Cat Advice? (NWR)

divinemsbee

I see really good animal advice on this board, and I really need some help, so I appreciate any sort of ideas you ladies, and gentlemen, have.

My cat, Huck is almost 7. He's never had a problem using his box before. He's moved with me multiple times and it's never really been an issue. We did get a puppy last September, but he and Huck get along as well as can be expected. The dog does bother the car a good bit, but mostly they play. There have been no changes in appetite, and his box has been in the same place for about 6 months, ever since we moved to our new apartment. 

FI and I came home from the movies Friday night and there was the overwhelming smell of cat pee just as we walked in the door. Huck was squatting in the carpet that in right in front of the little tiled entryway. Horrible smell. So, we tried to get any extra liquid off of the carpet and the next day went to Petsmart and bought one of those enzyme cleaners that's supposed to get rid of scent and break their tie to whatever place they peed. We used it, the house smelled good again, and everything was fine. Everything was fine this morning when FI went to work at about 5:45. I went back to bed until about 8,  and when I got up and went downstairs, the smell was back. It smells fresh, so, I think he did it again, but I didn't catch him in the act. 

He's still pooping in his box, as far as I can tell, but I can see no pee spots in it, meaning that if he's peed at all it hasn't been in the box. I can deal with almost any other pet grossness or emission, but cat pee in just awful. The smell is so bad and it's so hard to get out of things. Especially when I'm not entirely sure where he did it. 

The women at Petsmart said that it might be that he's seeing cats outside and is marking his territory, but he's only now doing it and there have been cats (both feral and some people in the complex's pets) outside since we moved in. 

Anyone have any advice or has dealt with this situation? Anything is appreciated? Huck has a vet appointment next week for his yearly check-up, should I move it to this week? 

Mrs.B6302007

I think most vets would start with suspecting an UTI.

ETA: And yes, I would move his appt to this week, today if possible.  One, if he's sick, he needs treatment.  Two, do you really want to deal with cat pee on the carpet for a week if you don't have to?

Bkseller13

We found when our cat was doing that, it was that he had a UTI and was trying to tell us.  Take him in ASAP.  We thought our cat was just being a tool (he peed in the dog's bed), but instead he was in a LOT of pain.  So, I'd get him checked out, just for peace of mind.  We felt like absolute horrible people when we found out.

NotARegAE

Call you vet to see if they can check him for any urine crystals or a UTI. It's very odd for him to suddenly start doing this, so I'm wondering if there is a medical issue at play.

Is he neutered?

Have you changed the type of litter you're using in his box? Sometimes it's a prostrate preference, though typically they won't use the box at ALL when this is the case...

wadingmoose

Yup.  UTI.  I think when Bailey did this it was a bladder infection.

Actually, when Tucker (the dog) did it, it was the same - bladder infection.

The good news, it's so easy to treat and responds very quickly to the antibiotics.  See your vet asap.

Maggie0829

I have heard that many times when a sudden change in where your cat pees occurs it could be due to a UTI.  Since with a UTI your cat will have to use the bathroom a lot and may have trouble getting to the litter box in time so he has just decided to not try to get there anymore.  I would suggest moving your vet appointment up to see if it is a medical issue you are dealing with.

RussoWill

Definitely get him checked! Our cat had peed on stuff around the house a few years ago and we took him to get checked out and he was fine.  Last year, it started happening again. We thought he was being an a-hole, and put him in "time out" in the bathroom for the afternoon. turns out, this time he really did have a UTI and it was a 3 day vet stay and $1500 to get him feeling better. Better to pay to get him checked than have him feel terrible and have a more expensive vet trip.   I also switched his food to urinary tract health formula for indoor cats (recommended by the vet).  Good luck- hope he is okay!

rlavach

My cat did this & he had bladder stones. Poor guy had to be drained twice. The crystals were huge! It looked like sand. That said, it's not always that. My dad's cat does this & she's been checked out several times. Not UTI, no bladder problems. She's just lost her mind. Call your vet and tell them what's happening. A UTI in a cat can be very dangerous, so they are likely to offer you an earlier appointment. 

daubachsgirl23

I agree with PPs, it sounds like a UTI.  Definitely get your kitty to the vet as soon as possible!

[Deleted User]

I agree with all PP. Move the appt. up earlier if possible. My cat had a UTI also and did this sort of thing too.

kikirst33

My cat had a similar issues.  Vet started by looking for a UTI.  In my cats case it was determined that her bladder was forming crystals causing irritation.  She was put on special bladder food and has been doing well.

