Inapproprite urination outside litter box--lazy cat (male, UTI, smelly, house) - - City-Data Forum

Bass101 · 05-20-2010, 09:42 AM

I've been having a problem with my 6.5 year old female cat occasionally urinating outside the litter box. She's been checked out for any UTIs and none were found. I think I have realized why she does this: I think it's out of laziness. She only urinates on piles of laundry left out on the floor.

I just intercepted her as she was about to do it--she was pawing on the laundry, and I came up behind her and I could tell she knew that I knew she was about to do something bad, so she immediately went downstairs and peed properly in her litter box. I think she was just too lazy to go downstairs to do it, so she wanted to do it in the laundry upstairs.

To help with this problem, we have provided an extra litter box near the area where she hangs out--that has helped a lot. We have two cats and three litter boxes. Two litter boxes are in a spare bathroom on our first floor, and the other litter box is in our computer room on the second floor. I think the litter boxes are placed conveniently and are in a good location.

What do others think of my laziness theory? It's definitely not medical.

Violett · 05-20-2010, 09:44 AM

My uncle had this problem with his cat. Called the vet, turns out the cat had a urinary track infection and was purposely avoiding his litterbox because he was afraid of "infecting" it. After the UTI problem was solved, the cat went back to going in his box again.

Violett · 05-20-2010, 09:45 AM

oh, never mind. just saw the part about not having UTIs.

Don't know then. Good luck

trnsplntfrmNV · 05-20-2010, 09:46 AM

I have 4 cats and thats just inside....I think it is a territory thing more than a lazy thing because she is too young. But that is just my opinion. Also, I would not put a cat box where it is convienint for them but for you. You punished your cat by coming up behind them and she went downstairs..right there it was a test just keep on her.

Lola4 · 05-20-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass101

She only urinates on piles of laundry left out on the floor.

What do others think of my laziness theory? It's definitely not medical.

Our neutered male cat will spray dirty laundry piles that I have set out to be washed. He just has a thing for filthy stinking laundry.

Female cats can also spray. It may not be that she is lazy... she may just have a thing for smelly clothes too.

ShelbyGirl1 · 05-20-2010, 10:42 AM

Peeing on piles of clothes and towels is not uncommon. Have no idea why, but they do what they do. Solution for us: is not to leave piles of clothes or laundry out. Problem solved.
Your boxes maybe appropriately placed in your mind...but not so much the cats. If they are in spot that is too "busy" and they feel they do not have the privacy and quiet they need...the box maybe better placed elsewhere.Also ...a larger box may be the solution.
Or:THE LITTER BOX

DewDropInn · 05-20-2010, 11:25 AM

Thankfully I don't have this problem with my two.

They just wait until I wash, dry and fold the laundry so they can sleep on it.

MissNM · 05-20-2010, 05:04 PM

We had the dirity laundry issue too. Specifically sweaty socks. Apparently they smell like something that should be buried. And if you are going to go to that effort, you might as well do your business!

Get upright hampers or keep the low ones in a closet until you do wash.

Bass101 · 05-20-2010, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShelbyGirl1

Peeing on piles of clothes and towels is not uncommon. Have no idea why, but they do what they do. Solution for us: is not to leave piles of clothes or laundry out. Problem solved.
Your boxes maybe appropriately placed in your mind...but not so much the cats. If they are in spot that is too "busy" and they feel they do not have the privacy and quiet they need...the box maybe better placed elsewhere.Also ...a larger box may be the solution.
Or:THE LITTER BOX

I know, we are contributing to the problem by leaving out piles of laundry--we are going to work on that. Our place is small, our washer and dryer are the tiny city stacked kind, and it's just hard to get it all in hampers. However, we will work on this. I think the litter boxes are well placed for cat privacy--spare bathroom no one really uses and one on the second floor in a secluded location. I just found it amusing that this cat knew that I knew she was about to do something naughty, and immediately went and did her business properly in the downstairs litter box.

Laura707 · 05-21-2010, 09:09 AM

In a 2 story house there should be a box on both floors in convient locations for the cats. I just moved mine around in my house until I found a spot they liked. Moving them from that spot always caused problems and they let me know real quick to put it back!