Kitty Trouble -desperate

Peledreamsofrain · May 2014

Hi all, I have quite a dilemma and I am trying everything to resolve tge issue without negatively impacting my kitty (ie sending her to a shelter).

Roughly 8 months ago, my 8 year old cat stopped using her litterbox to pee. She uses it for number two, but urinates on the floor instead. We have tried the following to get her to stop:

1) Got her 3 of her very own litterboxes, filled with different types of litter.

2) Given her her own room at night, away from the other two cats. This was supposed to be a nursery, but now reeks so badly it's unusable.

3) Kitty calming pheromone diffuser

4) Vet visit -she checks out clean

5) kitty Prozac

6) standing and watching her until she very reluctantly gives in and pees in the box (this is the only time she does so).

7)covering the entire floor in that room with shower curtains. She just pees on the plastic.

I am beside myself and at my wits end. I know that if I give up and send her to a shelter, she'll end up euthenized (who wants an 8 year old cat that pees everywhere?). I just don't know what to do anymore. Any suggestion is really appreciated.

TarponMonoxide · May 2014

I am not a cat owner but this might be a urine incontinence issue.

Given her age, that might be it.

I'd take her to another vet for a second opinion. It'spossible she may be leaking urine as she walks.

That room will need to be sanitized and possibly the floors sanded and redone.

formerlyGDaisy09 · May 2014

When I was younger my parents had a cat that did this. (except the couches and beds were her prefered location to urinate). That story didn't end well, however the vet's best guess is that it was a dominance issue. that she was actually marking her territory for the other cat.

I feel like it could be really complicated to figure this out. did the prozac work at all? would the vet feel comfortable increasing her dose? I suppose to figure out if it we a dominance issue you'd need to find a really good friend willing to take the other two kitties for a while and see if the peeing issue went away. at least then kitty could be rehomed somewhere where she could be the only cat.

My mom also had a cat that had some adverse reaction to the ash that is in a lot of cat food, it caused incontinance. have you tried changing her food to something with limited ingredients?

Try the food thing, see if you can track down an awesome friend willing to long-term cat sit. Good Luck! don't you wish they could talk to tell us what's wrong?!

Erikan73 · May 2014

Have you tried changing her diet or limiting her access to water? Maybe she is having bladder control issues. This is a long shot but I have a lady that I cat sit for and she recently adopted two cats. Just recently they started peeing next to the boxes. While I was I put a thicker layer of litter in the box then she normally put down (she uses a pine litter that dissovles when peed on into powder, cleaner & no better smell). Well with the thicker layer of litter, the cats seem to be happier and the last two days I was there, didn't pee outside of the box.

DaniGirl1372 · June 2014

This would obviously be the very last resort, but if you do have to take her to a shelter... don't. I think you're right - she would be euthanized. In a case like that, I would say that having your vet come over and passing away peacefully in your loving arms is the kinder option vs. being scared and confused at a shelter where she will come to the same fate.

Again, obviously after every single, and I mean EVERY SINGLE option has been tried and tried again.

Whatajourney · June 2014

Sometimes cats will urinate inappropriately when they're stressed - Can you think of anything that may have changed or occurred around the time this started happening? For example: something new or different in the house (people, pets, sounds, redecorating, etc.)

Another possibility is that she could be experiencing urinary issues; when a cat experiences discomfort when using the litterbox (whether peeing or pooping) it will associate that feeling with the actual litterbox and avoid using it.

Did she have any labwork done at the vet appointment?

spalko · June 2014

The fact that she'll poop in the pan but not pee says that she might be having UTI issues. It hurts to pee so she associates peeing in the pan with the pain and doesn't want it to hurt so she goes outside the box. I would definitely get a second opinion. Did the first vet do any sort of urinalysis to check for bladder issues?

Scented litters are for the owner's pleasure, not the cat, switch to a basic clay litter, nothing fancy.

How long was she on the Prozac? It takes about 8 weeks to see any change in an animal once put on medication like that.

Does she pee in the same spot all the time or is it always different?

I understand that cat pee is one of the worst smells but I don't think it's time to give up on her just yet. I would get a second opinion from another vet and ask for urinalysis and blood work to make sure that everything is functioning as it should be.

catwine · June 2014

My cat did the opposite and pooped outside her box. I tried putting the poops in the box, cleaning the box every day, moving it, having 2 boxes, physically placing her in the box, switching litters and even spoke to the vet. Nothing worked until I switched from the fancy litters I was using to the cheapy kind from the grocery store. I also filled the litter box up about 2/3 of the way so there was lots of litter for covering her mess. She now uses the box again with no issues. I think she didn't like the feel of the fancy litters on her paws so that's why she stopped going there. Mind you, my cat was just over a year old and since yours is so much older I think it sounds like she just lost control over her bladder. good luck!! I hope you find a way to deal with the issue and keep her.

formerlyGDaisy09 · June 2014

is your cat declawed?

Kitty Trouble -desperate

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