Have you ever caught your feline going number one and two all at once? I’m sure this made you curious as you want to know how your cat’s body works. So, do cats pee and poop at the same time? Or did your kitty simply have an accident?
It may seem odd at first, but when you think about it, you’ll realize that humans are capable of doing the same thing. You can easily finish everything during one bathroom visit. It’s much more convenient and saves you some time.
On the other hand, you’re familiar with human anatomy and you know for a fact that those two things don’t come out of the same hole. But what about cats? Can they control their pee while they’re pooping and vice versa? Or do they have to do it all at once?
This article may not be the most fun read of your life but it will definitely help you understand the way your feline’s anatomy works. So, let’s get right into it.
Do cats pee and poop at the same time?
Cats are extremely peculiar when it comes to using the bathroom. They have certain standards which have to be met if you want your kitty to use the litter box.
That being said, they won’t pee and poop at the same time. In fact, they would rather prefer to have separate litter boxes for these two different needs. It may sound odd to you, but it’s perfectly normal for your cat to follow this rule.
Now, if you’ve caught your feline peeing and pooping at the same time it could be that she’s suffering from certain health issues. Maybe it’s hard for her to control the urge to pee and poop.
The reason for that could be conditions such as incontinence or even infectious diarrhea. If it keeps repeating then there’s something wrong and it’s not mere coincidence. In that case, you should take your feline to the vet so he can figure out what’s going on.
Will your cat be happy to pee and poop in the same litter box?
While we’re on the topic of cat poo and pee, you’ve probably realized that cats don’t like using the same litter box for these two actions. But, why is that?
Is your feline spoiled or is there a bigger cause hiding behind her behavior? Let’s find out!
1. It’s all about the cleanliness
As you already know, cats are clean freaks. Same as they prefer to live in a spotless environment, they also prefer to urinate and defecate in the clean and tidy litter box. If you don’t meet this standard, the chances are that they’re going to find some other place to pee or poo (and sometimes, this includes your brand-new rug).
This has nothing to do with their stubbornness. It’s just that felines prefer to do their business in a clean spot.
For that same reason, they like to have separate litter boxes for separate needs. That way, they can bury their poop easier and they can also make sure that different smells don’t mix.
If you have just one litter box and your kitty is protesting to use it, know that she’s not being too stubborn or asking for too much. To her, two toilets are the bare minimum that you’ll have to meet if you want her to be happy.
2. She’s trying to stay safe
Felines bury their poop after they’re done. And they don’t do it because they don’t want you to see it or because it smells bad. Instead, they do it to protect themselves from becoming prey.
Once upon a time, before cats were domesticated, they used to live and survive outside. So, they had to take care of themselves and ensure nobody would hurt them.
One of the ways they did that was by burying their poop after going number two. Since they didn’t want to attract any unnecessary attention from predators, they hid their poop somewhere other animals couldn’t find it.
Even though your cat now enjoys the comfort of your home, she still can’t forget about the things her ancestors did a while ago.
3. It’s instinctual
This is closely tied to a previous reason but it still had to be mentioned. Sometimes, even cats do some things without explanation. Maybe they don’t know why they’re doing it but there’s something inside telling them that they have to do it.
Felines have strong instincts and throughout the years, they’ve learned to trust them. These instincts kept them alive which is exactly why they can’t give up on their patterns of behavior, even though they no longer live in the wilderness.
Why does your cat avoid using the litter box?
Speaking of litter boxes, you may have realized that your feline doesn’t like using them at all. You’ve already tried moving it around your home to see if it’s because she doesn’t like its position. You maybe even switched a couple of them because you thought that her previous ones were too small.
But no matter what you do, she doesn’t use it. Instead, she does her business in the garden or even somewhere around the house.
At this point, you’re tired of cleaning her poop and pee since it’s getting unbearable. There must be a reason why she avoids using the toilet and you’re destined to figure it out.
Well, here are possible explanations why your kitty pees and poops outside her litter box.
1. Her litter box is dirty
You may think that her litter box doesn’t need cleaning yet or that her litter sand is still good for a couple more uses. But, it doesn’t mean that your feline agrees with that. In fact, this is often the most common reason why cats avoid their toilets.
These furry monsters are one of the cleanest animals ever and they care about their environment the same way they care about themselves. You know very well how obsessed your kitty is with keeping her fur clean and tidy. Well, she expects you to take care of her litter box the same way.
Her senses are stronger than yours and she can easily smell scents that you can’t even detect. Even though her litter box doesn’t smell unpleasant to you, it doesn’t mean that she feels the same way about it. Her protest is proof of that.
2. She’s stressed
Maybe you don’t know it but cats are easily stressed. Even a simple change in the environment can make them feel anxious and this can result in different types of behavior.
Sometimes, they may avoid eating while other times, they can start peeing and pooping outside the litter box. Honestly, you never know how they’re going to react to a stressful situation.
If you’ve already ruled out all the other reasons and you assume that your cat is avoiding her litter box due to stress, then you should figure out what caused this behavior. Have you recently brought another pet into your home? Have you changed her diet or moved her litter box?
Even though these things may seem completely trivial to you, they can cause a lot of stress to your kitty. So, if you know that you changed something in her daily routine, you should find a way for her to adapt. Or, if you can, put things back where they used to be and see if that will make a difference.
3. She’s having gastrointestinal issues
Maybe your feline isn’t pooping and peeing outside the litter box on purpose. Maybe she simply can’t control herself. If she’s suffering from gastrointestinal issues, this could be the reason why you assume that she’s avoiding the litter box. In reality, she can’t reach it before it’s too late.
This could happen for many different reasons but all of them need medical attention. If you notice that it happens often, you should definitely schedule an appointment with your vet. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
4. She’s suffering from a UTI
Urinary tract infections can be extremely boring and they can cause a lot of discomfort to your feline. She may feel the constant need to pee, but she’s unable to completely finish. For that reason, she may experience accidents since she can’t prevent her urge.
If you suspect that your cat is dealing with this issue, you should look for some other symptoms as well. Does she lick her private area all the time? Does it seem that she’s in pain while peeing? Have you noticed that there’s blood in her urine?
These are all common signs of a UTI and they’re all equally uncomfortable to your feline. So, once you spot them, react accordingly and take your cat to the vet. He’s going to give you appropriate medication which should solve the problem.
After that, your kitty will no longer pee or poop outside the litter box, and you’ll save yourself from all the mess that comes with these accidents.
