Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/litter box issues

Advertisement

Expert: Dear Tabbi - 7/29/2009


Question
Hi Tabbi,
My ten year old female cat has started having litter box issues....frequently urinating and having bowel movements in inappropriate places, even right next to the box. We have three cats, use two boxes which are changed frequently. I can correlate the behavior with a burst of flea activity, which we are having difficulty bringing under control. Any ideas or suggestions?

Answer
Gale,

At 10 years old your cat is approximately 56 years old in human years. At that age things start to slowly go wrong. She could have a urinary tract infection, urinary crystals, or kidney problems. All are painful when she pees, so a cat will associate that pain with the litterbox and go elsewhere. Cats get arthritis too which makes it painful to get in and out of the litterbox so they go next to it.

I would try using 'puppy pee pads', or the human type that are used under incontinent humans, next to the litterbox and let her go on those. It is inconvenient but as a cat ages sometimes you need to make concessions for it.

Don't get upset with her. Someday you may wish she were still here having 'accidents'.
Take her to a vet that specializes or is knowledgeable in geriatric cat care and conditions (not all vets do which can be detrimental to the cat). She needs to have an 'older cat checkup' to check the function of her thyroid, kidneys, and liver, and bloodwork. If she has a urinary tract infection she can be given antibiotics for it. Or pain meds for arthritis. As a cat ages this checkup should be done about every 6-8 months. In doing that a lot of age related problems can be caught early. The cat can be given treatment or medication that can continue her quality of life, ease any pain, and give you more time together.

Being prepared and knowledgeable about older 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

Tabbi  

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

Education/Credentials
***********

Awards and Honors
* One of the top 50 Experts Of 2008 *

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.