# Old Cat Urinating in house (getting worse)



## Alexejire (Jul 31, 2015)

Hi all,

Before I start I would like to say I have been researching this and working with my vet and will be taking some of the points on board but would also appreciate any advice members can give. 

I have 2 cats, one is 19 and a half Male (neutered) (Name is Moka) and he is a mixed breed, the other is an 11 year old female Abysyniana (neutered) (Name Luna). I have had these cats for 9 years, they where originally my ex's but when we split I gained custody (and I fell in love with the rascals). 

Now, the issue is the old cat. For one, he is old and two he has always had a bad leg (joint was crushed by mother when he was born). Despite this he is still going strong at 19.5 and is as stubborn and arrogant as ever! 

Another thing to note is that they are both indoor cats and always have been. Right now I live in an apartment but will be moving to a house in the next few months. 

For the last few years (guess started in earnest around 5 years ago) the old cat would start peeing around the house. This was mainly infrequent, maybe once every couple of months but would be more common if certain objects where in peeing reach (bags, shoes, suitcases, jackets, cloths on floor). Those objects where prime targets of feline hit & run peeing but making sure they where not around pretty much solved the issue. 

A few years ago he started peeing more frequenty inside (around chair legs, bathroom floor mainly) and howling when prowling the litter box. (Note: He has always howled since he was a kitten, usually when taking a poo). This was after my ex and I split up and since this was the first time of me dealing with it alone I got him to the vet. After 6 months of various tests etc. they could find nothing wrong with him what so over. 

It kinda stopped by itself and then again returned to the infrequent (unless a stranger was around, then any items they left on the floor where targets, I assume this was due to their strange smell). 

However, in the last 6 months or so it has gotten REALLY bad, to the point he is peeing around the apartment every 2 days or so. In fact, yesterday he peed on my bed twice and it is now useless, so I am now sleeping on the sofa until I move out and now I have to keep bedroom locked to both cats because he has been peing in there alot. Other targets are chair legs and even the glass dining room table (3 times now, he jumps up and pee's on it). 

The vets can find nothing wrong with him, he had a physical just the other week(because he collapsed for a bit but we found out it's because he jumped down from the bed and winded himself, his balance is starting to suffer in age and only having 3 working limbs, but he is fine now and up and about as normal). 

I have 2 cat litter trays but only 1 type of litter because I find it incredibly difficult to find cat litter in dublin (all pet shots/supermarkets seem to have more stuff for dogs than cats) so I buy this odor neutralizing litter and it is more stony than sandy. 

Last point is that he activly searches for a place to pee outside the box. He poos in there no issue, but when he wants to pee he will go into the box, stay there for a bit, go out, go to the second box, do the same, then start stalking the apartment for a place to pee. 

Based on what I have read and the excelled post by Shoshannah here are some of the actions I will take

- Get a third cat litter and put in a different location. This is probably happen when I move in the next 2 months as my apartment is small now, esp. with the bedroom now off limits as he constantly pees in there. Both boxes are close so I will get a third and spread them out.


- Try new cat litter. I have noticed the other cat (who behaves) only sticks her two back paws in when she urinates so it could very well be that he is uncomfortable / in pain with the litter. However, he does poo in the box, he doesn't poo outside it. 

Any other advice / suggestions would be very much appreciated. It is driving me crazy all this peeing and I want to solve it if I can. If not, I will learn to live with it because I love that cat (from the first moment he drooled all over my phone all those years ago). Also I suspect there is an issue that is causing it that by eliminating the issue it will improve his life quality as well.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi there and welcome to Pet Forums.

I have had problems in the past with elderly cats peeing outside the trays and the answer has been to provide more litter trays, and softer litter.

Two trays is not many for two indoor cats. The minimum recommended number is 3 (one tray per cat plus one extra), and many cats do not like using the same trays to pee in and poo in. Also your old boy is getting in the tray to pee, then getting out again and using the floor which definitely suggests the tray is not to his liking when it comes to peeing. So this is another reason to increase the number of trays. Also remove lids, if they are covered trays.

It is best to use a litter that is as sand-like as possible as it is soft on paws and easy to dig into. As there is not a good choice for you to buy locally, are you able to order online and get delivery to ROI? Although I do understand the shipping costs may be prohibitive! What about ordering from NI - as they may hold similar stock to the mainland.

