Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues: Peeing Outside of the Litterbox

If you’ve ever cared for a cat, you know that felines are usually easily trained to use litter boxes. That’s why dealing with an adult cat that doesn’t urinate where they need to is frustrating. However, peeing outside the litterbox is one of the most common Ragdoll cat behavior issues.

I was inspired to write this blog post because of a reader’s email I received.

I was hoping more people from our loving community could hop in, give their own advice, and share their personal experience with managing Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

My Cat Is Peeing Outside of the Litterbox and How to Deal with Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues

My Ragdoll Lulu was Ragdoll of the Month last January.

We have a slight behavioral problem happening in our house with Lulu at the moment. Could you help me out by possibly posting this as a reader help question via the Facebook page or giving me your own expertise on the matter?

This question is related to Ragdoll cat behaviour issues – Any help at all would be appreciated.

I have given you as much information as possible, and I do apologize in advance for this lengthy email.

Up until 6 months ago, I was living at home with my parents. I had a small unit/apartment out in the backyard while my parents lived in the primary residence.

I brought Lulu home when she was around 3 months. Lulu, from the beginning, has always been a very:

• Gregarious;
• Friendly;
• Easy-going cat.
• She has never bitten or scratched me, even whilst I was bathing her;
• She always loves to be around us;
• She even sleeps with the dog in his bed when he comes in of an evening for a few hours.

At that time, she was not showing any troubling Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

She is:

• Active
• Eats well
• Is often purring, and
• Shows to all of us constant signs of affection around the house.

She has always been a clingy cat; if I left the room for a few minutes, she would cry out until I came back in.

Like all of the cats we have owned, she is an indoor cat.

She adapted pretty quickly to life in my unit, which comprised of:

• A large living area with a bed and
• A separate bathroom with her food and water and a large covered litter tray.

She would spend most nights with me, and if I was working from home in the day, she would usually be in the room with me.

When she wasn’t in with me, she would be in the house with my parents and their elderly cat Shany, our beloved cat who is sadly no longer with us.

Shany was primarily my mother’s cat and didn’t take too well to an addition of a kitten into the household, but mainly kept to herself, and there wasn’t too much of an issue there.

Even at that time, Lulu was not exhibiting any Ragdoll cat behaviour issues, which can be called troubling.

When I was out of the house, Lulu would always be put in the main house with Shany and my father, who is retired. So she was always around another animal or person.

I would also take her into the main residence with me if I was spending time there. I would never leave her alone in the unit, as I didn’t want her to feel isolated in the small space.

Even then, Shany was really cool-minded, and we were not troubled with any Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

She had access to clean litter, and food, and water in the main residence (shared with Shany), and spent a lot of time in there, and was very comfortable, and enjoyed being in the house.

Lulu was also quite familiar with the backyard and would know her way from the unit to the main entrance, and I allowed her to often walk independently from one dwelling to another, although she was always supervised.

As mentioned previously, last June, I moved from Australia to the UK.

Knowing that Lulu was in good hands (she is very fond of both my parents), I was confident she would be okay, and that she’d receive more than enough love and care.

Of course, it broke my heart to leave her behind, and she is in my thoughts every day. But my mum keeps me updated with photos and videos every day, which makes separation much easier.

About a week and a half after I arrived in the UK, Shany passed away.

Of course, my mum was very upset, but Lulu helped her get through this difficult time.

Within a week or two, my mother talked about getting another cat. Even though she felt it was relatively soon after Shany left us, she thought it would be a good idea to get Lulu a friend.

And that’s when Lulu started showing Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

Lulu and Shany hadn’t been friends due to the age difference, although that didn’t stop Lulu from trying!

My mum soon came across a 3-year-old Tonkinese female who needed to be re-homed due to a family moving. My mum felt like this cat would be a perfect addition to the family, and soon Lotus was adopted by my parents.

Lulu and Lotus were born only a year apart and soon became fast friends – everything seemed to be perfect.

My mum would send me pictures and videos of the two of them playing together, and one was not seen without the other.

A few weeks ago, my mum discovered a strange odor emitting from underneath the bed in her room.

My mum always keeps the house exceptionally clean, so this was a surprise. She soon discovered a large spot of urine under the bed on the carpet.

Since then, she has spotted Lulu several times urinating in the same spot, even after she called a carpet cleaner in. Lulu seems to be urinating quite often in the bedroom, even in front of my mum.

Urinating under the bed was not something my mother had experienced before. So, in a sense, it was something new in the list of Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

My mum has taken her to the vet and will be returning tomorrow to take a urine sample.

