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House Soiling

House Soiling and Inappropriate Elimination

Inappropriate elimination is the most common behaviour (behavior) problem reported by cat owners. There are two main forms of house soiling, urinating and defaecating (defecating) outside of the litter box and urine marking and spraying.

Cats urinate in the squatting position. The urine is voided downward onto a flat horizontal surface. Spraying occurs in a standing position. The tail is held straight and quivers. Urine is sprayed onto walls or furniture. The cat continues to use its litter box for defaecation (defecation) and most urine elimination. For more information on spraying see Spraying and Marking.

Medical problems are one reason for house soiling. Inflammation of the urinary tract (cystitis) causes painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine and crying during urination. Kidney, liver and thyroid diseases lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumours (tumors) or intestinal parasites may cause painful defaecation (defecation), increased frequency or urgency to defaecate (defecate) and reduced control of defaecation (defecation). Any related disease which interferes with cats mobility (arthritis, nervous system disorders, muscular disease) may reduce their ability to get to the litter box in time.

Behavioural problems such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling.

Emotional causes for inappropriate elimination are unlikely, except for separation anxiety. Cats don't usually exhibit separation anxiety when left alone for short periods but may do so if left for 8 hours or more. The owner returns to find the cat has defaecated (defecated) or urinated on the bed, clothes or furniture. It its likely that the cat was attracted to these areas because they had the owners scent.

Litter Box Aversions

The cat may develop a dislike for the litter box, the litter, the location or a combination.

Litter Box

The litter box may have an offensive odour (odor) if it was cleaned with harsh chemicals. If not cleaned thoroughly the litter box may smell strongly of ammonia (a byproduct of urine). Covered litter boxes trap odours (odours).
Cats with painful legs, sore joints or other mobility problems may have trouble getting into a box with high sides. Kittens may have similar problems.

Kitty Litter

Cats prefer clean litter. Some cats will not use a dirty litter box.
The cat may not like the texture of the litter. Your cat may prefer finer-textured litter rather than coarse litter, or vice versa. Some litters have sharp edges that may dig into your cats paws. Try using a softer litter.
Most cats prefer non-scented litter. Some scented litters can be distracting to cats.

Litter Box Location

Avoid placing the litter box in a high traffic, noisy, dark or dank area.
Your cat may be fearful of the litter box if another cat, dog or human terrorizes him/her when he/she is in the box, or ambushes him/her as he/she exits. He/she may avoid the box altogether.

Cats with aversions usually eliminate on varying surfaces (on soft surfaces like carpets, beds or clothing or on hard surfaces like tile floors or bath tubs). The cat may continue to use the litter box, but only inconsistently.

Inappropriate Site Preferences

Your cat may prefer to eliminate in a location different from where the litter box is.

The cat may find another surface is more desirable for elimination. Cats that prefer certain surfaces usually stick with that choice. A cat may like to eliminate on soft surfaces like clothing or carpets but would be unlikely to use tile floors.

The cat may find another location is more desirable for elimination. This usually results from an aversion to the current box location.

Cats with preferences for certain surfaces or locations may continue to use the litter box infrequently.

One cause for house soiling can lead to another. A cat with a urinary tract disorder that can't make it to the litter box in time will eliminate wherever he/she is. Overtime, he/she may develop a preference for the new site and continue to eliminate there.

Treating Inappropriate Urination

The longer a problem behaviour (behavior) persists, the more likely it is to become habit. Take your house-soiling cat to your veterinarian for a physical examination to check for underlying medical problems. Cats with medical problems do not always appear sick. If you have more than one cat, you may need to separate them until you can identify the responsible cat. Alternatively, your veterinarian can give you a special non-toxic stain given to your cat by mouth that will show up in the urine.

If urine puddles are found in the house you need to distinguish between spraying and other forms of house soiling. Watch your cat for signs of spraying or set up a video camera.

Choose an appropriate litter box.

Unscented fine-textured litter, 1-2 inches deep is preferred by most cats
If you switch litter brands make sure you do so gradually. Add more new litter to the old at each cleaning.
Young kittens, elderly cats and cats with mobility problems need boxes with low sides
Overweight and large cats need bigger boxes
Replace covered litter boxes with open litter boxes that let odours (odors) escape and provide the cat with a good all-round view
Position the litter box so the cat has more than one way to escape
Provide as many litter boxes as there are cats in the house, plus one extra

Choose a good location for the litter box.

Quiet, private, separate from the feeding area, easily accessible 24 hours a day
Provide at least one litter box on each level in a multi-storey house
Provide multiple litter boxes in different areas of the house. Later on, you can remove the boxes that the cat doesn't use.
Place a litter box in your cats preferred location. Once he/she uses it reliably, gradually move the litter box (a few inches each day) back to the desired location
Placing food bowls or toys in previously soiled areas may reduce the chances of resoiling

Keep the litter box clean.

If using clumping litter, remove faeces (feces) and clumps daily. Add clean litter as needed.
A litter liner may keep the litter box cleaner but many cats don't like the feel of them on their paws
Scrub the litter box with a gentle detergent to clean it, then leave it to dry. Refill with clean litter.
Change the litter often enough so it looks and smells clean and dry. Don't wait for the whole tray to become dirty.
The more cats using litter box, the more frequently it will need to be changed
If the cat cries, refuses to bury waste, perches on the edge of the box without touching the litter or eliminates near the box, ensure the box is clean. Some cats refuse to use a box containing any urine or faeces (feces) whatsoever.

If your cat has separation anxiety, decrease the amount of time the cat is left alone. Provide a cat sitter to play with the cat. Consider getting another cat as a companion.

Make sure you clean the soiled spots well. Remove every trace of the smell otherwise the cat will use the same location again. Avoid using ammonia-based products to clean up urine stains. Ammonia is a component of cat urine and will attract the cat back to the same spot again.

Medication

Spraying is more responsive to anti-anxiety drugs than other types of house soiling. But medication is only part of the solution and must be used in conjunction with environmental changes. All medications can have potentially damaging or unwanted side effects. Cats placed on long term medication must be monitored closely by a veterinarian.

Other Methods

Sheets of plastic, newspaper or sandpaper may discourage a cat from entering a soil-prone area.

Close doors or cover the area with furniture or plants to prevent a cat accessing it.

Use a water gun or shake a jar of pennies to startle the cat if you catch him/her within seconds of eliminating in a forbidden place. Make sure you startle not scare the cat, fear will only make the problem worse.

References

Carlson DG & Giffin JM, Cat Owners Home Veterinary Handbook, New York: Howell Book House, 1995

Gair A, Caring For Your Cat, London: Harper Collins, 1997

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