Advice for Cat Owners with a Cat Urinating Outside the LitterboxYou need to deodorize cat urine deposits to prevent another episode or escalation. Specific instructions for this can be found on Urine Odor Control page. Cats urinate outside the litterbox for several reasons:
Make sure the box is clean. You can use KOE (Kennel Odor Eliminator) or SCOE10x for this after you wash and dry the litterbox. Add fresh litter to the litterbox after the litterbox has completely dried again. Have your cat checked by a veterinarian to rule out illness before you go further, unless the answer is obvious. If health proves to be clear, then you have a cat exhibiting the last reason for urinating outside the litterbox. Your cat wants your attention. Your cat may be marking territory because of a visiting neighbor cat, a cat in "heat" or "season" in the neighborhood, or a visitor brought in cat hair on their clothes. Check for these reasons and proceed to deal with them. A cat in "heat" can cause a male to mark or "spray." Have your male cat neutered and deodorize the cat urine at every opportunity. You may end up having to remove the cat for several days while you treat the whole house. Prepare for this by having a cage handy. You can also park your cat with friends, relatives or at a kennel. That is totally up to you and your pocketbook. Your male cat may continue to "spray" for up to a year after being neutered if he is over a year old at the time he is neutered. Talk to your visitors so that they will remove foreign cat hair before entering your home. If your cat got scared from a thunderstorm, dog, child or stranger, you will only be able to deodorize the spots. Be kind to your cat during these episodes, because your cat cannot control the behaviors. If the trauma continues, as in the case of a dog or heartless child, the cat may become very timid and develop other behavior problems. Deal with the cause if possible. Storms cannot be controlled, but you can provide your cat with comforts during storms. A soft bed or favorite toy, can help if you need to be out during storms. Remove the dog or re-train it so that it doesn't terrorize your cat. Teach a child empathy in dealing with your cat.  If your household has changed by addition, your cat may be trying to get your attention. It will urinate outside the box, even if you become angry, so that it doesn't feel so left out. Offer more cuddles and play to your cat. New children in a household will need to learn how to deal with a cat. But also a new spouse will need to be introduced carefully. Your new mate is unfamiliar to the cat and your cat needs to become friendly before any positive results can come about. Your cat has had you to itself and many cats don't share well at first. The cat may take a dislike to your mate and discipline will only worsen the problem. Yelling can cause your cat to become sneaky. Counsel your child (if old enough, or your mate, to be patient with the cat. If you had a birth, the cat may feel that its place in the household has been usurped. Eventually, the cat will come to love the child or your spouse. Care should be taken to never leave the cat alone with a baby. Give lots of love to your cat. Pay attention to it's signals (tail, ears, whiskers, posture, and direction of view) around the baby. Your cat may be exhibiting grief by the loss of a person or other pet. Whether the person or pet moved or passed on, your cat only knows that they are not there and misses them. Again, offer cuddles and play. Your cat may still miss them, but if more people pay attention to it, your cat will eventually come around. Be patient, as your cat doesn't understand, any more than a 2-year old child can understand, what has happened. If your cat still does not use the litterbox, please contact me. I will be glad to offer whatever adivce I can and help to solve the problem. I often recommend bonding play and discourage the use of punishment.
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