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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / August 2003At wits end: Old cat, cat box
21 years ago in August, I got a little baby kitten. She's always been a very good cat. Once, when she was just a few years old, I went away for the weekend but forgot to leave the door to the deck (where her catbox was) open. She was such a good cat that the only place she "went" was in the bathtub. She's never had a problem with urinating in inappropriate places. Once she got to around 19 years, she really started slowing down, and developed mild kidney problems. The vet has been monitoring her, and says as long as she drinks lots of water (she does) it should be ok. This year, she went on medication for high blood pressure. At 21, she doesn't do much more than sleep, eat, and demand lap time. Also this year, we've developed a cat box problem. She urinates out of the box. She's standing IN the box, but seems to have trouble squatting, so she urinates horizontally, right out the door of the covered cat box. I've been trying various configurations trying to keep the urine in the box, with no success. This weekend I found what seemed like it might be the solution, a Booda "igloo" style box, with a ramp to climb in, and designed in such a way as to make it difficult to shoot a stream out of the box. For two days, it seemed like it would solve the problem. But this morning, it looks like she urinated next to the box. She knows when she does wrong, she usually complains loudly and bitterly every time she misses. It's not related to catbox cleanliness, she misses even when the catbox is freshly changed. I love my cat dearly, but I'm just so tired of having to mop the garage floor every couple of days, I'm so tired of the house constantly reeking of cat urine. Princess has always been a big complainer, she's a very vocal cat. So it's a little bit hard to tell if she's in pain. She *always* complains when she goes to the bathroom, has for several years. I'm pretty sure she has some arthritis, and the vet agrees. She can still jump up on the sofa, but she's very careful about it these days. I love this cat so much that when she had a stroke last winter and stopped breathing, I gave her mouth to mouth respiration until she started breathing again, and didn't even blink as the medical bills for the episode went over $1K. So it's not like I don't care. I went over the last few months posts here, and the advice that I see the most, that makes the most sense to me, is that the decision whether or not to put the cat to sleep should be based on the cat's quality of life. Princess still seems pretty happy overall, is always ready for some lap time and petting, is always ready and eager for dinner, and can get where she wants to go without assistance. Her health seems to be slowly declining now, so I don't think that there's that much time left. I think this winter will be hard for her. I don't want to cheat her out of time she should have left, but I don't want her to suffer. But it's just getting harder and harder to have patience with the bathroom stuff. Any thoughts or advice would be welcome. Lisa > Also this year, we've developed a cat box problem. She urinates out > of the box. She's standing IN the box, but seems to have trouble [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > would solve the problem. But this morning, it looks like she urinated > next to the box. This is going to sound nutty, but... have you talked to your vet about this? Assuming there's no new health problem, maybe she just doesn't like the new box, or having to climb up a ramp. Maybe you could, uh, lengthen the runway. Reinstall the old box, but with an additional shallow box just outside the open door. Fill the shallow box with a little litter she doesn't like, so that she won't urinate while standing in the extra box. When she stands in the old box, the stream will go out the door and land in the new box. > > Also this year, we've developed a cat box problem. She urinates out > > of the box. She's standing IN the box, but seems to have trouble [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > This is going to sound nutty, but... have you talked to your vet about > this? Yes, on more than one occasion. He assures me that there is nothing "medical" causing this, although like me, he feels that at least part of the issue is simply being too old to comfortably squat. He is monitoring her blood pressure and kidney function. > Assuming there's no new health problem, maybe she just doesn't like the > new box, or having to climb up a ramp. Maybe you could, uh, lengthen [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > box. When she stands in the old box, the stream will go out the door > and land in the new box. And Karen Chuplis wrote: > Can you put *another* box in front of the door? Sort of extend it a bit? I > hesitate to have you change the box to a bigger open one since she is 21 and > way used to a covered one. For more than 10 years she used the same