Back in March, I blegged for help. Our cat had stopped using the litter box and started peeing and pooping on the floor. I did some digging around the net, and I found it difficult to find any kind of definitive information on the subject. As a friendly PSA to pet owners, I'd like to offer up some helpful information. Here's to hoping this post registers high with the search engines.
Our cat started to sporadically pee on the carpet. We have a pretty good system in place for getting it cleaned up, so we were a little bit more patient with the growing problem than we might have been normally. As it became more frequent, though, we began punishing her. Then she started pooping and peeing on the floor. It was time to have a vet check her out.
Fortunately, we have a very knowledgeable vet, and this is what we learned. The most common reason that cats stop using their litter boxes is because of bladder infections. The good news is bladder infections can be successfully treated with antibiotics and special (but pricey) food. The vet is probably going to want to take a urine sample to confirm the infection, though. Cats don't pee in cups, so prepare yourself for the fact that your beloved pet is going to have an uncomfortable experience with a needle. If it is indeed a urinary tract/bladder infection, pay up for the treatment. The special food is important. The infection can lead to the growth of crystals, which can make things uncomfortable or painful for the cat. I'll get into the consequences of that later.
The second possibility is a kidney infection. This is more serious. We did not have to deal with a kidney infection. If you go to the vet and you do have to deal with it, realize your kitty is quite ill. They may be able to treat it, though.
The third possibility is a growth in the bladder. This will create a feeling of pressure that will lead to the cat thinking it has to go right now, which leads to the accidents. The vet will probably need to perform surgery on your cat in order to remedy this.
Now, back to those crystals. They will cause pain that will probably be your first indicator of an infection. The cat will associate the pain with its litter box, which is what drives it to leave the box and pee on the floor. If you find both #1's and #2's, it is likely because the cat is straining so much to pee that it is legitimately pooping accidentally. Once your kitty has been treated with antibiotics and food, you may continue to have problems with it not using the litter box. They might permanently associate that litter box with pain, and thus continue to use your floor. In that case, the best thing you can do is buy a new cat box that is not similar to the old, and start placing it near where they like to go on your floor. Once our cat got better, she continued to use the floor. We were exasperated. So eventually I went out and bought her an all new litter box that was very different from the old. She began using it immediately after we put it in place and, knock on wood, we haven't had an accident since. You should be able to gradually move the box towards a place you'd rather have it placed permanently.
So, to boil this piece down, when your cat begins to show a pattern of using your floor as a litter box, get it to a vet, ASAP. The vet will be able to help you with a treatment, depending on what they determine to be wrong. After the treatment, your cat's litter box problems may not be solved. Experiment with different litter boxes and, if necessary, different litter. If that doesn't work, your vet needs to take another look at your cat.
Jib is not a vet, just a pet owner with a pet owning experience.
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