Cats pee out of the box for MANY different reasons. But EACH cat has one very specific reason for starting this behavior. The challenge is detecting the reason, and finding a solution.
I ALWAYS BEGIN with a physical exam and urinalysis to rule out a medical problem. Medical problems do not go away, cause pain and can lead to a life threatening urinary blockage.
If the urinalysis does not indicate crystals or blood or high protein or bacteria, and the physical exam is normal, then we are dealing with a behavior problem. Maxie had completely normal urine and a very comfortable belly.
So, I put my detective hat on and asked the owner 20 questions. It turns out that Maxie's owner purchased a new dehumidifier last week, and set it up at the base of the basement stairs. The litterboxes are in the basement, so Maxie, who is a nervous cat, had to walk past the noisy, "scary new thing" to go to the bathroom. Hmmmm!
I believe, in Maxie's case, adding a litterbox to the first floor, and putting the dehumidifier in an area far from the basement litterboxes will solve this particular mystery. Now, Maxine can go back to being a perfect angel, and the owner can safely walk around his house in stocking feet without any suprises!
Here is a fantastic link for anyone with this type of behavior problem.
The litterbox from Your Cat's Point of View
Next time: What should I feed my cat?
