Does Your Cat Have Urination Issues?
Are you finding wet spots on your carpet? Your bathmats? Your wood floors? Or your brand new king size bed? No, your house hasn’t suddenly sprung a leak. But your cat may be suffering from the number one reason owners get rid of their cats or have them put to sleep- inappropriate house soiling. So your first step is to identify the problem.
Your Veterinarian Can Help Determine if the Soiling is Medical or Behavior Related
If the problem arises in your household, your veterinarian should test your cat for a urinary tract infection. Your veterinarian should run a urinalysis, checking for blood and crystals in the urine. In addition, an x-ray should be done of the bladder to check for bladder stones. Many cats with bladder stones have no blood in their urine. If these tests come up negative, then discuss various methods with your veterinarian or animal behavior specialist to stop the inappropriate house soiling.
Has anything changed in your household? Is there a new spouse, new baby, new cat or new location? Are you not home as often, or are there new people in your household? Try adding more litter pans or changing brands of litter. If all this fails, discuss the use of medications with your veterinarian. They will ease your cat’s stress that will change its outlook on life to hopefully stop the improper behavior. A product on the market called Feliway, a pheromone spray for cats may also help the soiling problem. Your cat is crying for help. It is our responsibility as the owner/guardian or veterinarian to help them through this crisis.
Presented complements of Marian Siegel, V.M.D. For more information, view her Page or she may be reached at Metropolitan Cat Hospital at 410-356-0050.