Is Your Cat Peeing on Everything?

Here’s What Might be Going On

Finding pee puddles all over your house is frustrating and confusing. You may wonder, “Is this medical or behavioral?” In a word — yes. It can be both.

By Cat Behaviorist Rita Reimers
Updated for 2025

Why Does Litter Box Avoidance Happy?

There are both behavioral and medical reasons for litter-box avoidance. Stress, fear, and anxiety can cause your kitty to avoid the box, and we have behavior-modification techniques to help if that’s the case.

However, many medical conditions also trigger this behavior. Behavioral training alone won’t fix a medical problem — that has to be treated first. Once the pain or inflammation is under control, we can address any leftover litter-box habits through behavior work.

Medical Reasons for Avoiding the Litter Box

When a cat is in pain, they often associate the litter box with that discomfort. If every time you sat down on the toilet you felt pain, you’d avoid it too!

Cats also instinctively avoid a “communal” elimination area when sick, as a way of protecting their clowder. Most urinary pain falls under a group of conditions known as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) — a broad term that covers several specific medical issues.

FLUTD in Cats- Two Main Types

1️⃣ Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

UTIs are fairly common and can become life-threatening if untreated. A simple urine test (usually $25–$75) tells your vet whether bacteria are present.

Because UTIs are dangerous, easy to test for, and fairly simple to treat, this is the first thing most vets check — which makes PURR-fect sense.

If bacteria are found, antibiotics usually clear the infection. If your cat continues urinating outside the box afterward, the pain-avoidance habit may remain; that’s when behavior modification helps get kitty back on track.

⚠️ However, a negative bacterial test doesn’t rule out medical causes. Many vets stop here and assume it’s behavioral, but another common condition often hides beneath the FLUTD umbrella — interstitial cystitis.

2️⃣ Interstitial Cystitis (FIC)

The most common cause of FLUTD in Cats is feline interstitial cystitis (FIC) — and sadly, it often goes undiagnosed. Studies show that over half the cats tested had FIC without their humans realizing it.

Why don’t vets test for it more often?
Because an inexpensive urine test won’t detect it. Confirming FIC requires a cystoscopy (inspection of the bladder) that can cost $1,000–$2,000.

FIC isn’t usually an immediate threat like a UTI, so many cats live with chronic inflammation that flares under stress. When a vet strongly suspects FIC but testing isn’t feasible, they may choose to treat “as if” the cat has it.

👉 Want to learn the warning signs to watch for? Check the “Medical Red Flags for Peeing Outside the Box” section in my article, Cat Pees Outside the Box — Why It Happens and How to Stop It.

FIC Causes and Management

Quick disclaimer: I’m a Certified Cat Behaviorist, not a veterinarian. The following reflects what I’ve learned through experience; always consult your vet for medical diagnosis or treatment.

To resolve any medical problem, you eliminate possible causes until you find the source. A UTI’s cause = bacteria → antibiotics. Simple. But FIC has no quick cure. You can, however, manage inflammation and prevent painful flare-ups.