Cat people ideas on getting cat to pee in litter box

[Clarita]

Litter attractant worked for 3 days. Cat is back to peeing outside the litter box or in front of my husband's dresser.

Vet has completely looked the cat over so no issues there and it's been going on for years. 

Here are things we've tried already.

1. arthritic litter box.
2. Scented and unscented litter.  (We have not tried all the litter...)
3. litter attractant
4. self cleaning litter box (DH is a bit bitter about this one. Good thing it was his idea.)
5. cat calming things 
6. More cat boxes, although she is the alpha cat in our house.
7. New litter boxes, clean litter boxes and dirty litter boxes. She will just pee next to or in the vicinity of them. 

She does go in the litter box for poops and she knows what she is doing is bad because she may go in the litter box or hold it if we are actively staring at her. For obvious reasons I can not spend my days staring at my cat to get her to pee in the litter box. 

[Paige]

Put her in a small room for a few weeks and she should get better. Not sure how long it will last, but we kept them in my daughter's room for about 3 months and it helped. They'll use the litter box if they have to live in there with it. 

You could also try kitty prozac.

[J-rap]

Can you make it so that she can't go in her usual spots outside of the litter box?  So for awhile, cover up those places with things -- furniture, boxes, pots and pans, cans, whatever.  We had a cat who would get into the habit of peeing in certain spots besides the litter box.  When those weren't available (when I'd cover them), she'd head to the litter box.  We'd also make sure to clean out the litter box daily.  After a week of doing that, it would kind of re-set things for awhile, often for several months.  It would eventually start up again, so we'd go back to covering areas. 

 

Edited August 18, 2022 by J-rap

[Selkie]

Puppy pads around the litterbox? That’s what I do for my old kitty who sometimes misses the box.

[stephanier.1765]

My cat had inappropriate peeing and amitripyline worked wonders. She'll have to be on it for life but it sure beats her peeing on my bed.

[Terabith]

Have you tried plopping a litter box everywhere she pees?  So like a litter box in front of your husband's dresser?  It's annoying, but it's way less annoying than outside the litter box peeing.  

[happi duck]

Advice we followed that worked to reestablish using the box: we set up a small space just big enough for litter box, food, a place to sleep.  She had to use the box because she wouldn't go where she slept or ate. Kitty was in there for a few(?) days.  We used a tub with glass doors.

Edited August 19, 2022 by happi duck

[Clarita]

32 minutes ago, Selkie said:

Puppy pads around the litterbox? That’s what I do for my old kitty who sometimes misses the box.

Yes we have puppy pads around the litter box it helps with most of the clean up until she somehow pees underneath them...

36 minutes ago, J-rap said:

Can you make it so that she can't go in her usual spots outside of the litter box?  So for awhile, cover up those places with things -- furniture, boxes, pots and pans, cans, whatever.  We had a cat who would get into the habit of peeing in certain spots besides the litter box.  When those weren't available (when I'd cover them), she'd head to the litter box.  We'd also make sure to clean out the litter box daily.  After a week of doing that, it would kind of re-set things for awhile, often for several months.  It would eventually start up again, so we'd go back to covering areas. 

We do that for spots we absolutely don't want her peeing in. I have kitty spikes and other obstacles everywhere where it's a hassle to clean. We clean the litter boxes daily and she's peed next to a perfectly clean litter box.

24 minutes ago, happi duck said:

Advice we followed that worked to reestablish using the box: we set up a small space just big enough for litter box, food, a place to sleep.  She had to use the box because she wouldn't go where she slept or ate. Kitty was in there for a few(?) days.  We used a tub with glass doors.

I'll suggest this. The perfect spot would be in our walk-in shower. The other cat won't be happy because that's the other cat's happy place. 

[Clarita]

31 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Have you tried plopping a litter box everywhere she pees?  So like a litter box in front of your husband's dresser?  It's annoying, but it's way less annoying than outside the litter box peeing.  

Did this and she proceeded to pee next to that box too. The current litter boxes are placed in previously favorite places, just not the in front of the dresser spot (since that spot was annoying).