this post was submitted on 08 May 2025
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A. Consider that the litter box may need to be cleaned more frequently.
B. Consider the possibility of a urinary tract infection or urinary crystals. Such conditions can cause this kind of inappropriate behavior. Think of it as the cat trying to tell you something is wrong.
Edit: Male cats in particular can be prone to blockages. Particularly if they are not getting enough water. Remember that cats evolved to get most of their water from their food. If they are fed only dry food, they will sometimes not drink enough water.
Or in my case your cat is almost 20 and has dementia.
My female.cat won't use the litter box. I had 4 between 2 cats and.clean it daily, but she suffered abuse and has a front.paw that hurts so I thinl she can't balance well on the littler. I now use dog pads for pee and poop inside the box and she loves it
That's sad. Some people suck. You are a good person to care for her.
I know I've heard that cats with like arthritis will refuse to use a litterbox along with cats who have been declawed. Any paw discomfort I guess makes the litter uncomfortable? Nothing wrong with pee pads!
My cat has hyperthesia and overly sensitive paws, and she used to leap out of the litter box to finish frequently. Our vet suggested we try a gentler litter and it worked! We got a "soft paws" formula litter and it helped a ton.
All very good points!
I found all the curtains in a room we don't use was peed on. We washed the curtains. One week later they were all peed on again. I'm 99% sure he was marking his territory.
So I guess there is an option C.
Yes, that's a good point. Un-neutered males can start marking around the house. And once those habits form they can be very hard to break, even if they are later neutered.