Why does my cat keep peeing outside the litterbox

First thing we need to figure out is if this is a medical issue or behavioral, most of the time there is an underlying condition going on.

  1. Medical issues
    1. Your cat could be suffering from a primary bladder issue such as bladder stones, crystals or even an infection. In addition, medical conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes or pain can cause cats to avoid the litterbox as well.
    2. Please make an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out these conditions.
  1. Behavioral issues – if medical conditions have been ruled out by a veterinarian we can start to look at alternative reasons such as behavioral changes.
    1. Stressors in the household such as a new baby, new pet, remodeling, moving homes, rearranging the household or houseguests can set up increased stress in felines that can lead to behavioral changes and urinating outside the litterbox.
    2. If noted, attempt to reduce stress in the household as much as possible. You can even consider giving the cat space away from the stressors in a separate room, introducing playful activity, using feliway or adding additional vertical space to the environment.
    3. We also need to ensure our litterbox positioning is appropriate
      1. Please ensure the litterbox isn’t need food or water sources or high traffic areas such as doorways, hallways or dogs area
      2. Ideally you should have 1 more litterbox than cats in the household and ideally one on every floor if you live in a multistory household. iii. If all your litterboxes are covered, consider having at least one that is open, some cats feel trapped inside covered litterboxes and will stop using them.  In addition, ensure the litterbox is large enough to move around and scratch.
      3. Lastly we could experiment with different types of litter as some cats prefer different types or scents.

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Tempe Lake Veterinary Clinic & Pet Resort Support Center

Your Community Partner in Pet Health and Care

Resources

Hours

Open Everyday 7am - 7pm!

1211 East Curry Road
Tempe, AZ 85288

Payment Options

  • Cash
  • Credit Card
  • CareCredit
  • Trupanion

Pet Rescues

This is a list of rescues that we support and help.

Dog Parks

Several dog-friendly parks and restaurants in the area.

  • Pocket Park for Pups
  • 22526 S Ellsworth Rd
  • Queen Creek, AZ, US 85142
  • Mansel Carter Oasis Park
  • 19535 E Appleby Rd
  • Queen Creek, AZ, US 85142
  • Cosmo Dog Park
  • 2502 E Ray Rd
  • Gilbert, AZ 85296
  • Uncle Bear’s Grill & Tap
  • 21151 S Rittenhouse Rd
  • Queen Creek, AZ 85142
  • Creek Side Taco Shack
  • 20401 S Sossaman Rd
  • Queen Creek, AZ 85142
  • The Bistro
  • 22721 S Ellsworth Rd #107
  • Queen Creek, AZ 85142
  • Lucky Lou’s
  • 23706 S Power Rd
  • Queen Creek, AZ 85142

Payment Help

If you are in need of a payment plan or financial assistance with your pet’s medical care you may contact some of the following resources for assistance. We offer payments plans with no interest financing for 6 months through Care Credit.