Neutered Cat Peed In The House - Marking Territory, Sickness Or Accident?

[Kitcat2017]

Hi guys.. I'm super confused and I was hoping you could help me..

I have 1.5 year old neutered boy who has been with us for almost a year now and is a dream. He brings so much joy in our lives. He's super well behaved and nice. We've never had issues with him going outside the box or anything. Not even once. He has never peed or pooped in the house once. Something weird happened today though.. But first a little background. Kit Cat has access to all rooms in our house and he likes weird spots to sit like every cat. One of his favorite is by the fridge, where we keep 32 bottle watercases, usually 2. He sits inside the cases between the bottles. I always thought it was super cute and he has been doing it since we got him a year ago. We bought another case of water two days ago and put it on top of the other two. Which made it difficult for him to get inside the case I guess as there's no room since the case hasn't been opened it.

Today I came home from work and we played and cuddled like we usually do. I sat down to watch some TV and he was running around the kitchen playing. He started long meows and I didn't think much of it. He meows and talks sometimes. Then I heard a biiig cough or a sneeze.. I couldn't figure out what it was but he seemed fine, not gagging or choking or anything. 10 minutes later I walked up and I saw some liquid on the floor close to the watercases. I thought maybe I spilled water when pouring myself a glass but I cleaned it up and it smelled like pee! I can't figure out why would he do that! Is he mad because we added another watercase where he sits? Is he sick, is it a UTI? Or is it an accident? Is it because he sneezed or coughed hard and that put pressure in his bladder? Or is he marking his territory 1 year later! There was pee all over the bottom watercase and he saw me all distressed, cleaning them up and I assume that made him anxious too. He has been running away from me since.. but he's completely normal other than that. Eating, drinking water, playing, I cleaned his box - everything seems okay..

But I'm so confused and worried! He's the love of my life. I don't want him to be in pain or be mad at us.. please help, I don't know if I did something or if something is wrong. Should I take him to the vet? Am I overreacting? All his shots and heartworm meds are up to date.. Here's a photo of my crazy kid

inside the watercases.

 

[Margret]

When my Sweet Thing went into kidney failure I mis-identified the symptoms as deliberate acting out - she was peeing in places where she normally wouldn't, and had some cause (from her viewpoint) to be angry with us since we'd gone away for a long weekend, leaving her at home with a sitter coming in.

I've never heard of a cat having stress incontinence, but it makes sense that they could. I gather that there was a large quantity of pee? If so, his bladder was definitely pretty full at the time.

Do I correctly understand that Kit Cat was neutered a year ago? If the neuter is recent (and a year ago isn't "recent" in this context) then the male hormones are still in his system and it isn't worth worrying about. Barring that, however, the general rule with cats is that any major change in behavior warrants a vet visit to rule out (or discover) physical causes. Be sure to mention the sneezing sound you heard to the vet; it may be relevant.

Margret

 

[Kitcat2017]

Hi.. we had been out of town for 5 days in June and the sitter used to visit him once a day. There was no issue while we were gone. He was neutered a year ago. The quantity wasn't too large but I'd say it was plenty..

Should I take him to the vet immediately?..

 

[Margret]

You should call and make an appointment immediately. This isn't an emergency situation; you certainly don't need an after-hours visit to the veterinary E.R., you just need to get an appointment. If other symptoms show up - say, obvious discomfort peeing, peeing elsewhere outside the box, any evidence of pain - that increases the urgency and you call the vet and ask for a much earlier (i.e. immediate) appointment.

Edit: duckpond is correct. Yes, this does rate declaring an emergency and trying to get a vet visit tonight or tomorrow. It probably still doesn't rate an after-hours E.R. visit, unless you're unable to get an immediate appointment. If that happens and you can't find a different vet, visit the E.R..

I doubt that this was caused by your having been out of town in June; it's been too long for that to be the cause. While you're waiting for your vet appointment I would suggest that you do what you can to restore Kit Cat's access to his favorite hiding spot, even if it means removing a couple of bottles from the new case before you're ready to drink them.

Margret

 

[duckpond]

One of the first symptoms of a URI or blockage is peeing outside of the litter box. The long meows may have been a signal of pain? Blockages can turn deadly for a male cat, very quickly. I would have him a vet visit either today, or at least tomorrow. And if he seems to be in pain, lethargic, or just acting off it would be an emergency visit time.

Hopefully he is fine, but a vet visit as soon as you can is i think important. Do keep us updated on him!

 

[Margret]

duckpond , I stand corrected. Immediate vet visit, just in case!

Margret

 

[Kitcat2017]

Thank you! I'm going to call his vet first thing tomorrow morning. I just called and they're closed for the night..

