Urine Big Trouble Mister!

One of the most common reasons that cat owners bring their cat into the clinic, is for urinating outside the litter box. When this happens, they want answers and want to know how to stop this immediately. If you have never smelled cat urine, then consider yourself lucky because trust me, it is not a pleasant odor! When trying to get to the root of the problem, I need to figure out if this is caused by a medical or behavioral issue. The first question I ask is, "Is your cat spayed or neutered?" If not, I recommend having this done as soon as possible. This tends to curb spraying in over 90% of cats. Cats can sometimes spray or mark in response to cats they see outside, so try your best to shield these outdoor intruders from your indoor kitties.  The next suggestion is blood work to check for kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, (as well as other conditions), and a urinalysis to rule out a urinary tract infection, urine crystals and bladder stones. If your cat suffers from arthritis in the hips, back or legs, getting in and out of the litter box may be painful and can also be a cause for the inappropriate urination. If all these tests come back normal, and your cat appears to be in tip top physical shape, I then inquire about changes in the house.

Cats love routine and anything out of the ordinary can cause them to go haywire! Moving to a new home, having someone move in or out of the house, a new baby or pet, a visitor, new furniture, or even something as simple as moving their litter box to another location in the house can set them off.

If the problem is found to be behavioral, I usually offer a few tips for them to try before considering "kitty prozac." I often tell clients they should have one more litter box than cat. So if you have 2 cats, you should have 3 litter boxes. Next I ask them about litter box cleaning. Whoever came up with the saying that, 'cleanliness is next to godliness' must have had cats because they love a clean litter box! The minute I clean my cat Onyx's box, he immediately gets in and does his business. I don't know what it is about a clean box but most cats find this absolutely irresistible. The recommendation for "neat freak" cats is to clean the box twice daily.

Ok, so you've increased the amount of litter boxes and are cleaning them two times a day, yet Mr. Kitty is still peeing on the carpet. Well now it is time to consider the kind of litter you are using. From my experience, cats don't like litter with strong scents, like pine, and tend to prefer clumping over non-clumping. Also, the type of litter box may be the cause. Onyx likes the covered boxes, and I do too, because it keeps the not-so-pleasant odors out of the house, but some cats can find this overwhelming due to the lingering odor inside the box, and because they can sometimes be too small for larger cats, who cannot move around comfortably in them. Moving the litter box away from their food and to a low traffic, quiet area can sometimes deter this unwanted  behavior. A plug in or spray pheromone called "Feliway" is commercially available and is marketed to stop cats from urinating inappropriately and spraying. A few of my clients have had success with this product and highly recommend it.

Once you've tried all these methods and nothing seems to work, then it may be time for some "medical intervention," i.e. putting your cat on behavioral modifying drugs. Valium, Xanax,  Elavil, Prozac, Buspar and other types of antidepressants  (yup, the same kind we use) are commonly used in cats  where changing the environmental factors is not successful. As with all drugs, there can be side effects and possible health risks from long term use. For me, these are a last resort but if this is the difference between someone keeping their frisky feline around versus euthanasia, abandonment or giving them up for adoption, then I'm all for it.

Cats are creatures of habit and "potty issues" can be quite frustrating. If you are dealing this, the good news is that  there may be a simple solution to your problem. By becoming in tune with subtle changes in your cat's life, together you and your veterinarian can come up with a way to end this dilemma, and re-establish the harmony in your home that you both desire.