Expert: Norman Auspitz - 12/16/2011

Question
Please help.  I have two Ragdoll cats.  One female 5 years old, and one male 4 years old.  They have been together for the last four years.  They fight on and off, but generally get along really well.  They are indoor cats and never go outside.  
The 5 year old female is my current issue.  She has always had toileting issues which I have been told related to cystitis.  We are aware when this has come back as there is blood in her urine.  She uses the litter on and off, we also provide her with one empty tray as she usually prefers no litter. She would on average, once a week or fortnight, wee outside her tray; however only in the confines of the laundry where both litter trays are located.
When younger she would urinate on anything she could get near, carpet, clothes, towels, in the bath, shoes. So when we purchased our current house we kept this in mind.  We have all tiles and the ability to close off all doors and limit her access, there is limited areas she can make a mess in.
Up until now we have been able to manage this.  Two weeks ago, she urinated on a rug right in front of me.  We have now disposed of the rug.  There is no blood in her urine.  She is happy and affectionate and still has a good appetite.  She is now urinating on the floor outside her litter tray daily.  She is also now urinating in other areas outside the laundry, which is the first time she has done that in this house.  Whilst I am not a vet, I am aware of her behaviour and how it changes when she is sick, I do not believe she is sick.  I believe this is behavioural.
What can I do to stop her urinating through the house and back in her tray?  We never seem to catch her in the act so can’t deal with it as it happens.
This cat is destroying my new house and euthanasia is not an option. Thanks for your time.

Answer
Allie,

I am assuming the female is spayed!

The first order of business is to rule out a urinary tract infection (UTI). I am nor a vet, but, there does not have to be blood in the urine nor any other outside changes of behavior except inappropriate urination. If you really can rule out a UTI, then, yes, the issue is behavioral.

Other things that may bother her is a change in the household, for example, a new 2 legged or 4 legged addition to the household, a strange cat hanging around outside of your house, a change in the type or brand of litter you are using. How long ago did you move tot he new house? Cats are very territorial and a move to new digs can be very traumatic. This type of stress can cause an exacerbation of a UTI, which could also explain some of these behaviors. You may have to do some detective work to find a behavioral cause. Meanwhile, you may want to confine her to the laundry room and see if things do improve there.

Please let me know what you find.

Seasonal regards... Norm.