Peeing Outside The Litter Box

[ChaoticEva]

Hey guys.

So I adopted a 6 year old cat with urinary issues. She had A LOT of what we thought were oxalate stones, but they're struvites crystals (which is good news in a way). So she was peeing out of the litter box when she had really bad crystals. Which was understandable as she was in pain. She had an x ray that showed that she only has a few left. She was still put on metacam and buprenorphine. I caught her peeing on the litter mat again today.

Basically, what can I do to help her go in the litter box? Is this really pain related or is it behavioral?

 

[tabbytom]

Basically, what can I do to help her go in the litter box?

Is she suffering from something else like arthritis or some pain in the legs which make it hard for her to climb over the sides of the litter box. Was she checked on this?

If she has arthritis or pain in the legs, you can try having a lower sides litter box or put something beside the litter box and elevate it so that she climbs in more easily? Best is you can get low sides boxes or those with an opening on one side so that it is easier to get in and out.

 

[ChaoticEva]

She was checked and doesn't have any joint/pain issues in the legs. She is also getting weekly injections of cartrophen for her bladder. I'm just kinda lost. We all love her, but family members don't want a cat that is going to pee all over the place.

 

[tabbytom]

Could you use a shallow tray and fill it with litter and place it where the mat is but take away the mat instead?

It could be a temporary thing as she's on medication to clear her bladder and maybe once it's clear, she'll get back to using her litter box?

Wait for other members for their inputs and maybe they have a better idea on what to do.

 

[FeebysOwner]

She was still put on metacam and buprenorphine. I caught her peeing on the litter mat again today.

She was checked and doesn't have any joint/pain issues in the legs. She is also getting weekly injections of cartrophen for her bladder.

The first med is generally used for pain and inflammation, mostly from arthritis, and the second med is for pain. And, Cartrophen is typically for cartilage support/arthritis inflammation, as well as pain. Do you know why the vet chose these particular drugs to address bladder stones/inflammation?

Even with a few bladder stones left she could still be feeling bladder irritation enough to avoid the litter box, despite the pain meds. If the vet is using Metacam and Cartrophen to treat her bladder inflammation, perhaps she hasn't been on them long enough to be effective? Is she on a particular diet to help dissolve the stones?

The other thing to consider is that you are not getting the urine smell out of the places that she is peeing. Cats' noses are much better at smelling things than ours are, so even if you can't smell it, she might be able to and that would encourage to use those same places again and again - especially if she is still feeling some discomfort.

 

[ChaoticEva]

She was put on Cartrophen to help rebuild the bladder muscle (I can't think of the English words to translate what my vet told me). As for Metacam and buprenorphine, it's being used mostly for pain management. we moved the litter box to a different location and so far, it's been a winner. It's clear that she associates the litter box to pain. She is also declawed unfortunately, so maybe her feet hurt as well?
Thank you so much for the advice!