I f you’ve noticed the distinctive smell of cat urine in your house and you can trace it to some place other than the litter box, you are most definitely up against an interesting challenge. But before you call it quits for your calico, there are some things you will want to try.

This behavior may be linked to a medical condition such as a urinary tract infection or other disorder. Take your cat to the veterinarian to rule out these as causes.

If your veterinarian diagnoses a medical condition, follow his or her recommendations for treatment. If it is determined this is not the cause, there are many other courses of action. You may have to play detective to find out the cause of your cat’s misbehavior.

Question #1 – Is your cat spayed or neutered? If the answer is yes, please proceed. If the answer is no, STOP. Proceed directly to your veterinarian to have your cat altered. An unaltered cat is more likely to urinate or spray in inappropriate places.

Rule #1 – get rid of the smell! Before anything else will work, you have to eliminate the odor. There are numerous products on the market to help eliminate urine odor. Visit a pet supply store to find one that works best for you. You may also have to resort to completely removing the soiled article – rug, chair, bedspread, etc. When the smell is gone, you can move on to determining the cause and finding the solution.

What is your cat to litter box ratio? You should have one more litter boxes than you do cats. Two cats equals three litter boxes. This keeps one cat from guarding the other from using the litter box. It also helps you to place litter boxes in rooms frequented by Felix. Spread them out throughout the house so that no matter where he goes, he’ll have an appropriate option near by.
Has there been an upset in the cat’s environment? Cats can be sensitive. If your cat feels her life has been disrupted, she may be showing her displeasure by urinating outside her box. Whether it’s a new baby, your absence due to vacation, a new pet or some other subtle change in his environment you can help your cat feel better with some extra affection.
Are you using a new litter? If you’ve recently changed litters, your cat may be telling you he doesn’t like the new stuff. Or maybe it is time to try something new. There are many different brands of litter on the market. Some are made of completely different types of material. You may find that your feline likes corn over clumping. Visit your pet supply store to see what is available.
Did you know… that there are many new products on the market that are designed to calm, deter or otherwise prevent your cat from urinating in inappropriate places? Visit your pet supply store to explore these options. It’s up to you to decide what works and what does not work.

Other tips:
1. Place a litter box over the spot your cat is urinating (don’t forget to follow Rule #1). You can gradually move it to a more convenient location once your cat uses it regularly.
2. Clean the litter box daily! The cleaner the box, the less likely your cat is to have an aversion to using it.
3. Put boxes in quiet, protected places so that your cat feels calm and secure while going to the bathroom.
4. Make the inappropriate spot less comfortable. Cover it with tin foil. Or try other aversion products from your pet store.
5. Use clues about where the cat is urinating to help you find out what she may prefer for an appropriate spot. If she’s peeing on smooth surfaces, use less litter in her litter box. If she is eliminating on a soft rug, try a soft litter (paper litters are available).