Cat on Urinary diet still pees on the floor

[Alyss_]

Hello everyone, first post here.
I've read other threads on the matter and I want to share my problem. English is not my first language to bear with me.

My 2 years old fluffy cat has always had issues on this matter. He got neutered at 7 months cause he started peeing everywhere and kept going even after that.
His fav places to pee outside of the litter box are CARPETS, we had to remove all the carpets in the house cause he would just pee on it on and off.

In November what started as his usual "I'm peeing on the floor behavior" turned out to be UTI with crystals and he had to spend 3 days at the clinic. It got bad to the point he couldn't pee and it was horrible.

Since then, he started a Urinary food only diet, it was hard to find a combo he liked but we figured it out.

Now something is clearly going on and I don't know what it is. He seems healthy, eats, plays a lot, doesn't behave at all like he did we I had to take him to the clinic. But he started once again peeing outside the litter box on the floor every now and then.

He pees two times a day now that he's on the Urinary diet ( when he was on normal food he used to pee much more )

I'm starting to think it's a behavioral problem cause he mostly does this when we get home from work and at night before we go to sleep.
He also has this bad habit of attacking my legs and hurting me when I don't give him food immediately.

I'm trying to figure out if all of this is stress related or if he's starting to have issues with his bladder again. Can that happen even if he's on a diet?

I texted my Vet earlier and i'll wait for an answer tomorrow ( hopefully ) but I want to hear your opinions

Thank you

 

[FeebysOwner]

Urinary care food is not a guarantee in terms of completely preventing crystal formation and UTIs, especially if they are related to stress. Sometimes stress can bring about spasms in the urinary tract which can constrict urine flow and cause discomfort. I wouldn't chance it and would have him checked out by a vet again in case another partial blockage is happening. Canned food is better than dry, just because of the added moisture, and there are canned food versions of the urinary care foods if he is not already eating those. Extra moisture is a major part of the key to keeping his bladder flushed out in order to help reduce the amount of sediment that can accumulate which leads to the formation of crystals. So, make sure he has multiple water dishes placed around the house for his access. Sometimes cats will drink more from having a water fountain. I have included some links below regarding urinary tract issues that can be related to stress, one about tyring to get your cat to drink more, and another article about stress in general.

Not sure what to say about him biting you when he wants food, but it could be that he isn't getting enough food, or that his schedule isn't consistent enough. One of the things that is best for a cat with stress induced urinary tract issues is to have a routine that varies as little as possible. Cats can be very routine oriented.
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (flutd) – TheCatSite Articles
Feline Idiopathic Cystitis – How To Improve Your Cat’s Quality Of Life – TheCatSite Articles
Stress in Cats – The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles
Tips To Increase Your Cat’s Water Intake – TheCatSite Articles

 

[Alyss_]

Urinary care food is not a guarantee in terms of completely preventing crystal formation and UTIs, especially if they are related to stress. Sometimes stress can bring about spasms in the urinary tract which can constrict urine flow and cause discomfort. I wouldn't chance it and would have him checked out by a vet again in case another partial blockage is happening. Canned food is better than dry, just because of the added moisture, and there are canned food versions of the urinary care foods if he is not already eating those. Extra moisture is a major part of the key to keeping his bladder flushed out in order to help reduce the amount of sediment that can accumulate which leads to the formation of crystals. So, make sure he has multiple water dishes placed around the house for his access. Sometimes cats will drink more from having a water fountain. I have included some links below regarding urinary tract issues that can be related to stress, one about tyring to get your cat to drink more, and another article about stress in general.

Not sure what to say about him biting you when he wants food, but it could be that he isn't getting enough food, or that his schedule isn't consistent enough. One of the things that is best for a cat with stress induced urinary tract issues is to have a routine that varies as little as possible. Cats can be very routine oriented.
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (flutd) – TheCatSite Articles
Feline Idiopathic Cystitis – How To Improve Your Cat’s Quality Of Life – TheCatSite Articles
Stress in Cats – The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles
Tips To Increase Your Cat’s Water Intake – TheCatSite Articles

Hello, thank you for the links

He eats a lot of wet food - dry one mostly during the day while we're at work. Last time when he had the blockage you could see something was wrong with him. Right now nothing seems wrong instead. He has 2 water bowls and I've been giving him bottled water, I've tried the fountain and he tips it over or splashes everywhere so I gave up.

