? Need help before i lose it!!

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Summers Mom

Summers Mom

Member Since 2017
Summer has 2 litter boxes. Both uncovered. One low one and the other a bigger high side one. She has had some accidents on outside of box here and there BUT now she refuses to use either box!! They are cleaned daily so that is not the problem. I have her litter boxes sitting on a huge tray that goes in a dog kennel. She started peeing and it would run under the boxes and they would be dripping with pee! So i put a bunch of newspaper down in front of her boxes which is inside of tray and thats where she goes everytime. My house is stinking of urine because of her going on the paper. And she is using up newspaper like no tomorrow. I am at my wits end!! Idk what to do to get her to use the boxes. Right after she eats she goes to pee so i waited and put her in her box and she sat there and looked at me but she did pee and i told her that was a good girl BUT she has used the floor ever since!!!! I am about to lose it. My house is stinking and i am constantly cleaning up urine. I have 27 other animals and it makes it hard because i am always having to spend time with the other animals too with taking care of their needs by feeding and cleaning. Please any advice is surely welcomed!!! I need help with what to do. Thank you
 
I can’t help re how to get her back in her box but if you switch from newspaper to puppy pads they are far more absorbent and don’t smell. I use scented pads and remove it. My cat often misses and one of them will regularly poop on the pad instead of the box. Easy to scoop up and remove before it smells.
 
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Have you changed the litter? Can you get potty pads to help absorb the urine and cut down on the smell?

If you haven't changed the litter before this, maybe you could check into Dr. Elseys Attract litter.

That's all I can think of right now. :bighug:
 
oh boy....I am sorry your having this issue it is frustrating to find the true cause.

I am a fan of Dr Elsey litter, anytime I changed it my boy got a UTI-

I have not had behavior issues but I have read on other threads that they may associate pain/uti with the litter box or they prefer a different texture of litter.

I am sure the wise ones can offer more help, hang in there :)
 
I also second the recommendations about puppy pads. Great yokes.

Any clinical signs of neuropathy at all? Perhaps a vet check to examine bladder/urinalysis/cystocentesis?


Mogs
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Puppy pads are great. I also second getting a check up to rule out any physical reasons. Maybe there are some ideas on THIS site that can help.
 
It could be a UTI. I had to use puppy pads when one of mine wasn’t doing well. She would go in the box but not turn around and it would come out through the hole.
 
Anytime there's inappropriate urination a vet check is in order. She could have a UTI that causes her pain & then she associates that pain with the litter box & doesn't use the box. I've had that happen many times, it's a common behaviour in cats when they have a UTI or something similar going on.
 
UTI, idiopathic cystitis, bladder issue, arthritis, etc. are all possibilities. When you cleaned up the boxes, how do you disinfect? You may need to soak the boxes and then spray them down with something like Nature's Miracle or some other enzymatic cleaner that will get rid of the smell. I would spray down any place where the newspapers sat. If urine was soaking through the paper, it was getting onto the floor, If you're smelling urine, no doubt, Summer is too. A cat will urinate in a place where they smell urine so an enzymatic cleaner may help.

I use a brand of litter box that is moisture resistant cardboard that is infused with Nature's Miracle. The boxes are inexpensive, last a while, and you can throw them out. I'd look for Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Litter which may also help to get Silver in the box. The puppy pads will prevent urine from soaking into the floor.
 
I agree with all Sienne and Gabby said above. Cat Attract isn't cheap, but if you can get Silver using the box again, it's worth it! We were able to switch to the Ultra, which is also Dr. Elsey, but less expensive. And getting that urine smell out of everything is so important (and challenging). I love Tanya's Feline CRF site for great ideas for all cats, not just those in kidney failure (although they all get to that point if they live long enough). Check out the "inappropriate elimination" section at the bottom and its links. Good luck!
http://felinecrf.org/treatments_fluid_and_urinary_issues.htm
 
I’ve never had urine soak through. Gabby would overshoot the edge of the box and the bottom of the box would get wet but not soggy (but I had pee pads underneath). The boxes easily last 1-2 mos, maybe more depending on how many cats and how many boxes you have.
 
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