Puzzled by cat pee-pee problem Updated :41

[Ginevra]

Some of you may recall, my cat has very serious kidney disease. He is alive and adequate at the moment, but we just take each day as it comes.

 

He is being kept in a room in my basement; it is a gym of sorts and has a rubber surfaced floor. He peed several times in two area that were not the litter box, but also peed right at the door of the litterbox. I wasn't sure why this was or if it was even within his control. I cleaned uo the pee superficially and put those puppy training pad things in the locations where he peed, thinking eell, it would be easier to clean that up if it is outside of his control. But he started pretty much peeing on the pads as if he is replacing the litterbox with the pads.

 

I took up all the pads and thoroughly cleaned the floor, including putting enzyme cleaner where he had peed. Then I placed the litterbox in the one corner where he had peed several times and still put the one pee pad at the door entrance. But he keeps peeing ON the pad, just outside of the litterbox. I don't know if he thinks this is the new "litterbox" or if he just can't help it for some reason or what. It isn't the worst of all problems if he pees on the pad; at least I can dispose of them. But this isn't what I wanted to do; it's wasteful and sub-optimal and just generally not what I want to have happen.

 

WWYD?

Edited April 19, 2017 by Quill

[Outdoorsy Type]

Maybe the pads are more comfortable for him instead of going in and out of the box. Or the litter is bothering him?

[Guest]

Maybe the pads are more comfortable for him instead of going in and out of the box. Or the litter is bothering him?

Yeah. That's possible. Hmm.

[Dmmetler]

I had a cat with cancer who did this, so I put a puppy pad in the empty litter box. Problem solved :)

[Stacia]

Yeah, I'm thinking climbing in & out of the litter box may be painful or awkward for him at this point. Maybe the pee pads are a welcome relief for him.

 

:grouphug: :grouphug:  for caring for your kitty.

[eternalsummer]

He probably thinks you have gotten him the pad so that he doesn't have to walk on the litter or climb in and out of the box :)

[Guest]

He probably thinks you have gotten him the pad so that he doesn't have to walk on the litter or climb in and out of the box :)

Wasn't that nice of me? ðŸ˜

[TechWife]

Some of the puppy pee pads I've seen have something in them that attract puppies to pee on them. Have you tried getting a plain, chemical free disposable underpad like this? 

 

I have a kitty with arthritis and she started having difficulty getting into the litter box. I found one that has a lower tub so she doesn't have to step as high. I put it up yesterday and so far, so good. 

 

 

[Paige]

The kidney disease makes him more vulnerable to UTIs, so I would get that checked first. If he's clean, you can get Cat Attract litter or an additive by the same company that works. I have one jerk cat, however, who just wants to pee on the puppy pad in front of his box. He's not sick, but poops in the box and pees outside the box. You could also try two boxes. 

[Guest]

The kidney disease makes him more vulnerable to UTIs, so I would get that checked first. If he's clean, you can get Cat Attract litter or an additive by the same company that works. I have one jerk cat, however, who just wants to pee on the puppy pad in front of his box. He's not sick, but poops in the box and pees outside the box. You could also try two boxes.

He was checked Friday for UTI; I don't have results yet. I might try the Cat Attract.

[jewellsmommy]

The kidney disease makes him more vulnerable to UTIs, so I would get that checked first. If he's clean, you can get Cat Attract litter or an additive by the same company that works. I have one jerk cat, however, who just wants to pee on the puppy pad in front of his box. He's not sick, but poops in the box and pees outside the box. You could also try two boxes. 

 

I have your cat's twin!

 

Mr Meowgie is about 8 yrs old and is a pain in the butt. He tinkles on puppy pads approx. 1 foot from one of the litter boxes. He will poop in the box but not tinkle. He is also my cat who will pitch a fit if all three bowls of dry cat food are not full at all times. They get wet food in the evenings but even then, he wants to see all three dry food bowls with food. If something makes him unhappy, he will knock items off of tables or counters, chew and tear any accessible paper and plastic, and if all else fails - bite your toes.

[kitten18]

Does the box have a lid? Sometimes cats won't go in those.

