Why would my cat use a floor rug instead of a CLEAN litter box just a few feet away ?

he may have a urinary tract infection or something similiar-especially if nothing has changed significantly in the household-if it keeps up, take him to the vet and they will probably run some tests.

good luck

There are a few possibilities, most of which have already been mentioned.

1. If your cat has a urinary tract infection, he may stop using the litter box because he is associating the pain of going to the bathroom with the litter box. Your vet can tell you if your cat has UTI.

2. If the litter box isn't regularly cleaned, your cat may go elsewhere. Make sure to clean the litter box daily.

3. Your cat may not like the kind of litter you're using.

4. Is your cat neutered? Urine-marking behavior can be a territory thing. However, most urine-marking behavior is on vertical surfaces, such as walls. Getting your cat neutered would likely correct this behavior if this is the case.

Regardless of what is causing this behavior, you should clean the rug with an enzymatic cleaner.

I'M NOT SURE. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. CATS WILL SOMETIMES PEE OUTSIDE THEIR BOX WHEN THEY ARE HAVING URINARY INFECTIONS, OR THE BOX MAY HAVE CLEAN LITTER, BUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WASHED THE LITTER BOX THOROUGLY? I DO THIS EVERY SO OFTEN. I HAVE A LARGE MALE WHO WILL POOP RIGHT OUTSIDE THE BOX 3 MINUTES AFTER I'VE CLEANED IT. I HAVE EVEN BOUGHT THE LARGEST LITTER BOXES I CAN FIND SO HE FITS. I HAVE RESORTED TO HAVING NO BATH MATS OR AREA RUGS IN MY APARTMENT BECAUSE OF THIS. MY CATS LOVED TO PEE ON A PRETTY SHAGGY GREEN AREA RUG I USED TO HAVE. I GOT RID OF IT CAUSE I WAS SICK OF GOING TO THE LAUNDRY MATT. TRY CHANGING LITTERS, MAYBE ONE WITHOUT A SCENT. YOU CAN ALSO BUY LITTER THAT WILL TEMPT YOUR CAT BACK TO THE LITTER BOX, I CANT REMEMBER THE NAME, BUT THEY USUALLY ADVERTISE IT IN CAT FANCY MAGAZINE. PLEASE DON'T GET RID OF YOUR CAT THOUGH, SO MANY PEOPLE THINK THIS IS AN OPTION AND I THINK THEY SUCK FOR IT. CATS PEE AND SPRAY BECUASE IT IS A NATURAL THING ALTHOUGH ANNOYING FOR US HUMANS. PEOPLE SHOULD TRY RESEARCHING THE REASONS BEHIND THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT WORKS BEST FOR THEM. I JUST CLEAN LIKE MAD AND BY ALL THE LATEST CAT URINE CLEANERS ON THE MARKET. ALSO DONT LEAVE PILES OF LAUNDRY ON THE FLOOR AS THEY MAKE PERFECT PEEING SPOTS. SORRY NOT MUCH HELP.

All the other suggestions about cat scent and litter types are good, but I had a cat once that had a urinary tract infection and he would pee in the strangest places. If he is trying to pee more often that usual, and not peeing very much each time, get him to a vet for antibiotics.

did u hang the rug outside...at anytime..if u did a stray cat may have marked it..so your cat is retaleating by marking it himself...there very territorial animals clean the rug...use a vinager solution...that removes cat urnine...and air it out on a clothes line...has he always had problems with not using the cat box or has this just developed...if just developed i would say...there's another cats scent on it...if always done this..change his cat box more often..and if u see him trying to use the rug take him to his box ...and show him where u want it done be consistant

If it continues don't ignore it, make a visit to the vet, my cat started similiar behavior and it ended up being a serious urinary trac infection, he has to eat only prescript foods now to prevent a blockage which can be fatal.

Has the cat been tramatized in any way? I ask this because I had a cat do that once after he was almost killed by a dog. He never got over the trauma.

I have a very spoiled 30 lb Torte, and she is VERY particular about her cat litter. If I use some of that cheap stuff from wal mart, she'll use my BED for a toilet.

Probaly beacuse you dont keep the kitty litter box clean enough, If I forgot to clean the box out she wouldnt use it.

He might not like the litter your using, or if your using one of those litter boxes with the lid he might not like that either.