A six-year retrospective study of outcomes of surrendered cats (Felis catus) with periuria in a no kill shelter

Abstract Feline house soiling, or the elimination of waste products outside the litter box on horizontal and/or vertical surfaces, is one of the most common owner-reported reasons for cat relinquishment. Due to these cats’ perceived low potential for adoption, many sheltering organizations do not accept cats with house-soiling histories or euthanize without further interventions. In this study, cats with periuria were accepted into a limited intake shelter and rehomed. Retrospective data was collected from 294 cats with periuria to assess adoption outcomes over a six year period. Outcome data included length of stay within the shelter, returns, and euthanasias. Non-parametric statistical tests of significance were used to determine differences in outcomes between cats with periuria and the general cat population in this shelter. Year-by-year analyses demonstrated no significant differences in length of stay for four of the six years analyzed. The rates of returns and euthanasias for both populations were low. These results provide evidence that cats with urinary house-soiling behaviors had similar outcomes as the general cat population. These results argue against immediate refusal or disposal of cats who present to shelters with house-soiling behaviors.