered can help reduce or eliminate the marking. It is also possible that Moon is exhibiting signs of stress in his home environment. You can do the following to help make sure Moon’s environmental needs are being met. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat has been peeing on my bay and this is the third time in the same exact spot . Shes litter trained and has never peed outside her box before . She's only 5 years old so she shouldn't be having bladder issues . Should I bring her to the vet to
This could be a behavioral issue such as her marking her territory to the cats and other animals outside. However it would be safest to at least have your veterinarian examine her and check to make sure there are no medical issues such as a urinary tract infection or crystals in her urine. You could check the Ohio state college of veterinary medicine's website called indoor pet initiative for more tips on dealing with cats that urinate outside the litter box.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a 3 year old female cat. She seems to pee outside of her little box quite often. If this has been going on for 3 years, can I assume there is not something medically wrong and she is just created a horrible habit?
Duration does not rule out illness. Something like a bladder stone does not dissolve on it's own. Cats will urinate outside the box for many reasons. Here is a good article to explain the different reasons: https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-top-5-reasons-your-cat-is-avoiding-her-litter-box-and-what-to/ The first thing you need to do is have Cali checked for a bladder infection or other urine abnormality. There may be a medical cause for the behavior. If the veterinarian thinks this is behavioral, there are a few factors to adjust. Cats are sensitive to the type of litter, size of the box and location of the box. If you have more cats, you need 1 litter box per cat + 1 additional box. You should also have a litter box on every floor of the house. This article discusses different types of litter and litter boxes: https://www.petcoach.co/article/cat-litter-finding-the-right-fit-for-your-cat/ In general though, cats prefer large, uncovered litter boxes, clay-based clumping litter that
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My 5yo spayed indoor cat has began spraying. She will spray in the tub and especially on any clothing or linens on the floor. Any idea as to what may be going on?
While this might be behavioral, the first step is to see your veterinarian to rule out a medical problem. Urinary tract inflammation or cystitis is common in cats and treatment is often required. Urinary tract infections can occur as well. Your vet will probably recommend a urine sample. If the urine is normal you can then discuss changes to make to the environment as outline here: https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats/problemsolving/spraying-and-marking
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
I’ve been introducing my moms cat to mine. One day my moms cat got into my room for the first time. Since then Storm has been peeing on the carpet in my room. I’ve used pet carpet cleaner and sprayed the no marking spray but he is still going. What e
Cats will urinate outside the box for many reasons. Here is a good article to explain the different reasons: https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-top-5-reasons-your-cat-is-avoiding-her-litter-box-and-what-to/ The first thing you need to do is have Storm checked for a idiopathic cystitis which can result from stress or other urine abnormality. There may be a medical cause for the behavior. If the veterinarian thinks this is behavioral, there are a few factors to adjust. Cats are sensitive to the type of litter, size of the box and location of the box. If you have more cats, you need 1 litter box per cat + 1 additional box. You should move a litter box into your room for now. You should also have a litter box on every floor of the house. This article discusses different types of litter and litter boxes: https://www.petcoach.co/article/cat-litter-finding-the-right-fit-for-your-cat/ In general though, cats prefer large, uncovered litter boxes, clay-based clumping litter that is scoped ev
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, i have a question my cat retchi, recently she started a weird behavior peeing all over the place on cushion, sofa and any plastic bag or on the floor and not using her letter box it started 7 months, at first i thought it was due to stress or
I am sorry to hear about Retchi. This is certainly a frustrating problem to deal with. If your cat has not been to the vet to test the urine and ensure we don't have an issue such as bacteria, crystals or inflammation of the bladder, or any concern with kidney disease, then that is your first step. You also want to be sure your litter box situation is ideal. You should have one more litterbox than the number of cats in the house. Ideally we would have litterboxes with covers and without in case your cat prefers one over another, and some cats prefer one substrate over another, so trying a different litter can sometimes help. Keeping the litterbox very clean with daily scooping and then thorough weekly cleaning is also needed. If you are still having issues then an underlying anxiety issue may be the cause. You can try a Feliway Multicat diffuser (plugs into the wall and you may need more than one depending on the size of your house) and a calming supplement such as Zylkene or C
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cats got spayed recently & suddenly they started peeing everywhere. The litter box is always clean & I use the same brand of litter 2 years without any problem. They are trained at "dont" and "good" but at that topic they just don't get it and I'm
This sounds like a complicated situation that may benefit from a consult or multiple questions. I will address the urination. Inappropriate urination is most common in multiple cat households. I would recommend that the cats be tested for urinary infections first. If normal then start addressing behavior. Add 1 more litter box than the number of cats. Start watching closely for “bossy” cats or stressful type of situations. Are they seeing outside cats and peeing after they see them? Is anyone scared of being attacked at the litter box? Add feliway diffusers into the rooms they tend to urinate in. This can get you started. Then look into feline environmental enrichment ideas. These include super tall cat trees, bird feeders at the windows, toys, etc. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
When my cat wasn't spayed, she would spray and pee everywhere while in heat. After the spay surgery she stopped, but after 2 months she started peeing again. Its always near the litter box or my door. Our other male cat isnt neutered yet, so sometime
This could be from stress and Lucy could have feline idiopathic cystitis. Most urinary tract "infections" in non-geriatric cats are not caused by bacteria (antibiotics kill bacteria) but inflammation caused by stress. This is called feline idiopathic cystitis. I'd have her seen by a vet for this behavior to have it diagnosed and treated. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Have A Vet Question?
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
