Help! My cat keeps peeing outside the litterbox

Cats
1

I have a five-year-old cat who has never had issues with peeing outside the litterbox until now. I switched from a Litter Robot to a regular hooded litter box, and since then, she has refused to use it. I cleaned the Litter Robot and it worked better, but now she just goes outside the box. We’ve tried cleaning the area thoroughly with everything, even bleach, but nothing seems to work. We’ve shown her where to go, and she’s been checked for UTIs with no issues found. I’m at a loss—has anyone successfully trained their cat to stop this behavior?

2

Try getting a large mat for under the litter box and consider having more than one litter box for her. Cats are sensitive to changes! Use an enzyme cleaner to wipe up any accidents and a black light to find any missed spots.

3

@Drew
That’s a good idea! I’ll definitely look for an enzyme cleaner and a mat. I never thought about a feral cat moving in nearby either.

4

Could it be stress from the new cat? Maybe she’s feeling threatened or anxious since we adopted a feral cat a few months ago.

5

Rylan said:
Could it be stress from the new cat? Maybe she’s feeling threatened or anxious since we adopted a feral cat a few months ago.

Totally possible! Cats can get stressed by changes in their environment. The hooded box might feel too closed in for her.

6

Have you checked out ‘Litter Box Trouble’? It’s a great resource by a cat behaviorist. And make sure you’re using the right enzymatic cleaner for cat pee.

7

Skyler said:
Have you checked out ‘Litter Box Trouble’? It’s a great resource by a cat behaviorist. And make sure you’re using the right enzymatic cleaner for cat pee.

I haven’t seen that guide! I’ll look it up. We’ve been using some cleaners but maybe not the right kind.

8

Sometimes cats just need time to adjust. Maybe try placing the hooded box in a more open area or using a different type of litter.

9

Reagan said:
Sometimes cats just need time to adjust. Maybe try placing the hooded box in a more open area or using a different type of litter.

I’ll give that a shot! I just want her to feel comfortable again.

10

Keep an eye on her behavior, too. If she seems really anxious, it might be worth consulting a vet or a behaviorist for more tailored advice.

11

Skyler said:
Keep an eye on her behavior, too. If she seems really anxious, it might be worth consulting a vet or a behaviorist for more tailored advice.

Thanks for the tip! I’ll keep an eye on her. I really hope we can figure this out soon.