Solving you pet's toileting problems
If your pet is toilet trained, it can be both confusing and frustrating when they start having regular accidents. It can also be embarrassing if they get a bit excited and wee when guests arrive or mark their territory inside. Luckily, these common issues are quite treatable once you determine the underlying cause. Below is a list of the common causes of pet toileting problems, plus tips to get your pet back on track.
Common causes of pet toileting problems
Medical issues
If your pet is soiling inappropriately, we highly recommend you take them to the vet for a thorough physical examination and assessment. It is important to rule out any medical issues prior to addressing any behavioural concerns. Below is a list of some of the health problems that can affect your pet’s toileting habits:
Urinary tract diseases – such as bladder stones, bacterial infections and other inflammatory diseases can cause pain and urgency to urinate.
Diabetes, kidney or liver disease – can cause pets to urinate and drink more. This may mean that your cat soils their litter tray at a faster rate, which may deter them from using it until it has been cleaned. Pets may also have trouble reaching their toilet area in time.
Medical conditions effecting joints, muscles or nerves - can lead to discomfort, stiffness and weakness that effect your pet’s ability to reach their toilet area or get in a comfortable position to go to the toilet.
Incontinence – a puddle or patches of urine where your pet has been napping or sleeping may indicate incontinence. They can also drop small amounts of faeces without any awareness of what they are doing.
Age related brain function decline – can lead to changes in elimination habits.
Marking their territory
Marking is when you dog or cat urinates on walls or other vertical surfaces. Marking allows your pet to surround itself with its own familiar smells, tell other animals about their presence and mark their territory. Marking is often on a vertical surface and will just be a few drops, while urination is usually a puddle.
Urine marking is a natural instinctive behaviour in cats and dogs, but it is not appropriate inside the house. To minimise marking you can close doors and windows to keep the smell of neighbourhood dogs and cats outside. You can also clean or deodorise areas inside where other animals have been to prevent the urge for your dog or cat to mark their territory.
Urine marking is most common in non-neutered dogs and cats. Spaying or neutering your dog or cat as soon as possible should reduce or eliminate urine marking inside the house. However, the longer a dog or cat goes before neutering, the more difficult it is to train them not to mark the house.
Frustration, stress and anxiety
Frustration, stress or anxiety can cause your pet to change their toileting habits. Any change to your pet’s daily routine such as moving house, having guests stay over, a new baby in the house or problems with other pets can lead to stress in your pet and a result in accidents. Separation anxiety also can cause toileting problems, when your pet frets when left alone.
They may also mark spots in the house with urine to mark their territory. This can be triggered by the presence of another pet, but could also be in response to stress and anxiety.
Multiple pets in home
If you are bringing a new pet home, you should spend some time getting your home and existing pets ready for their arrival. If you need to move existing pet’s items, do this ahead of time so they have plenty of time to adjust before the new furry member arrives.
For multiple cats in the household, it is important to provide several litter trays throughout the home for each cat. Generally, you need one litter tray per cat, plus an extra one.
You may also want to avoid covered boxes as they can make some cats uneasy, as they cannot see if another cat is coming in.
If you have a timid cat, you could devote a space for their litter tray that is difficult for the other pets to access.
Problems with litter tray
Cats can change their urinating habits if they don’t like something about their litter tray. This can take some detective work but can involve the litter tray itself, the litter material or the location of the litter tray.
Is the litter tray clean?
It is important to keep the litter tray clean, as many cats will not use a dirty litter tray. Remove any faeces daily and change the litter regularly. Conduct a deep clean of the tray every few weeks. Keep in mind that their sense of smell is stronger than ours, so a tray that looks clean to us may smell disgusting to your cat.
Is the tray in a good location?
Cats prefer to urinate in private so ensure their litter tray is in quiet, low traffic area of the home. Avoid placing their litter tray near a heat source or noisy spot ie next to washing machine. The litter tray should be easy for your cat to access and find. If you have multiple stories in your home you could include a litter tray on each level for quick access to kittens and/or senior cats.
Is the tray easy to use?
Some cats find certain trays difficult to use. Senior cats with arthritis for example may find it difficult to climb into a litter tray with high edges or in a location that involves stairs to get to it.
Have you changed something?
Cats are happiest with the familiar. If you change something about their litter tray, it may turn them off. Any necessary changes to the litter material, location or litter tray itself need to be done gradually with plenty of time given to your cat to adjust.
Excitement or submission
When your dog gets excited or frightened, they may have little control over their urination.
Excitement urination occurs when your dog gets excited such as greeting their owner, guests or getting affection. Most dogs grow out of this behaviour as they age. To stop them weeing inside, try to stay calm and quiet when you greet your dog. Avoid eye contact, get down to their level and stay neutral. Tell guests to keep their greetings calm and to a minimum. You can also take your dog to the toilet before guests arrive or greet them outside.
Submissive urination occurs when someone approaches, reaches out, stands over or physically punishes your dog. Your dog may urinate but also show other submissive signs such as lowering their ears, cowering or looking away. Punishing or reprimanding your dog in these situations only aggravates the problem further, encouraging more submissive behaviour and urination.
Tips to get your pet back on track with toilet training
Back to basics
Once you have determined the cause and addressed any medical or behavioural needs, you may need to retrain your dog or cat to urinate where you want them to go. This training is almost the same as training a new puppy or kitten.
Offer them plenty of opportunities to go in their litter tray or outside and reward them when they go where you want them to go. Rewards can include praise, treats, a toy or a pat.
Positive reinforcement also means refraining from punishing when they have accidents indoors. Common times to toilet train your dog or cat include:
When you wake up
Just before bedtime
After they eat or drink
When they wake from a nap
During or after playtime
When they look like they need to go ie. crouching, sniffing etc.
For cats make sure their litter tray is in a quiet, private location. Make sure they know where it is and then avoid moving it to prevent confusion. You will need at least two litter trays in your house per cat. Place your cat in the litter tray when they are most likely to use it such as the examples given above.
It is also important to keep the litter tray clean, as many cats will not use a dirty litter tray. Remove any faeces daily and change the litter regularly. Always wash your hands after cleaning the litter tray.
Prevent access to off limit areas
Constant supervision is important. Close doors and block off areas of your home that are off limits or where they are inappropriately going to the toilet. Take your pet to your preferred toileting spot regularly and praise them when they go. You will need to clean up any accidents that they have straight away with a suitable pet safe cleaning product as their scent can drive them back.
Create a living space
If there are particular spots in your home that your pet favours, try placing some treats, toys or sit down and play with them there. If they view this area as a living space they are less likely to soil there. Keep in mind that they will be looking for an alternative place to go to instead, so make sure you show them somewhere appropriate.
Regular feeding schedule
What goes in, must come out. Feeding your dog or cat at the same times each day will encourage a pattern of when they go to the toilet, making house training easier for both of you. Having similar times for sleeping, exercising and playing can also help where possible.
Never punish your pet if they start having toileting accidents. Their change in behaviour generally indicates that something is wrong, so it is important to work on determining the cause to help your pet. If you have any concerns about your pet’s behaviour, please contact us on 03 8784 4444.