[Pawz4me]

There are lots of possibilities.

 

The belief among cat experts is that in general cats HATE lidded boxes with a fiery hot passion. I suspect the issue would only be worsened by a cat with kidney disease if he's still at the stage of peeing copious amounts. Unless you're changing the litter every day or two that box is going to get stinky fast to the cat (maybe not to a human's much less sensitive nose). 

 

Is it possible he's peeing out the door -- going into the box but being through the door? Sometimes when cats get older and stiffer or just don't feel well they don't squat as far as they used to.

 

He may not feel like climbing in the box. Weakness is an issue with kidney cats.

 

The attractant on the pee pad.

 

He may have associated not feeling well/painful urination with the box and thus be choosing to go elsewhere. That's common in cats with urinary issues. Often a younger (more agile) cat with a UTI will pee in a bathtub or bathroom sink. The theory is that those cool surfaces feel good to them. But who knows?

 

For a cat with kidney disease I'd first of all thank my lucky stars he's peeing in an appropriate place even if it's not exactly right. If the box is lidded I'd remove it yesterday. I'd add at least one more box and put Cat Attract in that box.

 

Good luck! We went through this last year with one of our cats. I was always thankful that he managed to use the boxes right until the end.

Edited April 17, 2017 by Pawz4me

[Lizzie in Ma]

I don't have any advice, but I am in despair about what to do with our senior kitty who, of late, is peeing on the bed.  She was treated for a possible UTI and it is still happening.  I have three litter boxes in my room. She is blind but this was never a problem before.  We have had to change our sheets, the entire bed, in the middle of the night now for weeks.  My dh wants to put her down and I can't blame him.  Right now there is another pile of our bedding to launder on my porch.  I just threw it out there last night because I couldn't deal with laundry at 2am.  Tried sleeping with painters plastic on the bed but the rustling kept us up all night.  I don't know what else I can do. :(

 

Update:

This morning she has lost control of her bladder.  Dh just took her to the vet, it's her time, I couldn't do it.  I am devastated.  She was 13 this year.

Edited April 17, 2017 by Lizzie in Ma

[Pawz4me]

I don't have any advice, but I am in despair about what to do with our senior kitty who, of late, is peeing on the bed.  She was treated for a possible UTI and it is still happening.  I have three litter boxes in my room. She is blind but this was never a problem before.  We have had to change our sheets, the entire bed, in the middle of the night now for weeks.  My dh wants to put her down and I can't blame him.  Right now there is another pile of our bedding to launder on my porch.  I just threw it out there last night because I couldn't deal with laundry at 2am.  Tried sleeping with painters plastic on the bed but the rustling kept us up all night.  I don't know what else I can do. :(

 

I'd put her in a small room at night with a comfy bed, food/water bowls and litter box. Laundry rooms and half baths work well, since they usually have hard flooring. But you could use a closet. Or you can use a large dog crate. I know it sounds harsh if kitty is used to sleeping on the bed, but most cats adapt quickly. And if it saves your sanity and your marriage and extends kitty's life . . . .

[Guest]

There are lots of possibilities.

 

The belief among cat experts is that in general cats HATE lidded boxes with a fiery hot passion. I suspect the issue would only be worsened by a cat with kidney disease if he's still at the stage of peeing copious amounts. Unless you're changing the litter every day or two that box is going to get stinky fast to the cat (maybe not to a human's much less sensitive nose).

 

Is it possible he's peeing out the door -- going into the box but being through the door? Sometimes when cats get older and stiffer or just don't feel well they don't squat as far as they used to.

 

He may not feel like climbing in the box. Weakness is an issue with kidney cats.

 

The attractant on the pee pad.

 

He may have associated not feeling well/painful urination with the box and thus be choosing to go elsewhere. That's common in cats with urinary issues. Often a younger (more agile) cat with a UTI will pee in a bathtub or bathroom sink. The theory is that those cool surfaces feel good to them. But who knows?

 

For a cat with kidney disease I'd first of all thank my lucky stars he's peeing in an appropriate place even if it's not exactly right. If the box is lidded I'd remove it yesterday. I'd add at least one more box and put Cat Attract in that box.

