She uses her litter.....sorta

[hspot]

So Tabitha knows where her litter is, and walks into her box whenever she has to go. The problem now is that she doesn't squat to pee, so the pee just shoots right out of the box. I have gone through so many puppy pee pads, and am looking for a solution. She just walks into her box, but doesn't turn around. Just starts peeing right where she is without squatting. She poops fine in the box, but the poop doesn't spray out like pee. So it just drops right where she is. I have racked my brains trying to figure out ways to keep her pee in the box, but can't find a solution? She 'is' 19+, so maybe dementia plays a role too, IDK? I am in email contact with her primary vet, because I can't afford office visits anymore dues to her detached retinas a month or so ago...then her bladder infection or UTI. Any suggestions please? Thanks.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Possibly a recurrence of the UTI. If not that, then at her age, the likelihood of her having arthritis is very good. Is she on a joint supplement of any kind? Not likely dementia as it isn't affecting how she poops, or anything else about her since you didn't mention any other signs.

Some people might suggest a higher sided box with the opening on the long side, assuming that she will turn around to face one of the shorter sides and would then pee on one of those sides, but if she is like my cat, who never turns around to pee once she enters the box, this solution isn't probably going to work. Or you could try a much larger box to see if she would step in far enough to keep the pee inside the box.

Was she rechecked after receiving antibiotics from her last infection? If not, the antibiotics might not have entirely eradicated it.

 

[hspot]

Yea, my cat is the same as yours, she will never turn around. As far as her previous infection still waning....would something like that make her not squat to pee? That is the only issue it seems, as she walks all the way in her box, every part of her is inside the box. She just doesn't turn around before she pees, and does it 'standing up', so it shoots outside the box

Possibly a recurrence of the UTI. If not that, then at her age, the likelihood of her having arthritis is very good. Is she on a joint supplement of any kind? Not likely dementia as it isn't affecting how she poops, or anything else about her since you didn't mention any other signs.

Some people might suggest a higher sided box with the opening on the long side, assuming that she will turn around to face one of the shorter sides and would then pee on one of those sides, but if she is like my cat, who never turns around to pee once she enters the box, this solution isn't probably going to work. Or you could try a much larger box to see if she would step in far enough to keep the pee inside the box.

Was she rechecked after receiving antibiotics from her last infection? If not, the antibiotics might not have entirely eradicated it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

It could be. Once, and only once, when Feeby had a UTI, she actually peed over the side of an 8" high box.

But it could just as easily be something to do with arthritis, especially since she is not squatting for pooping either, if I understood you correctly. There are numerous OTC joint supplements that you could try, such as Cosequin, Dasuquin, Noden's, Glyco Flex Plus. They would all probably take a few weeks to make a difference. There are also injections (Solensia and Adequan), but of course are more expensive that can be gotten through a vet.

In the meantime, buy human bed pee pads that are washable. Amazon carries them, but most any local medical supply store should too.

 

[hspot]

Yea her vet told me about the Solensia injection as an option, but $125 a pop every month. I will look into those human bed pee pads. thanks.

 

[IndyJones]

At 19 she is likely arthritic so squating might be too difficult for her arthritis is extremly common in older cats just like people.

Could you cut a hole in a large tupperware moving container so it would just hit the walls of the container and fall back in the box?.

 

[IndyJones]

DIY: Make Your Own Cat Litter Box

like this but i would put the opening a bit lower to make it easier to walk into.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Yea her vet told me about the Solensia injection as an option, but $125 a pop every month. I will look into those human bed pee pads. thanks.

Here are some incontinence pee pads this one is a pack of 4 36×36

Amazon.com


Here are some of the washable puppy pads pack of 2 that are larger

Amazon.com

Figured I'd find a couple different options for you different sizes and prices in each link.

 

[hspot]

DIY: Make Your Own Cat Litter Box

like this but i would put the opening a bit lower to make it easier to walk into.

I like your idea. The only problem is she won't turn around. She just walks in and starts peeing. She is all the way in, but it's like she is spraying. If the hole is high enough for her to hit the wall when she pees, it'll most likely mean she won't be able to get in at her age now. I just ordered some Glucosamine, and may get some Gabapentin if it's not too expensive, as suggested by her vet.

 

[hspot]

Here are some incontinence pee pads this one is a pack of 4 36×36

Amazon.com


Here are some of the washable puppy pads pack of 2 that are larger

Amazon.com

Figured I'd find a couple different options for you different sizes and prices in each link.

The puppy pee pads are cheap enough, 4 for $1.25 at Dollar Tree. But I will check those out too, thx.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

The puppy pee pads are cheap enough, 4 for $1.25 at Dollar Tree. But I will check those out too, thx.

