My kitty is going to the bathroom everywhere. She has never done this before, what can I do?

Question

My cat is 15 years old, but it's not her age that is the problem. I started dating my fiance` a few months ago, and this is when the problem started. I know she is punishing me for spending so much time away, but is there anything I can do? I'm at my wits end, I can't stand to get rid of her or put her to sleep but I CAN'T take this anymore.

Answer 1

Hi Kellie...as a general rule, when a cat beings soiling inappropriately, there are several possibilities to first consider:
- changes with litter brands
- location of the litter box isn't private enough
- some cats like to have one box to defecate and another to urinate
- cleanliness (some cats are very finicky and prefer a super clean box)
- as a general rule there should be one litter box for each cat plus one extra as a back up as some cats are very protective of their boxes and block access to another cat
- at 15 years old many cats are considered seniors and as a result many develop aging diseases such as chronic renal failure (CRF) http://www.felinecrf.com/what0.htm and one of the many symptoms is EXCESSIVE urination. Hyperthyroidsim is another disease common to senior cats http://www.marvistavet.com/html/thyroid__signs__symptoms_and_d.html

If all these have been ruled out, there's a chance that your cat may have developed another underlying medical problem which can contribute to accidents outside of the box. Cats will associate pain while using box and change their habits as a result.

Here's an article by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine of Feline Health about why cats soil inappropriately:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/Housesoiling.html
House soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. It includes urination and/or defecation outside the litter box, as well as urine spraying.

Why do cats eliminate outside of the litter box?
One common misconception is that cats soil in inappropriate places for revenge. It is tempting to conclude, "He defecated on the living room carpet to punish me for leaving him for the weekend." But this kind of calculation requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that cats aren't believed to possess. Furthermore, this conclusion assumes that cats view their urine and feces as distasteful, when in fact they do not. It is only we humans who view it that way.

Medical Problems
So why do cats urinate or defecate on your bed or carpet? Medical problems are one possibility. Inflammation of the urinary tract may cause painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine, and crying during urination. An affected cat is likely to eliminate outside the litter box if he comes to associate the box with painful urination, or if he has an increased urgency to urinate. In addition, kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases often lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumors, intestinal parasites, and other gastrointestinal conditions may cause painful defecation, increased frequency or urgency to defecate, and decreased control of defecation. Age-related diseases that interfere with a cat's mobility (for example, arthritis, nervous system disorders, or muscular diseases), or with his cognitive functions can also influence his ability to get to the litter box in time. In short, any medical condition that interferes with a cat's normal elimination behavior can lead to house soiling.

Litter Box Aversions
Behavioral problems, such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences, or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling. An aversion implies that there is something about the litter box that your cat finds unsavory. It could be the box, the litter, the location of the box, or all three.

...please consider visiting the website for full details

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorders (FLUTD): http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_lower_urinary_tract_dis.html

Answer 2

Yes, certainly rule out any medical problems first. Your cat is, after all, 15 years old and it could be coincidence.
Consider the feelings of your companion of 15 years. I'd be a little crushed as well! Is it possible to spend more time at home with your fiance?
One other option is to limit your cat to an area while you are gone like a bathroom or utility room.

Answer 3

Kellie,
This is typical of a cat that feels neglected. You mention that you feel it's because you are spending so much time away now. Try having your fiance' spend more time at your place instead of being gone so much. Also does your fiance' have a cat? If so your cat will smell the scent of the other cat on you and that won't help. If you want your cat to stop this behavior the only thing you can do is give her more attention. Your cat is only crying out for your attention and affection.

:-)~

Answer 4

Sounds like you have answered your own question.
Before putting her down, try putting her up for adoption at the local kennel/pound. If she is not adopted, then she will be put to sleep. And you will never know.

At 15 she has gotten to the point of becoming senile, and urinating all over everything is common. It seems that your fiance just happened at an appropriate time. I'm not your cat so I can't say. Still the stench is horrible, and not worth keeping the ole gal around.

Answer 5

Cats don't punish their humans. Your cat may have a urinary tract infection. This usually results in using every thing in the house as a litter box. Make an appointment with your vet and get her checked out a soon as possible. Good luck to you!

Answer 6

Take her to the vet to rule out an illness. You don't want to make a mistake because kidney disease is painful.

If it's not illness, you could try a tranquilizer, or make a choice.

When I was with my first husband, my cats peed only on his clothes. They'd pull stuff down out of the closet to pee on it. The cats weren't elderly and they weren't sick. They were just honest. I should have taken their word for it!

Answer 7

Cats are don't like change and have diffrent ways of showing it. Some hiss, some hide, and some do very random things, like yours. If she is over your head right now, ask a neighbor of close friend to take her until you can spend more time with her.

Answer 8

Maybe she doesn't like your fiance!

Answer 9

basicly she is going every where but not in the bathroom, not she is going to the bathroom every where? :)

Answer 10

Take it to a vet and quick!!!!!!!!!!!!!