• I have a 7-year-old cat who is usually very hyper and vocal. A few times a year, he gets into a habit of peeing repeatedly on my bedding and in the corner on the floor. He'll do it for a few days (I take him to the vet to see if it's a medical problem and it never is) and then it eventually goes away. He started doing it again this week and has been very aggressive toward our other male cat (hissing, not letting him near food bowls). Is there a potential cause for this behavior that I'm not thinking of? When I research about it online, some sources say to increase the number of litter boxes, but that hasn't helped. Other sources say he may have anxiety? Thanks!

  Hi Kelsey,
  I recommend that you take him into see your veterinarian. Urinating outside of the litter box can be caused by a behavioral issue but there can be other medical issues that are important to rule out every time. In some cats stress can actually cause urinary issues by causing inflammation of the bladder wall. Other causes can be pain or arthritis, not having enough privacy in the box, or even the type of liter, type of box, and the location of the box. If there is no medical component then increasing the litter boxes, trying different types of litter, and decreasing stress can help in many cases. Your vet can get a more complete overall history and work with you on the treatment for any underlying medical issues and behavioral modification.

Answered by:

John Smith, DVM
Veterinarian

Dr. John Smith is a graduate of LSU, Class of 1998. He has over 10 years of experience...

Tags

Behavior