Will My Cat Always Urinate Outside The Litter Box?

Will My Cat Always Urinate Outside the Litter Box?

Cats can urinate outside their litter boxes for behavioral and medical reasons. This is a very frustrating problem for cat owners and they often want to know why this happens-and how to stop it for good. Will cats always urinate outside the litter box if they have done it once?

The answer to this question is that it depends.

Many urinary problems happen because of medical reasons. Once treated, your cat should no longer urinate outside the litter box. With that being said, behavioral issues also have an effect and those must be resolved as well before change happens.

It is important to ensure your cat has a clean open litter box in a location that is quiet and secure. The litter should be free of waste, unscented, and appealing in texture to your cat. It is also critical to clean up the odor of any previous urine accidents so your cat is not attracted to that area again.

For more information, please read The Fine Art of Litter Box Care
Another really good article is The Top 8 Reasons Why Your Kitty Won't Use the Litter Box.

For information on medical reasons why cats won't use the litter box, please read:

Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC)
Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS) in Cats
Urolithiasis (stones in the urinary tract) in Cats
Acute Cystitis in Cats
Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS) in Cats
Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC)

For information on behavioral reasons why cats won't use the litter box, please read:

Feline Urine-Marking
Inappropriate Elimination by My Cat
Housesoiling
Normal Elimination Behavior

When you can identify the cause of the urination, you will have a better idea whether the problem is permanent. Generally It's not as long as you can fix the problem, and this is true for both behavioral and medical problems.

I hope this article has helped you learn whether your cat's inappropriate urination is a permanent habit.