Is Peeing on the Furniture a Kitten Health Problem?

Is peeing on the furniture a kitten health problem or behavior problem? Kitten behavior problems often stem from insecurity and/or frustration. When your kitten pees on the furniture he is telling you that something is bothering him.

Cats are by nature, solitary and independent. They resent intrusions upon, and changes in their normal routines. Frustration can be brought about by changes in the living pattern, or the inability to express normal biological drives such as sex, hunting and aggressive play.

When relapses occur in a well-trained cat there are several possible causes. A health problem may be present, such as a bladder or bowel infection. The cat or kitten might be reacting to an emotional insecurity or might become jealous of another animal or baby in the house. The odor of urine or feces in the carpet, or on the floor may attract a previously well-trained cat and cause him to select that spot for future eliminations.

Cats and kittens dislike dirty pans. Often, they will refuse to use them unless they are cleaned. The treatment of a relapse in training depends upon finding the cause and then taking steps to correct it. A visit to the vet for a check-up might be in order.

Peeing on the Furniture could be a kitten health problem or behavior problem, but should never be confused with spraying. Spraying is most commonly defined as the periodic squirting of urine around the home while still using his litter pan for routine eliminations. It is most common in the Tom cat but can also occur in breeding females and neutered cats of both sexes. It is an expression of territorial marking and is associated with the rubbing of body oils (from the chin and tail) on favored objects. It will occur when a cat or kitten feels his territory is threatened by an intruder. Frequently it is an advertisement that sex is available and increases during the mating season or during courtship. It may be brought on by jealousy, insecurity, or a break-down in the relationship between the cat or kitten and his owner.

Spraying shouldn't be mistaken for a lapse in toilet training. Spraying usually takes place at ankle height, which distinguishes it from a litter pan problem.

My educated guess would be that peeing on the furniture is a kitten behavioral problem 90% of the time and a kitten health problem only 10% of the time. Try to observe any changes in the relationship that you and your kitten went through when he started peeing on the furniture, and you should discover the answer.

References: The Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook by Delbert G. Carlson, D.V.M and James M. Giffin, M.D. - First Edition