Problem pee-ers are all too common in the feline world and living with one can be frustrating to say the least! Anyone who has ever found cat pee somewhere it shouldn’t be can vouch for how hard it is to clean and the stress of coming home to the uncertainty of where the next wee will be!

Cats can decide to toilet outside the tray for a number of reasons. Often it requires a behavioural consultation to figure out why they are not toileting where they are meant to. However, in the mean time there are a number of great tips that can help make the litter boxes appealing as possible to your furry friend!

Litter box top tips!!!

• Most (not all) cats prefer uncovered Lots of them feel anxious in the enclosed box with only one escape hole.

• Most cats would choose a tray 1.5x the length of the cat; trays that are too small prevent their normal urinating routines.

• Cats are fussy, so the tray should be CLEAN at all times! Urine and faeces should be removed asap (ideally as soon as it has been done). Wash the tray with hot water at last once a week and avoid chemicals that can be aversive (at best) or even toxic.

• Avoid litter liners. Although they make our lives easier, they often catch on a cat’s claws which can put then off entering the tray!

• Make sure the tray is away from the cat’s food and water and in a quiet location…. Nobody likes to pee with people watching!

• Give your cat an option of cat litter and avoid changing the litter type if possible. Some cats have a real preference as to what they pee on.

• Make sure there are enough trays in multi cat house holds, as a general rule of thumb AT LEAST one tray per cat and a spare in different locations of the house.

Not all inappropriate toileting is behavioural, always make sure you get a vet to check your cat if it starts to pee in strange places. Urinary tract infections, stones, cystitis and other medical issues can often show up as urinary issues.

If your vet has checked out your cat, you have tried all the litter box top tips and your cat is continuing to pee in strange places then feel free to call Dr Julie @ Life on Four Legs (or any other veterinary behaviourist). Often the sooner we can have an appointment the easier these problems are to sort!