House soiling is the most common problem faced by cat owners. Cats eliminate outside the litter box for behavioral and medical reasons. The first step to solving the problem is to have your cat evaluated by your veterinarian.

Medical reasons for inappropriate elimination include, urinary tract infections, urinary crystals and stones, inflammation of the bladder, and cancer of the urinary tract. All of these conditions cause pain upon urination which the cats may associate with the litter box. Hence, they avoid the litter and urinate in other areas. Often cats with these problems will urinate small amounts frequently, appear uncomfortable while urinating, and even vocalize while urinating. They often urinate in the sink or bath tub and urine may be blood-tinged. Although all of these symptoms point to a medical problem, sometimes the only sign owners will see is house soiling. Cats with intestinal problems, such as constipation, may also associate the box with pain and defecate elsewhere. Thus it is very important to take a cat that avoids the litter box to your veterinarian.

Once a medical problem has been ruled out by your veterinarian, behavioral causes must be investigated. Inappropriate elimination may be associated with marking territory. Cats that mark the house often spray urine on vertical objects. Since cats are very fastidious, it is important to keep the litter box clean. This becomes especially difficult in multi-cat households. Some cats tolerate having waste in the box, while other cats prefer their box to be pristine. (Boxes should be kept as clean as possible whether or not cats soil the house, as maintaining good urinary and gastrointestinal tract health requires regular urination and defecation.) Using litter liners and clumping litter, scooping and changing litter regularly, washing the box regularly, and keeping one litter box per cat plus one in the house are all methods of minimizing the accumulation of waste in the box. The scent of ammonia, bleach, air-freshener sprays, and other household cleaners may be a turn-off to your cat. Clean the box instead with dishwashing soap which has a much milder scent. If your cat continues to eliminate outside the box, I suggest removing the cover from covered boxes. Overweight cats have trouble moving around in covered litter boxes and the cover traps the odor inside.

Although clumping litter and litter liners help you keep the box clean, some cats prefer boxes without liners and some prefer litter made out of sand, clay or recycled newspaper. To determine what your cat likes best, you may need to try a few different types of litter. Is your litter box located in the dark dank basement or next to a loud washing machine? Some cats avoid the litter box because of its location. Some cats are bullied out of the box to an environment where your cat is relaxed and comfortable.

When cats avoid the litter box due to behavioral problems, it is important to make the litter box as inviting to them as possible. Contrary to popular belief, cats do not soil the house out of spite. Therefore, scolding them after the fact does not accomplish anything. Cats often urinate and defecate in areas where they have done so before. Therefore, talk to your veterinarian about products to use to eliminate odors and try placing a litter box in that area.

Some cats will use the box whether you fill it with gravel or newspaper, whether you clean it weekly or monthly, or whether you put it in the bedroom or the basement. Some cats, however, are more discriminating. Work together with your veterinarian to rule out a medical cause for house soiling and figure out how you can make the litter box as inviting to your cat as possible.