The biting i thought too that it was connected to him being hungry.He has a routine actually so maybe it's the amount of food. He does that only with me though and not with my mom.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Yeah, some cats just don't do well with water fountains!! Anything else going on 'different' in your home that could be provoking some stress? Anything changed with you since he is only biting you? Although, if you are the one that provides his food for him, then it could explain why he is biting you and not your mom.

It took a while for him to get to the place he was before where you had to take him to the clinic, this could be just the beginning and that is why you are not yet seeing the exact same problems as you saw before.

 

[maggie101]

Have you checked his l.itterbox Remove the tops if you haven't already. A urinalysis your vet might suggest. He may need a bigger box

 

[Alyss_]

Yeah, some cats just don't do well with water fountains!! Anything else going on 'different' in your home that could be provoking some stress? Anything changed with you since he is only biting you? Although, if you are the one that provides his food for him, then it could explain why he is biting you and not your mom.

Nothing he always did this and it got worse since I changed the urinary dry food brand ( that's what i noticed ) which is the one he likes a lot.

It took a while for him to get to the place he was before where you had to take him to the clinic, this could be just the beginning and that is why you are not yet seeing the exact same problems as you saw before.

True but he used to urinate a lot even before the blockage - while now he goes just 2 max 3 times a day which from what the vet said it's how it is supposed to be.

Ah, I also give him 'Cystophan" which is a supplement.

 

[Alyss_]

Have you checked his l.itterbox Remove the tops if you haven't already. A urinalysis your vet might suggest. He may need a bigger box

You know I've been thinking about the bigger box - yes mine is covered but i removed the door long ago - he sometimes doesn't even cover his stuff. He's 7.5kg and a pretty big cat ( as you may see in my profile pic ) and i've been thinking lately of getting a bigger litter box. We don't have much space sadly

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't think there is a 'specific norm' for how many times a cat should be peeing - that varies by cat. The number of times might not be as important as the volume per time. Maybe he pees more each time now than he did before when he was going more often?

Maybe try mixing some of this dry food he likes with water - in a separate dish, just as a test - and see if he will eat it that way? Just looking at ways to get more moisture in his system.

Even if it is behavioral in nature, it is still likely stress related. Something would have to be going on, one way or the other, to provoke a behavioral change.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

And when he does go outside the litter box, are you cleaning it up with an enzymatic cleaner. Even though it's not on carpet, you can't just wipe it up with a rag or damp paper towel. He can still smell it even though you can't, and will be drawn to that area to pee again. If it's a behavioral problem, try setting the new, larger litter box where he is currently using the floor. But first, I would definitely make sure he doesn't have a UTI. He might not act too different with a simple UTI aside from urinating outside the box.

 

[Alldara]

This is a great place to start for FLUTD Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) | International Cat Care

Since the painful urination, have you changed his litter box and litter type?

THe urinary food prevents blockages and crystals, but does NOT prevent infections. He should get a urinalysis at the vet ASAP before it becomes a kidney infection.

FLUTD can become a behaviour problem because they associate their litter box with pain. This is why I suggest changing the box and the litter. I recommend using anything that is not clay and not pine. Pretty Litter might actually be your best bet as it will help you monitor if there's an infection or behaviour issue! Delivery Subscription: Health Monitoring Cat Litter | PrettyLitter


Puppy pee pads where he normally goes would be best.

some questions to help us tailor the advice a bit further:
- is he an only cat, only pet?
- how many humans in the home?
- where is the litter located? Is it covered? Busy or calm area? How many boxes and is there one on each floor of your home?

