Expert: Dear Tabbi - 2/5/2009

Question
my cat tigg is 11 years old and she is very clean, but all of a sudden she has turned dirty, pooing behind my tv, thats not like her. please help thanks

Answer
Sonia,

I am guessing that your cat's behavior is age related. At 11 your cat is approximately 60 years old in human years, and at that age you see start to see signs of aging.

It could be kitty Alzheimer's. Cats get it too, and sometimes they behavior in a bizarre manor, or 'forget' where things are...like the litterbox. She could have also have kidney malfunction, arthritis, be constipated, have worms, bowel trouble, etc.

When a cat avoids using the litterbox, it most often means that the cat has pain when using it and associates that pain with the litterbox and goes elsewhere.

You may want to use puppy pee pads (the kind used for potty training dogs), or the human incontinent pads they put in beds for elderly people. Putting them next to the litterbox, or where the cat is going (behind the TV), would make it easier for the cat to use plus they wouldn't leak through to the floor. And, as the cat gets older, it can't hold it as long, so you may want to have additional litterboxes.

I would suggest finding a vet that specializes in geriatric cat care and their conditions. Not all vets do which can be detrimental to an elderly cat. She should have an "older cat checkup". They check the function of the kidneys, thyroid, liver, etc. These checkups should be done every six months when you have a geriatric cat. If caught early some conditions can be treated with medication, especially medication for arthritis, which will ease any discomfort, and extend her quality of life.

Being prepared and knowledgeable about elderly cats will make things easier for the cat and for you. I am including some very good links about elderly cats. Copy and paste, or type, the whole links into your address bar:

http://www.sniksnak.com/resources/geriatric.html

http://www.messybeast.com/towards-end.htm

http://www.2ndchance.info/oldcat.htm

I hope it won't be for a long time, but if you need to put your poor kitty to sleep at some point, or lose her, here is an EXCELLENT site for emotional support, and where you can have a memorial for your kitty:
http://rainbowsbridge.com/hello.htm

Give your kitty a lot of love and reassurance now. She is probably as confused about her behavior that she can't help as you are. She needs to know she is not a 'bad kitty' when she has age related accidents or strange behaviors. Having an elderly cat, CAN be frustrating at times, and probably will get more so. Please don't ever punish her for her behavior. Someday, you may wish she were still here 'having accidents'.

Tabbi