Okay, folks, let’s talk about a problem many cat owners face: the dreaded “cat peeing on the edge of the litter box” situation. I’ve been there, and trust me, it’s no fun. Here’s how I tackled it, step by step.
First, I noticed the problem. My sweet little Mittens was mostly using her litter box, but every so often, I’d find a puddle right on the edge, sometimes even overflowing onto the floor. Yuck!
Figuring Out Why
So, I started observing her. I watched her go into the box, and I noticed she was squatting right at the very edge. It wasn’t like she was aiming outside; it was more like she just wasn’t positioning herself correctly.
I ruled out a few things:
- It wasn’t a medical issue. I’d recently taken her to the vet for a checkup, and everything was fine.
- It wasn’t the litter type. I’d been using the same brand for months without issue.
- The box wasn’t dirty. I’m pretty diligent about scooping daily.
Trying Solutions
My first attempt was simple: I bought a bigger litter box. I figured if she had more space, she’d be less likely to end up on the edge. I got one of those jumbo-sized ones, thinking “problem solved!”
Nope. She still managed to pee on the edge, just…further away from the center. Sigh.
Next, I tried a litter box with higher sides. This seemed like a logical step. I found one with walls that were significantly taller than her old box. I placed it in the same spot, filled it with her usual litter, and waited.
This actually helped! For a while, things were good. The higher sides prevented most of the overflow. But every now and then, she’d still manage to get some pee on the very top edge, and it would sometimes drip down the outside.
The Winning Combo
Finally, I combined a few things. I kept the high-sided litter box, but I also added a litter mat around it. This mat was one of those textured ones designed to catch stray litter, but it also proved to be absorbent.
I also started paying extra attention to how much litter I was putting in. I realized I might have been overfilling it slightly, making it easier for her to pee over the edge. I reduced the amount of litter a bit, making sure it was deep enough for her to dig but not so high that it was close to the top.
This combination has been the most successful. It’s not perfect 100% of the time, but it’s dramatically reduced the accidents. The high sides contain most of it, the slightly lower litter level helps, and the mat catches any stray drops. Cleaning is much easier now, so all good from my end.
