Tips For Cats The Pee Very High

Mim

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Good evening! Two of my three kitties pee without squatting, they do it standing up full blast. I have the highest litter boxes I could find (outside of the open top ones) and it still isn't helping. The pee comes out the seams of the boxes and goes onto the floor. Anyone here have some tips or perhaps a litter box I should try out that might help with this, that would be amazing.
 

JamesCalifornia

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~ The only thing I can think of is suggestions on do-it-yourself litter box. I looked at one using two large tote - the smaller one one the bottom and the taller one on top. Check the internet for that .
Thankfully they pee in the box and not somewhere else ...!
 

daftcat75

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Maybe someone else remembers this and has the link for it.

There's a litterbox with very high sides and a side entrance, rather than front. The box is longer than it is wide and the side entrance forces the cat to make a turn in order to fit in the box. She has to take a step in, then make a right (or left) turn to get all the way in, and then do her business with her bum to a high side rather than an open front.
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi. Feeby stands up to pee with a very slight squat. But, on occasion now that she is older, she doesn't squat at all and pees right over the top of a 8-9 inch high sided box. Currently, I have a rubber bathroom mat covered with a washable rug just underneath the base of the entry to her box, it extends about a foot out before the entry. So far, it has caught the pee on the occasions when she hasn't bothered to 'hunker down'. I can wash the rug, clean the bathroom mat, and we're good to go.

I want to try daftcat75 daftcat75 's suggestion, but haven't yet. Feeby may be too old (14+) to try and change her 'mode of operation'.
 

Kflowers

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Go to Amazon and put this in the search to get a picture of the size of the tote

Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote Storage Container, 25-Gallon, Dark Indigo/Metal

they come in different sizes. I'm thinking the 25 gallon is a good size. Up to you of course. I use an under the bed storage box, which is way too short for your purposes.

Here is what it looks like



Here is what you do - 1 take the lid off save it to put under something that drips like a humidifier.

2- cut a hole in one of the short sides wide enough for you cat to go inside. Make it low enough that it's not hard to step up and through if you have young or old cats. If you are putting the litter straight inside the tote put the door at least 5 inches up from the bottom.

3- either put your litter box inside or put three inches of litter inside.
 
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Mim

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Thank you both so much!!
 

Kflowers

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The best thing about the large tote is that there are no open connecting seams as in litter boxes to allow the pee through. Unless of course, your kit goes in turns around and pees out the door. The top opening one would deal with that, but it has seams.
 

Tobermory

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One of the cats at the farm sanctuary where I volunteer is an ‘elevator-butt pee-er.’ I got tired of cleaning urine off the floors and walls so I bought several Sterilite bins and cut an opening at one end of the long side. My theory was that Rain (appropriate name) would go into the box at the opening and then turn the long way to pee. And that’s what she does. I determined the height needed for the bin by measuring from the floor to Rain’s...er...“opening” and adding 3 1/2 inches for the depth of the litter. Yes, I really did that. :) Here’s what it looks like.



A word of caution: These bins are very brittle and crack easily. I ruined two of them. If you drill a hole in the lower two corners, it prevents it from cracking when you cut down the sides. It’s a pain to make these, but it does prevent urine spillage.

I considered buying these boxes from Chewy, but the bins are only about $6 and the Petmate is $22. The cat cottage would have needed four or five of them so the bins were a more cost-effective solution. Also, one of the cats in the cottage is a tripod, and I worried about him getting in and out of the Petmate.
Petmate Top Entry Litter Pan - Chewy.com
 
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maggie101

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I use storage bins. Bring a tape measure. Dimensions are not always
right. My cat is 7 pds. She pees right over the 13 1/2 inch marker! I bought a huge one at the container store 18 inches high.
 

mel_why_ssa

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I agree with the DIY Tote Litter Box. Just a suggestion, try to pick one that is smooth on the bottom...some have a lot of ridges (for easier stacking and storing) that make it difficult to scoop.
 

FeebysOwner

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I am not trying to confuse the issue, but everyone needs to be prepared on what they might do with these really high sided boxes when their cats get older and may have arthritis. That is the current balancing act I have with Feeby. No way at her age (14+) would she would be able to scale a box higher than 8-9 inches, but no way can she use a box lower than that either as she would surely pee over the top.

That is why you might want to consider what daftcat75 daftcat75 has suggested and train your cat while they are younger - then there won't be an issue down the road if age takes its toll and arthritis sets in...

If Feeby at some point cannot scale the 8-9 inch high box, I am screwed, unless I can 'teach an old cat a new trick' by getting her to use the one daftcat75 daftcat75 has recommended. Otherwise, I will have to stick to the rubber mat/rug set up just outside my current box, and plan on cleaning it a lot.
 

daftcat75

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This isn’t ideal but it mostly works for us. It’s her Littermaid she’s pretty much grown up with in a cabinet. As she got older, making that turn on the side entrance was getting challenging. I think she used to turn around in the box when she got in. With the front door removed, now she only turns around to poop. The pee guard she has to step over does a reasonably good job. But there’s seams and once a week I’m changing the pee pad underneath. She’s an old cat with so much bigger problems. Maybe when her liver is healthy again and the teeth have been fixed and we’re addressing her arthritis, maybe then we can think about switching up her box. It would probably need a new cabinet.

Whatever you go with, think about how willing they’ll still be for high entrances and top entries when they’re older with arthritis.
BCD92CDC-D7DF-4F82-844A-29D10EA1CD95.jpeg
 

FeebysOwner

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daftcat75 daftcat75 - it's off topic, but you can try Glyco Flex Plus for your cat's arthritis. It contains glucosamine, chondroitin, and best of all: green lipped mussels. The latter has been used by humans with great results related to arthritic conditions. Feeby had stopped climbing up on her favorite hang outs - after being on Glyco for just a little over a month, she was back to climbing everywhere. One treat a day (break it up into 4-5 pieces) and you're good to go! About $9 a month.
 

daftcat75

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She’s chewing challenged. I suppose I could pulverize it. But honestly, I’m so worried about refeeding her with bad teeth because I can’t address the teeth until we’ve addressed the liver that I worry about anything that might cause her to reject her food. It’s a treat though? I’ll look into that. Now if the DEA would just lighten up so I can get her enough bupe to last more than three days.
 

FeebysOwner

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My cat thinks it's a treat. When I first smelled it, I went WHOA - strong. Didn't bother her a bit, she was like WOW! No longer smells strong to me. And, yes, it could be pulverized, and sprinkled on other food I suppose. Maybe even mixed with some water to make a slurry...
 

Jem

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I made my own with this storage bin. If you're in Canada, it's sold at Canadian Tire stores. Not sure about where else it might be.


Sterilite ClearView Tote with Latch 104L

It's 35x19x13 inches. And has no nooks and crannies where litter will get stuck and make cleaning a pain.
I simply used a jig saw to cut down a section in the middle of the long side so he could get in without any trouble. Then I used sand paper to smooth the edges. He always aimed at the corners/ends so that is why I decided to cut the middle out. Before you make your own, figure out where your kitty likes to aim and cut an opening where they never or rarely pee.
 

Tobermory

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here's an example of mine, high sides but easy to get in
Does this bin have a smooth interior bottom? I haven’t been able to find a smooth-bottomed one that’s taller than about 12 inches and that’s not quite high enough for the shelter kitty who stands up to pee.

Regarding the ridges on the bottom, if you keep the litter deep enough so the pee doesn’t reach the bottom, it becomes less of an issue. I can’t get the shelter to understand that so it makes scooping of the DIY boxes a real chore.
 
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