Devastated...cat is peeing in house again...

RyaSilly03

I don't know what else to do.  Our 10 yo cat started peeing on our bath mats last year - well we got a dog and a baby came 6 months later so we figured that was the problem.  Took her to vet (twice) who ran tests - other than some crystals she's fine.  We switched to the vet's food and keep the box clean, gave her some kinda kitty-prozac (she's still on it) and it seemed to be fixed. 

We found pee and poop in the basement last night.  I don't know what else we can do.  I'm going to call vet again but I can't have her doing this in the house, esp. with DD at home. 

WWYD? 

FezzesAreCool

Is your DD mobile now?  Is she getting into the kitty litter box or harrassing the cat while cat is trying to do it's business?

Ben Dover

Rehome?

MomlovesEloise

I would take her back to the vet. This happened to us (cat kept peeing in our bed) and it turned out to be a UTI. If it was fixed before, I'm sure it can be again. 

CoffeeBeen

I've been there.  Everyone says the same thing "take her to the vet to rule out a health problem"  - but we've already taken her to the vet multiple times and the vet found absolutely nothing wrong.  It seems like everyone just assumes it will be a health problem, no one has any suggestions on what to do once the vet rules out a health issue.

Aforementioned vet tried putting her on Valium, just to get her out of the habit, but she reacted poorly.

We ended up tearing up the carpet where she was peeing and that helped a lot.  She still has accidents in front of the litter box, we clean it up and douse it with vinegar.  A lot of people on the internet swear by something called Nature's Miracle - but it takes a while to work. 

 

 

michaels_girl

my cat has FLUTD and gets UTIs fairly regularly, even with food meant to balance the pH for crystals.  his are stress oriented.  this last one has been particularly bad, and he's been peeing on our guest bed and taking shits on our bed.  it happens.  we clean it, we got a new litter box, moved some things around (in addition, of course, to the vet visit and the antibiotics for the infection) and will deal.  it's why they make nature's miracle in a gallon container, i think.  so, in reference to your WWYD, I'd deal. 

They make plug ins that you can put near the litterbox to promote use (phermones).  if the vet visit doesn't help things, try that and/or 2 separate boxes.

[Deleted User]

Go back to the vet.  Crystals in urine is no joke, it's like peeing out glass.  On a cat that's 10+ years old, they should be doing a geriatric blood panel.  See if there's a new problem, perhaps change the cat's prozac.  Otherwise, I'm team deal with the cat & it's issues. 

FWIW, we adopted 3 feral kittens.  They like to be outside.  So do the coyotes that eat cats.  The cats all stay in at night now.  Sometimes they get frustrated & pee places.  I stock up on clorox wipes & patience. 

missmuffin87

My family's cat who lives with my parents and grandfather pees outside of the litterbox too. She's 15. It's just an old cat thing. Like how old people don't give a sh!t what other people think of them and go around farting at church and whatnot. Cats are the same way. Your cat's like what are you gonna do, take me to the pound >insert sad kitty face<

 The best thing you can do is keep bedroom and bathroom doors closed at all times and remove rugs in the part of the house where she hangs out. If you ask the vet, he might just say your only option is to put her down. sorry your kitty's peeing all over the place, just remember why you love her so much.  

CoffeeBeen

rachelrm87:

It's just an old cat thing. Like how old people don't give a sh!t what other people think of them and go around farting at church and whatnot.

I just want to point out that this was said.

FezzesAreCool

CoffeeBeen:

rachelrm87:

It's just an old cat thing. Like how old people don't give a sh!t what other people think of them and go around farting at church and whatnot.

I just want to point out that this was said.

huh?

Ben Dover

CoffeeBeen:

rachelrm87:

It's just an old cat thing. Like how old people don't give a sh!t what other people think of them and go around farting at church and whatnot.

I just want to point out that this was said.

LOL

I totally skimmed her reply and missed it. Thanks for pointing this out.

Leila'sMommy

Have her checked for uremictoxification (spelling?). My cat had that when he was a kitten and nearly died. Symptoms are close to UTIs but it's a whole other game.

