Inappropriate elimination refers to your cats defecating or urinating outside of the litter box. This can be a distressing issue because you might wonder if your cat is sick or if there is another issue that is making a mess inside your home. Luckily, the underlying cause of inappropriate elimination can typically be understood and addressed, with the help of your veterinarian. Here are the answers to a few frequently asked questions you might have about inappropriate elimination in cats.
What Are the Main Reasons for Inappropriate Elimination in Cats?
No matter how frequently or how much your cat is urinating or defecating outside the litterbox, there are several reasons why your cat could be eliminating inappropriately in different areas of your home, including:
Territorial marking, which can occur when you get a new cat or if your male cat is not fixed, can also cause your cat to urinate outside the box.
How Will Any Medical Issues Be Treated?
Talk to your veterinarian to determine the exact cause of your cat's inappropriate elimination. The first consideration will be if your cat has a medical condition that is causing this problem. After several tests, if there is a medical condition, a treatment plan will be considered. However, you might still need to try other tactics to ensure your cat only uses the litterbox.
What Can I Do to Prevent Inappropriate Elimination?
Your veterinarian will give you several strategies to help you put an end to the inappropriate elimination issue. For example, it could be something as simple as cleaning the litterbox more often, moving the litterbox to a more desirable location, or changing the litterbox. If territorial marking is the issue in a male cat, having the cat neutered could be a solution.
Using enzymatic cleaner on areas your cat previously urinated will help eliminate the lingering odor, which will make it less desirable for your cat to urinate in that spot in the future.
Inappropriate elimination in cats is a common issue that can be solved with the help of your veterinarian. Contact a veterinary clinic, such as Johnstown Veterinary Associates, for more information.