Sometimes, cats decide to spray or urinate in places they shouldn't.

Cat urine problems seem to be common to nearly all cat owners at one time or another. For no discernable reason, your cat stops using the litter box or going outside to do their business, and starts using your bath mat, or inside the walk-in-robe, or a pot plant or behind a piece of furniture. It almost seems as if your cat is determined to make your life as hard as possible for a while. You struggle to work out what's gone wrong but eventually give up and concentrate on cleaning up the messes.

It is easiest for you to nip this behaviour in the bud. First, take your cat to the vet to make sure there is no underlying medical problem such as a urinary tract infection. This is possibly the most common medical cause for cat urine problems. If the problem is not medical then start looking for behavioural problems such as stress. Has your cat's routine been interrupted by an addition to the household of a new flatmate, partner, baby or another pet? Have you done some redecorating or changed the furniture around in your house? Perhaps a change of litter in the litter box could be the culprit. Cats are creatures of habit and don't like their routine changed in any way.

Another area that is worth looking into is boredom. Are you suddenly away from home for extended periods? Does your cat have toys to play with or a favourite place to sleep? Have you changed the cleaners you use around the house? Perhaps the smell of these new cleaners is off putting for your cat.

Whatever the reason for your cat urine problems, you need to stop the behaviour as early as possible. Make sure the litter box is fresh and restart the training you did when your cat was a kitten. Take it to the litter box regularly, upon waking and after meals and give praise when the litter box is used. Never yell at a cat for using the bathroom instead, they won't understand anything except the tone of your voice. They won't connect the tone of voice to the puddle in the bathroom. And never rub their noses in the puddle. Cats are very fastidious creatures - would you like your nose rubbed in your urine?

Cleaning the cat urine area completely is very important to stop your cat reusing the same place.