There are many posts about cats peeing outside the box. There are probably
as many reasons for this as there are posts.

One of the first things advised is to get the pet to the vet. This is
usually an expensive proposition. To check for the various urinary tract
problems that might cause this will probably involve blood work, urine
testing and a charge for an office visit. This would be worth every penny
if in truth there is a medical problem but a frustrating expenditure only to
find out the cat wanted to get into a room when the door was closed.

I don't take my kid to the doctor every time he coughs or sneezes. I wait
and assess other symptoms. As most people have had a cold we pretty much
know what is normal and what indicates something more serious and base
decisions on whether to seek medical attention on that.

As none of us have been a cat and most have not had kidney failure or a
urinary blockage we aren't as prepared to assess this situation.

So my question is what else can one look for to determine if the problem is
more than likely a medical one or more than likely a behavioral one? If the
cat only does this once with no other apparent symptoms, what is the
likelihood that it is medical? Once a week, once a month? What other
symptoms should one look for? If it's medical, will the cat run a fever? If
so how can one reliably check it and what is the normal cat temperature? How
often is one occurrence of peeing outside the box with no other symptoms
indication of urinary tract problems?

W