Why Your Cat Is Peeing Outside The Litter Box?

In order to best determine whether the cause of your kitty’s accidents is medical or behavioral, you first want to look at where your cat is peeing and note any other symptoms they’re exhibiting. Also consider whether there have been any significant changes in their environment. “During times of stress, anxiety or change, cats can start urinating out of the box,” says Dr. Jessica Hockaday, a veterinarian with Chewy. Something as seemingly minor as moving the location of their litter box or disrupting their normal routine (or as major as a moving homes or adding a new pet to the household) can cause them to experience anxiety that leads to urinating outside of the litter box.

“If your cat has an ongoing affinity for urinating outside the litter box and has no other symptoms like lethargy or increase in urinary frequency” and their water and food intake hasn’t changed, then you’re likely dealing with a behavioral issue, says Hockaday. “It is also the number one reason a cat is released to a shelter and needs to be addressed as soon as a pattern is noted.” She adds that accidents on a certain person’s items (like shoes, clothes or the bed) or spraying (i.e. urinating on vertical surfaces) can be linked to territorial behavior. (Of course, you want to make sure your cat is neutered for myriad reasons, not least to mitigate their likelihood of spraying.)

Always consult your veterinarian if you notice a change in your cat’s elimination habits; you want to provide them with details so they can better diagnose whether accidents are being triggered by medical or behavior issues. While cats can be affected by a host of health issues like urinary tract infections at any age, medical causes become more likely as cats get older, as “it’s more likely for them to have underlying comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes and others,” says Dr. Grant Little, a Nebraska-based veterinarian. If a medical issue is the source of the problem, your vet can prescribe medications, prescription food and other treatments to help.

Another reason your cat may be urinating outside of the litter box—particularly if they are a senior pet—may be because they’re having a challenging time getting into it, whether due to arthritis or other mobility issues. In this case, try a litter box with a lower threshold that’s easy to step into and out of.