I'm so worried now.. So there's no possibility that it could happen from the cough or sneeze causing pressure to his bladder? My poor kid has been through so much last year already with constipation issues.. it breaks my heart thinking he might be having new health problems..

 

[Margret]

Yes, what you're asking about is called "stress incontinence;" it's the reason at least one person on this site asks people to warn her before posting funny things, because laughter does it to her. Yes, presumably it could be stress incontinence, but we have no way to tell.

Here's what you do. Call your vet's office again, but this time wait through the entire long message about how the office is closed. At the end there should be an option to get in touch with whoever is on-call after hours. Take that option, and follow the advice the vet gives you; just make sure it's a vet you're talking to, not just the answering service. If the vet says it's okay to wait until morning, it's okay. If not, either there will be a way to get the on-call vet to see him tonight or the vet will advise you to take him to the E.R..

Margret

 

[duckpond]

Hopefully you can get a vet visit today, please do update us on him. Hopefully no blockage,hopefully just an accident, or just stress, or even a UTI that will clear up with antibiotics. Just always best to be safe with cats, and respond quickly, especially males. Let us know when you have time

 

[Kitcat2017]

UPDATE:

Hi all. No UTI or blockage. Vet said to keep an eye on his box though and said apparently bladder issues for cats can be caused by stress just like for humans it's ulcer. So I am watching his box more than I watch TV right now.. I showed her photos and gave her the whole story about the watercase situation. She thinks it was either puke (as it was clear, smelled a little but not too much and I heard a cough) or it was stress and anxiety. She gave me a cup of pearly things to collect his urine sample IF I notice anything strange so they can do a urine test. All said I said keep everything jusssst the way it was it least for now and gradually make changes if needed - and that includes moving a watercase.. She said if it continues to happen and his urine test comes out clean she's going to suggest anti-anxiety medication for him :\ that kinda concerned me..
Other than that we are doing okay for now. Fingers crossed that I won't notice anything strange or different.

Thank you for your help and support and for keeping me calm!!!

 

[duckpond]

Great, thank you for the update. Im glad there is no UTI or Blockage. I would just follow her advice. We will keep our fingers crossed that there are no further issues!

 

[catlover73]

Ok maybe I am little confused. Your vet gave you something to get a urine sample if there are still issues. Did your vet collect a urine sample for testing at the appointment? If I am reading what you said correctly then your vet just examined your cat and decided there was no UTI. When my cat was diagnosed with a UTI the vet tested a sample of his urine in the office to determine he had a UTI. An exam can help determine there is no blocakge but I am not to sure how an exam alone can determine there is no UTI based on my experience. If this happens again please get a 2nd opinion if your vet is not willing to test his urine in the office. When my cat had his UTI the only sign something was wrong was him peeing on our recliner in front of my hubby twice. He was still eating, drinking and other wise acting normal. If you can keep an eye on the size of his pee clumps if he is using the box. If you notice the clumps seem smaller or he is peeing more than seems normal those are signs of a UTI. If the clumps get smaller or he acts like he is in pain when peeing those can be signs that he is heading toward a blockage. My cat also hid in the litter box and stopped eating when he had a UTI that turned into a partial blockage. His pee clumps went from large to the the size of a small rock. He was also very vocal when using the litter box. Oddly when he had the UTI that caused a blockage he never had any accidents. If you see any signs of bleeding that is also a sign of a blockage forming. My cat left blood droplets in my dining room which lead me to take him to the vet immediately instead of waiting for his scheduled appointment later in the day. I called the vet's office from the car and told the receptionist we will be there in 10 minutes because my cat is bleeding.

I have dealt with stress peeing once too. My Starbuck did this to use a couple years ago the day after we got home from a weekend trip. After having to treat a UTI in one of my other cats we took her to the vet immediately to be checked for one. My vet tested her urine in the office to check for a UTI and she did not have one. She only had that one accident and then resumed using the litter box. It seems odd to me that a vacation you took in June would cause him to stress pee now. Has anything in your household changed recently that could have stressed him out?

 

[Kitcat2017]

Ok maybe I am little confused. Your vet gave you something to get a urine sample if there are still issues. Did your vet collect a urine sample for testing at the appointment? If I am reading what you said correctly then your vet just examined your cat and decided there was no UTI. When my cat was diagnosed with a UTI the vet tested a sample of his urine in the office to determine he had a UTI. An exam can help determine there is no blocakge but I am not to sure how an exam alone can determine there is no UTI based on my experience. If this happens again please get a 2nd opinion if your vet is not willing to test his urine in the office. When my cat had his UTI the only sign something was wrong was him peeing on our recliner in front of my hubby twice. He was still eating, drinking and other wise acting normal. If you can keep an eye on the size of his pee clumps if he is using the box. If you notice the clumps seem smaller or he is peeing more than seems normal those are signs of a UTI. If the clumps get smaller or he acts like he is in pain when peeing those can be signs that he is heading toward a blockage. My cat also hid in the litter box and stopped eating when he had a UTI that turned into a partial blockage. His pee clumps went from large to the the size of a small rock. He was also very vocal when using the litter box. Oddly when he had the UTI that caused a blockage he never had any accidents. If you see any signs of bleeding that is also a sign of a blockage forming. My cat left blood droplets in my dining room which lead me to take him to the vet immediately instead of waiting for his scheduled appointment later in the day. I called the vet's office from the car and told the receptionist we will be there in 10 minutes because my cat is bleeding.

