AboutJessica Expertise The areas in which I have gained the most experience are cat health and feral cat management/rescue. I provide supportive care to chronically ill cats, hospice care to terminally ill cats and also am involved in trap-neuter-return efforts. My specialities lie in taming feral cats and in the allopathic treatment of cats with illnesses or special needs. I also have owned Siamese, Himalayans, Abyssinians, Russian Blues, Savannahs, Bengals, Peterbalds, Don Sphynx and Oriental Shorthairs and am well-versed in cat breeds as well as cat behavior and nutrition.
Experience I have 15 years of extensive experience with cats ranging from breeding to medical care. My daily routine consists of caring for cats with diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney failure, feline leukemia, feline AIDS as well as feral cats. I have experience with liver patients, heart patients, feline infectious peritonitis, cancer, recovery from amputation and trauma, congenital deformities and most every disease in between. I have assisted cats giving birth and hand-nursed kittens who were neglected by their mother from 2 days old through weaning.
Question My male neutered cat has taken to urinating in our crawl space in our basement. I worried about that when we moved in back in August - it's a "Michigan basement" which I guess is fairly common around here, and it means hard packed dirt and some fine grade gravel, covered by thick plastic sheeting. The rest of the basement is a fairly finished room, and the covered litter box is in one part of the room. We scoop it daily and change it weekly. I've mopped the plastic, and set up storage containers over most of it, but I'm out of containers, and I fear he'll still find a way back in there. He poops in the litter box, and pees back there. Go figure. I could put the litter box back in there? Use a finer sand? Is there a cat repellant I can put back there? I set up a window fan to dry it out once I mopped it. HELP!!!
Answer Hi Amy. Frustrating problem indeed!
First, I would urge you to have him looked at by a vet. The majority of litter box problems are due to health issues. Males are especially prone to urinary tract disease. He may be experiencing pain upon urination due to an infection, stones, or inflammation of the bladder lining. Additionally, diseases which cause urgency, such as diabetes and kidney failure (mostly occur in cats over 10) can contribute to litter box problems.
You could try a repellant. There are sprays available at most pet stores. None of them are overwhelmingly effective, though. If you want to go a high-tech route, you might consider an ultrasonic barrier, where your kitty would wear a remote on a collar. You'd set up a receiver in the area you want to keep him away from, and then set the distance you want him to keep. It would emit an unpleasant, high-pitched sound when he approached (too high-pitched for you to hear). In studies, it's the most effective repellant on the market, and it's one of the safest. Here's an example:
Adding a box. Lots of cats prefer one box to urinate in and a separate one to defecate in. Perhaps put another one along side the first one, or put a box around the accident area. You could even try a different style of box. Oddly enough, my cats prefer to use the covered boxes for defecating and uncovered boxes for urinating. I do recommend to use one with a rim on it to prevent him from peeing over the edge.
Try a different litter. Yes, you could try something with a finer grain. There's also a litter on the market guaranteed to stop litter box problems. It's called Cat Attract. You can learn more and locate a retailer at www.preciouscat.com. Some independant shops carry it, too, that aren't listed on their site. I've priced it, and it tends to be about 50% more expensive than most clumping litters, but I would say it's well worth giving it a shot, especially since you get your money back if it doesn't work.
Would it be possible to replace the soiled plastic? Cat urine is very fatty. Fat is sticky, and that makes it very difficult to fully remove stains. If you haven't tried an enzymatic cleaner, you can give that a shot. The enzymes break down fat molecules so you can really get rid of the stain. Nature's Miracle is one available at pet stores. My own personal favorite is Greased Lightning Orange Blast. This uses the enzymes in orange oil. It's available in the auto section at most chain stores. However, if the stains are very old and set, replacing the plastic might be your only option.
Did this start happening recently, or right around when you moved? Urinating outside the box can be related to stress caused by moving. You could try an excellent product called Feliway. It's synthetic pheromone that helps to reduce stress. You can order or find a retailer at www.felineway.com.
Finally, if all else fails, you may want to talk to the vet about anti-anxiety medications. Sometimes this is all that works. Prozac has been shown to be the most effective. And it can usually be discontinued after a few months, without seeing a relapse. And there are no noted side effects. Following Prozac in efficacy is Clomicalm. It also has fewer side effects than most but may cause drowsiness. There are less expensive options such as Valium, Buspar, and Elavil, too. I've used Prozac and Elavil in my cats, and they really have been a miracle. I was able to take one cat off of Prozac. The one who's on Elavil has had to stay on it. He has to take Elavil instead of Prozac because of a physical problem, which Elavil helps correct.
