A common post on here is litter box problems. I have a 10 year old neutered male cat, with a history of urinary tract infections. He would walk around the litter box yowling about having to go, but then bolt to pee on the bath mat or corner. Randomly, he would decide to go the litter box, it was very inconsistent. Here's the steps I took to get him back to using the litter box. It took much trial and error, and commitment to making him better. The goal is to make using the bathroom a positive experience for them.
1) Rule out on-going infections/blockages by taking them to the vet. Even if they are all clear, sometimes they associate litter box with pain, so they avoid it. 2) Figure out what your cat likes in a litter box. Do they avoid it when it's dirty? Do they dislike it too clean? How about open vs closed top? Square vs rounded? My cat will only pee in quadrilaterals, seriously. Bath mats, boxes, folded clothes, trays etc. He also does not like his litter box too clean, so I collect pee clumps in a baggie and after I clean it sprinkle some back on top so it smells like him. This step may take the most time. 3) Is the litter box in a place where they can use the bathroom in peace without getting spooked? Try different locations around the house, even more "public" ones. 4) Does your cat like the litter? Spend time pushing it around? Sometimes as they age a softer litter is more appropriate. I use Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter as well as their litter attractant. If your cat was formally outdoors a more "natural" dirt-like litter may be better. 6) Cat proof house. Close all the doors around the house, only give access to socially important spaces and litter box area when you aren't there to monitor them. 5) My MIRACLE step. This is what has really made all the difference but it takes some dedication. EVERY TIME they use the litter box, to poop or pee, you immediately praise them and give treats. Many cats like to go to the bathroom after breakfast or dinner, or both. If you're not home when your cat goes to the bathroom, you may have to adjust their drinking/feeding schedule. 6) MORE TREATS! Seriously, you want your cat to associate not just going to the bathroom, but the litter box itself with positive things. 7) Wean off the treats, at first maybe it's every other time they get treats. Eventually you want to just randomly give treats, kind of like the psychology of gambling. The fact that you have gotten a reward for your efforts, even if you're at a net loss, means you will still gamble to get a taste of victory.
As of a month of doing this, my cat not only goes pee and poop in his litter box without fuss, but does it multiple times a day. No holding in pee at all. He comes running to the kitchen after for treats, very happy. The whole thing is a positive experience for him and he loves using the bathroom now after two years of inconsistencies.
Hope this helps someone!
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/bh3bn7/how_i_stopped_my_cat_from_peeing_outside_of_the/
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