Why Cats Start Peeing on Plastic
Wondering why cats start peeing on plastic? Some say kitties enjoy the sound of their urine hitting a crinkly plastic bag, a boot tray, a laundry basket, or other synthetic surfaces.
That simply isn’t true!
Kitty isn’t trying to seek revenge because you adopted that annoying dog or because you bought cheap disgusting new food. Our pets aren’t as cerebral as some like to think! People want to humanize their pets, but there is a good reason why cats pee on plastic sacks and similar surfaces.
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They aren’t doing it because they’re bad…
What’s Going On?
Stop and think for a moment. What are litter boxes made of? Most are made of semi-hard plastic. That way they’re easy to clean and sanitize.
Now, why would a cat start peeing on plastic bags and other objects instead of in his pan? He’s trying to avoid the litter box, but why would he do that?
It’s psychological, and it’s a sign of a bigger problem.
The Reasons Cats Pee on Plastic Sacks is Because…
Cats that start urinating outside of their litter box may have a UTI or another health problem. My cat peed in a laundry basket when he had a bladder infection. He also urinated on plastic handle bags whenever he had the chance.
When my cat started peeing outside of the litter box I knew he was sick. The vet found crystallized urine in his bladder. Stones can form and cause a dangerous obstruction if the problem isn’t treated.
Antibiotics were prescribed and they cured the illness, but he continued to pee in unacceptable places. I had to do more to stop my cat from peeing on plastic throughout the house.
Is an Expensive Trip to the Vet Necessary or Not?
How to Encourage the Cat to Use the Litter Box Again –
Cats don’t always go right back to using the pan after a painful UTI, and for very good reason. They don’t realize that using the box won’t hurt again but don’t give up on kitty. You can make him realize that it won’t hurt anymore, but it takes a couple of simple tricks to get the cat to use the litterbox all of the time.
After my cat’s bladder infection was cured I had to use cat attractant litter -(Amazon aff link) That’s how to get a cat back to using a litter box after a UTI, but that’s not all that I had to do.
Unfortunately, you can’t explain it to your cat!
The cat thought it would be painful, and that’s why he kept going outside of the pan. The litter drew his interest, but that alone didn’t make him realize that it wouldn’t hurt again. I only had to buy the special litter once, and it was worth every cent.
What else did I have to do?
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I also bought a different style of litter box instead of the ordinary covered kind. His box HAD to look completely different because he still associated the old one with pain.
His health was restored, but in his mind, it was the box that caused the problem.
I couldn’t allow him to continue peeing around the house!
It was time for a new litterbox anyway. After a few years of use, they’re no longer as odor-resistant, and the slick surface wears off.
As it was I had to use a UV flashlight and enzyme cat urine stain remover -(Amazon aff link) to find and remove the stains and smell. It’s an odor that’s hard to completely get rid of without the right cleaner and tools to find the source. Before I had the light I literally about passed out from sniffing around!
It’s the most likely reason…
Why Cats Start Peeing on Plastic Bags, Laundry Baskets, Boot Trays, and More –
Cats associate UTI pain with their litter box. In their little minds, if they go somewhere else it won’t hurt to urinate. If only it were that easy! Why do cats pee on plastic bags? They’re logical thinkers. Litter boxes are made of similar material.
If you’re still wondering why cats start peeing on plastic, think of it like this. To a cat, it’s the next best thing to a litter pan. A laundry basket is even more appealing since it similarly shaped. They don’t think of or care about the mess they make. If your cat sprayed a plastic bag it’s time to check for a UTI.