Since the time of ancient Egyptians, cats have been welcomed in our homes and showered with affection. As the second most popular pet in the United States, most households are home to at least one cat. And just like us, cats have health and wellness needs.
One of the most common struggles cat owners face are cats urinating outside of their litter boxes, such as on a pile of clothes left on the floor or on the carpets in the corner of a room. It is important to understand that when cats behave in this manner, they are trying to communicate with us.
After all, they cannot use words to explain their needs to us – they use their body language and behaviors to communicate. There are several reasons behind this behavior, so it is up to you, as their guardian, to understand what their needs are. So, what are your cats trying to communicate to you?
Spray versus Urinate
First, you have to understand the difference between urinating and spraying as these are different behaviors with different root causes and treatments. Urinating outside the litter box usually consists of a large pool of urine on a relatively flat surface. If your cat is spraying, it is usually a lesser volume of liquid squirted up against a vertical surface such as the wall or furniture. Cats also generally urinate in one place while they spray in several places around the house. Make sure to address this issue as soon as you discover it. Since cats are creatures of habit, this kind of behavior once formed, will be very difficult to break.
So, what are 10 effective ways to stop your cat from peeing on your carpets? First, we need to discover the cause of their behavior.
1. Change in Environment
There may be several reasons why your cat is peeing outside of their litter box. One of the simplest reasons may be a change in their environment. Cats are highly sensitive to change, and in the wild, this trait was essential for their survival.
Even though their survival no longer depends on such vigilance, even the slightest change, such as moving the litter box to a different part of the house, may be enough for your cat to feel unsafe and look for other, more familiar places to relieve themselves.
If you are moving houses or adding other pets or family members to the household, make sure to spend time slowly introducing these changes to your cats. Surround your cat with items that they are familiar with, such as their favorite toy or blanket, or something that smells like you, their favorite human.
2. New Litter Box
Another reason cats may be peeing on the carpet, is because they are not comfortable with their current litter boxes. Just like humans, cats have different preferences when it comes to their bathroom space. With all the different kinds of litter boxes out there, it may be hard to choose the right one.
While each cat has their own preference, here are some general guidelines to help you pick the right litter boxes for your cats. Cats generally prefer open litter boxes to the enclosed boxes. The enclosed boxes are usually dark, hold on the odors longer, are difficult to move around in, and your cats may not feel safe if they cannot see what is going on around them.
You also want to make sure the sides are the right height for your cat. Some cats prefer the lower sides while other cats prefer the higher sides to help them stay inside the box. Some cats do not like the self-cleaning litter boxes as they are loud and unpredictable.
Once you and your cat decide on the right litter box, spend some time with your cat in and around their new litter box to help them become more comfortable with it. Once they no longer feel threatened by it, instinct will kick in and they will resort to using their new litter box when nature calls.
If you notice your cat continuously peeing in the same spot, perhaps place the litter box over that spot and slowly move it to a more acceptable area. And remember: the more convenient the litter box is to access, the more likely your cat will use it.
3. Test the Litter
The instinctive behavior of burying their waste was another survival trait cats used in the wild. This characteristic is used to our advantage as cat owners. By providing them with cat litter, they can independently go to the bathroom whenever they choose, allowing us to keep them safely indoors.
When cats choose to pee outside of their litter box, they go against that instinct of burying their waste. One way to correct this behavior is to test your cat’s preference of litter. While we may have our own preference of which litter to buy, they are ultimately the ones who use it.
Some cats may have sensory issues with the litter you chose. Experiment with the different types of cat litter to see if this alleviates your cat’s potty issues.
Clay cat litter is the most popular type of cat litter used and comes with all kinds of modifications, such as larger or finer particles, low dust/dust free options, scented or unscented, clumping or non-clumping, and light weight varieties.
Silica gel cat litter is growing in popularity as it requires slightly less maintenance than the clay variety, however, it is also slightly more expensive. Silica gel cat litter is not as dusty as clay cat litter, lasts longer, and controls odor. Pine litter is favored due to its all-natural ability to fight odors, low dust texture, and light weight.
Wheat litter is not as well-known as the other types of litter, but it is another all-natural alternative to the clay cat litter. It clumps, controls odors and is even flushable! Some other types of cat litter that are not as readily available include grass litter, corn litter, and walnut shell litter. Test the different types and see which ones your cats prefer.
4. Keep the Area Clean
If your cat is urinating outside of the litter box, it may be due to a different sensory issue. A cat’s sense of smell is exceptional, and they are extremely sensitive to strong odors. It is vital to keep the area in and around your cat’s litter box clean.