 

[Alldara]

And when he does go outside the litter box, are you cleaning it up with an enzymatic cleaner. Even though it's not on carpet, you can't just wipe it up with a rag or damp paper towel. He can still smell it even though you can't, and will be drawn to that area to pee again. If it's a behavioral problem, try setting the new, larger litter box where he is currently using the floor. But first, I would definitely make sure he doesn't have a UTI. He might not act too different with a simple UTI aside from urinating outside the box.

I'm also going to second this. Nobel was playing with me seconds before his first ever episode with URI.
In his younger years he frequently went on beds and the similar, but after I got his FLUTD under control, he didn't do that for 8 years.

 

[Alyss_]

I don't think there is a 'specific norm' for how many times a cat should be peeing - that varies by cat. The number of times might not be as important as the volume per time. Maybe he pees more each time now than he did before when he was going more often?

Maybe try mixing some of this dry food he likes with water - in a separate dish, just as a test - and see if he will eat it that way? Just looking at ways to get more moisture in his system.

Even if it is behavioral in nature, it is still likely stress related. Something would have to be going on, one way or the other, to provoke a behavioral change.

Oh but he drinks a lot in both bowls with no problem, he especially likes the one i put in the sink.
When he was sick he was urinating more times cause he couldn't get it all out at once, and then the infection, now he pees a lot two / 2 times a day like he used to back when he was a kitten and seems fine through the whole day.

Something is going on for 10 days now.
Two days in a row right after new years he pooped on the floor in the living room / kitchen, both times at night right before we went to sleep. During this time he alwaysgets extremely crazy, zoomies and all, asks for food and attacks me if i don't give him enough. I try to play with him a lot and then give him food after playing but it's not enough apparently. He's clearly bothered by something.

 

[Alyss_]

And when he does go outside the litter box, are you cleaning it up with an enzymatic cleaner. Even though it's not on carpet, you can't just wipe it up with a rag or damp paper towel. He can still smell it even though you can't, and will be drawn to that area to pee again. If it's a behavioral problem, try setting the new, larger litter box where he is currently using the floor. But first, I would definitely make sure he doesn't have a UTI. He might not act too different with a simple UTI aside from urinating outside the box.

Yes we clean it with baking soda ( i hope it's the right eng word ) and other pee remover products.
Like i said i'm thinking about a new litter box i just have to figure out where to put it, cause the place where he pees in the living room it's - both places - are "in the way" of us walking by. Our house is not big.

Idk about the UTI cause last time he was acting completely different, if you read my post above this one, he also pooped 2 times on the floor. I'm waiting for the vet to answer me, last time he made him take the Urine tests and those came out okay even if he had crystals.

 

[Alyss_]

This is a great place to start for FLUTD Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) | International Cat Care

Since the painful urination, have you changed his litter box and litter type?

THe urinary food prevents blockages and crystals, but does NOT prevent infections. He should get a urinalysis at the vet ASAP before it becomes a kidney infection.

FLUTD can become a behaviour problem because they associate their litter box with pain. This is why I suggest changing the box and the litter. I recommend using anything that is not clay and not pine. Pretty Litter might actually be your best bet as it will help you monitor if there's an infection or behaviour issue! Delivery Subscription: Health Monitoring Cat Litter | PrettyLitter

Puppy pee pads where he normally goes would be best.

some questions to help us tailor the advice a bit further:
- is he an only cat, only pet?
- how many humans in the home?
- where is the litter located? Is it covered? Busy or calm area? How many boxes and is there one on each floor of your home?

We didn't change the litter box but we did change the litter type multiple times.

It can become a Kidney infection? How? Why?

We don't have Pretty Litter here in italy. I'll check it out and see if I find something similar.

Yes he's an only pet, we can't get another one.
2 humans at home
the litter is in the bathroom covered but without the door. One box ( see previous answers about adding another one )
House is small

Ps. I've been watching all kinds of videos - Jackson Galaxy ones too and have been analyizing everything lately

 

[Alldara]

Alyss_ Hey! FLUTD is a hard thing to manage. I've been managing it for my cats life, 17 years now I've worked very hard to find solutions to these types of issues both for myself and others are litter issues are the primary cause of rehoming cats.