For the urniation I would clean with an Enzematic cleaner (I use natures miracle) and then use  Feliway (a hormonal spray) that will help prevent your cat from marking the same spots again.  It took a few months before my cat's issues settled down but she's been healthy for almost 9 months now.

RamonaFlowers

Ditto PP, get him to the vet ASAP. A friend of mine had a cat that suddenly started peeing everywhere out of nowhere, and it wound up being a UTI ... that later turned into a really nasty kidney infection. If it's an infection, the sooner you get him to the vet, the better.

kikirst33

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-advice-nwr?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:3853fec2-f8cd-4cfa-83fd-e4ba47fafe51Post:dff04732-7c18-4a1c-8556-e5411735dcd9">Re: Cat Advice? (NWR)</a>:
[QUOTE]For those of you with cats with crystals, what is the urinary food that you are feeding your cat? I would love to talk to my vet about it since we just found out that our cat has some small crystals in his bladder.
Posted by spikeinc[/QUOTE]It is prescription cat food that the Vet usually will sell or can provide you a perscription for to buy on-line. There are a few different companies that sell it in both wet and dry.<div>
</div><div>Non-prescription Purina One sells some urinary food.</div><div>
</div><div>I would make sure to check with your vet on what they recommend.

</div>

StefffiC

We use Royal Cannin S/O canned for our guy and had been doing good for a while with Taste of the Wild canned (85% canned/15% TOTW dry). But, my guy is back in the hospital this week with bladder issues. Again.

Do get your boy checked out. The first time Leo had bladder troubles he was in severe distress when I got home from a very long day at work. This time around we caught it much earlier when he was piddling out of the box Saturday evening.

Stress can flare up urinary issues in many cats. Many kitties do better on a canned food diet. Going forward we're feeding our guy 100% canned and keeping him on the Royal Cannin S/O.

Good luck.

rlavach

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-advice-nwr?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:3853fec2-f8cd-4cfa-83fd-e4ba47fafe51Post:4e20680c-c181-4656-a601-a7923515bd08">Re: Cat Advice? (NWR)</a>:
[QUOTE]Thank you both! I will ask the vet today. I hope something makes him feel better. He also has a colonoscopy coming up on Wednesday because he has been losing so much weight and pooing all over outside of the box. Poor Rusty cat. At least he still likes playing and is always purring.
Posted by spikeinc[/QUOTE]
If you're cat has crystals in his bladder, I don't understand why the vet hasn't suggested the food yet? My cat had to go on Hill's Prescription Diet S/D for about 2 weeks after his procedures to help break up any crystals left behind & then switched over to the C/D diet for maintenance. It is supposed to help prevent crystal regrowth. <div>
</div><div>Buying the OTC urinary tract food isn't enough. After his first procedure, my vet said he needed to go on special urinary tract food & I said, 'oh, I already feed him that.' She assumed I meant the Rx type & I assumed she meant the OTC type. A few weeks later, he was right back in the hospital with the same thing. Then we realized the miscommunication. After he started the food, it's been smooth sailing for almost 2y now. It happens more often in young male cats. Definitely inquire about it.</div>

aurianna

As everyone says, definitely take him to the vet as soon as you can.

The reason why a cat might stop going into the litter box, is because if he's having pain when he tries to urinate, he associates the pain with the place too. So if he has pain in the box, he might try somewhere else to avoid the pain.

My little Tuna started getting crystals before she was even 2 years old. Their urine actually starts to go more alkaline which causes the crystals to form.

The fact that you have a male cats makes it more pressing. The crystals can start to form a blockage (this is more common in males due to the shape of their plumbing). Could also be part of the reason he goes in the box a lot and nothing happens.
Sometimes they need to do an ultrasound to figure out if there's a blockage. Expensive, but worth it IMO.

Until the vet appointment, monitor if he's eating and drinking. If he starts vomitting, take him to the emergency clinic right away.

But it's probably just a UTI, which is easily remedied by antibiotics and special food, as they say.
You even get a little prescription card for your cat that you use at Petsmart. Makes the cat feel special.

aurianna

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-advice-nwr?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:3853fec2-f8cd-4cfa-83fd-e4ba47fafe51Post:4e20680c-c181-4656-a601-a7923515bd08">Re: Cat Advice? (NWR)</a>:
[QUOTE]Thank you both! I will ask the vet today. I hope something makes him feel better. He also has a colonoscopy coming up on Wednesday because he has been losing so much weight and pooing all over outside of the box. Poor Rusty cat. At least he still likes playing and is always purring.
Posted by spikeinc[/QUOTE]

I'm surprised if their only suggestion is colonoscopy.
Those are Thyroid red flags.