My mum thinks she may be trying to mark her territory.

And according to the carpet cleaner, the stain that Lulu has left has been there for quite a while.

My mum has now blocked off access to under the bed. Lulu never urinated in the house when I was living there, and we may think the reason behind these Ragdoll cat behaviour issues it’s a combination of:

• Me moving away.
• An addition of a new pet into the household, and 
• The death of a former pet.

Her Ragdoll cat behaviour issues are quite contradictory, as she seems very happy and is very active.

Rehousing Lulu is definitely not an option as this is her forever home.

So, the only way forward is to work towards finding a solution to this and other Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

My mum is strongly considering ripping up the carpet and putting in floorboards. She is currently trialing closing the cats into the laundry at nighttime, where they have access to their beds, litter trays, and food.

My mum did not want to isolate Lulu in the laundry, so she felt it would be best to put both cats together.

Before this, they slept on the bed at nighttime with my parents.

She is also closing off the bedrooms during the day. The rest of the house bar, the three bedrooms have floorboards or tiles, so if Lulu urinates in any of these rooms, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

We don’t know when or if these Ragdoll cat behaviour issues are going to end, but we would like to find a solution or a way to work around it.

I am feeling very guilty, as I feel like I have partially created this situation for her. We are all very worried about Lulu.

Any help at all would be fantastic.

I appreciate this is a lengthy email, and it wasn’t my intention to take up too much of your time, it’s just I know that if anybody will understand it would be you, as your share the same level of love and adoration for your beautiful cats as we do!

Thank you so much in advance.

Warm Regards,

Rebecca

I have suggested that Rebecca check out the following posts on Floppycats:

• Cat Peeing Outside of the Litter Box
• Cats Peeing Everywhere – The Redecorating Efforts of Caymus and Murphy Dean

But I also wanted to see if anyone had additional feedback for Rebecca and her mom!

If you have some insight to offer about this situation (related to Ragdoll cat behaviour issues), please let us know in the comments below this post.

Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues And How To Deal With Them?

Since Lulu is a Ragdoll cat, it would be best if we explore Ragdoll cat behaviour issues in a little more detail.

It is only after looking at the common Ragdoll cat behaviour issues, that we can come to an understanding of why Lulu is urinating on the carpets, as well as all the other troubling behaviours.

It is also possible that someone else who owns a Ragdoll may be facing a set of totally different Ragdoll cat behaviour issues with their cats.

So, even if your Ragdoll cat is not urinating on the carpets, you can still read this article to get an understanding of what to expect.

What Could The Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues Be?

After looking at the common behavior problems associated with Ragdoll cats, you will start to understand what it means to live with a ragdoll kitten or an adult cat.

Most of the typical behaviour problems can be solved with proper:

• Socializing, 
• Training, and 
• Positive reinforcement.

Without further ado, let’s look at the common ragdoll cat behavior problems and what each of those issues could possibly mean.

1.  Annoying Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues: Your Ragdoll Cat is Urinating On Inappropriate Places In Your Home

Now, let’s explore the issue of Lulu, the Ragdoll which has been urinating under the bed lately…

To pinpoint one certain behavior issue as the leading reason for the inappropriate urination in Ragdolls or other cats, would be very difficult.

In reality, many different reasons could be at play and lead to such behavioral problems.

When we talk about Ragdoll cat behaviour issues, the problem with urinating inappropriately is a fairly common one.

In general, Ragdoll cats can start urinating inappropriately in the house because of:

• Frustration
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Addition of new person
• Addition of new pet.

If you believe that your cat is experiencing stress, anxiety, and frustration, then you need to take the relevant measures. Remove or limit these stressors from your home or areas where your cats spend most of their time.

If the issue is related to a change in routines, such as adding a new pet or a new person, then that’s a different story.

In fact, Ragdoll cats can also start peeing in different parts of the house when they move to a new household. A cat urinates to mark their territory. By doing it in different parts of the house, your feline friend is marking their territory and claiming it for theirs.

So, in short, for Lulu or any other cat which starts urinating in the house, the reason might be they’re exposed to:

• Stress,
• Anxiety, or
• The addition of a new pet or person.

In the case of Lulu, a new cat was added to the household. There is a good chance that Lulu IS also experiencing:

• Stress,
• Anxiety, and
• Frustration when a household member or a pet friend isn’t around anymore.

What Could You Try To End These Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues?