 

Good luck! We went through this last year with one of our cats. I was always thankful that he managed to use the boxes right until the end.

I will put a non-lidded box in there ASAP. Initially, that was what I had in there, but it was a pain because he scattered litter all over kingdom come. So I swapped it with the lidded box to help that problem and then the pee-outside-the-door thing started to happen. I did think he initially was just "waterfalling" it out the door - his front was in the box but his back end wasn't fully inside. But then he started to go in the unrelated two corner spots; probably it is just more comfortable than trying to enter the lidded box.

 

I will pick up some Cat Attract and change out the box with the non-lidded box again and see if that helps. But I guess I should also just stock up on the pads and consider it part of his ill-cat care. My main issue is that DH is a lot less tolerant than I am about the pets in general and the cats in particular; he is not overjoyed that the cat is in the home gym room and he's very annoyed by the cat smell in the basement. He is being pretty patient really, given that I have spent well over a thousand dollars on the cat and he is aware that all this cat care is expensive. But he's going along with it because he knows I and my kids adore the cat and want him to live as long as he is able. So, basically, I'm trying to keep the smells down as well as I can but there's a limit to how thoroughly I can clean up pee every day.

[Lanny]

I think my wife puts oranges or grapefruit (1/2 ?)  where she doesn't want cats to go.  But more recently, I think there is some kind of liquid she puts on places she wants them to avoid. I will ask her and if I can get information for you that might be helpful, I will report back to you. Male Cats typically spray, to mark territory, but in the case of your ill cat, it may be something else. 

[Lanny]

My wife has the following comments: We realize he is very ill. Cats do not like to be confined, as he is now, in your Basement. He's a prisoner there.  Our cats go outside for their bathroom needs. The Cat Litter should/must be very clean, if he is going to use the litter box.  The type of Cat Litter may be something he does not like.  His Litter Box should not be near to where he eats or sleeps.  She did say 1/2 of an Orange or 1/2 of a Lemon, placed where you do not want him to urinate might help keep him away from those areas. She used Grapefruits, because our next  door neighbors gave us a large amount of Grapefruits from a tree in their yard, but she says Lemons work best for that. HTH and GL 

[MercyA]

Update:

This morning she has lost control of her bladder.  Dh just took her to the vet, it's her time, I couldn't do it.  I am devastated.  She was 13 this year.

 

I am so incredibly sorry. Deepest sympathy.  :grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

[StephanieZ]

If you only have the one litter box, I'd get more. At least a second one. 

 

Also, IME, once a cat figures out to pee in a certain spot, you're done for . . . for that spot. IME, that means I just discard whatever rug or furniture has been peed on but that won't work for your entire floor. . . SO, if at all possible, I'd move that cat and litter boxes to a new area and prevent access to the area he is peeing in now.

 

I'd also check with the vet ASAP. 

 

It is certainly possible that arthritis or similar pain is precluding comfortable access of the boxes. I'd get a box with a large gradual ramp if at all possible.

[Guest]

I don't have any advice, but I am in despair about what to do with our senior kitty who, of late, is peeing on the bed. She was treated for a possible UTI and it is still happening. I have three litter boxes in my room. She is blind but this was never a problem before. We have had to change our sheets, the entire bed, in the middle of the night now for weeks. My dh wants to put her down and I can't blame him. Right now there is another pile of our bedding to launder on my porch. I just threw it out there last night because I couldn't deal with laundry at 2am. Tried sleeping with painters plastic on the bed but the rustling kept us up all night. I don't know what else I can do. :(

 

Update:

This morning she has lost control of her bladder. Dh just took her to the vet, it's her time, I couldn't do it. I am devastated. She was 13 this year.

I am so sorry. :( I hate it when our pets are at the end.

