If your cat is relieving itself outside the litter box, and you’re considering getting rid of them, please read this article before you do.

Back in 2015, my mom was getting our house ready to sell. I had two cats: A boy and a girl. She threatened to get rid of the boy because the basement always smelled like pee. In the past, the boy had a habit of going outside the litter boxes. He had already tested positive for a urinary tract infection, but he was given medications, months ago. On that particularly emotional night, when she threatened to give him away, I spent hours researching on the internet for solutions.

One may wonder why I should be so frantic over the idea of my kitty living elsewhere. Well, considering how dangerous some strangers are to innocent animals and the rate of euthanasia in shelters, how could anyone blame me?

“Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats. Each year, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized (1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats).”

ASPCA, Pet Statistics

Amazingly, the next morning, my mom thanked me: “Whatever you did, I no longer smell cat pee.”

The reason cats go to the bathroom outside of the litter box is rarely, if ever, for the sake of upsetting their owner(s). They are trying to tell you something. Scolding them is not going to help. Keep in mind that cats are clean creatures. How often do they groom? They don’t relieve themselves elsewhere unless there is a reason behind it. Usually, it means that their bathroom has become associated with a negative experience. Sometimes, the cause is behind something you have done; other times, it’s something wrong with your feline baby.

• Unclean litter: Sometimes, the only issue is that their boxes need to be scooped more frequently. Wouldn’t you prefer to use a clean toilet? Cats do not clean their own toilets. They’re used to going outside where they have endless options to choose from. Most litter should be scooped two or more times per day, depending on habits.
• Not enough litter: Do you still use your toilet when there isn’t water in the bowl? Exactly.
• Disruptive location: They need a quiet and nonthreatening place to use the bathroom. Please, refer below to lean more.
• Physical discomfort: Some causes are not linked to the owner, but rather to the health of the cat. If they are experiencing pain or discomfort when going to the bathroom, they may begin to associate the box with that sensation. By going to a more obvious location, it will alert you that they need medical attention.

Get a few Van Ness Cat Pan – Medium.

Location, location, location…

It’s best to keep litter boxes in relatively quiet places. Frequent foot traffic or loud noises can scare them. Another trick if your baby is going somewhere outside of the box, such as in a corner, you may want to try putting a box there! I tried this, and my kitty began going in the box instead of on the floor.

Another important note is to never place their litter near their food supply! You don’t want to eat in your bathroom, and neither do they.

Not enough boxes.

Some cats like to only urinate in one box and only deficate in another. If you have more than one cat, it’s best to get as many boxes as you have cats, plus one more. One reason for this could be for when there is company over. Perhaps, things are a little too social nearby one litter box. This will give them the option to go somewhere more calm and quiet. Maybe, one cat will prefer to do their business in the same box as the other. Maybe, one cat prefers their own box. There’s no way to know for sure ahead of time. Most importantly, pet parents cannot constantly clean the boxes every single time our furbabies have to relieve themselves. If one box is dirty, they will have the option of a clean one until we are able to clear it, again.

Less is not more.

Just as many recommend multiple litter boxes, more litter is best. I once read something claiming that cats like to feel the smoothness of the bottom of the box. This isn’t true. The harder it is for their urine to touch the box, the easier it is to clean, and the longer they will enjoy the experience of using the litter. Plus, they like to hide their feces and urine. They can’t do that with just an inch. So, four to five inches is ideal.

No scent, but their own.

As much as we humans love our air fresheners to mask or eliminate smelly odor, this will not go over well for your furbaby. The strong “fresh scent” we like, cats will avoid. Besides, it needs to smell like them. If they can’t smell themselves on the box, they’re less likely to take advantage of it. They like familiar smells. This may be part of the issue with those who empty and clean out their boxes too often. We think we’re helping, but we aren’t. Baking soda seems to be a safer choice if you’re really desperate.

Mat is your friend.

Any cat owner knows the difficulty of dealing with litter being tracked through the house. One helpful solution is to place a mat in front of the boxes. These mats catch the majority of the litter that sticks to their paws. Plus, it can help with the litter that is unintentionally thrown out of the box while they are in the process of burying.

Litter Genies

Like diaper genies, litter genies conceal a lot of the smell. They are convenient and relatively clean. The one I have includes a catch that must be released to move the contents smoothly to the bottom of the bag inside of the can. Since it’s tightly sealed, it keeps the smell from passing through the air, unlike when using a regular trash can. Once it becomes heavy, the can itself can be opened. Then, you may determine how much of the bag is neede to tie it off. Next, you cut it using the supplied safety cutter by sliding the plastic back and forth. Lastly, you tie both the top of the bag you’re going to dispose and the bottom of what will become the next bag to be used. This way, you may choose where to put the used bag. Personally, I would throw the full bag into the dumpster to further prevent odor.

Get a Litter Genie.

Last thoughts.

If you have a cat who is having bathroom problems, please do everything you can before getting rid of them! Passing them onto another person may only make things worse for the cat; especially, if the new owner is less patient than you are. No cat deserves to live in a shelter, hoping for an owner, so that they won’t be euthanized.

© 2023 social thoughts. Originally written by this author in 2015 on HubPages.