Expert: Jessica - 7/6/2009

Question
Hi. My cat Jingles (Siamese) was lost for about 2 days. She came back home and used her litter box. Days later we found out that she had not really even done anything in her litter box. I was getting dressed one day and saw something wet on my shirt ,but since i had just taking a shower i thought it was from my hair. When i came back home Jingles was going to the restroom on a pile of clean clothes.

Answer
Hi Gabriella.  It sounds like Jingles still probably has bladder control but is avoiding the litter box for some reason.  The most common cause for an abrupt change in litter habits is a physical illness, such as a bladder infection.  So you should get her to the vet.  If there is any urine in her bladder, they will likely suggest a urinalysis.

If her urine is clean, she might be suffering some sort of anxiety.  This can be a reason why cats stop using their litter box.  A good product to use for that is Feliway.  I use the plug-in diffusers in my own home.  You can learn more about how it works at www.feliway.com  It’s available at pet stores, online and through some veterinarians.

You may also want to try a litter called Cat Attract during this time.  It’s formulated with a blend of herbs to draw cats to use the litter box if they have not been using it consistently.  It has a money back guarantee.  You can find a retailer at www.preciouscat.com

In the worst cases of behavioral problems, sometimes an anti-anxiety medication must be used.  Most cats only need treatment short term.

I hope you are able to get to the bottom of the problem by working with your veterinarian.  Best wishes!

Jessica