And the thyroid usually gets hyperactive to make up for the kidneys slowing down. (edit: or at least that seems to be the natural progression)

Inquire about the thyroid. And possibly potassium levels and kidney issues.

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-advice-nwr?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:3853fec2-f8cd-4cfa-83fd-e4ba47fafe51Post:4e20680c-c181-4656-a601-a7923515bd08">Re: Cat Advice? (NWR)</a>:
[QUOTE]Thank you both! I will ask the vet today. I hope something makes him feel better. He also has a colonoscopy coming up on Wednesday because he has been losing so much weight and pooing all over outside of the box. Poor Rusty cat. At least he still likes playing and is always purring.
Posted by spikeinc[/QUOTE]
I don't want to rain on your parade and, obviously, I have no way of knowing if this is the  case with your cat, but keep in mind that cats purr when in distress, not just out of contentment.  One of my close friends used purring as a justification for prolonging the life of her cat, who had multiple serious health problems, even after the vet said that it was likely that the poor thing was likely experiencing significant discomfort and stress.

divinemsbee

Thanks everyone, am calling the vet now. I'd heard it was a symptom of a UTI, but he's otherwise acting like his normal self. It's good to know that he still could be having health issues so I don't think he's just acting out. Hopefully we can get in today!

Mrs.B6302007

I've read that a little bit of apple cider vinegar in pet's water can help prevent UT issues.  It works well for humans as a daily supplement.

leia1979

I'm glad you're taking him to the vet sooner. When my cat did this, she had a bladder stone and needed surgery. That was four years ago, and she's been fine since. Good luck!

rlavach

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-advice-nwr?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:3853fec2-f8cd-4cfa-83fd-e4ba47fafe51Post:225c1f37-a2c4-4ea8-9333-bd6398e7b5b8">Re: Cat Advice? (NWR)</a>:
[QUOTE]I've read that a little bit of apple cider vinegar in pet's water can help prevent UT issues.  It works well for humans as a daily supplement.
Posted by Mrs.B6302007[/QUOTE]
I wouldn't mess with stuff like that. How do you know what the right amount is according to your pet's weight or according to how many crystals? Plus, I don't know about anyone else's cats, but my cats won't drink water if it has any supplements in it. I got a supposedly tasteless dental supplement & they could tell right away & went on water drinking boycott. Cats with potential UTIs need to drink lots of water, so you don't really want to cause any aversion there.

Mrs.B6302007

Well of course if your cat won't drink it then you can't do it.
Pretty sure the dose was 2-3 drops, not capfuls or anything.  A human dose is a tsp or a tbsp, I never remember.

krose83013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-advice-nwr?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:3853fec2-f8cd-4cfa-83fd-e4ba47fafe51Post:a9e8174f-048c-4e59-a438-e313996f9c4b">Cat Advice? (NWR)</a>:
[QUOTE]I see really good animal advice on this board, and I really need some help, so I appreciate any sort of ideas you ladies, and gentlemen, have. My cat, Huck is almost 7. He's never had a problem using his box before. He's moved with me multiple times and it's never really been an issue. We did get a puppy last September, but he and Huck get along as well as can be expected. The dog does bother the car a good bit, but mostly they play. There have been no changes in appetite, and his box has been in the same place for about 6 months, ever since we moved to our new apartment.  FI and I came home from the movies Friday night and there was the overwhelming smell of cat pee just as we walked in the door. Huck was squatting in the carpet that in right in front of the little tiled entryway. Horrible smell. So, we tried to get any extra liquid off of the carpet and the next day went to Petsmart and bought one of those enzyme cleaners that's supposed to get rid of scent and break their tie to whatever place they peed. We used it, the house smelled good again, and everything was fine. Everything was fine this morning when FI went to work at about 5:45. I went back to bed until about 8,  and when I got up and went downstairs, the smell was back. It smells fresh, so, I think he did it again, but I didn't catch him in the act.  He's still pooping in his box, as far as I can tell, but I can see no pee spots in it, meaning that if he's peed at all it hasn't been in the box. I can deal with almost any other pet grossness or emission, but cat pee in just awful. The smell is so bad and it's so hard to get out of things. Especially when I'm not entirely sure where he did it.  The women at Petsmart said that it might be that he's seeing cats outside and is marking his territory, but he's only now doing it and there have been cats (both feral and some people in the complex's pets) outside since we moved in.  Anyone have any advice or has dealt with this situation? Anything is appreciated? Huck has a vet appointment next week for his yearly check-up, should I move it to this week? 
Posted by divinemsbee[/QUOTE]


Move up the vet appt.

