Why did my cat pee in the bathtub ?

Question

I have a 8 months old cat and she had never peed outside her litter box before. Today I realized that she has peed on the towel that we keep at the bottom of the tub. ( We keep it there because when there is water left she gets in and gets all wet.) Is it possible that the fact that she is having her first heat symptoms made her so upset that she peed in the tub ?

I really hope that she does not start to pee all over the house and I wonder if I should do something. (We already clean her box twice a day.)

Could the heat be also responsible for her extreme shedding ?

Thank you !!!

Answer 1

Hi Marieve...it may be possible that she is coming into sexual maturity and marking territory. Cats who are stressed will tend to shed more and when a cat goes into estrus (heat) this is very stressful.

Consider having her spayed as soon as possible so that the inappropriate urine marking/spraying doesn't develop into a habitual pattern, which can then later be difficult to stop even after a spay.

Feline spaying: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_the_feline_spay.html
Female cats who spray: http://home.ivillage.com/pets/cats/0,,2j1z,00.html

Most shelters worldwide will perform low fee spays (free to qualifying low income recipients). Consider ringing your local shelter to arrange for a spaying. If you are located in the USA you can ring 1-800 SPAY USA http://spayusa.org to locate a shelter nearby you.

Other causes for inappropriate urinating can be indicative of lower urinary tract disorders. However, at 8 months young this may be less of a possibility, but shouldn't be ruled out at all.

More on feline lower urinary tract disorder (FLUTD): http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_lower_urinary_tract_dis.html

More about why cats inappropriately soil the home by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for Feline Health: 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.

...please see the Cornell Univ website for full details

Answer 2

Sometimes cats pee in other areas if they are sick or have a bladder infection. It could be possible as well that she has been doing it all along, especially if you don't usually have a towel in the tub you may not have noticed. I noticed my cat doing the same thing a couple of times and even in the sink once and his litter box is always clean and he has never peed on the floor and had the all clear from the vet. It could also be territorial if she has not been fixed. I just close the bathroom door now to prevent her from peeing in the tub. But at least it is not on your carpet. Maybe you can train her to use the toilet, far fetched I know, but I've heard that it can be done.

Answer 3

Is she fixed??Is there n e other animals in the house? You are lucky you dont have a male cause when they pee(spray ) you can never get that smell out. If you spay them late then theres a chance they will keep doing it for the rest of their lives.I learned that the hard way. When cats are in heat the do tend to pee. Maybe it's also because she has smelled a certain kind of odor in you bath tub. Try leaving some vinegar in there, that usually gets rid of the scent there smeeling. I'm not an expert at all...just a suggestion from experience of having 12 cats.

Answer 4

Cats will pee on a wet towel. Male or Female. Why? I don't know.
At 8 months old, she could be starting heat. Females in heat will pee in the house to mark. Even if they have never done so before. It is best to get her fixed to eliminate problems. If she gets outdoors, and she WILL try, you will end up with kittens. Different cats shed at different rates. If she has any bald patches or any irratation of her skin, she needs to be seen by a vet.

Answer 5

Generally, sudden peeing outside of the litter box and in a specific place where you are sure to notice can mean she is trying to let you know she is not feeling well. That is definitely reinforced by your saying she is shedding abnormally. I would take her to vet to make sure she does not have an infection or something else going on (urinalysis is @ $10-20). If it is behavioral, look for sudden changes in her environment that may have upset her. Make sure to scoop her litter everyday and completely change it occasionally. Make sure her food and water are as far from the litter box as you can (too close together can cause territorial stress issues). If it continues still, you may want to consider putting her on an anti-anxiety medication (generic and inexpensive through your vet).

Answer 6

Maybe the litter box itself needs to be cleaned. Remove all the litter and take it outside and hose it off with some Dawn or other dishwashing stuff. Don't use anything stronger than that (like Pine Sol), my vet said it's not healthy for them.

Answer 7

The only reason (that I can think about) for her doing this is that there is something wrong with the litterbox. I don't know about her going into heat or not. But I know that when my youngest cat decided he didn't like where the litterbox was located he let us know by peeing where he wanted the box. After we moved it he stopped.

I suggest you call your vet and ask them...they should know why she is doing this.

Good luck

Answer 8

Cats don't go into heat until they are a year old so I doubt that the cat is in heat. She probably just got scared or really needed to go. And since no one was there to take her to the bathroom guess what she is going to pee in the tub.

Answer 9

Often when a cat feels there is something wrong she will urinate in a place where you can find it and know something is wrong.
If there is blood in the urine your cat could have a urinary tract infection which could be bladder or kidney. You should ask your vet.

Answer 10

cats in heat make a mess. They do weird things...

Cats are weird.

If youre truely concerned-- Call a local vet. And if youre cheap-- usually a nearby animal shelter will answer your question if you call them too.