You walk into your house after a long day of work, and what do you smell? Cat pee. Or – when you’re looking forward to having a nap, and what do you see on the bed? Cat pee. Again. Can you relate to this?
If your cat is peeing in the house, there’s probably a reason for it. This unwanted habit can indicate that your cat is feeling stressed, unhappy or unwell. Training a cat to not pee in the house can be a tricky task, particularly, when it has developed into a habit. However – with some extra attention to detail and training, it can be resolved.
Step One: Clean their pee up straight away!
Although it can be hard to detect, it’s very important to clean up their urine immediately! The more something smells like cat urine, the more likely your cat will urinate on it again.
Avoid, I repeat, avoid, ammonia-based cleaning products, as this will only emphasise the cat urine, attracting your cat to urinate in the same spot. Use cleaning products containing hydrogen peroxide, to wash out the awful smell of cat urine.. We recommend to wash it a couple of times, as your cat will smell it, even if you are not able to. Check out our article on how to remove pet stains and smells from carpets using home remedies
Observe where they are peeing.
Take note of whether they are peeing on specific items or the belongings of one person in particular. This is important, as if it is a specific item, it may mean something they want to claim it as their own or may be marking their territory if it is a sofa or area of the house.
If it is the belongings of one family member in particular, this could indicate that they do not like them! Reflect and see if your cat does not like this person, or if perhaps, they may have a reason for them to do it? New people in the house, can make a cat jealous, making them pee all over their belongings to give the message “this is my territory – not yours”.
Change the litter box
Surprisingly, this can make a difference. Some cats (for some reason) do not like their litter box, whether it’s because of the cleanliness of it, the shape or even where it is placed.
First of all, make sure the litter box is cleaned on a daily basis. Make sure the litter box is placed away from the food and water. Think about it. Would you like your food served next to the toilet? Didn’t think so. Giving your kitty some privacy to do their “thing” is also essential. If the litterbox is out in the open for everyone to see, this could also be another reason they are finding alternative places to pee.
Also, check the shape of the litter box. Is it accessible? Is it old? Another important factor is to test out the different types of litter. If crystal litter doesn’t work, perhaps try sand or clay litter – it’s all about trial and error!
Go to the vet
Get your kitty’s health checked out! If he/she is peeing in the house, they could have a UTI (urinary tract infection) or even, liver, kidney or thyroid conditions. These conditions leads to increased fluid intake, triggering immediate urination. Getting these problems ruled out early on will help you to focus on other causes.
Try these out and let us know if they work. If you have any other solutions, let us know! We are always looking for new and innovative ways to train our kitties!