box, which she seemed to like, a medium sized regular covered box. Until I moved here in '96, her box was always on the deck, here it's been in the garage. When the problem started, I bought a very large covered box with a high step in sill. She managed to get in there fine, and seemed to like the box well enough, but when it didn't solve the problem, I switched back to her old box. I also tried putting a plastic tub lid under the box, with a little bit of the lid sticking out from the step in end of the box. Often though, the errant stream reaches like 8 inches or even more beyond the doorway. And then sometimes she would go in the undertray, in the crystal litter than she detests. Although the undertray idea offered some relief, it doesn't seem to be the answer. I thought about a really big undertray, like an oil drip pan for a driveway. While that would keep the urine off the floor (unfortunately, somewhat slanted), it would still mean cleaning the undertray and bottom of the cat box several times a week. I could be ok with once or maybe even twice a week. It's a pretty big stinky job. What do you think of the idea of having a REALLY big box made for her? Something like 2 feet by three feet, maybe covered? And thanks so much for your replies, I notice you two seem to be regulars here. Lisa Lisa wrote: >Any thoughts or advice would be >welcome. Since the problem is not that she doesn't use the box, but that she pees over the side I have an idea that may work for her. Get one of those tall plastic storage bins, but make sure to choose one that is not too wide but is long. Being that your cat is arthritic, I would cut an opening in the *side* of the box, rather than the end such as a standard covered box has. Make it low enough that she can easily step in. The reason I suggest that you do it on the side is because, if the box is not too wide, she will not be able to stand comfortably facing the side and will have to turn and stand with her rear facing the end where the wall of the box is high. Even if she pees standing up it will still hit the wall instead of going over it. I did this once before with a cat that did what your cat is doing and it worked like a charm. Storage bins are cheap and this would be worth a try. Megan  Signature"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray > Lisa wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > tall plastic storage bins, but make sure to choose one that is not too > wide but is long. You're brilliant! I've been trying to think of how to make a (preferably covered) cat box that's big, with tall sides, and with the opening in the long side. I should be able to find an appropriately sized tub, and I can certainly cut my own (narrow!) access hole in the correct side. And the plastic would be easy to clean. Looks like Princess will have a new custom cat box within a day or two:) Lisa Put heavy duty plastic underneath the box, and go to the section of drug store that has depends. Their are adult diapers that unfold so they are perfectly flat, a good 2 foot by 2 foot square. Lay a couple of those out on top of the plastic, and if she does have an accident, they will absorb the urine. You just pick up/throw away, and replace them. > > Lisa wrote: > > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Lisa It sounds like your cat may have some of urinary or bladder infection or other problem. Have you had an X-ray? Sometimes these things arent detectable except by X-ray or something similar. It does sound medical to me. Maybe you need a second opinion? > It sounds like your cat may have some of urinary or bladder infection > or other problem. Have you had an X-ray? Sometimes these things arent > detectable except by X-ray or something similar. It does sound medical > to me. Maybe you need a second opinion? Yes, she's had an X-ray, and urinalysis. In the first 18 years or so of her life, she only got sick twice, or was it three times. So I don't mind at all spending money on vet bills these days. Lisa My Kitty is 17 and growing arthritic. For the last several years, she has not squatted as much as she used to when she uses the litter box, and she pees over the edge of the box. Her box is in the spare room shower stall and I lay newspaper under her box. Everyday I scoop her box and replace the paper and every few days I use the shower to wash the area. She does not have any urinary problems; it's just a matter of age and flexibility. She grooms herself much less, so I brush her much more. It takes her longer to get up from a nap and she's pretty unsteady as stands. But she is still the sweetest cat I've ever met. -- I'd like to thank everyone for their replies again, every one is appreciated. Apart from one incident, Princess seems to be adapting OK to the Booda Igloo. I'm sure she must find the ramp convenient. I find the ramp convenient as that's where the output of bad aim ends up, not on the floor :) But if this doesn't work out, I know where to get a really big tub! Lisa |
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