Why is my cat peeing everywhere?

Here is a quick guide to some of the many places that you should search, when trying to figure out where you cat has urinated

SPRAYING / VERTICAL MARKING

If you want to safely neutralize cat urine smell, we recommend:

  • This is common behavioral practice in intact (not fixed) m

    Backing up against a flat surface with tail up indicates “spraying”

    ale cats. If your male cat was over the age of 6 months when he was surgically neutered, there is a chance that he can still become a “sprayer” (about a 10% chance).  Although less common in females, there is about a 5% chance of a spayed female being able to spray urine

  • When a cat is spraying, you will see them backed up against a vertical surface (such as a wall, chair-leg, fridge, side of bed, or sometimes a pile of clothing or backpack). They will be standing, with their tail up. The tail will often be slightly shaking, or quivering
  • You will see a spray, splatter or stream of urine anywhere from a couple of inches all the way up to 24 inches up off of the floor height

INAPPROPRIATE URINATION / PEEING

  • This is seen in both male and female cats. Young, middle aged or old
  • When a cat is urinating, they look as if they are sitting, or crouching, or squatting.
  •  You will see a puddle on the floor

    Be warned, cats love to pee against boxes. Any items inside might be at risk (in this case, paperwork for tax prep)

PLACES YOU WILL SEE SPRAY MARKING

  • Walls, along baseboard and edges where the wall meets the flooring or carpeting
  • Horizontal or vertical blinds (if they are low enough)
  • Side of bed, couch, easy chair and other places you might sit
  • Side of fridge, stove, washer, dryer, furnace, water heater and other large appliances
  • Windows, sliding doors, mirrored surfaces
  • Cardboard boxes (cats love boxes)
  • Cat toys, bedding and scratching posts (especially if there are more than one cat in house)
  • Piles of laundry, shoes, backpacks, purses, coats that are hung on low hooks or side of a chair. If you have a visitor and they own a cat, spraying is even more likely

PLACES YOU WILL SEE INAPPROPRIATE URINATION

  • Carpet and flooring mostly
  • On bed or couch or chair
  • On newspaper, plastic bags or clothing that is left on the floor

WHY DO I CARE WHAT KIND OF PEE?

  • You probably feel as if you don’t really care what kind of pee it is, you just want your cat to stop! But it is important to know what your cat is doing, where and how often, so that you can tell your veterinarian.
  • Sometimes an issue with urination can indicate a medical problem, which might be able to be cured if you don’t wait too long.
  • Common feline urinary issues include: UTI (urinary tract infection), kidney disease, diabetes, urethral obstruction, or an indication of arthritis or dementia.
  • If the issue is not medical, it might be hormonal (if your cat is not fixed/altered) or emotional (stress), of which there are many suggestions which might help your cat, and reduce the pee.