Female cat peeing on rug

Question
My 3 year old femal has recently started peeing on a mat by the back door which is near her litter tray.  She has never done this before and I wonder what is causing her to do this. I wash it as soon as possible and always keep her litter clean.   I do have another male cat but they came into the home together 2 years ago.

Answer
Kathleen,

The most common cause for that behavior in a female cat is a urinary tract infection. They are painful when the cat urinates and the cat associates that pain with the litterbox and will go elsewhere, including next to it.

She should be taken to the vet to have that possibiliy checked out. If she does have one she can be given antibiotics to clear it up. They are re-occuring so be aware of that fact in the future.

Also, something could be upsetting her and that is her way of telling you. It could be stray cats outside that she can't get to to defend her territory. Are you not spending the time with her that you used to? Those are some possibilites.

It's best to rule out a medical issue causing her behavior though before dealing with it as a behavioral problem.

Tabbi