Improving Your Cat’s Environment – Adding New Cat Territory to Correct Your Cat Peeing Outside the Litter Box
Your cat peeing outside the litter box with the arrival of your new baby could be it’s response to feeling like it’s territory is being invaded by a little squalling intruder. Cats, by nature, are incredibly territorial. All that rubbing up against your leg and rubbing it’s face on the coffee table are actually your cat “marking” territory of high value to it.
Your cat might see the baby as an opponent, and the peeing on the living room sofa and your bed are actually marking behaviors to let the opponent know that these areas belong to kitty. One of the best things you can do is to create additional, more cat attractive territory for your pet.
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There are several affordable ways to modify your home environment to help your cat feel more secure, even with the addition of the baby to it’s “territory”.
Adding Vertical Territory:
Providing high up spaces for your cat to escape to can help them feel secure. Cats love to climb and prefer the vantage point of being able to see all that is happening in it’s environment. The simple addition of an affordable cat condo or tree, placed near where the originally valued area is, could prevent further “marking” incidents.
You could even add two items of cat furniture, placing one in a really attractive spot such as beside a sunny window where your cat can enjoy watching all the activity outdoors, and take cat naps in the sunshine. Guaranteed, adding these items will make your cat feel much less stressed, and will very likely prevent further marking incidents.
You can also go “hog wild”, with the multitude of cat furniture products and creative climbing and vertical space solutions available.
Whichever road you take, creating vertical territory where your cat feels safe and secure, and that your cat doesn’t have to share with the baby is a great way to stop cats from urinating on it’s current high-value territory, like the sofa, where she always loves to take a cat nap or get her daily cuddles and chin rubs.
Finally, with regard to the places on which your cat has peed or pooped, be sure to thoroughly clean them and remove every trace of scent to prevent the smell of past incidents drawing your cat to that spot again. There are a number of products that will completely eliminate these odors, including Nature’s Miracle, available to order in our online store.