My cat keeps urinating outside the litter box. What could be wrong?
Answered by our veterinary team
Inappropriate elimination is one of the top reasons cats see vets and is also the leading cause of cats being surrendered to shelters. It's critical to distinguish between a medical and a behavioural cause, because the treatment is completely different.
Medical causes - rule these out first
- **Urinary tract infection (UTI)**: Painful urination causes cats to associate the litter box with pain, so they try urinating elsewhere hoping it will hurt less - **Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC)**: The most common cause in cats under 10 - bladder wall inflammation linked to stress - **Bladder stones or urethral plugs**: Cause straining and frequent small urinations; a blocked urethra in male cats is a life-threatening emergency - **Diabetes or kidney disease**: Increased urination can overwhelm litter box capacity or cause urgency - **Arthritis**: An older cat may avoid the litter box because it's painful to climb in
Behavioural causes
- Box cleanliness: Most cats require the box to be scooped at least daily - Box size: Many commercial boxes are too small - the box should be 1.5x the length of your cat - Litter type: Unscented, fine-grain clumping litter is preferred by most cats - Location: Isolated, quiet locations are preferred; never place the box near food and water - Insufficient boxes: The rule is one box per cat plus one extra - Stress: New pets, new people, changes in routine
What to do
Book a vet appointment and bring a fresh urine sample if possible. A urinalysis and urine culture will rule out infection. Imaging may be needed if bladder stones are suspected.
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