Cat Peeing In Closet

[Popnfrsh24]

Hey there,

I'm a new cat owner, and I don't know too much the in's and out's with cats, so some guidance would be appreciated.

I have noticed that my cat has peed in my closet about 5ish times ever since I got him in late October. He was a stray from the street (I honestly think he was just dumped by someone else) so initially I thought the problem was due to that. I also thought that maybe I closed the door to the room where my litterbox is, so he just resorted to going there. It looks like he has peed on my shorts that I have laid on the floor since I'm not wearing them for the winter.

Anyways, I have solved the solution mainly by making sure the door where the litterbox is open, cleaning the litterbox often, and keeping him active. Just today, I happened to leave the door open to my closet and he like instantly went in there and pissed a BUNCH on my shorts. I was actually surprised on how much there was. AND it wasn't because the litterbox was dirty, I just cleaned it! My ex girlfriend had two cats....and I am almost wondering if he can smell them on my shorts??? But I have washed them multiple times since then.

I have taken him in to get the bloodwork done and check for good health, and they have told me that he is good on all counts. I would imagine they would have tested for a UTI or kidney disease or diabetes? The only thing I can think of is that he had giardia, so I have had to give him oral shots the past 5 days...I'm wondering if this is his revenge for that?

IDK im clueless on what to do. I know I can't just scold him and shove his face in it...but is there a way to actually scold a cat?? Any ideas on what I can do so I can leave my friggin closet door open and not have to worry about him peeing on my clothes?

 

[sivyaleah]

Hi and welcome.

First, to get this out of the way cat do not do anything out of revenge. They do not even know what that is. Animals in general act on instinct. So what you need to do is figure out what is wrong either with the cats environment or health to find out why he's peeing in the closet.

Also - NO do not scold the cat. That won't work either, at all. You'll just instill fear in him. He's trying to tell you something. Your job, again, is to figure it out to help him.

Several things come to mind.

He may not like the litter you are providing him. Odor, feel, size of box (too small maybe?) etc.
He may not like the location of the litter box. Too out in the open. Too noisy where it is. Lack of privacy (hence going in a closet).
How often do you clean the box? What is "often' to you may not be often enough to the cat. Once a day? Every other day? Twice a day?
Health issues that have not yet been found. Might be associating the box with pain.
Going back to the closet because the area hasn't been cleaned properly from prior urine (he'll continue to be attracted to that space unless it's completely cleaned with an enzyme cleaner)
He may need 2 boxes - some cats like 1 for peeing, and one for pooping in.

Of course you could also try putting a litter box in the closet since he seems to like that space and see what happens.

Here's some links that may help

16 Experts Reveal The Most Common Litterbox Mistakes (and How To Avoid Them) – Cat Articles

Litterbox Problems? Here’s Why You Should Call Your Vet – Cat Articles

 

[RangersMom]

My guess is this: he doesnt like the litter. Or he doesnt like the litterbox location.

Make sure the box isnt by anything loud, like a washing machine or sink. Does your box have a hood? Maybe he doesnt like that? Or something about the location is making him uncomfortable and not want to use it.

As for litter, clay litter is so dirty and usually smells bad in itself. Try unscented pine litter maybe? It completely eliminates urine smell too.
Good luck! Let us know how he does

 

[She's a witch]

It’s possible that he can still smell his own urine scent if you haven’t used an enzyme cleaner to get rid of this. You’d need to treat the spots in the closet and also I’d wash the clothes affected in it. Hopefully that’d be all it takes to resolve the problem.

 

[FeebysOwner]

So, about enzyme cleaning - maybe some tips in these articles.

How To Get Cat Urine Smell Out Of Carpet: Effective, Non-toxic Solutions – Cat Articles
How To Get Cat Pee Smell Out Of Clothes And Linens – Cat Articles

 

[rubysmama]

Here's a few more TCS articles that might have some tips for you:
How To Solve Litterbox Problems In Cats: The Ultimate Guide – Cat Articles
Inappropriate Peeing, Spraying, Toy Obsession And Leg And Hand Nipping | TheCatSite
Spraying: When Your Cat Uses Urine To Mark Territory | TheCatSite

Do ensure you launder your shorts, with an enzyme cleaner to make sure his urine scent is completely removed.
How To Get Cat Pee Smell Out Of Clothes And Linens | TheCatSite

 

[abyeb]

Hi there, I would recommend asking your vet to run a urinalysis. That will give you info about kidney function that doesn’t show up on a CBC.

 

[Popnfrsh24]

Hi and welcome.

First, to get this out of the way cat do not do anything out of revenge. They do not even know what that is. Animals in general act on instinct. So what you need to do is figure out what is wrong either with the cats environment or health to find out why he's peeing in the closet.

