Do you see your cat urinate where it shouldn’t? The first thing to do is the simplest: is my cat’s litter box clean? There are very clean cats that as soon as they see one more poop protest “in their own way” to get you to clean it. Or they are not even protesting, they are just doing their things in a more hygienic place in the house for them.
Once this has been verified, we must look at the shape of the piss, i. e., has it pissed on the floor or on something, or is there a mark on the wall, furniture, etc. as if it had pissed horizontally? (a circular spot with streaks down). In the second case, the cat (female or male) would be marking its territory (if you catch it you will see that it is effectively urinating horizontally, with its tail very erect and moving as if with spasms).
- If the cat is sterilized (very important, in addition to all the advantages it has).
- If there are a lot of cats in the house lately.
- If there is any new smell in the house (it could even be the smell in the clothes of a visitor).
- If there is any other territorial problem between house cats (it can be very subtle and that we have not realized before). In that case, you would have to go there, urinating is a consequence.
- If the cat hears a female cat asking for boyfriends on the street, or even sees street cats (he better not see them).
- If we have changed our work hours, we spend less time with the cat, we have gone on a trip, etc. All kinds of changes can make the cat feel insecure, from a furniture change to a prolonged visit from a family member.
- If the cat suffers from anxiety, we must take into account that the smell of its own “fragrance” relieves it; in that case, we must solve the anxiety problem first of all.This also has to do with the smell of new things, if the cat is shyer, it reassures it to have everything with the smell of it, i. e., it will mark new things or things that have just been washed.
In case you do not know what is happening and you want your cat to stop urinating everywhere, you can solve it by adding other smells that cats hate.
Although it is a very popular fruit for its high potassium content and rich flavor, cats often hate the smell of bananas. If you want to avoid seeing your cat keep urinating on the door, rub the peel of a banana or leave it there for a while.
As we mentioned at the beginning, being such clean animals, cats can’t stand having their litter box dirty, so if it is, they just won’t go near it and they’ll choose to urinate elsewhere. In addition, a dirty litter tray can be a reason for your feline to get angry at you by making its own litter box in a carpet, clothing, or pot around the house.
Fish in bad condition is a smell that even humans detest, and it’s also one of the smells that cats hate. Although we love to eat fish, we cannot bear the smell of a bad one and the same happens to felines. Cats are animals that hate anything that is in bad shape. If there is this smell nearby, the cat will not want to approach.
Cats hate smells like oranges, limes, lemons, etc. In fact, we can find repellants for cats with this type of fragrance on the market. If you want to prevent your cat from entering the garden of your house and spoiling the flowers, you can sprinkle some citrus fruit peels or put a little orange oil: it will not come close.
Even the litter in the tray can be one of the smells that cats hate. Although we can find natural sand that is made from pine, we cannot abuse its fragrance, since it can lead to our cats rejecting and hating the sand. What you should do is rotate the aromas of the sands and make them more neutral. In this way, you will ensure that your feline does not tire of them.
All strong chemical odors are rejected by cats. So be careful with the fragrances of soaps and cleaning products, both for the home or the toilet of its litter box and for your personal hygiene. On the other hand, if you want your cat to stop peeing outside its litter box, you can use some deodorants here and there.
Mustard, pepper, and curry are other scents that cats hate. These animals strongly reject the odors of spicy or highly seasoned food. To your nose, these are toxic odors.
For the most part, cats reject the aromas of certain plants that are toxic to their smell. A very particular case is the hatred they feel towards Eucalyptus since the essential oils of this plant can be harmful to the health of the animal. It is simply a natural instinct and survival rejection.
On the other hand, if your kitty keeps peeing in certain uninvited places, keep in mind the following:
Physical problem: Visit the vet now. The cat may be feeling bad and what it does is try to draw your attention to it. Among these problems, the most common are:
- Urine: Diabetes, kidney diseases (be careful with the food we give to cats, they must always be high-end to avoid these things), hyperthyroidism, FUS (feline urological syndrome), stones, cystitis, neurological diseases, arthritis, disc disease, neoplasm.
- Stool: IBD, diarrhea, anal vasculitis, stubbornness, neurological diseases, arthritis, hyperthyroidism, neoplasm.
Remember that cats are very clean and generally tend to urinate directly in their litter box, but if it is not clean, then they will do it elsewhere. You can check with your trusted vet if your kitty has trouble peeing on it.
Dr. Ananya Singh, the expert behind ThePetster.com, is a dedicated veterinarian with over 9 years of experience in animal health and welfare. She holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. Dr. Singh specializes in comprehensive pet care, preventative health, and holistic wellness. Follow her on Instagram for expert advice and updates.