Ok hun I hope your girl isn't in pain from a uti or anything like that and is just standing up because she is older and maybe some arthritis.. I wish I had more info or better advice for you

 

[hspot]

Okay, after all the trial and error of trying different litter boxes and what not, I just went back to her original one where I first noticed her problem. I should have just stayed with that. Now she only goes in there, and I made the sides of the wall higher with cardboard. Pee pads line the ramp and surrounding area. She has not sprayed outside the box.....yet. It's a bit ugly, but it works.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Okay, after all the trial and error of trying different litter boxes and what not, I just went back to her original one where I first noticed her problem. I should have just stayed with that. Now she only goes in there, and I made the sides of the wall higher with cardboard. Pee pads line the ramp and surrounding area. She has not sprayed outside the box.....yet. It's a bit ugly, but it works.View attachment 456625View attachment 456625

Hey who cares what it looks like.. as long as she uses it and it is working.. then it Is a success. I'm glad you found something that helps.

 

[Hellenww]

Gabapentin

I used to get it compounded into a liquid and it was $38 for about a month supply. This was last summer. If she can be pilled, I'd imagine that's cheaper.

 

[hspot]

I used to get it compounded into a liquid and it was $38 for about a month supply. This was last summer. If she can be pilled, I'd imagine that's cheaper.

Yea, I'm just gonna opt for the glucosamine for now, and hopefully that helps her a bit. I really want to do the injections her vet talked to me about, but those are $125 a month, so that is unfortunately a no go for now.

 

[hspot]

Ugh...this poor little old girl.... I bought a deeper bin from Home Depot and put maybe 3 inches of litter on the bottom, and turned over her small rectangular box as a step up to it. Now she has to go all the way inside to pee. Well the first morning I woke up, she peed right in the middle of the litter....YAY!! But I watched her go pee the next time,and this time she walked most of the way in, and instead of walking all the way in and turning around, she just layed her but in the air on the edge and peed right there, hitting the floor. I keep having to make alterations to keep her from doing that. She is in great health, otherwise.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Would one of these work better?? Because she would have to walk all the way in to go..

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

I know you are trying everything hopefully one of these will be able to work for her.

 

[hspot]

Honestly, all of those 'should' work. I will try to get a video of what she does if I am around next time she pees. The one I have here is actually deeper than all of those above. She also has/had the circular one with the ramp up, but she starts peeing once she sniffs the litter, and won't turn around before she does. The first pic I attached was the first method I tried with this bin. But like I said, once she enters the bin, she just starts peeing. And with her but 'not' squatting, it usually hits the top and/or goes over the edge. The second pic is of how I adjusted it with some duct tape to make it higher, so that it hopefully hits the tape and rebounds back into the bin. I have her on glucosimine now, so if it's arthritis preventing her from turning around and/or squatting, hopefully in a few weeks I will notice a difference.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Honestly, all of those 'should' work. I will try to get a video of what she does if I am around next time she pees. The one I have here is actually deeper than all of those above. She also has/had the circular one with the ramp up, but she starts peeing once she sniffs the litter, and won't turn around before she does. The first pic I attached was the first method I tried with this bin. But like I said, once she enters the bin, she just starts peeing. And with her but 'not' squatting, it usually hits the top and/or goes over the edge. The second pic is of how I adjusted it with some duct tape to make it higher, so that it hopefully hits the tape and rebounds back into the bin. I have her on glucosimine now, so if it's arthritis preventing her from turning around and/or squatting, hopefully in a few weeks I will notice a difference.

The first and last one I posted have a flap on the front so it is completely covered
Do you think she would walk in it ? Like a doggie door kind of..
If it is something like arthritis I hope it helps her soon.
I know you have been trying a bunch of things.
When did she start doing this and was it all of a sudden?

 

[hspot]

The first and last one I posted have a flap on the front so it is completely covered
Do you think she would walk in it ? Like a doggie door kind of..
If it is something like arthritis I hope it helps her soon.
I know you have been trying a bunch of things.
When did she start doing this and was it all of a sudden?

She used to have one with the flap door, but that is when I noticed she wouldn't go all the way in, and just started peeing right when she stood halfway in the litter. This was like 10 years ago too! I just chalked it up to her being too fat to go all the way in and turn around. She could still fit in the doamed one with that ramp, but after time/years she either got lazy or arthritic?
Just now when I got home and checked the bin, she did pee and it was all in the litter. But it was all the way against the edge at the bottom. So it looks as if that duct tape at the top edge prevented it from going over. I have pee pads lining the floor around it just in case.