Also - NO do not scold the cat. That won't work either, at all. You'll just instill fear in him. He's trying to tell you something. Your job, again, is to figure it out to help him.

Several things come to mind.

He may not like the litter you are providing him. Odor, feel, size of box (too small maybe?) etc.
He may not like the location of the litter box. Too out in the open. Too noisy where it is. Lack of privacy (hence going in a closet).
How often do you clean the box? What is "often' to you may not be often enough to the cat. Once a day? Every other day? Twice a day?
Health issues that have not yet been found. Might be associating the box with pain.
Going back to the closet because the area hasn't been cleaned properly from prior urine (he'll continue to be attracted to that space unless it's completely cleaned with an enzyme cleaner)
He may need 2 boxes - some cats like 1 for peeing, and one for pooping in.

Of course you could also try putting a litter box in the closet since he seems to like that space and see what happens.

Here's some links that may help

16 Experts Reveal The Most Common Litterbox Mistakes (and How To Avoid Them) – Cat Articles

Litterbox Problems? Here’s Why You Should Call Your Vet – Cat Articles

I would say I clean it once every two days. He did this after I had just cleaned it so I don't think it's because he thinks it is too dirty? I have gone 3-4 days before and he still would use the litterbox

I am hoping it is more because he still smelled his initial pee spot and wanted to mark it again.

WELL I have another litterbox conundrum that maybe you can help me with...this is really a bigger issue. About once every 5x he poops, he will poop just outside of the litterbox. I have seen him in action, and he goes ahead and gets in the litterbox, but he gets right on the edge. Therefore the poop doesn't land in the litterbox, and just outside of it. Then he can't cover it up and it smells REAL great. Does anybody know what could be happening here?

-I picked up a LARGE litterbox from petsmart. 19 by 15 inches. Then its 7 inches tall.

-I am using Natures Miracle Kitty litter. I have no idea if this is good litter or not, it literally was the only one I could find at Petsmart in the aisles. After I bought it, I didn't realize that all the other ones were at the back of the store!

Here's a link to the litter one: Nature's Miracle Intense Defense Clumping Cat Litter, 14-lb - Chewy.com

Anybody have any ideas? I will say this only happens with #2. He has never missed #1. He seems to do #1 more in the middle of the litterbox. Just not sure what I need to try...new litter...new litterbox...new location?

 

[Jcatbird]

Sometimes they just aim poorly but maybe not. I find that if the clean spot is near the edge, my cats do this too. They want a fresh spot to avoid stepping snywhere that has urine or anything else. You can try making the litter deeper in the box. Filling the box with several inches of litter gives them more of a feeling of walking on a clean spot. You can put a puppy pee pad under the box to catch anything that goes over the edge. You can also try a covered box. Some cats like that and some don’t. Not covering his poop can be many things. One is that he feels the litter will get his paws dirty. Another is that he wants his scent to mark his territory. He could also be in a hurry to leave an area where he feels nervous. Getting a urinalysis is an excellent suggestion. Once that is clear and you know there are no health issues then it will just be a matter of figuring out what this kitty likes or dislikes. It may take a bit of work but don’t get discouraged. Everyone here will help you follow the clues to solve the problem. You came to a great place to get help. Most of us have had similar problems and managed to work them out.
Thank you so much for rescuing that kitty! You’re a hero and saved a life!

 

[ArtNJ]

Consider the possibility that you are sleepwalking and peeing in your own closet, on your own shorts.

LOL, it happened with my son, when he was like 8, and I blamed the cat. I am still waiting for someone else to make this mistake. It will happen eventually; peeing in closets is apparently a known sleepwalking thing! Would be truly epic, a wonderful xmas gift and worth the wait if it was you. Please don't disappoint me!

 

[Jcatbird]

Consider the possibility that you are sleepwalking and peeing in your own closet, on your own shorts.

LOL, it happened with my son, when he was like 8, and I blamed the cat. I am still waiting for someone else to make this mistake. Would be truly epic and worth the wait if it was you. Please don't disappoint me!

Okay! That’s an option that never occurred to me! I can say that I have blamed the cat when I lost my keys but never for pees. Lol If your son knew you posted that.... he would never invite friends onto TCS! If anyone ever admits that, please tag me! They’ll deserve a gold star for admitting it! There’s a first time for everything!

