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Help with peeing cat

My daughter has a 8 year old cat that has started peeing in the house. She has been doing this for about 4 years now and nothing seems to keep her from peeing everywhere. Our last resort is to get rid of the cat which is so difficult for my daughter but her new condo is smelling like her old
apartment and she can’t take it any more. Can you give us any help with this? I think we are going to have to removed the carpet and seal the subfloor before replacing the carpet we need to get the cat to stop peeing on the floor.

HELP

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5 Responses to “Help with peeing cat”

  1. Mike Keem, DVM - E. Aurora, NY says:

    You need to see a veterinarian who is familiar with resolving such problems in cats. If a urinalysis does not show evidence of FLUTD, there are a number of wonderful drugs that cat be used to treat such problems.
    ALL causes of this are treatable, and in most cases very successfully. Your very first step is to get a diagnosis as to what is causing the cat to do this.

    Mike Keem, DVM
    Aurora Pet Hospital
    East Aurora, NY

  2. Dr. Evans, Cocoa FL says:

    If there are multiple cats in the house make sure there are multiple litter boxes in different locations. If the litter box is covered, take the cover off. Try different locations for the litter box. Cats can be very particular about where the box is. It should be away from noise and preferably not placed in a closet or bath tub. Make sure the box is large
    enough- should be 1.5 times the length of the cat. Try different types of litter. There is a litter at Petsmart called Cat Attract and it works great.
    Please make sure she has been examined by your veterinarian to rule out a medical problem, such as, crystals in the urine, stones in the bladder, inflammation in the bladder, or any other illness. Often times cats will urinate outside of the box for a reason totally unrelated to a urinary problem. If it is definitely behavioral there are medications that can be tried. I have had the best results with clomicalm, only as a last resort though.

    Good Luck,
    Tammy R. Evans, DVM
    Caring For Life, Inc.
    Cocoa, FL

  3. Philip McHugh DVM, NC says:

    Gosh, 4 years is a long time to have put up with this problem.
    Seriously, she should have been in the care of a veterinarian 4 years ago.
    I doubt I can add any good advice that will undo 4 years of habit formation except this: DO NOT PUT DOWN CARPET. YOUR CAT THINKS CARPET IS KITTY LITTER!!

    Phillip McHugh, DVM
    Park Veterinary Hospital
    Durham, NC

  4. Lori Coughlin, DVM, Arlington Heights, IL says:

    Definitely get the kitty to a (preferably) feline vet for a thorough evaluation, including both urine and blood, to check for urinary problems, as well as other metabolic disorders that could cause the cat to not use the box. After 4 years of the inappropriate behavior, it may be very hard to fix the problem, but there are often things that can be done to manage it to both cat and owner’s satisfaction. I would make sure that there are enough boxes (2 for 1 cat, 3 for 2 cats, etc.) The boxes must be scooped daily- no one likes a filthy toilet. The litter may need to be evaluated, cats don’t usually like a scented litter, and declawed cats can have sensitive toes and prefer a clumping/scoopable litter to a clay litter. The box should be large enough to fit the cat- I use the standard size dog litter pans from Second Nature (the big 2’x2′ size)-the edges are tall to help prevent the cat from urinating over the edge, but have a low front so they can walk in easily. No matter what kind of box and litter is used, they should be washed with soap and water regularly, and I don’t recommend liners (cats generally don’t like them). If these fail, or the cat likes to go on carpet or soft surfaces, options include putting a carpet square into the litter pan so the cat goes in carpet, just not on the floor, or if he likes laundry, then try rags or towels in the box instead (still having a box with litter for defecation). If he doesn’t like a box, you could put puppy training pads (the plastic lined diaper-type pads) in the areas he is most likely to use. At least the urine is then not on the carpet, only the pads, which can be throw away and replaced. Look for a professional carpet cleaner to get the smell sealed in the subfloor before putting in new carpet, or if the floors are hardwood, have them sanded and sealed and eliminate the carpet (it is easier to clean up on a wood floor). If there is no physical cause, medication like Prozac can be used for behavior modification, but cleaning of the area is a must, to eliminate the smell that would make him go back to an area.
    Good luck with this situation- I know how frustrating it can be when they don’t use the box (that’s why we have hardwood floors in my house).

    Lori Coughlin, DVM
    Lori L Coughlin, DVM
    Arlington Heights, IL

  5. Dr. Michelle Williams - Knoxville, TN says:

    Make sure you have ruled out all possible medical causes first. If you have already done that, consult a behaviorist and experiment with different types of litter and box locations. Try “litter attract”
    which is available through Petsmart, and probably through other stores as well. If you are interested in an alternative medicine approach, try consulting a veterinary herbologist. Certain herbs have been helpful in many of these cases.

    Dr. Michelle Williams
    The Whole Point House Call Vet
    Knoxville, TN

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