10 Year Old Female Started Urinating Outside Litterbox

[hiccupkitty]

Hello, I appreciate any advice! I've read all the articles on this site (and several elsewhere on the web) about litter habits and bladder infections but am thinking some of you might have some personal insight.

I adopted my cat when she was 5 years old and while we have had some issues with chin acne and anal glands, she has never gone outside of the litter box. Three weeks ago I stayed at the hospital for 4 days while my dad had surgery. My brother took care of her but when I got home I found that she had urinated on my bath mat. I cleaned the area with arm & hammer urine/odor carpet spray (I was told by a friend that it would work on tile). But she continued to urinate in the same area even though I got rid of the mat. When I was cleaning the urine I thought I saw crystals so I brought her to the vet right away. They did an x-ray and blood work which came back normal. They started her on antibiotics, pain meds, a med to open the urethra, and new food, saying that they'll do a ua and culture when she finishes her antibiotics. But now I'm wondering if I got paranoid and that the crystals were actually pieces of litter.

Should I call the vet now and see if we can do the ua and culture now?

I clean the litter box once a day, so maybe she's getting picky and I should change it to twice a day? Maybe my brother didn't clean the box as often as he told me he did?

Thank you for your insight, I am in a panic trying to figure out what's going on with my baby.

 

[GLBpetres38]

Hello, I appreciate any advice! I've read all the articles on this site (and several elsewhere on the web) about litter habits and bladder infections but am thinking some of you might have some personal insight.

I adopted my cat when she was 5 years old and while we have had some issues with chin acne and anal glands, she has never gone outside of the litter box. Three weeks ago I stayed at the hospital for 4 days while my dad had surgery. My brother took care of her but when I got home I found that she had urinated on my bath mat. I cleaned the area with arm & hammer urine/odor carpet spray (I was told by a friend that it would work on tile). But she continued to urinate in the same area even though I got rid of the mat. When I was cleaning the urine I thought I saw crystals so I brought her to the vet right away. They did an x-ray and blood work which came back normal. They started her on antibiotics, pain meds, a med to open the urethra, and new food, saying that they'll do a ua and culture when she finishes her antibiotics. But now I'm wondering if I got paranoid and that the crystals were actually pieces of litter.

Should I call the vet now and see if we can do the ua and culture now?

I clean the litter box once a day, so maybe she's getting picky and I should change it to twice a day? Maybe my brother didn't clean the box as often as he told me he did?

Thank you for your insight, I am in a panic trying to figure out what's going on with my baby.

her behavior indicates that she missed you and was afraid of the alternate caretaker. If he did not know him or had any previous interactions with him
it is a scary event especially for a cat who was adopted as an adult.
the marking she did on the mat was to show who ever came inside the house that its her house. Did you leave a night light on for her at night, some music on during the day? this helps with separation anxiety issues.
try putting her regular litter box in the area where the mat was than slowly over a period of weeks move it out of that site back to where you want it.
also use a plug in feliway pheromone in your house this is so good for Anxiet and marking

 

[rubysmama]

How long has she been on the antibiotics? Is she using the litter box all the time now?

 

[danteshuman]

I think more then likely it is stress induced crystals. Hopefully with all her medical care, you back and a box in her favorite pee spot this behavior will end. My boy is super attached to me and would go crazy if I left him for 4 days by himself. Also have you tried using a black light to see if all her pee got cleaned up/ to check for new pee spots?

 

[hiccupkitty]

Hi I realize I never updated this post! I got a second litter box, put it in a place that was less hidden, changed the litter and we’ve been all good! Thank you all for your advise and kind words!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Excellent news! Good to know, and glad you thought to update us. Sometimes these threads just get 'lost in the shuffle', so it is nice when a thread starter actually comes back to let us know an issue has been resolved!!

 

[rubysmama]

Yes, thanks so much for updating the thread.

Also glad everything worked out.

 

[danteshuman]

Good to hear! You never realize how how much of a toll their peeing & pooping everywhere takes until it stops!!!