Cats rarely ever urinate out of the litter box, so if your cat is peeing elsewhere, there could be a problem. Unfortunately, there is no straight forward answer as to what would be wrong with your cat so you may have to look, observe and get a vet’s help to get an answer. But generally, there are a couple of reasons why cats pee during taking a bath. This caused many cat owners to ask the question, why does my cat pee in the bathtub?
In this article we will look at different reasons your cat may pee in the bathtub, and what you can do to fix this issue.
Why does my cat pee in the bathtub?
Cats peeing in the bathtub is worrisome, especially if you have trained it well and it still pees every time you take it for a bath.
This also shows that your cat will also pee in other areas, other than its litter box. If that is the case, then there are a few possibilities for this behavior.
It can be that your cat has some kind of urination problem, or that it has difficulty in learning where to pee.
There are other reasons too which we will go into in detail later on, but in case you feel that your cat is peeing around too much, then you should get it checked by the vet.
Problems like behavioral issues are treatable. Your vet will give a proper dose of medications that will fix your cat’s problems (depending on what it has) and make it good as new.
But in order to understand where the problem is, you can try a self-diagnosis of your cat, and then head to the vet for an expert opinion.
Let’s look into the different reasons your cat may pee in the bathtub.
Reasons why your cat may pee in the bathtub
Your cat could pee in the bathtub because of a number of reasons, and it is up to you to figure out what is wrong with it.
Here are some possibilities that could cause it to behave in this manner:
Mental disorder
A cat that has mental issues can be found peeing in the bathtub frequently. For cats like these, it is not possible to train them or try and stop them.
Mental disorders also include behavioral issues which can cause your cat to not listen to any instruction and misbehave frequently.
There is no cure for this disease besides the medications. You have to be consistent and complete the course of the medicines to see a positive result and a reduction in the ‘pee in the bathtub’ situation.
Out of habit
Even when you successfully train your cat not to pee in the bathtub, sometimes it’s memories just get the best of it.
This just means that if your cat used to pee in the bathtub in the past but got out of the habit, then it can get tempted to pee again looking at the bathtub.
Now it is not entirely the cat’s fault, especially if it happens the first few times. But it must learn to have restraint every time it takes a bath.
They can have a connection associated with the bathtub and may even pee in areas around it. If this continues, then it can be the first few symptoms of behavioral issues in your cat.
Going to a vet in the early stages is key in case of behavioral problems.
It may get carried away by the smell
Have you ever noticed that if a new person comes to your home, your cat will smell them before getting friendly with them?
This is often what cats do to make themselves comfortable. The same thing happens when they want to pee.
They know that their litter box is their safe space so they peel easily. But if the bathtub starts to smell similar to the litter box, then your cat may ease itself and pee in there too.
Bathtubs can smell like litter boxes when your cat has peed in them before. Cats have a strong sense of smell so they can get a whiff of smells easily, so this might be the case with your cat.
Internal problems in the cat’s body
Internal problems in a cat’s body can be a big thing. UTIs, urine spraying, and kidney infections are all types of diseases that should be taken seriously in cats.
If your cat pees in the bathtub, many cat owners say that it is trying to tell you something, and it most likely means it has kidney stones.
UTIs are also a great possibility and can also lead to kidney infections and failure down the line.
The presence of any of these diseases can cause your cat to avoid peeing in its litter box quite possibly because it does not feel comfortable and wants to get your attention.
Litter box problems
A litter box issue can arise when your cat does not feel comfortable in the litter box you have set for it. Maybe it is not big enough, or that your cat does not feel secure in it.
Another common litter box problem is not having enough litter boxes around the house. Many cat owners with more than one cat do not know that they need to keep more than 2 boxes if they have 2 cats.
Cats can get very territorial if they do not get their own space, and a litter box is where they can do their business in private.
Hence, if they do not feel comfortable in the litter box, they will most likely pee in bathtubs and other areas of the house as well.
How to stop your cat from peeing in the bathtub?
Now that you are aware of the different reasons your cat may pee in the bathtub, let’s look at different ways you can stop this behavior.
Fix the litter box issues of your cat
If your cat is peeing in the bathtub because it feels uncomfortable sharing a litter box, then it is time that you get new litter boxes to fit your cat family.
This will make both your cats very comfortable. Getting a bigger litter box should also solve the problem (if that is what your cat is facing) and your cat should stop peeing in the bathtub completely.
Train your cat
Training your cat is easier said than done. Younger cats are easier to reprimand and adapt when you teach them not to pee in the bathtub.
However, older cats are a whole other story. They have to be trained in a way that they do not repeat the action before it becomes a permanent habit.
You can train your cat by giving her treats when she does not pee in the bathtub. This should encourage it to wait for the litter box.
If your cat has any disease then you have to be mindful about the treats tactic. Check with your vet before going this route.
Use calming down techniques for your cat
Sometimes cats pee spontaneously from stress as well. This can happen if it is terrified of water and tries to avoid going in at all costs.
If you can not seem to get your cat to calm down while in the bathtub, you can try some conditioning techniques.
This can be to slowly make it more comfortable with the water by getting it familiar with a little water at first.
Do note that your cat peeing from stress should decrease the more it becomes with the water. It gets better each time.
Get it checked by the vet
Finally, a behavioral problem or an internal disease is not something that can be fixed with treats or even training.
You need to get your cat proper medical attention in such cases. But do not lose hope, because if the peeing is actually a medical issue, then it should get fixed with the course of medication for the disease.
Conclusion
In conclusion, why does my cat pee in the bathtub?
There are many reasons you find your cat peeing in the bathtub, cats usually try to indicate something to their owner when they behave this way.
If your cat is peeing in the bathtub quite frequently, then it could be a victim of diseases such as kidney infections, UTIs, or it could also have mental problems.
There can also be litter box problems with your cat; maybe there are less litter boxes in your house. THis behavior can also be led by habit, and your cat can even get carried away with the scent of the bathtub and its pee.
You can stop this behavior though. Seek medical attention if your cat is sick, and learn to train it so it chooses to pee in the litter box set for it each time.
Get it checked by the vet if it does not go back to normal after medications and training. But if the disease is the root cause for this behavior, then you should see a change in behavior after the medication ends.
Lastly, be gentle with your cat. Do not be harsh on it if you find it peeing in the bathtub often. Simply involve a vet and get your cat’s issues fixed.
Cats show strange behaviour such as sleeping between legs, moving its kittens, scratching mirrors, tail hitting, bedroom door waiting, eye sniffing, chin biting, black boogers, foot standing, back jumping, sighing, peeing in the bathtub and toe licking may actually have solid reasons behind. Its important we educate ourselves about possible reasons and then act timely for any fix.