I'm having to clean my cat's litter box more and more these days, why is that ?

Question

My cat is 12 years old, his name is Fred. We used to clean his litter box maybe three-four times a week. Now i'm cleaning two, even three times a day. It's clumping more than it used to, and these clumps are huge. Proably the size of my head. It's never been like this before, and i'm wondering if maybe it's because he's peeing more often. Maybe his kidneys are having problems because of his old age. I have no idea, i'm lost, please help.

Answer 1

Is your cat drinking more water? This sounds like a good possibility of diabetes. Your cat needs to see a vet as things can get serious and very expensive if diabetes treatement is not started soon. ketones can develop and they canbe life threatening.
If it is diabetes the most likely cause is dry foods that youy are feeding which are loaded with carbohydrates that many cat have trouble processing.
Diabetes is not a deth sentence, n o lifespan is lost and your cat can live a long happy life if properly cared for.
A big problem with this is that many vets aren't up to date on treatment and you can go to 20 different vets and get 20 different treatment plans for your cat. I have worked with, owned and adopted diabetic cats for years. Please click on my name and read my porofile. Also read the question I asked which gives out some info on this. Please switch the food to low carb canned foods that don't contain gravy. That should help a bit to start
Do not hesaitate to contact me for help.

Answer 2

Is he also eating like crazy, drinking like a horse and losing weight? You have a diabetic kitty my friend. Go to the vet and get a BG test and a fructosame test. Then on the way home stop at Walmart and get their in house brand of Blood Glucometer and a box of 100 strips and come home and go on line to felinediabetes.com and ask for help. We can get you through this and your cat regulated if not off insulin and on diet only diabetic control. Oh also on the way home stop and get some good food for you cat. I will add a bit on food.
Don't let your vet keep your cat a few days to regulate him. Vet stress adds 100 or more points (often 200) to their BG and they come home on insulin to high a dose and your first shot at home will put him into hypo. While waiting for the vet appointment you can come on the board and start reading. You will be for armed and able to help him and be proactive in his treatment. You can learn to test his blood glucose before you start and be 10 steps ahead of everyone.
Good luck hope to see you there IF you need to be. I am Cessans Mom on the board.
Feeding a cat a healthy diet is of the utmost importance for the good health of every cat.
Many people feel that dry is the best way to go. Vets feel it is the way to go. Why? Vets are taught very little about nutrition and they are taught what they know by the Pet Food Companies. The companies push dry as it is the very cheapest food in the world to make as they use fillers, vegetable protein and things that cats do not eat in normal life like veggies and fruits. Of course the veggies and fruits are NOT good for human consumption and thus they get it free or for pennies so the big suppliers can get rid of it.
Dry does not keep teeth clean. A cats jaw is made to grab, tear and shred. They have no chewing action. When a cat barfs he throws up the chunks of food. Sometimes the dry shatters but that doesn't rub on the teeth either. A vet told me that she had an elderly cat around 20 who had had wet food her whole life and never had a problem with her teeth, but she had a 7 month old kitten who had to have every tooth pulled since they were so bad he was sick.
Dry food causes diabetes, UTI's, Kidney problems and the list is to long to continue.
The proper food is a diet for an obligate carnivore. Remember you have never seen a lion chasing a biscuit. Your cat needs wet food of good quality. It should be high in protein and under 10% carb. You should not feed your cat fish or seafood more than 1 or 2 meals a week if that much as they become addicted to it and it is high in phosphorous and low in nutritional value.
http://www.geocities.com/jmpeerson/canfood.html
Here is a chart of most wet foods. The good and the bad. Look for one that is high in protein and low in carbs. Fancy feast is a good middle of the road one, and the cheaper brands but still following the rule are much better than any dry ever could be. Wellness and Merrick are on the higher end with higher cost. But you have good food.
It is cheaper to feed a cat the wet as they are filled up faster. Think if you are hungry and eat a bag of potato chips you are soon hungry but if you have a nice piece of chicken you are filled up longer. The same for a cat. I began adding small amount of water and mixing it in good for the meals and now add 1/4 cup water to 1/3 cup wet food. It is now like soup. It keeps the food from drying out and Cessan eats when she wants. She is a grazer and I let her be happy. She gained the weight she needed and then the weight gain stopped. If your cat is over weight he will lose weight on a wet diet.
Here is a link explaining very clearly cat nutrition and care. It is excellent and I think every new cat owner should have to read it first.
http://catinfo.org/
Good luck and be good to your sweet kitty.

Answer 3

I hope that everything is okay. Take him to the vet. It may be a urinary tract infection which sometimes causes them to pee more often. I don't know what the treatment is for cats, but I do hope Fred will be okay. I'm sure he's a great pal - Twelve years WOW. Cats can live 20+

Good Luck!!

Answer 4

A few things:
1. Kidney Failure due to age
2. Kidney failure due to recalled food
3. Diabetes
4. Urinary Tract Infection
5. Thyroid

Answer 5

Could very well be that he is drinking more and peeing more due to aging kidneys.

Answer 6

you should take him to a vet before it gets worse. there could be something wrong.

Answer 7

are you changing any thing in his diet? this could be why if not take him to the vet it could be serious