If your Bengal cat is peeing outside of his/her litter box, then this is something you’ll want to address ASAP.
Not only is it deeply unpleasant behavior – it is also highly unhygienic too!
In this article we are going to cover what you can do to stop your Bengal cat from peeing outside of his/her litter box.
There are some simple steps you can take to address this issue and get your cat back to using their litter box the correct way.
Step 1: Rule Out Medical Issues
The first (and in some respects most important) step is to get your Bengal down to the vet.
Peeing outside of the litter box could potentially be caused by some kind of medical issue, and possibly even a serious/urgent one.
That is why we encourage you to first take your cat to the vet and ensure there is nothing medically wrong with him/her that could be causing this behavior.
Once you are sorted on this point, you can move on.
Step 2: Ensure Clean Litter
By far the biggest cause of a Bengal cat peeing outside of the litter box is dirty litter.
Bengals are notorious for being fussy about the condition of their litter.
While no cat likes a dirty litter box, Bengals seem to hate it more than other breeds.
With that in mind, it is essential to ensure clean litter for your Bengal. Many owners report their issues going away by simply cleaning their cat’s litter tray more frequently.
For example, you may need to clean 2-3 times per day to keep your cat happy and using the litter box as intended.
However, this can be challenging if you are out working during the day and not able to get home to clean your cat’s litter box.
If this is the case, then we recommend you look at getting a second litter box for your Bengal cat.
Remember that ensuring access to clean litter is vital. This is 100% non-negotiable, and after ruling out medical issues the most important place to look.
Step 3: Ensure Easy Access To Litter
Beyond clean litter, another issue that sometimes rears its head is your cat having difficulty accessing his/her litter tray.
This can be due to two key reasons:
The first is poor placement of the litter box/tray. For example, you may have the litter box tucked away in a laundry room with a sliding door. Someone may enter the laundry room, close the sliding door on their way out and forget about the litter tray. The end result? No access for your cat and a massively increased chance of your Bengal peeing outside of the litter box.
The solution here is simple – you need to ensure that the litter box is placed somewhere accessible. It needs to be a place your cat can always reach and not inadvertently be cut off from.
The second part of this issue may be that your cat struggles with the litter box itself.
For example, if you have an ageing cat with a litter box that is difficult to get in to, then this could cause a problem.
Read our guide to the best litter boxes for Bengal cats for more information on how to solve this problem.
Step 4: Consider Swapping Litter
The final piece in the puzzle may be that your Bengal does not like the type of litter you are providing them.
For example, if your Bengal was peeing in the litter box but then you changed to a different brand/type of litter, then change back to see if that solves the problem.
If this has been a problem since “day dot” it may still be worth experimenting with this.
Check out our guide to the best litters for Bengal cats here for more information.
Conclusion
If your Bengal cat is peeing outside of the litter box, there are some clear, simple steps you can take to address this issue.
We recommend you start by ruling out any health issues. From there, focus on ensuring access to clean, fresh litter, and ensuring you are using the right litter box and right litter type for your Bengal cat.