This litter is excellent, clumps well, absorbs smells, and cats like it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Litter-Okop...1438350978&sr=1-3&keywords=cats+best+oko+plus

Your cat is doing very well indeed to have reached the grand age of 19.5 years and have nothing wrong with him!  I am assuming the vet has tested him for chronic kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, high BP, diabetes type 2 or a UTI - all of which are common problems in elderly cats, and are treatable. It is possible that your cat has some mild dementia, even though he is apparently in good health according to test results. It wouldn't be unusual at his age and can result in a change in toilet habits, and an increase in howling especially at night.


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## ALR (Apr 16, 2014)

I was just wondering, does Moka's leg seem to feel a bit worse since he started to urinate around the house more? Is it possible it's stiffer or he has arthritis. If so he would have problems bending. I have an old hamster with arthritis and my vet prescribed pain killers (I think anti-inflamatories) to help her lead a normal life.
If you suspect the leg, ask your vet what can be done to reduce the pain. Moka is an old cat and may be you can try to see if your vet would do a home visit for a check up (a lot of vets seem to these days).

I imagine if it's his legs, he'll need lower litter trays. I'd probably try puppy pads in the litter tray as well just to see if he feels more comfortable with them.


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## Alexejire (Jul 31, 2015)

First of all, thank you both for taking the time to respond, it is very much appreciated!

@chillminx thanks for the advice, I have asked a colleague at work who goes to a specialist petshop in the countryside that has the organic litter, very similar to the one you posted and she will pick some up for me during the weekend so I will give that a try.

I will also be getting a third litter box tomorrow and place that in the living room. Unfortunately, with my present location and bedroom off limits at the moment I do not have much space but will try to put them in 3 locations (hall, Bathroom and living room) and see if that helps. When I get the new place I will try to get a 4th as well.

Both current litter boxes are low entry but they are covered (if you have smelt the younger ones number 2's you would understand, I think they should be banned under the geneva convention!!!  ). Do you think open litter boxes will help? This may sound selfish but I am then worried about the smell, and with litter being hard to get and expensive and then having to change, probably every day with open box with 3 - 4 boxes could get prohibitively expensive. of course, if it helps the situation and is better for the old man, then I will try it.

The vets, a few months ago ran a battery of tests because he was quite ill (constant puking, loss of apetite, drinking ((they never drink unless they are sick, they seem to get most their liquid from the wet food they eat)) ). The funniy thing was (to the amazement of the vets) is that he was, according to all the bloodwork and tests, perfectly healthy for an old man (in the end they gave him some AB's and he brightened up a few days after that. And he has been tested for UTI a few times in the past as well, although I might schedule a new test in the near future.

Again, thank you for your advice, it has been very helpful!

@ALR I think the leg has gotten worse (understandably) with age and he is "shaky" on his legs and his balance/jumping has gotten quite bad, where I am now putting up supports to help him jump onto low things such as the coffee table (unfortunately, as soon as something is on the floor it is a pee target). Will ask the vet about pain medication and what they think about it. Appreciate the advice!


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## ALR (Apr 16, 2014)

With regards to the litter, if it's a clumping litter like OKO, you don't have to do a full change of the litter daily. You just throw away the clumps (I put them in nappy sacks and throw them in the outside bin) and do full change in a few weeks (4 to 5 weeks generally but sooner if you feel the trays need a change).


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## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

I've just started to use OKO and can recommend it highly for value and performance! I hope your boy takes to it. They are such a worry when they get elderly. Please let us know how it goes xx


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Alexejire - to echo ALR, if you use a good quality cat litter like Oko Plus (which is made of plant material) the litter box shouldn't smell even if you have an open tray. There will be a smell immediately after a cat has done a poo, of course, but if the cat buries it the smell will be quickly absorbed. All you'd need do is scoop the clumps twice a day and only change the entire litter box every 6 weeks.

The reason I'd take the lid off at least one tray is because it's possible Moka is being deterred from using the tray due to his bad leg hindering him. An open tray is easier for an elderly cat who is not too steady on his feet to negotiate.

If Luna's poos are very smelly, it could be due to her diet. Foods that contain grains and fillers can make the poo very stinky because there is so much undigested matter being passed straight through the gut.