We have 2 cats and we moved into our house in March. In April my dad installed new flooring in our laundry room, which is where the litter box is. Every since then our female cat would pee on the floor, only when we weren't home and when he had gone in the box. This happened a handful of times since then and the last time  I had it, there is NO reason for her to be doing it.  We tried an enzyme cleaner with our female cat (she was doing the same thing) and I still smelled it.

So I resorted to an old time remedy of vinegar.

Also, we got another cat box and she hasn't peed on the floor (knock on wood). According to the vet she's got a clean bill of health, she just needs to lose some weight (she's massive and pushing 25 lbs).

SpartanCat

It sounds like you're getting some great advice from PPs.

My only additional comments would be to make sure that any diet changes are slow -- like over the course of one to two weeks and know that it can still take up to a month for a cat's digestive track to settle down.

The other comment is to be prepared to retrain him to use the litter box, just in case. Sometimes cats with UTIs get in the habit of peeing outside the box and continue after the problem has gone away.

Also, I can't remember if you responded yet but if he is not altered, he could be marking if he smells/sees other cats/animals.

aurianna

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-advice-nwr?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:3853fec2-f8cd-4cfa-83fd-e4ba47fafe51Post:cff4772f-05ab-4ceb-933e-3b9b8fd02819">Re: Cat Advice? (NWR)</a>:
[QUOTE] I am sad to hear about the purring and certainly am going to inquire as to why the vet did not suggest the special food. I am waiting on a return call from him now. Thank you to everyone for all your thoughts and suggestions!
Posted by spikeinc[/QUOTE]

Glad he's had all those other tests.
Inflammatory bowel disease (age 12) - /> Hyperactive thyroid (age 15) -> Renal disease (age 18) was the path my kitty Flossie took (we got to have her for 20 happy years though!) and I understand it's a fairly common cat path.

Don't be too disheartened on the purring. It's true some cats do it when their distressed... but at one point my Flossie was really sick (she wouldn't eat either) and she stopped purring for us. But after a few days of meds and hand feeding her (I'm talking wet food out of the palm of my hand) she started feeling better, eating, and purring again.
So you have to take more things into account: body language (does he wink at you a lot? stretch out and show his belly?) is he still active and playful? Still do things he always did (be it sleeping with you or sitting on your lap etc).
Purring alone isn't something you should bank on or get distressed over.

But looks like you're taking him to the vet and having all the appropriate tests run, so you're doing what you can. :)

Good luck with your kitty!!

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-advice-nwr?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:3853fec2-f8cd-4cfa-83fd-e4ba47fafe51Post:f5912aed-d3e3-43dd-a617-0b2317fa6dc6">Re: Cat Advice? (NWR)</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cat Advice? (NWR) : Glad he's had all those other tests. Inflammatory bowel disease (age 12) - /> Hyperactive thyroid (age 15) - /> Renal disease (age 18) was the path my kitty Flossie took (we got to have her for 20 happy years though!) and I understand it's a fairly common cat path. Don't be too disheartened on the purring. It's true some cats do it when their distressed... but at one point my Flossie was really sick (she wouldn't eat either) and she stopped purring for us. But after a few days of meds and hand feeding her (I'm talking wet food out of the palm of my hand) she started feeling better, eating, and purring again. So you have to take more things into account: body language (does he wink at you a lot? stretch out and show his belly?) is he still active and playful? Still do things he always did (be it sleeping with you or sitting on your lap etc). Purring alone isn't something you should bank on or get distressed over. But looks like you're taking him to the vet and having all the appropriate tests run, so you're doing what you can. :) Good luck with your kitty!!
Posted by aurianna[/QUOTE]

Ditto this. Like I said, I obviously know nothing about your cat; I don't look at purring as an indicator that something is wrong, I just hate to see people dismissive of health issues because the cat is purring.

SparrowSong

Every single time I had a cat go pee outside the litter box there was a medical issue. Kidney stones, kidney failure, bladder infection.... there was something that was causing pain when they pee'd. And the associated the pain with the litter box and started avoiding it.

Vet exam STAT before they get too far out of the habit of using a box correctly.