House soiling in dogs and cats

My puppy still relieves himself in the house. My cat no longer uses her litter box. My adult dog has suddenly started soiling again. A dog or cat that is no longer clean in the house never does it out of spite or revenge. Depending on age, species and context, the causes of house soiling vary widely:

• In young puppies and kittens: house-training is learned gradually. Before 4 months of age, accidents are normal: the animal does not yet have full control of its sphincters and learns step by step where it should eliminate.
• In a previously house-trained adult animal: soiling that comes back is almost always a signal to take seriously. A medical cause (infection, pain, age-related incontinence), stress, a change of environment, a litter box the cat no longer likes, cognitive decline in seniors… the origin must be identified before any behavioral work.
• Urine marking: not to be confused with ordinary house soiling. The animal usually stays standing and deposits small amounts on vertical surfaces: it is a form of communication (territory, presence of other animals, hormonal context), not a lapse.
• Coprophagia (eating feces): a common behavior in dogs and rarely serious, but its origin is worth looking for — exploration, imitation, diet, boredom or stress.

In every case, veterinary advice is recommended first to rule out a medical cause. Once this step is done, behavioral support makes it possible to identify the exact origin of the behavior and resolve it for the long term.