Expert: Ali - 8/30/2008

Question
How can I stop my cat from urinating outside of her litter box?  I know that she is just trying to tell me that she is not pleased with me somehow, but I just don't know what more I can do.  I have two other male cats and they all seem content together.  She is the only indoor cat and has always been and doesn't seem to mind that at all.  She gets along well with the other cats and I don't know what her problem is.I adopted her from an animal hospital and suspect that is the reason her previous owner gave her up.  I have had her now for about six years and the problem only started about a year ago.
I am quite certain that she does not have a medical problem as she only chooses to leave her little piddles in certain areas.
She seems to be a spoiled little brat when she doesn't get ALL of the attention that she expects on a daily basis, even though I find that I do give her quite a bit.  I have tried scolding her, leaving her in her carrier for a while and nothing seems to work.  I don't know what else I can do, unless I give her up.
She is a beautiful cat and very sweet, otherwise, and I would hate to have to do that.  Can you help me?

Answer
Diane,

The first thing that I always recommend is to have a cat that begins house soiling examined thoroughly by your family vet including blood and urine testing so that the vet can assure you with relative certainty that the house soiling hasn't been a product of a medical issue. If your cat hasn't been spayed that might account for the urine marking. Some cats will routinely soil in certain areas and continue to make the same mistakes based on smell alone. In cases where the cat soils in predictable places I would recommend that you try using an enzymatic cleaner to permanently remove the odor that is causing your cat to urinate outside of the box. An enzymatic cleaner uses beneficial bacteria to digest/destroy the components of organic compounds like urine, feces or vomit that are responsible for leaving behind odor or stains. I have found that a product called Petzyme works quite well and has so far been safe on my carpet and upholstery for cleaning vomit stains.
Another common issue with house soiling cats comes down to litter boxes. Sometimes food is located too close to the litter which will generally cause the cat to use the toilet elsewhere as they are very clean and would prefer not to eat where they go to the washroom. Scented kitty litters, air fresheners and other products that are highly scented or dyed can cause sensitivity in some cats and they may soil elsewhere as a result of the discomfort produced by their scent sensitivity. Litter boxes should be located in a quiet, private area of the house, filled with an unscented clumping kitty litter and cleaned a minimum of once a day. I often recommend that cats who have house soiling issues be offered another litter box or a different design of litter box as some cats find certain litter box designs uncomfortable. It's not a bad idea to speak with your vet about the possibility of a referral to an animal behaviorist. Your vet can also offer effective treatment options, but you should be aware that many of the drugs administered to cats with the intention of changing house soiling behaviors are small doses of human anti-depressant/anti-anxiety drugs. Because of this you need to be aware of any potential risks or side effects that could result from the use of these drugs so don't be afraid to ask questions. You may also want to try consulting with a holistic vet which means that the vet has been trained in conventional medicine as well as alternative therapies ranging from acupuncture and massage to homeopathy and nutriceuticals. Sometimes an approach that focuses on the whole animal can be helpful in eliminating the woes of inappropriate elimination.