Every cat owner knows that sometimes “pee accidents” happen and it’s okay.
Every cat owner also knows that frequent urinating on the carpet can make the whole house smell like a stinky dumpster.
Cats are known to mark their territories by spraying at a spot and repeatedly using it for urination purposes because it already ‘smells’ like a ‘bathroom’ to it. Once cats marks their spot, it becomes increasingly difficult to stop them after every recurring incident. Sometimes, a ‘ good’ cat may urinate outside the box because of medical problems and at times it’s because they are stressed( Even changing your furniture’s position can stress your cat) and have behavioral issues. When you can’t understand the root problem, that’s where you have to turn into Sherlock.
Medical concern is the first thing you want to rule out when your cat is peeing outside the litter box. If you observe blood in the feces, your cat meowing while squatting for urinating, regular trips to the litter box or irregular diet, your kitty probably has a medical problem. Its best, that you immediately take it to the vet so the problem is diagnosed and treated at the earliest or your cat will keep using the rug you adore for its pee party.
A lot of times, the answer to our problems is staring us right in the face. Most cats stop using their litter boxes simply because they are dirty. Just like you hate using dirty public restrooms, your cat hates stinky litter boxes as well. Always make sure to scoop out the litter when it gets dirty and add around one and a half inch of fresh litter in its place. If you hate scooping up the litter every day and being a slave to your cat’s digestive system, you can opt for a self-cleaning litter from Cat Evolution.
Consider the addition of another litter box in case you have more cats. Cats always appreciate when they have their own litter box plus an option of a spare one. Cats are very particular about the litter so always try a few different ones to see which one your cat likes best.
A lot of times, cats stop using their litter boxes because they feel ‘unsafe’. It is very important that cats get their privacy when relieving themselves. Being both a predator and a prey, they are always afraid of being ambushed. So it’s always better to put the litter box at a secure place which isn’t always crowded.
Once your cat pees on the carpet, it will attempt to do so again because of the ‘smell’. So when an accident happens, wipe of the urine with an old towel and douse the area with an enzymatic cleaner (let it sit for 24 hours). The enzymatic cleaner breaks down the proteins in the cat’s urine which causes the smell.
If your cat becomes habitual, you can always use these alternative steps.
- Apply double sided sticky tape on the carpet or place aluminum foil on its surface ( cats hate the feeling of these materials on its paws).
- You can attach a balloon at the same spot where your cat pees. Whenever the cat will visit the same place, the balloon will move and scare your cat away.
- Boil lemon and orange peels in water and pour it onto the spray bottle once cooled. Spray this mixture on to the carpet and see the magic happen (Cats hate citrus scents with a passion).
- Shift the cats food bowl to its “peeing” area so the cat dissociates the act with that spot.
- The humane society also recommends placing mouse traps upside down-on to the carpet. When the cat will walk on it, the traps will snap but they won’t hurt your precious.