Tips to Help Stop Your Cat From Urinating in the House - How to Stop Urinary Accidents

Medical or Behavioral Issue?

The first thing we need to figure out is whether your cat is doing this because of a medical or a behavioural problem. Some cats can have struvite crystals in their urine or interstitial cystitis, or possibly even an infection, all of which can cause some irritation in the bladder and make them want to urinate in places that they normally would not. It is not always immediately obvious if there is a medical problem. I have had some cats that were about to be euthanized for spraying in the house until we found out that they had urinary tract problems.

You will need to have your veterinarian examine your cat and do some urine tests and they will be able to tell you if there is a problem. It is good to do this soon, especially if you have a male cat. If there is a problem and we wait too long then he can get a urinary tract blockage and this is very serious.

Behavioral cat urinary problems

However, if the tests come back fine then this is likely a behavioral issue. Usually if a cat urinates in the house and there is no medical cause then the source is some kind of stress or anxiety. It is often hard to tell what the source is. Some possibilities include:

Changes in the environment such as renovations
New houseguests
New pets in the house
The owners are under stress themselves
A new baby in the house (or coming soon)

Often though, the cause can not be found.

How to help stop behavioral problems causing inappropriate urination:

The first thing to do, if possible, is to restrict your cat from the areas where he or she is urinating. If the cat pees on the bed regularly, then close the bedroom door.

Litter Boxes

It is also a good idea to get a new cat box as sometimes odors can collect in a box we have used for years. If you have more than one cat then you should have a litter box for each cat, plus one extra. Do your best to clean these every day. If you have a covered litter box, get rid of the cover as many cats hate the odors that are in these boxes.

Medication

If all of this is done and your cat is still peeing in the house then you can talk to your vet about medicine to help reduce his or her anxiety level such as amitryptiline. This medicine is tolerated well by most cats. It is given either in a pill form or as a gel that is applied to the inside of the ear. While the gel is easier to give, it is sometimes unpredictable how much of the gel actually gets absorbed by your cat.

Many cats will be a little sedated when first starting this medication but usually after 3-4 days they have adjusted to it. This medication must be given daily. It is important to not stop giving it. If you think your cat no longer needs amitriptyline, speak to your vet about tapering him or her off of the medication.

You may also want to look into a product called Feliway. This comes in either a spray or a plug in electric diffuser. It diffuses a feline pheromone which has been proven to help reduce stress levels. Follow this link to read more about Feliway and the research that is behind it.

When your cat urinates in the house it is a frustrating problem! But, in most cases, this problem can be greatly reduced or even cured.

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