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## Alexejire (Jul 31, 2015)

Thanks again all for the tips! I will check out the new litter I will get on Monday and see if that clumps, if not, I will see if I can ship some OKO from abroad and give it a try and see if the old fella takes a liking to it. 

Having been watching him more closely I am more and more convinced that the current litter is at least a strong contributor to the current situation so fingers crossed, changing litter and adding some more boxes will make things better for him. 

Thank you again all for your help, it has been great!


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Great advice above. 
Not to confuse the advice about litter, because OKO is indeed great stuff.....you might want to look at 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cat-Attract-Clumping-Litter-18kg-40lbs-/161660282363?hash=item25a3b425fb which is eye wateringly expensive....but does seem to be irresistible to cats. It lasts a long time as you just lift the clumps or poops out.
These can also be really useful
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Disposabl...x-90cm-/221547973730?var=&hash=item339549cc62 or Puppy training pads ( sometimes sold cheaply in pound shops or similar)
Well done for being so patient with the old boy, I know how upsetting it is when they pee on things.....but this stage of their lives is so precious.


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## Cat lover Jane (Oct 15, 2019)

Hello everyone

I’ve only just found this forum, after a google search relating to my much-loved elderly cat.
My problem is almost identical to Alexejire’s...... (though I see the original post is 4 years ago, so I’m guessing that that particular old boy may no longer be with you ).
I have a 17yr old tabby, who has arthritis, limited vision, and, according to the vet, possible signs of dementia, (not dissimilar to his owner!). When I moved house a year ago, he became an indoor cat (following the usual period of keeping him in to acclimatise). He does go out, if it’s nice and sunny, but he’s chosen to become an indoor cat, and uses the litter tray, seemingly without issues. However, just like the original post, he howls (really howls) when he wants to use the tray. I don’t think it’s pain - but his routine is: eats his food, goes upstairs, (litter tray is up there, and he spends all day on one of the beds) has a good howl, then uses the tray and settles down.
However, he has recently started peeing in a corner of my bedroom. I’ve tried moving things around and blocking that corner. I’ve tried putting things there that have his scent, in the hope that he then wouldn’t pee. I don’t know whether to put another tray in that corner. Surely that will just encourage him to use it, whereas I want to discourage him if possible. I don’t know whether he’s being lazy, or is just getting confused.
I’ve read the replies above, and will certainly try changing the litter. Any other suggestions would be gratefully received! Many thanks.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hello @Cat lover Jane and welcome 

Elderly cats, with arthritis and possible early dementia, manage much better with an increased number of litter trays, particularly if they have reached the stage where they choose not to toilet out of doors any longer.

Therefore I would put a large tray in the spot where he has been soiling upstairs and would also place at least one extra tray downstairs, not near his food but within easy reach so that he passes by it on his way upstairs. That would give him 3 trays in all.

Open trays are most suitable for him and as he has arthritis it is best if they can be low sided. The litter should be fine granular, so he can keep his balance easily when he squats upright to poo.

However, the soiling could possibly be due to a urinary tract infection (UTI) and so it is best to get the vet to do a urinalysis as soon as you can. If your boy has a UTI he will need a course of antibiotics. A cat with a UTI will sometimes pee away from the trays because they associate the trays with pain.

Has he been checked in the past 6 months for kidney function? At his age chronic kidney disease is not uncommon, and CKD leads to a more dilute urine (because of the cat needing to drink much more, to prevent dehydration) and dilute urine means less acidity so that bacterial infections in the urinary tract are more likely as a result.


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## Cat lover Jane (Oct 15, 2019)

chillminx said:


> Hello @Cat lover Jane and welcome
> 
> Elderly cats, with arthritis and possible early dementia, manage much better with an increased number of litter trays, particularly if they have reached the stage where they choose not to toilet out of doors any longer.
> 
> ...





Cat lover Jane said:


> Hello everyone
> 
> I've only just found this forum, after a google search relating to my much-loved elderly cat.
> My problem is almost identical to Alexejire's...... (though I see the original post is 4 years ago, so I'm guessing that that particular old boy may no longer be with you ).
> ...


Thanks so much for this. Lots of helpful suggestions there. I'll certainly get him checked at a vet as soon as I can. Many thanks. Jane


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