UTI to Kidney Infection: a bladder infection can be caused by him holding his urine too long. Or having a FLUTD flare up and bacteria gets caught in the pockets of the bladder (see my earlier link re: FLUTD care) A bladder infection can become a kidney infection because it can travel there. This is how it works in most mammals: Kidney infection - Symptoms and causes.

Sometimes a bladder infection will cause a lot of pain and sometimes only a little. So it can still travel to the kidney and cause damage.

Only cat: Not a bad thing. We can rule out anyone bullying him out of the litter box.
It does mean that in order to reduce stress though he will need extra enrichment. There are many videos and websites dedicated to this. Take a look and see what works best for you and him. Rotate stuff out and provide different things at different times. Check out Jackson Galaxy's catification videos, the renter ones are best for small spaces.

Litter box: I'm sorry to say but you need to remove the litter cover completely. You may be able to put it back on in the future, however, right now while sick your cat needs it off. Anytime he starts peeing anywhere else, that lid needs to be removed.

As for location, there's two main options and one substitute option. If that bathroom door gets shut ever for whatever reason (ie you have a guest) he can't access it. That's not doable for a cat with UTIs or chronic urinary issues. He cannot ever be stopped from going in his box, not even for 5 minutes. This only increases the urinary troubles and behavioural aspect to it.

Either you can move it, or add a cat door/flap to the bathroom door.

Third option is to keep that one there and add another one somewhere else also. I would highly recommend a combination of adding another litter and a cat door to the bathroom. Two litters for a urinary cat is actually the best. There's tons of things you can get like the link below to add a small box to your main area and then leave your bathroom box uncovered (at least for now and anytime he acts up). https://a.co/d/cR6zCgq

or things like this where you have a litter/tree combo for small spaces: https://a.co/d/dhm1phK

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I agree with taking the cover off the litter box, and giving him a 2nd one. It doesn't seem to make sense, but putting his 2nd box inside something else is NOT the same as using a covered box. For instance, we have this in our bedroom and have plants and other things on top of it, with the a very large litter box inside it. Neither of our cats have an issue using it, whereas they won't use a litter box with a built-in cover on it. I guess because inside this piece of furniture there is plenty of headspace. And there are air filters on the back to help with any litter dust. But since you mentioned he is also now pooping outside the box, I definitely think you need to either move the existing box or add an additional one. AND discuss these changes with your Vet. Any change in behavior like this needs a Vet visit. Hopefully there is nothing wrong healthwise, but best to be certain.

 

[Alyss_]

Alyss_ Hey! FLUTD is a hard thing to manage. I've been managing it for my cats life, 17 years now I've worked very hard to find solutions to these types of issues both for myself and others are litter issues are the primary cause of rehoming cats.

UTI to Kidney Infection: a bladder infection can be caused by him holding his urine too long. Or having a FLUTD flare up and bacteria gets caught in the pockets of the bladder (see my earlier link re: FLUTD care) A bladder infection can become a kidney infection because it can travel there. This is how it works in most mammals: Kidney infection - Symptoms and causes.

Sometimes a bladder infection will cause a lot of pain and sometimes only a little. So it can still travel to the kidney and cause damage.

Only cat: Not a bad thing. We can rule out anyone bullying him out of the litter box.
It does mean that in order to reduce stress though he will need extra enrichment. There are many videos and websites dedicated to this. Take a look and see what works best for you and him. Rotate stuff out and provide different things at different times. Check out Jackson Galaxy's catification videos, the renter ones are best for small spaces.

Litter box: I'm sorry to say but you need to remove the litter cover completely. You may be able to put it back on in the future, however, right now while sick your cat needs it off. Anytime he starts peeing anywhere else, that lid needs to be removed.