If you believe that your cat’s behavior of inappropriate urinating is related to:

• Stress
• Anxiety, or
• Frustration,

Work towards removing these stressors. And the problem should go away.

Don’t focus on your Ragdoll cat behaviour issues. Focus on solving what’s causing them in the first place.

This is the only way you could see results.

A possible solution could be to restrict the Ragdoll cat’s access to the specific areas where they are urinating.

In general, cats tend to urinate on:

• Carpets
• Mats
• Wooden floors.

Here are a few things you can try to prevent these Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues:

– Restrict the cat’s access to the problem areas.

Cats can’t urinate where they can’t reach. So this could be a solution, at least for starters.

– Place multiple litter trays in different parts of the house.

The next time your cat comes to urinate in a part of the house where they’re not supposed to, it will encounter a new litter box. Chances are, your cat will instinctively start using it.

No more damage to the carpets or wooden floors!

Once the cat becomes accustomed to using the litter box, start to slowly move it to a new location. But be cautious and do not go overboard. You can move the litter box a little bit every day until you finally reach the place where you initially wanted it to be (or remove it at all).

– Change the function of the place where your cat urinates.

Cats are very clean creatures. They spend an enormous part of their day grooming and cleaning themselves.

Try turning it into a:

• Scratching area
• Sleeping area
• Play area
• Feeding area.

A cat would never pee in these places.

– Try using loud noises or a squirt gun with a “No!” command.

Another solution is to use a squirt gun and use it along with a NO command whenever the cat tries to urinate inappropriately in your presence.

Some people have even found success by shaking a bottle filled with coins or pebbles with a “No!” command.

This particular solution can also be used for a range of Ragdoll cat behaviour issues that seem inappropriate or troubling for the owners.

2. Excessive Grooming & Licking In Ragdoll Cats

Ragdoll cats are known for their obsession with grooming. If you notice this behavior, just know that your Ragdoll cat isn’t the only one that does this! 

In fact, when it comes to Ragdoll cat behaviour issues, this one is among the top problems.

Ragdoll cats lick and scratch their paws when grooming, which can even lead to a condition called hairballs (a health condition). 

When the cat tries to lick the paws, there is a good chance that the fur can also make its way into the cat’s stomach. These furballs, which make their way into the stomach, can cause the cat to vomit.

Excessive grooming and licking in Ragdoll cats can cause some health issues. 

But the question still remains as to why the Ragdoll cats are so obsessed with grooming? 

The answer is hidden in the long hairs of the Ragdoll cats, which are not easy to groom. With more and longer hairs to groom, it is natural for cats to spend more time grooming.

It is similar to human beings as well. People with long hair have to spend more time grooming and combing their hair. 

On the other hand, people with short hair usually do not spend the same amount of time. In a sense, you can say that it is part of Ragdoll’s genes. 

Ingesting too much hair and struggling with hairballs can cause Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

The Possible Solution For Excessive Grooming & Licking Is To Groom Your Ragdoll Cat Often

Help out your cat by grooming it yourself using a comb or other hair care tools. The other alternative is to be ready to spend money at the vet clinic.

Fur is not digested by your feline friend’s stomach. Hair tangles in your kitty’s stomach. This leads to the forming of hairballs and can cause blockages, and other health issues. 

In fact, this is a widespread health problem associated with the Ragdoll cat breed.

With adult Ragdoll cats, grooming and licking is a common and natural behavior. 

On top of that, these cats also shed a lot of fur/hair as well.

The only solution to avoid your cat getting sick from excessive grooming is to groom it yourself.

Once a day would be fantastic. However, if you can’t do that, try at least once or twice a week. This will significantly decrease the accidental ingestion of fur and the furballs around your house.

3. Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues: Your Kitty Wakes Up Too Early

Among the commonly encountered Ragdoll cat behaviour issues, cats waking up too early is one of my personal nightmares.

In general, Ragdolls (both males and females) tend to sleep a lot during the day.

Then, they wake up at night being all playful and energetic. And usually, the cats’ owners are not very happy about this.

Do you have Ragdoll cats with a habit of being awake at night and requiring your constant attention?

If your cat disturbs you when you are sleeping, you’ll need to put in some work to retrain your feline friends’ sleeping habits.

What To Do If Your Ragdoll Cats Wake Up Too Early?

This is one of the easiest solutions among the common Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

Before sleeping, play with the cats to drain their energy. You can play a fetch game or any other game which your Ragdoll cat likes.

This way, the cat will not disturb you at night as it will be less energetic!

