Laying in litter before peeing

[Allyocean]

My cat is FLUTD. After many thousands of dollars in tests, medicine behaviorist and in home vet visits that is the final diagnosis. He has been spraying against the wall where his litter box is.for year's off and on.. So he was put on Gabapentin. After 6 months I took him off due to extreme lethargy at smallest dose. I have his "bathroom" walls lined with pee pads. He has been spraying daily for over a month. But within the same day he pees normal. 3 days ago he was given clean bill of health. No infection, crystals perfect ph and today I saw him get in his box and lay down. So I started to watch and he lay there for maybe 1 or 2 minutes. Then got up squated and peed. Anyone know why? He's an only cat and loved more than life. Anyone else have this? Second time I have seen this in last month

 

[Mr. Meow]

I do have a kitten (a boy) who lays down to pee, but he has permanent brain damage, so I'm not entirely sure if it's because of that or not. He's the only cat I've ever had who lays down to pee, or sometimes lays, then gets up to squat as you mentioned. The only thing I can think of, is the cats think/feel like they have to go, but once they're in the litter box, maybe they just aren't quite ready to go as they thought.
As for the spraying, have you/are you cleaning the sprayed areas with a really good enzyme cleaner? Regular cleaners won't do the trick and depending on what your wall I'd made of, or how long ago it was built/painted, it could have soaked into the wall itself (as water would damage drywall). Short of replacing the drywall, you can try some calming/no marking spray, or the enzyme cleaner as mentioned above.

 

[Allyocean]

I use skouts honor. I have plastic carpet runner tacked to the wall with the pee pads on top that I replace daily after scrubbing the plastic. I have wondered if he was just kinda waiting till he had to go like you said. So it may be a thing| just weird but I suppose that is part of loving cats

 

[susanm9006]

How is his behavior otherwise And how old is he? My concern with the laying down for a minute would be if the act of walking to his litterbox was wearing him out and he had to rest for a minute before he had enough energy to go.

 

[Allyocean]

He seems good. Plays and runs and jumps fine. He's 9. I will watch him though. Never thought of that

 

[tabbytom]

So I started to watch and he lay there for maybe 1 or 2 minutes. Then got up squated and peed. Anyone know why? He's an only cat and loved more than life. Anyone else have this? Second time I have seen this in last month

My boy does this but nit all the time. Sometimes when he goes to pee, he'll dig around then lay down for awhile and then get up dig again and pee.

I guess this is just a habit or it's just them. Sometimes, my boy will dig, lay and get out and chase his litter on the floor and then come back to pee. It could be just his playful mood or sometimes never return to pee. It could be that he's not urgent at all.

Some cats find comfort in laying on litter.

As long as he is having normal pee and not staring and crying while trying to pee or visiting the litterbox many times in a minute and have no pee, then this is a concern, other than that, I won't worry.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. At age 9, another thought crossed my mind. He might have some arthritis, which can flare up at times, and hardly be noticeable at other times - might explain the spraying and the other odd behavior in the litter box. The position he holds to pee could bother him and as a result he stands and sprays - maybe that isn't why he was doing it years ago, but could be the cause now. When he sits down in the litterbox first and then gets up to squat and pee could also be from aggravation getting into the box, if it is not a low sided one. Different motions can cause arthritic pain - depending on where the arthritis is located - when other motions don't bother the affected joints. A few x-rays should show up any arthritic joints.