[stephanier.1765]

I don't have any advice, but I am in despair about what to do with our senior kitty who, of late, is peeing on the bed.  She was treated for a possible UTI and it is still happening.  I have three litter boxes in my room. She is blind but this was never a problem before.  We have had to change our sheets, the entire bed, in the middle of the night now for weeks.  My dh wants to put her down and I can't blame him.  Right now there is another pile of our bedding to launder on my porch.  I just threw it out there last night because I couldn't deal with laundry at 2am.  Tried sleeping with painters plastic on the bed but the rustling kept us up all night.  I don't know what else I can do. :(

 

Update:

This morning she has lost control of her bladder.  Dh just took her to the vet, it's her time, I couldn't do it.  I am devastated.  She was 13 this year.

 

I am so sorry! :grouphug: 

[stephanier.1765]

I don't have any advice, but I am in despair about what to do with our senior kitty who, of late, is peeing on the bed.  She was treated for a possible UTI and it is still happening.  I have three litter boxes in my room. She is blind but this was never a problem before.  We have had to change our sheets, the entire bed, in the middle of the night now for weeks.  My dh wants to put her down and I can't blame him.  Right now there is another pile of our bedding to launder on my porch.  I just threw it out there last night because I couldn't deal with laundry at 2am.  Tried sleeping with painters plastic on the bed but the rustling kept us up all night.  I don't know what else I can do. :(

 

Update:

This morning she has lost control of her bladder.  Dh just took her to the vet, it's her time, I couldn't do it.  I am devastated.  She was 13 this year.

 

I am so sorry! :grouphug: 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Have you tried just a plain towel?  That might tell you if he's attracted to the pad itself.  If so, maybe get the pads meant for humans, instead of the puppy ones.  

 

And have you seen him in the act?  If he's only going halfway in the box, it could be his age (stiff/painful joints).  If he's not going in at all, it is probably the lid.  According to the cat whisperer on the show Psycho Cat, cats feel very vulnerable when voiding, so they have a strong, instinctual need to be able to see/hear all around them, in order to know they're not going to be attacked.  So their dislike of lidded boxes might not just about the smell, though that's part of it, too.

 

Are his other pee spots near windows?  If so, he may be seeing other animals outside the windows, which may be bringing out his territorial instincts.  Our old cat occasionally pees near the kitchen windows, or near the doors to people he doesn't recognize (including our college daughter when she comes home for breaks -- crazy, but he doesn't seem to know her anymore).

 

Our old cat has been going through some major changes as well.  He's 13.  I feel for you.  We've figured out a lot of his behaviors, and we've made some positive changes.  Psycho Cat was helpful.  There are about 13 episodes, on Netflix, I think.  None of the cats featured had exactly our cat's problems, but I was able to glean enough information to figure out some of what was/is going on.

 

 

[Guest]

Well, I took the lid off the box to see what results I might get from that, but I did also hear back from the vet regarding the urinalysis. It's quite bad news. :( He does not have the slightest sign of infection, which sounds like it should be good news but it isn't, because it means there's nothing to treat. His kidneys are only functioning at appr. 1/4 capacity. So, I can keep up with my treatments, but presumably, he will trend in the downhill direction. I am already alarmed because he ate so little yesterday. All I can do is be grateful for every day I get with him. So really, whether he pees on the pads or in the box is really moot and seems quite trivial now. I could tile the floor with the pads at this point and it would not much matter. :(

[Paige]

Are you giving him the potassium and phosphate binder? That can really help perk him up. 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Oh man.  I'm so sorry.  It must be heartbreaking to watch.

[slackermom]

I don't have any advice, but I am in despair about what to do with our senior kitty who, of late, is peeing on the bed. She was treated for a possible UTI and it is still happening. I have three litter boxes in my room. She is blind but this was never a problem before. We have had to change our sheets, the entire bed, in the middle of the night now for weeks. My dh wants to put her down and I can't blame him. Right now there is another pile of our bedding to launder on my porch. I just threw it out there last night because I couldn't deal with laundry at 2am. Tried sleeping with painters plastic on the bed but the rustling kept us up all night. I don't know what else I can do. :(

 

Update:

This morning she has lost control of her bladder. Dh just took her to the vet, it's her time, I couldn't do it. I am devastated. She was 13 this year.

I am sorry about your kitty. It is so hard when they reach that stage.