If your Ragdoll cat has a couple of favorite toys, then allowing it to play with them before bedtime can also solve the problem!

FAQs About Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues

Let’s have a quick look at the frequently asked questions about the different Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

What Problems Do Ragdoll Cats Have?

A Ragdoll cat can exhibit all the common behavior problems related to cats.

On top of that, this particular breed tends to be:

• Picky eaters
• Scratch furniture
• Urinate inappropriately
• Are usually too dependent on the owners.

But we can’t deny that these cats look absolutely gorgeous! They are just the most adorable and loving felines!

Through proper training and socializing, all of the Ragdoll cat behaviour issues can be solved.

Are Ragdoll Cats Temperamental?

No, a Ragdoll cat is the exact opposite of being aggressive or temperamental. These are not common among the Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

Ragdoll cats are usually:

• Even-tempered
• Calm
• Loving
• Friendly.

Most Ragdoll owners have reported that these cats are very good-natured and relaxed.

However, to be sure, double-check your breeder. Some of them offer genetic testing.

This way, you can make sure what’s your pet’s history and family tree. And research for Ragdoll cat behaviour issues in your kitten’s bloodline.

Why Does My Ragdoll Cat Bite Me?

Your Ragdoll cat can bite when it feels:

• Frustrated
• Threatened
• Depressed.

In addition, the biting behavior can also be a result of separation anxiety or just attention-seeking.

Working on these issues can rectify the biting problem altogether, as well as any other related Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

We have a more detailed post about biting as one of the common Ragdoll cat behaviour issues if you want to find more about this problem.

Ragdoll Cat Behaviour Issues: Why Does My Cat Bite Me Unprovoked?

When we talk about cat breeds, some tend to be more aggressive than others. These are natural traits and can be controlled through proper training and socializing. 

But when we talk about Ragdolls, they rarely show aggression and are considered to be very calm and loving cats.

If you want to read more about Ragdolls and their genetics in this article.

Why Is My Ragdoll Cat So Clingy?

Well, that has to do with the nature of the breed of these cats. Ragdolls are known to be clingy, and there is nothing you can do about that. 

In fact, they require more attention than the average domestic cat, which means the owners have to spend more time with them. 

Ragdolls being clingy doesn’t have anything to do with Ragdoll cat behaviour issues. It is just the way these cats are and you have to accept it!

What Illnesses Are Ragdoll Cats Prone To?

Among the common cat illnesses, there is one particular disease, which affects the Ragdoll cats. Its name is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a form of heart disease).

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a cardiac disease in which the cat’s heart muscles become hypertrophied or abnormally thick.

To prevent the transmission of diseases and mutations to the Ragdoll’s offspring, a test called HCM is available. It is genetic testing, which is very cheap and widely available.

This illness can also lead to other deeper Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

Other common health problems, seen in all cat breeds, could affect your Ragdoll cat, too. These include:

• Bladder stones
• Kidneys diseases
• Nasal discharge
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Urinary tract infections
• Lethargy
• Rabies
• Etc.

If ignored and not taken care of, all of these health issues can cause significant Ragdoll cat behaviour issues.

Are Ragdoll Cats Hard To Take Care Of?

Well, it depends on you!

Most owners absolutely love their Ragdolls. But for some people, it could feel a little hard to take care of them. Compared to other cat breeds, these cats require a lot of attention from their owners.

For more information, you can also refer to the Ragdoll cat behaviour issues we have listed in this post above.

What Is Special About Ragdoll Cats?

This cat breed is famous for its:

• Affectionate nature
• Silky coat
• Placid temperament
• Blue eyes
• Colorpoint coat.

Ragdoll cat behaviour issues are not typical with this particular feline’s owners.

Most cat lovers absolutely love Ragdoll’s coat and its unique appearance and texture.

For example, the seal-mitted Ragdoll cat showcases a mixture of dark brown, white, and a few other colors.

Some of the colors of Ragdoll felines are: 

• Chocolate
• Cream, 
• Blue, 
• Lilac
• And more.

Did you know it’s possible to predict the colors of your baby kittens if your Ragdoll is expecting? If you’re curious about their coloring and patterns, you need to check this post, too.

Did you like this blog post about Ragdoll cat behaviour issues? Then have a look at these other articles from our site:

• Grooming Products for Ragdolls
• Cat Peeing Outside of the Litter Box
• Mari Clementine – Ragdoll Kitten of the Month
• Seal Mitted Ragdolls
• Cat Toys