Cat Peeing out of Anger

The last few months our cat has peed outside of his litter box a bunch of times.

He does this when he is left alone - i.e. we go out after work, etc.

We have confirmed there is no medical issue and he always has a clean box.

Has anyone else experienced this? How do I make him stop?

He is peeing on things left on the floor - like a bath mat, the christmas tree skirt, a bag, etc. It's not realistic to say we will never leave anything on the ground, KWIM.

Re: Cat Peeing out of Anger

do you have another cat? Sometimes it can be territorial. Some cats are very attracted to the plastic backing of mats. I had to get rid of all my mats. Something about the breakdown of the plastic gives an order that cats seem to mark. If it is absolutely behavioral you can try products like feliaway, which is a pheromone based anti-stress product that you can spray or plug into the wall and periodically releases. For us the only thing that has worked is Prozac (they started Sushi on Buspar but she had a reaction to it). She gets a 1/4 of a pill a day and while she is not perfect she no longer poops or pees on my floor.

Additionally, if you do not have another cat, perhaps you kitty is lonely and wants a friend

Message edited 1/15/2012 4:50:24 PM.

Re: Cat Peeing out of Anger

No, we don't have another cat.

I totally agree that I think he is just a super social cat and gets mad when we leave him alone.

Unfortunately, DH is actually allergic to cats. For some reason, our boy doesn't bother him but he still has reactions when he goes to my parents 2 cat households. So he has said a FIRM NO to any more cats

Thanks for the tip on the product. I might check it out.

Any one else with other tips?

Re: Cat Peeing out of Anger

I had the EXACT same problem. She didn't do it when we left the house, but she would just pee out of the box. We thought all the same things you did- medical, maybe the box wasn't clean enough, angry at us, not enough litter boxes, etc. We tried everything! Like your cat she also preferred bath mats and anything soft.

So we went on for a few years (about 3 before we figured it out) just not leaving things out on the floor (worked about 90% of the time), running Feliway all the time, cleaning with Nature's Miracle so no smell was left, extra boxes (we have another cat), etc. Then she started going in the tub. To be honest I didn't mind that because it was much easier to clean. We had also just moved overseas (after a 24 hour flight) at the time into a temporary apartment and then to another apartment within two months. I let it go- the tub was easy to clean.

Then the litter we had been using was really expensive compared to where we were before the move. So we switched litters and it stopped. We figured out that the litter we were using (crystal litter) was just too hard on her little pawsys. and she liked a softer litter. It made sense when I thought about it- she was really sensitive to certain blankets and she was peeing on soft things.

Before we moved I had a long commute and was away from home for 12 hours. Now I work from home half the time and I work across the street. I'm not sure if that has something to do with it.

Since you can't change your job so easily, maybe try changing the type of litter? Feliway helps, too.

Re: Cat Peeing out of Anger

Re: Cat Peeing out of Anger

Posted by Domino

Posted by klingklang77

Then she started going in the tub. To be honest I didn't mind that because it was much easier to clean.

I loved when Sushi would go in the tub too! I even joked that if she should just move her little tush 3 feet to the left and use the toilet, life would be perfect!

Re: Cat Peeing out of Anger

Posted by klingklang77

Posted by Domino

Posted by klingklang77

Then she started going in the tub. To be honest I didn't mind that because it was much easier to clean.

I loved when Sushi would go in the tub too! I even joked that if she should just move her little tush 3 feet to the left and use the toilet, life would be perfect!

Yeah it would, wouldn't it? I was visiting some friends a few weeks ago, and we met their cats. They have them toilet trained. I was so jealous! It was a special seat with a rim for cat litter so they can dig with a hole in the middle. However, they have to remove it when a guest wants to use the bathroom b/c they only have one bathroom.

Re: Cat Peeing out of Anger

My cat loves to drink from the toilet. He thinks it is a giant water bowl.

I bet even if we were able to train him, he would still drink it - EWWWWWW!

Of course we leave the seat down that solves that problem but every once in a while a guest comes over and forgets.

I think I am going to try the Feliaway.
The reason I don't think its the litter is that he has been using it for over 2 years with no incident. Also, he only seems to have these "accidents" when we are either leaving the house, were away, or about to leave.

While he likes soft things - bathmat, laundry pile - he also has done non soft things - a pizza box, my husbands duffle bag (kind of a plasticy material and not soft).

Thanks for all your tips. I am going to try the Feliway. Maybe I will try another litter - we use the all natural kind but it couldn't hurt buying a small bag of a different style.

Re: Cat Peeing out of Anger

Definitely try the Feliway, it has really helped with out cat. He too was peeing on anything soft, laundry on the floor or even jumping in the basket itself and peeing in there, DH's gym bag, his coat, and the last couple of times, our bed. We threw out 3 comforter sets trying to figure out what the heck to do with him and bought a new mattress. I have really tried to keep his littler box as clean as possible and had him checked by the vet so there was absolutely no reason for it. The vet asked if we ever see strays in our area and he said sometimes, it's a cat marking their territory if he has spotted strays through a window or what not, they feel threatened.

Its been a couple of months since his last accident and I attribute it to spraying the Feliway on our bed every couple of days and changing his litter every day. I also make a point of playing with him for a at least a half hour every night to get out some energy and to keep him from being bored.

Good luck, I know how frustrating it could be!

Re: Cat Peeing out of Anger

Ok, Feliaway it is!


We live in a 1st floor apt so there are a lot of strays that come to the window. Although that happens every single day for the last 3 years and the peeing only just started in the Fall.

Perhaps he feels more threatened as he gets older? Or, perhaps it is the combination of us being away and stray cats, etc. etc.

Thanks ladies for all the tips.