The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Learn more »
Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the kitten who made me a cat person.
Being a vet, I have given advice on various feline behavioral issues on too many occasions. One of the most common ones is cats peeing outside of their litter box. Little did I think that one day I would be dealing with the same issue in my own cat. And then you realize, maybe for the first time ever, how complex cats are and how their minds work in a very peculiar way, that we are yet to understand.
Why Do Cats Appreciate Routine?
You have probably heard many times that cats thrive on a routine and don’t appreciate change. That is generally true for most cats, and if their routine changes significantly or suddenly, they may experience anxiety or stress, which then manifests in many different ways. Miki has been an exclusively outdoor cat since I rescued him last summer. He has free access to fields and nearby woods whenever he wants during the day, and he sleeps inside overnight.
Due to some unforeseen circumstances, Miki had to stay indoors for short periods during the winter, on our family farm. Unfortunately, this change occurred quite abruptly. Considering everything, he actually settled in very quickly, as he’s used to the dogs who keep him company and provide some reassurance. He got to meet the farm cats through a window, and made a game of running from one window to the other, chasing them as they walked on the roof. But, slowly, one issue creeped up and became the cause of my worry and frustration.
Oops, What Happened?
Miki started peeing on the sofa, and sometimes on the bed, once every few weeks. The first time it happened was a few weeks after the move, and it seemed to be out of nowhere. I felt bad for him, as his whole little life changed so much, and he wasn’t allowed outside unsupervised as it wasn’t safe enough for him. Despite all the toys, enrichment and the familiar canine company, he soon became bored and frustrated. Not to mention, although he had used a litter box since being a kitten, he preferred to go outside to the toilet.
Being nerdy and blindly following the set of guidelines I often give my clients in the clinic, I set up not two, but four litter boxes for him. I gave him a choice of different litters and box locations, and expected the issue to be fixed. But it wasn’t. Few days later, again a wet spot on the sofa, despite having a litter box not too far from it.
It’s All in The Details
Even after providing Miki with window perches, daily outdoor walks on a lead and harness, plenty of playtime with toys and with the dogs, with whom he initiated the game, we still had one or two accidents on the sofa every few weeks. I started to realize that the root cause of the issue is not that simple and despite being an experienced vet and having access to a lot of valuable resources, I was at a loss.
Miki was neutered so he never sprayed, but I did suspect that the presence of farm cats made the situation worse, leading to territorial disputes even if only across a window glass, and despite all of them being fixed. Little by little, by changing the litter box locations, using pheromone diffusers, increasing Miki’s playtime even further and going for long walks and exploration adventures, the number of accidents slowly started to significantly reduce. But we didn’t get to zero.
I Learned about Patience
I realized soon enough that it’s easy to become frustrated and to even think that Miki is doing this on purpose or out of spite. But deep down I knew this wasn’t true. He was exposed to so many changes in a short space of time, and it was a surprise that he didn’t exhibit other more severe behavioral issues, to tell me that he is not comfortable with his new living arrangements.
We are finally getting back to the point of having him enjoying the great outdoors almost constantly, and when he is kept indoors, which is only on occasion, he is happy using his litter box with very few accidents. But I respect his needs and ways of him telling me something is not to his liking, having become even more aware of the enrichment he requires in order to be happy and feel fulfilled every single day. After all, his happiness is my responsibility, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
