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Cat Peeing In Food Bowl : [ Here’s Why & Ways To Stop It ]

Cat Peeing In Food Bowl : [ Here’s Why & Ways To Stop It ]

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Cats are quirky creatures, and sometimes it can be difficult to understand what they want. One thing is for sure, whether your cat stresses you out or keeps every member of the house on their toes – you can not love your feline friend!

However, your cat often may indulge in activities that may or may not make sense to you. One of these activities includes your ‘cat peeing in a food bowl.’ some of these behaviors have proper reasoning, but for most, you cannot bind it to logic. So if you want to find the reason, continue reading!

Cat Peeing In A Food Bowl

Cats are weird animals who come with the ability to freak you out when you least expect them to. You can try to train them all you want, but no amount of training will ever result in a complete submission of your cat.

After years of being a cat parent, I’ve realized that cats are unpredictable. These little bundles of joy come at the cost of a little destruction here and there, like your house’s cleanliness.

Out of all the things a cat can do, peeing in a food bowl is the weirdest of them all. You must note that you cannot pinpoint a single reason for this behavior. Research shows that there could be many reasons behind your cat behaving questionably. Let us find out.

Why Does Your Cat Pee In A Food Bowl?

As discussed earlier, there are many reasons behind your cat peeing in a food bowl. The best way to find out is by keeping a watch on your cat and trying to understand what exactly is acting as a trigger. Look out for the timings, eating habits, mood changes, and the cat’s overall health.

Just like humans, cats, too, go through phases from time to time. So analyzing their behavior ensures that you can take care of them correctly.

For your convenience, however, I am listing a few possible reasons behind your cat peeing in a food bowl. As peculiar as this sounds, it is not unusual behavior; hence, there is enough research backing my reasons.

  • Your cat is having territorial issues – Have you ever heard of a cat that is not territorial? No, right? Cats top the list of displaying territorial tendencies like no other. They are extremely possessive and do not like another animal or human to invade their space. So, the most common reason for your cat to pee in a food bowl is territorial behavior at its peak. Cats tend to mark their territories when they risk losing them. Cats mark it by peeing or pooping in their preferred corners, such as the food bowl. It is most likely to happen if you bring a new cat or animal into the household. If not, chances are that a cat outside your house is causing trouble for your cat. Your cat feels threatened by it and wants to make it clear that the house belongs to it, and so does the food bowl.
  • Your cat is suffering from an illness – If you have not changed anything in your household and believe your cat is displaying symptoms of illness, please take it to the vet immediately. Cats peeing in the food bowl without exposure to possible threats indicate an illness. Check if your cat is frequently urinating as this could be a sign of a urinary tract infection, commonly known as a UTI. However, it can also be due to an underlying kidney or liver disease; or diabetes. Please run the tests immediately to avoid escalation of the health issue.
  • Your cat is facing a problem with its existing litter box – Litter box aversion could be a possible reason your cat is choosing not to pee there. Litter box aversions happen for many reasons – the most common being a change in your house environment. Cats are pretty sensitive to change, so even the slightest change in their existing environment can disturb them and rupture their peace of mind. Another reason can be that your cat does not like the litter brand you are using. Try and change the brand to see if the problem was not with your cat but the litter. It is why most vets or cat parents always suggest keeping an extra litter box in the house. You can never know when your cat starts feeling differently.

How To Stop Your Cat From Peeing In A Food Bowl

Like every problem has a solution, this behavior of your feline friend peeing in their food bowl also comes with one. The good news is that there is not just one but a couple of ways in which you can prevent this behavior.

The easiest way is to take them to the vet. It helps to negate the chances of your cat developing severe illnesses and also helps to treat them if it already has one effectively.

Cats, like most animals, require a certain level of training. Start by keeping multiple litter boxes around your cat to reduce territorial behavior. The more options you keep, the less your cat feels threatened.

Try and introduce a new litter brand to your cat. If your cat accepts it and stops urinating in the food bowl – congratulations! Your issue is solved then and there.

You can also change where you keep your cat’s litter box. Some cats like to have their privacy, while the rest want to be in a position where they can still keep a watch on you.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why your cat urinates in the food bowl. While most of the time, there is not much to worry about, sometimes it can be an aftermath of a serious disease. So watch out for your friend and give it all the love it desires!