How to Get Your Kitten to Stop Peeing Everywhere
Last year, my fiancé Kristyn and I were blessed with a sweet little kitten who desperately needed a home. A school teacher, Kristyn went to work one day near the end of June and found a scared, cold little kitty huddled behind a bush. She scooped him up and took him to the vet where he was given a clean bill of health but only weighed a single pound.
We gave him the name Bart, to go alongside his brother Milhouse, a kitten we adopted in January of that same year. Despite having food in his belly and a warm house to live in, Bart struggled with some things that signalled he might have been separated from his mother too early; things like not covering his waste in the litter box and peeing in random places.
It started on the couch, then on the floor, and after trying a few suggestions from Marjorie, the founder of the Hervey Foundation for Cats, we basically had things solved. Fast forward a few months later and after having new carpets installed in our house, Bart peed on them in under 24 hours.
What do you do with a cat like Bart? You can’t tell him to stop peeing on things, so you have to take action. We managed to reign in the urinating in random places with some help from Marjorie, using techniques that will hopefully also work for your cat.
1. Rule Out Medical Issues First
Before assuming it's behavioural, ensure your cat’s unusual urination habits aren’t a health issue. Urinary tract infections, bladder inflammation, or other medical problems can cause kittens to urinate outside the litter box, so book an appointment with your vet and get your kitty down there for an inspection!
2. Litter Box Logistics
When our cat was going outside the box, Marjorie suggested having a litter box on each floor. Sometimes kittens get so revved up they will urinate, or skip going to the washroom and urinate before they make it to the box. Having multiple litter boxes around the home makes it easy for the little baby to get to a washroom quickly without worry, and the more they use it, the more they will build an association with using them.
Don’t forget, the golden rule for litter boxes is generally one per cat, plus one extra.
3. Litter Training 101
Even though cats instinctively use litter, young kittens sometimes need guidance. Another suggestion Marjorie made was for us to take little Bart and place him in the litter box after playing, eating, or napping. This helps build the association with the box. You may need to do this for a number of days for them to really get it – remember, they are just babies!
Don’t be afraid to help them dig with their paw and give them lots of praise after they use the box!
4. Clean Accidents Right Away, the Right Way
Regular cleaners won’t do. Cats have sensitive noses, and if they can still smell their previous accident, there is a strong chance they will revisit that spot. You need to arm yourself with the best tools to get the stink out for good.
When Bart nailed our couch, we talked to Marjorie and she suggested the following:
· Use a Bissel Little Green cleaning machine or another carpet cleaning machine that will remove as much urine as possible and clean the carpet as well.
· After using the cleaning machine, spray an enzymatic cleaner onto the space to break down urine smells. These are often scrubbed in, left to sit, then vacuumed up after. Look for brands like Nature’s Miracle or Resolve.
· To be absolutely sure you get it all out, if you have one, use a blacklight to find any leftover spots.
5. No Scolding
Yelling, rubbing their nose in it, or spraying water won’t improve anything and will likely make things worse. All it will do is hurt your relationship with your cat, and fear can actually lead to more sneaky peeing or other behavioural issues. Kittens are new to the world and won’t respond well to aggressive, negative behaviour. Instead, focus on positive reinforcement and patience. You’re building trust as much as good bathroom habits.
6. Stress and Changes Can Trigger Accidents
New environment? Loud noises? A change in routine? Kittens are more sensitive than they let on, and they thrive on routine. Try to build a consistent schedule for them, so they can adjust to their surroundings without worrying about what is coming next.
It’s important to make sure your cat also has some safe spaces for them to retreat to. If your cat feels as if they don’t have anywhere they can go to relax, they will experience stress and that can cause problems.
7. Spay or Neuter Your Kitten
Kittens as young as 4 – 6 months can start marking territory. If your kitten is peeing on vertical surfaces (walls, furniture legs), it may be hormonal marking and a pretty good sign they need to be fixed. Talk to your vet about booking a spay or neuter – it’s just good practice, even if they aren’t peeing.
8. Mark Your Territory
This might sound odd, but Marjorie also suggested this piece of advice and it helped. When we ordered new carpets in our house, and Bart peed on them almost immediately, she suggested it could be him marking territory. New carpets come with an unfamiliar smell which might have thrown our kitty off.
What’s the best way to make the carpet smell familiar? Load it up with your things for a while. Mark your own territory! Roll out an old blanket, clothing, or boxes of your items and let them sit in there for a period of time until the carpet has had time to absorb more of your household smell. Once it feels familiar to your kitty, the likelihood of them peeing on it is far less.