My cat is peeing down the bathtub drain.

January 20, 2019 7:05 AM

I have 2 sibling boy cats that are 5 years old. Back in December, one of them started peeing down the bathtub drain. He got a clean bill of health from the vet, so I proceeded like it was behavioral. I've had limited success getting this strange new behavior to stop and am out of ideas.

Back in October, one of my 2 cats escaped and spent 48 hours under the house. After he returned, his sibling cat didn't recognize him and it was a long process to get them back to being friend (this was me). After a week or two separated and a few tense months, things went mostly back to normal. Then, in December, escapee cat started peeing in the bathtub, specifically right down the drain (which meant that I didn't discover it as quickly as I should have).

I assume this is related to the non-recognition aggression issue the boys had after the escapee returned. I added an additional litter box right next to the bathtub and did a full clean/disinfect/new litter on the other box. Side note: I was only using 1 box for 2 cats as it was their preference. Previously if I put out a second box nobody would use it.

So, the second box seemed to work on and off but now it mostly off again. I've also been using the pheromone diffusers until the last few days (they ran out of juice). I'm hesitant to deny access to the bathtub completely, because if he's going to pee outside the box, I'd actually pick the drain rather than say, my sofa. However, I'm willing to try that.

Anyone have ideas on what is causing this and how I get it to stop? My suspicion is that brother cat is bullying escapee cat (who used to be top cat in the house) and there is some sort of litter box turf war happening, but I could be wrong. Ideas?

posted by tryniti to Pets & Animals (10 answers total)

You've been pouring an enzyme cleaner down the drain regularly, yes? If he's still smelling pee, he'll still pee there. Also, you might try (I know this might get crowded) a third box, uncovered if the other ones are covered. I've had two-cat setups where there was a pee box for each cat and a joint poo box. (I don't know, man.)
posted by restless_nomad at 7:19 AM on January 20, 2019 [11 favorites]

You said you put a box next to the bathtub - what about putting a box right over the drain and then, if he uses that, moving it? (Obviously, you can move the box while using the tub.)

And, yeah, this is probably one of the best spots he could pick if he's going outside the box. What a considerate kitty.
posted by jzb at 7:31 AM on January 20, 2019 [32 favorites]

Close the door to the bathroom, litter box right outside the door (for now), Cat Attract litter in the box. Once he's using it consistently, move the litter box somewhere more appropriate.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 7:31 AM on January 20, 2019

I'd definitely try the litter box right in the bathtub, over the drain. Then slowly moving it if he starts to use it. I'd also experiment with different kinds of litter -- maybe the guy now needs pellets or crystals or something that's different from what you usually use.

(We keep a litter box in our tub, and yes it's a hassle because I have to deal with it every time I shower, but we don't have a better spot, alas.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 7:40 AM on January 20, 2019

Cat Attract litter with even that green herby additive if you really want to go hardcore. Separate where the litter boxes are if you have the space. Uncover them if they're covered.
posted by Anonymous at 8:23 AM on January 20, 2019

It's possible in his little kitty mind that this has nothing to do with the bullying but maybe being outside made him realize he doesn't like peeing in litter anymore. You could try to redirect this impulse by training him to use the toilet instead?

Or if that doesn't appeal to you, maybe it's the texture of the litter, maybe switching that up might help.

But still, if it were me this would be an impulse I'd want to encourage.
posted by bleep at 11:39 AM on January 20, 2019 [6 favorites]

I would just leave this alone for now. Otherwise, if you fight it, you’re likely to find your cat peeing somewhere less desirable. I mean, this is literally the best case scenario for a cat peeing outside the litter box.
posted by amro at 11:57 AM on January 20, 2019 [10 favorites]

As a person with high maintenance cats, here is what works for us to curb non-litter-box peeing behavior:
1) The pheromone diffusers you've been using.
2) Nature's miracle any place he has been using as his personal toilet.
3) Regularly scheduled meal times with nary a deviation (as much as possible).
4) Calming component in food (they were both on a urinary medicated food to avoid future crystals, made by Royal Canin, turns out that there is a calming one as well).
5) Prozac. Yes. Trans dermal Prozac rubbed onto his little ear to get him to calm down (won't take pills, even if stuffed in a pill pocket, and won't eat his food if it has the Prozac in liquid form in it). I should, but don't give him the Prozac every day.

I feel your pain, and would talk to your vet further about any of the above, or additional solutionss she may have. Better to curb it now before he finds another preferred area to urinate... Good luck!
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 12:52 PM on January 20, 2019

did a full clean/disinfect/new litter on the other box.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but you should keep the full cleaning/disinfecting/new litter thing to a minimum. Indoor cats pee and poop where it smells familiar to them. If the box doesn't smell of them at all when they are used to it smelling of them, it can take time to get them to use it again.
posted by tzikeh at 7:22 PM on January 20, 2019

May I ask why you dislike this behaviour? I would love if I had a cat that used the bathroom. I miss living alone so I could pee into the drain directly. Can we trade pets?
posted by GoblinHoney at 1:30 PM on January 21, 2019 [3 favorites]