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Tracking accidents: from mystery to pattern
What to record each time
- When - date and rough time. Night vs day, and links to household events, matter.
- Where - exact spot. Beside the box suggests a box problem; far away in quiet places suggests avoidance or stress; vertical surfaces mean spraying.
- What - urine or stool, and roughly how much. Small frequent urination is a red flag for urinary trouble, as Cornell's lower-urinary-tract guidance notes.
- Context - guests, a new pet, a missed cleaning day, a change in food or litter. One line is enough.
Reading the log
After a week or so, ask three questions. Is there a place pattern? Same rug, same room, same side of the house - location tells you whether this is about the box or about territory. Is there a time pattern? Accidents only when the box is overdue, only on days you're out late, only after the neighbor's cat visits. Is there a trend? Getting rarer as you fix the setup means the plan is working; getting more frequent or spreading means escalate to the vet.
Use the tool, print the record
The accident log on this site stores entries privately on your own device - nothing is uploaded - and prints as a clean list for appointments. Vets genuinely use these records: Cornell's house-soiling workup relies on exactly this kind of history to separate medical from behavioral causes. A log also settles household debates about whether things are improving, because it remembers what everyone forgets.
While you track
Keep cleaning accident spots with enzymatic cleaner, keep the box setup and cleaning routine tight, and don't wait for the log to be "complete" before seeing the vet if anything looks medically urgent - especially straining or crying in the box.