I have an 8 year old cat, there is nothing physically wrong with him. I have had him examined. My problem is that he pees in our bathroom on the rug. I can wash the rug, but I am getting very tired of this behavior. We love the cat, but I can't put up with this much longer. I hope someone can give me some advice because I really don't want to get rid of him. Thank you.

Hello, I wrote the following article for another venue but thought I would post it here for your information.

One question: When you had the cat examined, did you have labwork done? 8 years is geriatric for a cat. Things like renal failure can start popping up at this age.

Hope this article helps!

Inappropriate Urination

Inappropriate urination is a very common problem in felines. Sadly, it's one of the top reasons hundreds, if not thousands, of house-hold pets get put to sleep every year.

Urinary Tract Infections, or UTI's, are very common in cats and, from my experience, about 80% of the time are the cause of inappropriate urination.

A simple urinalysis can detect the presence of blood. Further, a glance under the microscope can determine if crystals are present. Microscopic crystals can form in the bladder, usually due to poor diet (feeding crappy, cheap, store-bought food), which in turn scratch the lining of the bladder. These scratches can then become infected.

UTI's can also be present without crystals. This form of UTI is much easier to cure than when crystals are present, but both forms require antibiotics and a food change.

Sometimes the crystals will bond together and form large stones (I've seen them about 1/4" wide) which have to be surgically removed. This doesn't happen very often, but if antibiotics and a diet change don't help, the cat should be radiographed (x-rayed) to see if stones are visible.

Crystals in male cats are especially bad and can cause blockage of the urethra where the cat is unable to urinate. If this happens, it is an emergency situation and can cause death within 24 to 48 hours if left untreated.

If your cat is urinating inappropriately, going back and forth to the litter box frequently, only urinating small amounts or dripping urine, or crying when they urinanate, I urge you to call your veterinarian.

Save yourself and your pet a lot of time, stress, and pain...have your cat checked by a GOOD vet! Even if your cat does not show signs of a UTI, I suggest you change their food to a higher quality diet to help prevent this irritating problem. Iams or Hill's Science Diet come highly recommended. Don't be fooled by those cheap store-bought foods that claim they are for "urinary health". They are full of fillers and preservatives.

Believe me, spending a tad more on food now can save you hundreds of dollars and a lot of heartache later.

Normally when people call stating that their cat is urinating inappropriately or showing unusual aggression, after ruling out medical problems such as UTI, hyperthyroidism, renal failure, or other common feline deseases, I ask what is going on in the household.

Have people moved in or out recently? I have had several cases where beloved children have gone away to collage causing the family pet much grief which can lead to decreased appitite, restlessness, and constant crying as well as inappropriate urination.

Has there been a recent move? Cats have a VERY good sense of smell. If there were pets in the house previously, this can cause aggressiveness and/or inappropriate urination, especially if the previous pets urinated on the carpets, walls, etc.

Are there strange cats hanging around outside? Some people are surprised by this question. They think that just because their pet is strictly indoor only that they cannot smell a female in heat or an un-neutered male that is spraying outside! Not so...

Has the litter or food changed recently? Cats DO NOT like their litter or food brands changed constantly. Besides causing intestinal upset and contributing to UTI's, changing food brands to whatever is cheapest at the time can cause your pet to stop eating as well. They may not like a certain brand of food, so find something they like (preferrably high quality such as Science Diet or Iams) and stick with it. Also, cats prefer the clumping litter as it feels more like sand. The large, sometimes pokey edges of the clay litter can turn cats off to using their litter box. Stay away from scented litter as well. I've known some cats which were allergic to scented litter and it caused the pads of their feet to swell and become sensitive. Some cats just don't like the smell!

Besides illness, the reasons stated above are the leading cause of inappropriate behavior in cats. Once you and your vet have ruled out medical issues, it's time to purchase some Feliway!! This is miracle stuff! I use it all the time and am a big believer in it's effectiveness.

What is it you ask? Feliway is a spray or plug-in created from phermones which are normally excreted by facial glands of a cat. The cat uses these phermones to mark territory and they create a sense of peace and happiness.

I suggest using the plug in (called Feliway Comfort Zone) over the spray, although both work. The plug-in is more evenly and constantly distributed. It lasts for up to 4 weeks and there are replacement cartridges available.

The spray usually costs less but it needs to be sprayed several times a day and, therefore, doesn't last as long .

Whichever form is chosen, Feliway should be used in the area where most of the inappropriate behavior is being displayed.

I already feed the cat Science Diet cat food, he has thoroughly been checked by the vet, no major changes have occurred in the household and there were no pets in the house before we moved in. My husband and I both think this is an attitude problem. Any idea on what to do about that?

Feliway! This stuff works wonders and I use it for inappropriate urination in my home. I have a cat who had a urinary infection but after we cleared that up, he continued to spray. He was neutered late in life which contributed to his continuing to spray even after the infection had cleared up.

Since I have been using the Feliway Plug-in, I've had no problems with him. It's been two months since he last sprayed.

Again, if this unusual behavior just started, something had to have happened as a catalyst. Cats usually don't start having attitude problems for no reason.

This is VERY rare, but I have seen cats with mental problems who started urinating inappropriately. If the Feliway doesn't work (give it at least 3 weeks although most results are immediate), you might ask your vet for some mood altering drugs such as phenobarb or Prozac (yes, it's available for cats!).

Make sure you're dumping vinegar or some enzymatic cleaning product on the spots where the cat is urinating. The area has to be thoroughly soaked so as to get into the pad under the carpet. NO AMMONIA...

Also, when you say "thoroughly checked" I take it to mean you've had a chem 12, a CBC, a Urinalysis, and a T4, right?

Good Luck!

Regards,

Hi cats won't spoil where food is, sprinkle some crunches on a plate near the area where the cat seems to piddle, also if the cat is scared of the hoover put the hoover in the place and if the cat goes in the bathroom make the sound of the hoover,usually works a treat. CHRIS.