I have dealt with stress peeing once too. My Starbuck did this to use a couple years ago the day after we got home from a weekend trip. After having to treat a UTI in one of my other cats we took her to the vet immediately to be checked for one. My vet tested her urine in the office to check for a UTI and she did not have one. She only had that one accident and then resumed using the litter box. It seems odd to me that a vacation you took in June would cause him to stress pee now. Has anything in your household changed recently that could have stressed him out?

Now I'm worried..
She said she doesn't think a urine test his necessary right now because his abdomen was soft and non-painful and supposedly he looks healthy and happy! (I saw a scared little muffin.. not a happy one. He hates going to the vets). She said she's very positive that it's rather a behavioral issue than medical but if I notice his pee clumps are small I should try to get a urine sample and if I see him crying or blood in the box I should take him back immediately. His pee clumps are pretty big and I have not seen him struggle in the box or cry. But let me ask you this though it might sound stupid... how do you notice if there's blood. Would the clump be bloody?

He likes to chill in the 32 bottle water cases that we have after a few bottles are taken out and there's room for him. I moved it because the case was empty and replaced it with a new case! As it was unopened there was no room for him to go inside and sit. I found pee/clear liquid riiight there. The vet thinks this is the change that stressed him out..

 

[catlover73]

I could not see the blood in the clumps. He left blood droplets where he would sit on my carpet/floors. I could see blood on his but when I looked at him after I found the droplets.

I am not trying to scare you but I will say that I really find it odd that only an exam was used to determine there was no UTI. Just like human doctors some vets are better than others. If a vet did this to me now after what I have been through I would have demanded his urine be tested. I learned a lot from what I went through. If this were my cat then I would get a 2nd opinion from a different vet. A UTI is actually not expensive to treat or check for. When my cat had a UTI he was given an antibiotic injection and the UTI went away. I took him back a week later for a re-check. The vet tested his urine again in the office and determined he no longer had a UTI.

Is is possible I am over reacting to your issue based on my scary experience? Yes it is possible. I will say that I am not comfortable personally with only an exam being used to rule out a UTI. If the UTI is caught early the cat may not even be showing signs of pain yet. The accident you experienced could have been caused by the sudden urge to pee and the cat not having enough time to get to the litter box instead of him being in pain. My cat showed no signs of pain either during the exam when he had a UTI. I do not like that your vet did not bother to actually test for a UTI. The biggest thing I learned from my experience is to trust your gut feelings if an explanation given to you by a vet leaves questions they are not answering then get a 2nd opinion. My vet told me that a UTI can also present as sudden unexpected urges to pee causing accidents.

Not all UTI's result in a blockage. There have been plenty of posts here from people who have had cats treated for a UTI and never had blockage issues.

If this accident is actually an isolated incident then yes it is very possible that it was a reaction to his hang-out being changed.

I am also going to give you a tip that has helped one of my cats with vet trips. See if you can get your hands on Feliway Spray or wipes. You can spray or wipe down the carrier before the appointment. This may help him feel less scared of the carrier, car ride and vet exam. We have done this with wipes for our 12 year old Starbuck. It may a huge difference in her behavior. Starbuck does not like the carrier, car rides or people other than us. She has peed in her carrier in the car on the way to the vet. When we wiped down the carrier with the Feliway it was much easier to get her in the carrier, she did not scream her head off in the car/pee in the carrier and she was less scared of the vet exam. You can order these products online. If you need them right away check your local pet store. The products are cheaper online. This may be something you can try for future vet trips.

 

[Kitcat2017]

I could not see the blood in the clumps. He left blood droplets where he would sit on my carpet. I could see blood on his but when I looked at him after I found the droplets.