As for location, there's two main options and one substitute option. If that bathroom door gets shut ever for whatever reason (ie you have a guest) he can't access it. That's not doable for a cat with UTIs or chronic urinary issues. He cannot ever be stopped from going in his box, not even for 5 minutes. This only increases the urinary troubles and behavioural aspect to it.

Either you can move it, or add a cat door/flap to the bathroom door.

Third option is to keep that one there and add another one somewhere else also. I would highly recommend a combination of adding another litter and a cat door to the bathroom. Two litters for a urinary cat is actually the best. There's tons of things you can get like the link below to add a small box to your main area and then leave your bathroom box uncovered (at least for now and anytime he acts up). https://a.co/d/cR6zCgq

or things like this where you have a litter/tree combo for small spaces: https://a.co/d/dhm1phK

I'm a big Jackson Galaxy fan and i've been following his advices too but I also wanted other people opinions. Same goes for catification - i love he term - i thought i did all I could when he got here as a kitten.

My littler box upper part is not removable but i'm gonna try to add a second one and see what happens. I've seen the "plant" one and it looks cool. We have that one here on Amazon too. The bathroom door is never closed by the way.

Tonight he acted normal when we came home, did everything his box. Attacked my wrist once again while i was sitting at my desk out of nowhere just to ask for food 5 min later.

 

[Alyss_]

I agree with taking the cover off the litter box, and giving him a 2nd one. It doesn't seem to make sense, but putting his 2nd box inside something else is NOT the same as using a covered box. For instance, we have this in our bedroom and have plants and other things on top of it, with the a very large litter box inside it. Neither of our cats have an issue using it, whereas they won't use a litter box with a built-in cover on it. I guess because inside this piece of furniture there is plenty of headspace. And there are air filters on the back to help with any litter dust. But since you mentioned he is also now pooping outside the box, I definitely think you need to either move the existing box or add an additional one. AND discuss these changes with your Vet. Any change in behavior like this needs a Vet visit. Hopefully there is nothing wrong healthwise, but best to be certain.

View attachment 441416

I totally thought about getting this! Had many on my Amazon wishlist, it's my other option, I gotta figure out where to put it, I've seen a bunch of video where they say these are not okay either for cats. I should try though cause they also look cool.

The poop problem happened twice two days in a row, first time right after my mom yelled at him cause he attacked me while i was in bed, second time again right before we went to bed he went crazy ( zoomies and all ) and then pooped in the same spot.

Thankfully that didn't happen again.

I noticed he tends to pee on the floor after pooping, like he doesn't want to pee in the same spot till we cleaned it.

I'm like, making a list of clues ( thanks Jackson Galaxy for the advice ) to figure this whole thing out.

My Vet keeps telling him he might be stressed.

 

[maggie101]

I totally thought about getting this! Had many on my Amazon wishlist, it's my other option, I gotta figure out where to put it, I've seen a bunch of video where they say these are not okay either for cats. I should try though cause they also look cool.

The poop problem happened twice two days in a row, first time right after my mom yelled at him cause he attacked me while i was in bed, second time again right before we went to bed he went crazy ( zoomies and all ) and then pooped in the same spot.

Thankfully that didn't happen again.

I noticed he tends to pee on the floor after pooping, like he doesn't want to pee in the same spot till we cleaned it.

I'm like, making a list of clues ( thanks Jackson Galaxy for the advice ) to figure this whole thing out.

My Vet keeps telling him he might be stressed.

Pooping outside the box is probably stress. Or location. My cats use the box where ever I am so bedroom and living room. Smell has never been a problem . My cat peachesmat that age, would nip me if she wanted something. At 10 yrs old she is very sweet. Still has a time limit of how long to give her attention. Not nearly as feisty. Sounds like you need another box! Mine are storage bins

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Mine are storage bins

Mine are too. I use the tall rubber maid ones and cut down one end so they can get inside. I think we ended up having to use tin snips to cut the opening, then lined it with duct tape to make sure there weren't any rough edges. I think some people have said they used a a wood burning tool or something like that that melted the plastic to form the opening.