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Information Sheet

Feline urination trouble
barTable of Contents

Introduction
Before the cat is surrendered: information for the owners.
         Feline inappropriate elimination
         Feline urine marking
After the cat is surrendered: information for shelters.
Links to additional information for owners and for veterinarians


Feline urination trouble

  • Did you know that behavior problems are the number 2 reason why owners surrender their cats to shelters?
  • Did you know that inappropriate urination and urine marking are the most common behavioral problems in cats?

What a lot of people don’t realize is that eliminating outside the litter box, while seriously aggravating to many cat owners, is among the most treatable animal behavioral problems. With a correct diagnosis, inappropriate elimination and urine marking can usually be solved with environmental, and if necessary medical, intervention. When correctly diagnosed and treated, the cure rate for feline problem urination can be as high as 90%! Feline inappropriate urination and feline urine marking are two distinct problems, and thus might warrant a different approach depending on the diagnosis.

Before the cat is surrendered: information for the owners.

Feline inappropriate elimination

Feline inappropriate urination, or inappropriate elimination, is when the cat routinely urinates, and in some instances defecates, outside of their litter box. It is important to distinguish this from feline urine marking, as the treatment approach is quite different. (For more information on distinguishing the two behaviors see links below: “The Top 8 Reasons Why Your Kitty Won’t Use the Litter Box”). If a medical cause has been ruled out, inappropriate elimination can in most instances be managed by some simple changes in the environment.
Recommended treatment includes:

  • Cleaning all areas the cat is choosing to use for this purpose with enzymatic cleaners to remove all smell.
  • Supplying more, and possibly bigger, litter boxes. The rule is that you need one litter box per cat plus one extra. These have to be placed in different areas (two litter boxes next to each other counts as one).
  • Move the litter box. If your cat doesn't like the litter box's location, she may not use it. For example, if you place the litter box too close to her food and water dishes, she may avoid the box since cats don't like to eat and eliminate in the same area. If the box isn't easily accessible – for example, down in the basement or up on the top floor – she may not be able to get there in time, or may think it's too much trouble. If it is next to anything such as a noisy water heater, the washer and dryer, or a dominant cat's territory, she may look for a safer place to eliminate. Cats like quiet, safe, private places to do what they have to do. Moving the litter box to an area that allows the cat privacy but is accessible and convenient for cleaning may be helpful.
  • The litter has to be cleaned daily, scooping out any feces or urine clumps. Once a week the boxes should be emptied, the box should be cleaned with soap and water, and new litter provided.
  • In some instances changing the type of litter or litter box may also help. For instance, some cats may have an aversion to covered litter boxes, may be scared of automatic litter boxes, etc. Cats may also have distinct litter preferences – although most cats prefer unscented, clumping liter, each cat is an individual. Some cats may even have a brand preference within a certain type of litter, so don’t be shy about trying a number of different litters. One way to test the litter preference of your cat is to buy a small box or bag of each – test clumping and non-clumping clay, recycled paper, wood byproducts, plant-based material – the varieties are practically endless. Fill several boxes with different kinds, and see which one your cat prefers. With all these choices you are bound to find one that suits. There are some types if litter especially designed for the finicky cat – although not scientifically proven, some people report success with these kinds of litter.

Most cats prefer an unscented, scoopable clumping litter in an open box, without lining, in a quiet, un-crowded area.

Feline urine marking:

Feline urine marking is a normal behavior for intact cats, and will resolve in 90-95% of cases when the cat is neutered or spayed. Urine marking is when the cat is spraying areas with urine, and urine marks can be found on vertical surfaces. The cat assumes a standing posture when voiding urine and a small amount of urine is deposited, usually on targets of social importance, such as next to doors or windows. The cat will still use the litter box for regular urination and defecation.
There is no association between urinary tract disease and urine marking: therefore urinalysis is not indicated as part of the diagnostic approach to urine marking (as opposed to inappropriate urination).

  • Environmental changes may help in some cases, implementing the same changes as in case of inappropriate elimination. Limiting access to hostile contact with other cats inside or outside of the home may also be helpful.
  • In many cases however medication may have to be incorporated into the treatment. In 2 separate studies done on the effect of Prozac and Clomicalm; it was found that either of these drugs may reduce the frequency of urine marking by 90% or more.

After the cat is surrendered: information for shelters.

At some shelters, cats with history of elimination outside of the litter box either are not accepted (at limited intake shelters) or are not put up for adoption. No matter what the reason behind the problem, shelters may experience considerable difficulty placing cats with a history of litter box problems, especially in communities where potential adopters have many healthy cats to choose from with no such problems. For those shelters fortunate enough to be able to offer these cats for adoption, there are some steps that can be taken to increase the odds of creating a happy ending for cat and adopter. Some things to consider:

  • If at all possible, obtain enough history from the surrendering owner to distinguish between inappropriate elimination and urine marking. See “Evaluation of urine marking by cats as a model for understanding veterinary diagnostic and treatment approaches and client attitudes” for more information on distinguishing these two behaviors.
  • Obtain information about what has been tried in the way of treatment, and outcome of these efforts.
  • For inappropriate elimination, a urinalysis is indicated – this is not the case with urine marking, which is not associated with urinary tract disease.

Problems with litter box usage are much, much more common in multi-cat households so ideally cats with a history of such problems should go to single or few-cat homes to decrease the likelihood of recurrence.
Be aware that even though the cat may use the litter box when confined to a small cage in the shelter, the problem may recur when adopted into a new home environment. These kitties may just be a little more particular than most about their litter box preferences or their reaction to the stress of other cats. Refer new adopters to the information provided above and in the link “Animal behavior society: How to Introduce an Adopted Cat to a New Household” to encourage good litter box habits from the outset in their newly adopted companion.

For more information about feline inappropriate elimination and feline urine marking these resources may be useful:

For owners:

For veterinarians:

Causes of urine marking in cats and effects of environmental management on frequency of marking. Patricia A. Pryor, Benjamin L. Hart, Melissa J. Bain, Kelly D. Cliff
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Dec 2001, Vol. 219, No. 12: 1709-1713.

Evaluation of the role of lower urinary tract disease in cats with urine-marking behavior
Valarie V. Tynes, Benjamin L. Hart, Patricia A. Pryor, Melissa J. Bain, Locksley L. McV. Messam
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Aug 2003, Vol. 223, No. 4: 457-461.

Effects of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor on urine spraying behavior in cats
Patricia A. Pryor, Benjamin L. Hart, Kelly D. Cliff, Melissa J. Bain
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Dec 2001, Vol. 219, No. 11: 1557-1561

Control of urine marking by use of long-term treatment with fluoxetine or clomipramine in cats. Benjamin L. Hart, Kelly D. Cliff, Valarie V. Tynes, Laurie Bergman
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Feb 2005, Vol. 226, No. 3: 378-382

Evaluation of urine marking by cats as a model for understanding veterinary diagnostic and treatment approaches and client attitudes
Laurie Bergman, Benjamin L. Hart, Melissa Bain, Kelly Cliff
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Nov 2002, Vol. 221, No. 9: 1282-1286