I am not trying to scare you but I will say that I really find it odd that only an exam was used to determine there was no UTI. Just like human doctors some vets are better than others. If a vet did this to me now after what I have been through I would have demanded his urine be tested. I learned a lot from what I went through. If this were my cat then I would get a 2nd opinion from a different vet. A UTI is actually not expensive to treat or check for. When my cat had a UTI he was given an antibiotic injection and the UTI went away. I took him back a week later for a re-check. The vet tested his urine again in the office and determined he no longer had a UTI. Is is possible I am over reacting to your issue based on my scary experience? Yes it is possible. I will say that I am not comfortable personally with only an exam being used to rule out a UTI. If the UTI is caught early the cat may not even be showing signs of pain yet. The accident you experienced could have been caused by the sudden urge to pee and the cat not having enough time to get to the litter box. My cat showed no signs of pain either during the exam when he had a UTI. I do not like that your vet did not bother to actually test for a UTI. The biggest thing I learned from my experience is to trust your gut feelings if an explanation given to you by a vet leaves questions they are not answering then get a 2nd opinion.

No you're right. I don't think it's an overreaction.. it's never an overreaction.. these babies depend and trust us to speak for them. I know UTIs can be fatal for male cats so watch him like a hawk all the time. He really is the light of my life and I don't wanna risk it and wait till he feels pain. I'm going to take him for a second opinion just in case. Thank you!

 

[catlover73]

Now I'm worried..
She said she doesn't think a urine test his necessary right now because his abdomen was soft and non-painful and supposedly he looks healthy and happy! (I saw a scared little muffin.. not a happy one. He hates going to the vets). She said she's very positive that it's rather a behavioral issue than medical but if I notice his pee clumps are small I should try to get a urine sample and if I see him crying or blood in the box I should take him back immediately. His pee clumps are pretty big and I have not seen him struggle in the box or cry. But let me ask you this though it might sound stupid... how do you notice if there's blood. Would the clump be bloody?

He likes to chill in the 32 bottle water cases that we have after a few bottles are taken out and there's room for him. I moved it because the case was empty and replaced it with a new case! As it was unopened there was no room for him to go inside and sit. I found pee/clear liquid riiight there. The vet thinks this is the change that stressed him out..

No you're right. I don't think it's an overreaction.. it's never an overreaction.. these babies depend and trust us to speak for them. I know UTIs can be fatal for male cats so watch him like a hawk all the time. He really is the light of my life and I don't wanna risk it and wait till he feels pain. I'm going to take him for a second opinion just in case. Thank you!

Thank you for being so proactive in the care of your baby. It means a lot to me personally that you don't think I am over-reacting. I learned all to well how quickly a blockage can become life-threatening. I was overwhelmed when Sonny got sick the 2nd time and blocked. Thankfully his former foster mommy, my cat sitter and great friend was with me when I took him to the vet. She was the driving force that demanded I get that 2nd opinion from her vet. She woke me up early on my day off and told me were going to her vet immediately and did not even give me time to shower first. Her vet hospitalized my cat immediately and saved his life. The first vet was not even sure if he was actually blocked and did nothing to treat the UTI. He over-medicated my cat which did nothing to help the situation. It was very clear to the 2nd vet just from looking at the blood work the first vet did that this was a life threatening situation. The original vet down-played the issue big time and I was so scared that I did not think to question things. My friend saved his life. She paid for the 2nd opinion and hospitalization because I did not have that kind of money and she was sure he could be saved. She refused to let me pay her back. My friend works from home. She has also told me that if he shows any signs of a UTI ever again she will come and take him to her vet if she needs to while I am at work. Since she is also my cat sitter there are papers on file with her vet for her to make treatment decisions for my cats when we are traveling. I have added to the paper work that she can bring Sonny in for treatment on her own at any time.

 

[Jem]

Not sure if you're still reading on this thread but our male cat started with what we thought was constipation issues, then he started peeing, sometimes in places he liked to "hang out", turns out he has chronic struvite crystals. His symptoms were very gradual over a long period of time and it wasn't till much later that the crystals were found. I also want to mention that he has behaviour issues as well, so trying to figure out what symptoms go with what "condition" has always been difficult. Even the vet (we have changed vets since) focused on the constipation and behavioural issues for the longest time. He stands when he pees, which we thought was him "marking" but it was because peeing was painful for him. Now it's a habit so we have to use extra tall litter boxes for him. He never completely blocked and his pees were always a "full pee" not just little puddles, (another reason why we thought is was behavioural). If he is starting to associate pain when using the littler box he will continue (and it will get worse) peeing out of the box, and in places he "feels comfortable" (like in your water bottle packages). When it comes to the constipation issues, we were told that sometimes the "pushing" to poop can put pressure on his urethra making pooping painful as well, due to the crystals, and can cause him to hold it in, leading to constipation. This is what our male cat went thru, and it took some time to figure it all out but the constipation could be linked to the inappropriate urination (due to pain) so I strongly recommend seeing your vet to test for struvite crystals and he may need to be fed a urinary diet for life, like ours does. Once the crystals were under control, he started to use his litter box again. Sorry for the long post, but just wanted to share what ours went thru.