HELP! Cat owners read this....

[Peaseblossom]

My darling kitty is three years old and is (in most respects) an angel among cats. HOWEVER, he has recently taken to not using his litter box all the time. He does #2 in the box like a good boy, but piddles on the towel set under the box to prevent litter in my carpet. I've tried holding him in his box till he goes, scolding him, etc, but at 4 am for the last three days I wake to hear him scratching at the carpet around the box trying to cover up the fact that he's just peed on the towel. Any advice. I need my sleep, and I have guests coming next week.

 

[YellowKite]

Originally posted by Peaseblossom:
My darling kitty is three years old and is (in most respects) an angel among cats. HOWEVER, he has recently taken to not using his litter box all the time. He does #2 in the box like a good boy, but piddles on the towel set under the box to prevent litter in my carpet. I've tried holding him in his box till he goes, scolding him, etc, but at 4 am for the last three days I wake to hear him scratching at the carpet around the box trying to cover up the fact that he's just peed on the towel. Any advice. I need my sleep, and I have guests coming next week.

Is he neutered? Many male neutered cats get urinary infections - my cat did the same thing and when I had the vet test his urine he had blood in it. That was his way of telling me he didn't feel good. He was on antibiotics and then special food to keep the urine less toxic. Call your vet.



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Mone

You ain't nothin without a rhythm section to back you up.

"What Adam does with his willy is his business..." -Bono

 

[mad1]

Im sorry, I know I shouldnt laugh and that its serious but..........


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(sorry it just sounded a bit funny....

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Im sure Auntie Sicy can help...........ours uses the litter tray like a good little girl...........maybe....take a sample of her pee and drop it on the tray:?

I really dont know at this stage...

 

[joyfulgirl]

Here are some suggestions:

Make sure the litter box is very clean all the time. Cats are clean and finicky creatures--the box must be clean. It should also be easily accessible and comfortable.

It could also be stress-related. Has there been a move or some big changes around the house?

Get rid of the soiled towel so he won't continue to be attracted to it.

Try a different brand of litter.

If none of the above works, kitty may not be feeling well. Sometimes they go outside the box when they aren't well. Might be time for a check-up.

Good luck!

 

[DrTeeth]

He's marking his territory because it's that time of the year again.

 

[elevatedmole]

Originally posted by joyfulgirl:
It could also be stress-related. Has there been a move or some big changes around the house?

This happened to a friend of mine recently -- she moved some of her breakables into a room one of her cats previously had free access to, and made sure to close the door at all times -- thus, the cat didn't get to go in there anymore and he started rejecting his litterbox.

Sounds incredibly silly I know, but it shows what kind of things can affect certain cats.

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"You must not look down on someone just 'cos they are 14 years old. When I was that age I listened to the music of John Lennon and it changed my way of seeing things, so I'm just glad that 14 year olds are coming to see U2 rather than group X." - Bono, 1988

 

[sulawesigirl4]

everything that joyfulgirl said. I had this problem with one of my cats, but keeping the litter box really clean seemed to help. It also may help to spray the area he/she soiled with vinegar as cats HATE that smell.

 

[Lilly]

kitty!

 

[Angela Harlem]

The towel itself may also be part of your prob. Even though he has used his tray for years without incident, he may have missed one day, cos lets face it, cats aren't the brainiest of creatures, and the whole towel thing, being able to scratch it up and stuff - he may not see any difference now between the towel and his litter. I have found that with my 3, if they dont want to use their tray, they will pee on something that can be scratched up.

One thing you may want to try, but is risky, esp as you have guests coming soon, is to move his tray around. At 3 years old, he kows what its for, and prolly likes to use it. Make him search it out. Not so its hard to find or anything, but maybe move it into the laundry or a bathroom where its not only easy to clean up, but any accidents wont leave a long term smell.

 

[Peaseblossom]

Thanks so much everyone. He went to the kitty doctor today, and it turns out it's not infection, but crystals forming in ... well....his "buisness." He's got medicine and a special diet now, and everything should be okay soon.

He was, however, a monster about being handled at the vet.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Originally posted by Peaseblossom:
Thanks so much everyone. He went to the kitty doctor today, and it turns out it's not infection, but crystals forming in ... well....his "buisness." He's got medicine and a special diet now, and everything should be okay soon.

He was, however, a monster about being handled at the vet.

Cool. My first instinct when they go outside the box is that they aren't well. I'm glad it's nothing serious.

 

[bono_man]

u better put it down, just in case...

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"we're free to fly the crimson sky...the sun won't melt our wings tonight..."

 

[BabyGrace]

mine did that too. I put furniture where they liked to pee and I stopped leaving things lying on the floor cos they'd pee on them. Holding them there or scolding them will prolly not work because it just pisses them off (no pun intended!) and they start protest-peeing...which is eternally annoying. Mostly I think you just have to wait for them to outgrow it...

sorry that's not very helpful but it's the truth. Maybe try a water gun?

oh yeah and cats hate going in used litter boxes..could it have something to do with that? good luck anyway

 

[missmacphisto]

You may want to look for cat food with a low "ash" content in it. Male cats, esp neutered ones, should be on a low ash diet. I think its to prevent something called FUS? i cant remember now, but we had a male cat that died from it.

Glad your kitty is ok, and that our fellow interferencers are so in the know!

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Look...look what you've done to me...You've made me poor and infamous, and I thank you...

My name is MISS MACPHISTO...I'm tired and i want to go HOME...

"Well you tell...Bonovista,that i said hello and that my codename is Belleview" - Bono before opening night of Anaheim Elevation concert

Well tonight thank God it's them, instead of you...

 

[Zoomerang96]

today as i lay in the grass one of my cats after i rubbed his fat tummy, was so pleased with me, he took both of his paws on my forehead/hairline and used his tongue to wash my hair. that felt weired, and funny.

later on my forehead was bright red and itchy. hey ho.

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-deathbear