 

[ArtNJ]

Oh Jcatbird it was so funny, you have no idea! It happened multiple times, and I couldn't figure out how what I assumed was the cat was opening the closet! I got all into detective mode and I actually made a post here asking if anyone else's cat was able to somehow open closed closet doors. I believe my sherlock holmes - eureka moment occurred only *after* my son opened one of his clothing drawers -- mercifully empty -- and pee'd in there too. At least I think it was #1 and not #2 (shudder), its been a while! So being the great detective that I am, I was like, huh, a closet door is impossible enough, but a closed clothing drawer??? And then I still only got it because we had seen my son sleepwalking several times. Even with all that, I might have been in disbelief, except apparently this is very much a known thing according to the internet!

 

[rubysmama]

Popnfrsh24 : My Ruby girl is a "up against the side of the litter box" pee-er and poop-er, so a high-sided litter box solved the problem of unintentional accidents.

Hopefully your new larger box with work for you.

A ArtNJ : LOL. I've seen you mention that before, but had no idea it was a common, uhm, issue.

 

[ArtNJ]

LOL, yep if I keep watching I'll see another person make this mistake sooner or later. Up to 17% of kids sleepwalk, and this is the symptom list per Sleepwalking Disorder Causes & Solutions - National Sleep Foundation :

Symptoms
Sleepwalking is most often initiated during deep sleep but may occur in the lighter sleep stages of NREM, usually within a few hours of falling asleep, and the sleepwalker may be partially aroused during the episode.

In addition to walking during deep sleep, other symptoms of sleepwalking include:

• Sleeptalking
• Little or no memory of the event
• Difficulty arousing the sleepwalker during an episode
• Inappropriate behavior such as urinating in closets (more common in children)
• Screaming (when sleepwalking occurs in conjunction with sleep terrors)
• Violent attacks on the person trying to awaken the sleepwalker

I dunno what the specific appeal of a closet is. Not like the door opens in the same way that a bathroom door does!

 

[sivyaleah]

Adding, if you have room for one more box you could try that too. As I mentioned, many cats do not like doing both in the same box. If you have 1 cat, 2 boxes is ideal. I've seen my cats pee in one and move off to the other immediately. Not to say that there isn't pee and poop in each box, just that they tend to not do both at the same time in the same box for whatever reason. And, there usually is one box that has many more urine clumps than the other and the other way more poop.

BTW if the poop is really stinky you may want to look into the food you are feeding your cat. Poop should not smell to high heaven. Yea, it's poop so it's not going to be wonderful but honestly, my cats output is never so off-putting that it makes me gag from it. Low quality food, foods with grains, additives and other ingredients not natural to a cats digestive system (or of course, health issues) can possibly cause stinky poo. Something to consider.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I would say I clean it once every two days. He did this after I had just cleaned it so I don't think it's because he thinks it is too dirty? I have gone 3-4 days before and he still would use the litterbox

About once every 5x he poops, he will poop just outside of the litterbox. I have seen him in action, and he goes ahead and gets in the litterbox, but he gets right on the edge. Therefore the poop doesn't land in the litterbox, and just outside of it. Then he can't cover it up and it smells REAL great. Does anybody know what could be happening here?

I would say your two comments above are connected. If he has multiple BMs already in the box, it is pretty likely he is avoiding stepping in previous 'deposits' and therefore goes at the very edge. There are some cats who just won't deal well with anything less than a 'clean' litterbox, and this can be a change that can happen at any time in their life. They also have other 'habits' as to where they pee and poop in a box that might also have an impact on why he poops outside the box but doesn't pee outside when there is too much 'stuff' in the box to suit his liking. Try cleaning the box out daily - at a minimum - and see if that makes a difference.

 

[sivyaleah]

I would say your two comments above are connected. If he has multiple BMs already in the box, it is pretty likely he is avoiding stepping in previous 'deposits' and therefore goes at the very edge. There are some cats who just won't deal well with anything less than a 'clean' litterbox, and this can be a change that can happen at any time in their life. They also have other 'habits' as to where they pee and poop in a box that might also have an impact on why he poops outside the box but doesn't pee outside when there is too much 'stuff' in the box to suit his liking. Try cleaning the box out daily - at a minimum - and see if that makes a difference.

Oh yes, I missed the timing of the box cleaning. For sure, Popnfrsh24 try cleaning more often. Yea, it's a pain but it does sound like this could be a big part of the problem. Or if you really don't want to at least get another box so that he has more options to choose from.

 

[dcarroll633]

If you don't have an enzyme cleaner handy I have found white vinegar works very well for neutralizing the urine smell and reducing repeat offenses. I scoop my upstairs box twice a day and my 2 basement boxes once a day. One of my kitties just got over a UTI and the first symptom I noticed when he got sick was the odor of the urinse was drastically different. Cat urine has very distinct odor, when he got sick it was much stronger and musty. Pay close attention to his behavior, if anything seems off take him to the vet.