[Mergath]

Does his pee smell funny? Maybe the smell makes him nervous and he prefers going outside the litterbox. I have an elderly cat whose kidneys were failing, and her pee smelled like pickle juice. It was nasty. We started using only grain-free food and that reversed the problem, but it sounds like your cat's kidney failure is more advanced. :( It's so hard when our pets get old.

 

I agree that your best bet is probably to put the pads in an empty litterbox if that's what he prefers.

[Guest]

Does his pee smell funny? Maybe the smell makes him nervous and he prefers going outside the litterbox. I have an elderly cat whose kidneys were failing, and her pee smelled like pickle juice. It was nasty. We started using only grain-free food and that reversed the problem, but it sounds like your cat's kidney failure is more advanced. :( It's so hard when our pets get old.

 

I agree that your best bet is probably to put the pads in an empty litterbox if that's what he prefers.

No, I wouldn't say it smells funny. Just stinky. 😠He is on special kidney diet food.

 

He isn't even old. Just sick. 😪

[Mergath]

No, I wouldn't say it smells funny. Just stinky. 😠He is on special kidney diet food.

 

He isn't even old. Just sick. 😪

 

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[Stacia]

Lizzie, :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: .

[Guest]

Is it wet food? That's usually the most helpful thing for a cat with urinary issues. We have one that has problems, and we use regular wet food (no grain, no fish) and mix in extra water to make it soupy. When we stick to this routine, she doesn't have any problems (her issues I expect are not nearly as advanced as your kitty's, but thought I'd share in case it's helpful). We use a giant underbed size plastic bin as her litter box. We used to use the cat attract additive when she first had problems, and that was really helpful, but she doesn't need it anymore.

anymore.

Yes, it's wet food, vetrinarian food for kidney disease. I also pour a pool of beef broth around it; this might be one of the best things I am doing (my DD recommended it; she took care of shelter cats as a volunteer). He drinks all the broth, even on days he eats very little.

[MercyA]

I'm really sorry, Quill. It sounds like you're taking great care of your kitty. He is blessed to have you.

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

 

 

[catz]

I'm so sorry!  We lost a cat to kidney disease last year and it's so hard.  :grouphug:

 

My 2nd elderly cat was just dx-ed with hyperthyroid.  Sigh.  Hoping that's the only real issue and that we can treat that easily.  Just started pills today. 

Edited April 18, 2017 by WoolySocks

[Carrie12345]

We've lost 2 cats to kidney disease.  The one years ago stopped using his litter box a day or two before we let him go. (Not because of that, but it coincided with rapid decline.)  The second one, last year, did not stop using his litter box, but did quit grooming himself because of mouth pain.  His last day or two resulted in litter-clumped paws that he wouldn't allow me to clean.

 

So I'm wondering if yours is avoiding the box in order to avoid having to clean himself.  How is his overall grooming, otherwise?

[Guest]

We've lost 2 cats to kidney disease. The one years ago stopped using his litter box a day or two before we let him go. (Not because of that, but it coincided with rapid decline.) The second one, last year, did not stop using his litter box, but did quit grooming himself because of mouth pain. His last day or two resulted in litter-clumped paws that he wouldn't allow me to clean.

 

So I'm wondering if yours is avoiding the box in order to avoid having to clean himself. How is his overall grooming, otherwise?

He does still groom himself. He is constantly picking out matted hair, though. He is bald from his neck to his chest from pulling out mats.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Update:

This morning she has lost control of her bladder.  Dh just took her to the vet, it's her time, I couldn't do it.  I am devastated.  She was 13 this year.

 

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Quill, you've been taking such good care of this kitty for so long now. I'm sorry there isn't better news. 

 

Many many  :grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:  for all of you. 

[Guest]

Just a little update: taking the lid off the cat box seems to have completely solved this problem. :) I still have the training pads at the front and side of the box, in case he pees over the side (which has happened) but he hasn't peed anywhere else but the box.

 

So thanks, Hive. More people should know about this and it makes me wonder how many cats have been given up when the solution was actually so simple.

[Starr]

Don't you love it when the easy solution works  :hurray: 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

What a relief.  I'm glad you found a solution to one problem.  Must feel good.