After all, cats spend one-third of their waking hours grooming, so why should the cleanliness of their litter box be any different? Make sure you clean the waste out of your cat’s litter box one to two times a day, sweep the area around the litter box as cat litter tends to be messy, and wash the floors under and around the litter box at least once a week.
Make sure to replace all of the cat litter once a month. A simple trick to deodorize your cat’s litter box it to mix in a dash of baking soda into your cat’s litter. There is a specific cat litter box variety available wherever you purchase your cat litter.
If maintaining a clean litter box daily is too much work, there are self-cleaning litter box options available to make it more manageable.
5. Eliminate the Odors
Once you have discovered an area your cat relieved themselves on, such as your carpets or your clothes, clean that area thoroughly. The scent of cat urine is sharp and pungent. In addition to your own health benefits, eliminating the odor will help prevent your cats from returning to the same spot and repeating that behavior.
You can simply smell the area to locate the source of the cat urine, or you can use a blacklight to illuminate the pee. After you find it, blot as much of it up as possible using paper towels. Once all the excess urine has been cleaned up, go over the area with pet carpet cleaner shampoo, pet stain remover, or other household cleaners.
Any formula with special ‘enzymatic or bacterial cleaner’ technology will suffice. If your cat peed on your clothes, make sure to wash your clothes in the washer on cold a couple of times before hanging it outside in the sun to dry.
6. Territory Issues
Once you have eliminated the cat litter box and cat litter from the list of reasons your cat is peeing outside of the litter box, it is time to consider your household. In a multi-cat household, cats have their own system of hierarchy and family dynamics. Some cats may become very territorial when it comes to food and litter boxes.
This type of peeing is usually sprayed instead of simply urinating on the carpet. It is always recommended that you have enough litter boxes equal to the number of cats in your household plus one. So, in a household of two cats, there should be three litter boxes in three different areas of the house.
This will provide your cats with the freedom to choose to relieve themselves where they feel the safest, even if the other cats are guarding a litter box. In multi-story homes, it is also recommended to have a litter box on each story to always ensure easy access to a litter box.
7. Manage Conflict Between Cats
Stress can be a huge trigger in cats. Stress breeds insecure cats that urinate outside of their litter boxes. Whether it is due to cats marking their territory with their urine, or because they were simply too scared to use the litter box, conflict between cats within a household could be the reason your cat is peeing on your carpets.
Measures taken by you, as your cats’ guardian, can alleviate some of the stress. Provide your cats with several elevated perches, hiding places, and escape routes to ensure your cats are safe when conflict arises. Separately feed your cats or providing different sources of food throughout the house.
Another tactic is to provide enrichment for you cats (usually in the form of toys) to keep them engaged, and not fighting with each other out of boredom.
8. Separate Cats
If all your tactics of conflict resolution fails, perhaps it is best to separate your cats into different parts of the house. Make sure to provide each of the cats with their own food, water, litter boxes, and enrichment toys. If your cat feels safe in their space and takes ownership of it, they will use the cat litter box provided.
9. Spay/Neuter Your Cats
Cats tend to mark their territory if they are not spayed or neutered. As previously mentioned, cats use their behavior and body language to communicate with each other, and us humans. Males will often spray their urine on walls, carpets, furniture, and clothing to communicate to the females, and other males, that this is their territory.
Females will also mark their territories to communicate to any male cats in the area that they are in heat. By spaying and neutering your cats, you eliminate their drive to reproduce and this line of communication. Male cats will also feel much more secure in their own space without the need for competition.
10. Check with Your Vet
Lastly, if none of the above-mentioned reasons apply to why your cat is peeing on your carpets, it may be a health issue, instead of a behavioral issue. Diabetes, kidney disease, and UTIs (urinary tract infections) are the most common health issues that lead cats to urinate outside of the litter box.
Your vet can perform diagnostic tests to eliminate or address these health issues as the main cause of your cat’s behavior. If you notice anything unusual in your cat’s urine or stool, make sure to tell your vet as that may be a symptom of something else going on with your cat’s health.
Always talk to your vet, after all, they are familiar with your cat’s health history and they may offer insight that is unique to your cat.
Final Words
Cats cannot tell us when something is wrong, so they use their behavior to communicate to us when there is an issue. Your cat is not acting out or being bad when they are peeing on the carpet. They are communicating to us that something is wrong, and they need our help.
So, sit down with your cat and investigate the reason why they are peeing on the carpets. Together, you can come up with the best solution for your family, and your feline friend.