ASmallWonder

I feel your pain but someone else pointed out that "just crystals" is a big deal, and it is.  And even though you say she didn't have a UTI before, well, that was a while ago so you've got to realize that she could have one now, regardless of the answer 6 months ago or whenever.  I'd take her back again since you said it had seemed to be better and now it's gotten worse.

[Deleted User]

BostonKisses2:

FezzesAreCool:

CoffeeBeen:

rachelrm87:

It's just an old cat thing. Like how old people don't give a sh!t what other people think of them and go around farting at church and whatnot.

I just want to point out that this was said.

huh?

Yeah, I'm confused too. 

Can I just join this confuzzlation & point out that I Fail to see how this is devastating.

CoffeeBeen

sofamonkey:

BostonKisses2:

FezzesAreCool:

CoffeeBeen:

rachelrm87:

It's just an old cat thing. Like how old people don't give a sh!t what other people think of them and go around farting at church and whatnot.

I just want to point out that this was said.

huh?

Yeah, I'm confused too. 

Can I just join this confuzzlation & point out that I Fail to see how this is devastating.

I just thought it was a funny analogy - I've never thought about cats having the personality of an old person farting in church. 

[Deleted User]

True story - I picked up Bruce on Saturday & that made him fart.  He is young, so he cared that happened, and I think he was a little embarrassed. 

FezzesAreCool

CoffeeBeen:

sofamonkey:

BostonKisses2:

FezzesAreCool:

CoffeeBeen:

rachelrm87:

It's just an old cat thing. Like how old people don't give a sh!t what other people think of them and go around farting at church and whatnot.

I just want to point out that this was said.

huh?

Yeah, I'm confused too. 

Can I just join this confuzzlation & point out that I Fail to see how this is devastating.

I just thought it was a funny analogy - I've never thought about cats having the personality of an old person farting in church. 

OHHHH!  I thought you meant it'd been said upthread or something. 

 

melandjudd

I would get her checked out but if they don't find anything don't be surprised.  Cats can have behavior issues and with the stress of a dog and a baby a cat that has been alone for a long time can start acting out.  Our cat did this and we have since moved her to our screened porch where she is much happier not being bothered by the other animals and M.  The other things that you can try are the fel-away diffusers that plug into the wall, getting a new litter box, and trying to show her more attention, also make sure your LO is not being aggressive at all with the cat.

kllrbnny

I don't have any advice. Your situation stinks and I hope you get it worked out.

It reminded me of my sister's MIL's reasoning for not liking cats: They are filthy and pee all over my counters!

Mind you, she has 2 or 3 dogs that pee all over the rugs, too, and she doesn't hate dogs.

RyaSilly03

didn't mean to post and run...the devastating part was that I suspect it's behavioural and then I don't know what to do since DH will not "just deal" with a cat p1ssing and sh1tting around the house (he refers to her as "your cat").

I will def. take her back to the vet- I've got a call in today already.  We spray her with Feliway every day, and her litter is downstairs in her own private loo - DD is hardly ever down there and the cat is skittish anyway so I don't know if DD has ever had the chance to touch her.

Thanks for the advice - my hope is that antibiotics for something new that came up will be a quick and easy solution but we'll see...

mkaltsas

RyaSilly03:

I don't know what else to do.  Our 10 yo cat started peeing on our bath mats last year - well we got a dog and a baby came 6 months later so we figured that was the problem.  Took her to vet (twice) who ran tests - other than some crystals she's fine.  We switched to the vet's food and keep the box clean, gave her some kinda kitty-prozac (she's still on it) and it seemed to be fixed. 

We found pee and poop in the basement last night.  I don't know what else we can do.  I'm going to call vet again but I can't have her doing this in the house, esp. with DD at home. 

WWYD? 

 

Try Feliway but you need a lot of it to make a difference. Buy it on Amazon, it is much cheaper than what the vet's office will cost. This is of course there are not any health concerns but crystals present does seem like it could be part of the issue. There are also calming collars and also a liquid you can put in the water dish that is supposed to calm them from whatever is stressing them. How many litter boxes do you have? Some cats like to poop in one and pee in the other. Make sure there isn't anything around the litter box that smells that would make them want to cover up the smell with their own. This can be hard because you want to make sure your house doesn't smell like litter box but cats noses are sensitive and they don't like the perfumy smells. Also, use Nature's Miracle or any other enzyme cleaner. It might not work as well on spots that have already been cleaned but from hear on out use it first. The smell of the other things will  make them want to continue to mark there. I have a cat that has anxiety and has been peeing outside of the box since my son was born so please PM if you want more suggestions. I have tried a lot and have done a lot of research on it. We are mostly fixed now because she goes outside some and other changes we have made at home.

DottyBlue

RyaSilly03:

didn't mean to post and run...the devastating part was that I suspect it's behavioural and then I don't know what to do since DH will not "just deal" with a cat p1ssing and sh1tting around the house (he refers to her as "your cat").

I will def. take her back to the vet- I've got a call in today already.  We spray her with Feliway every day, and her litter is downstairs in her own private loo - DD is hardly ever down there and the cat is skittish anyway so I don't know if DD has ever had the chance to touch her.

Thanks for the advice - my hope is that antibiotics for something new that came up will be a quick and easy solution but we'll see...

Lurker here.  I had this problem with my 9 year old cat who freaked out when I became pregnant.  It was totally behavioral and he's doing great now.

A few suggestions:

-Cat Attract litter.  It will change your life.  I use the regular (cheaper) litter to fill the box and then top it off with about 1 inch of Cat Attract.  My cats love this stuff.

-You said her litter is in the basement.  Does that mean she only has one box?  If so, you really need to get her a second box in a different location.  The rule of thumb is 1 box per cat + 1 box.

-How old is her litter box?  if you haven't replaced it in the last 6 months to 1 year you may want to look into buying a new, clean box as the plastic can absorb odors

- I highly recommend the Feliway plug ins in the main areas of your house where she is marking/peeing.

- My cat responded well to a Calming Collar which releases the same pheromones as Feliway, but it stays with him all the time.

Good luck!

michaels_girl

rya-what litter are you using?

Heather R

please, please post on the pets board.  They are so knowledgeable. 

https://pandce.****/index.cgi?board=pets

 

RyaSilly03

we use the same litter all the time - Purina Maxx Cat scooping I think?  2 things come to mind - DH just started adding some baking soda based litter on top (he bought the wrong thing at Costco and thought it was straight baking soda), AND I just changed the plug-in air freshener in that room to a new scent. 

Tonight I will take the plug in out, change the litter back to the normal kind, get a second litter box, and follow up with the vet if I haven't heard back this aft.  Thanks so much everyone!

RyaSilly03

PS will XP on pets board - thanks I forgot about them

ammare

Lurking from another board and just wanted to add something that worked for our cat.

She was doing this exact same thing around the same age, it was mostly behavioral and she had the crystals also. We tried an anti-depressant but it just freaked her out more. Our vet recommended keeping her secluded to a small area of the house until she felt more comfortable. I don't remember the reasoning behind it.  At the time we had a small extra room.  I put her in there with a bunch of Feliway plug-ins and kept the door shut.  She stopped going outside the litter box and after many months felt comfortable enough to have free roam of the house again.  I would put her back in the room at night. But, that was what worked for her.

Hope that you are able to figure something out for your cat.  I know how hard it is. 

 

 

SLO2005

Something similar happened to me with my cat.  Except DH brought in tarps from outside to use while painting and my cat must have smelled animals from outside.  He started peeing on the basement floor which was cement.  We tried that Nature's Miracle stuff...soaking it then using a  carpet cleaner and we did this numerous time.  It did not work he went right back to peeing there. 

notforever

Like others have said, crystals are a big deal. It feels like peeing out shards of glass. My dog has problems with struvite crystals as well. This and her UTI's are related to stress. As far as I know, once they have had a problem with this, it's probably going to be recurring. I suppose it could be behavior problems as well, but honestly I think your cat is trying to be like, "Hello! I'm sick!!"

I think your best bet is to take her to the vet. I'd be willing to bet money on the fact she's dealing with crystals again.