Tips for stopping elderly cat from weeing everywhere?

[furcoatbigknickers]

Dc is 17. She wees everywhere. My house stinks. Any tips please?

[georgedawes]

Have you taken her to vets for a check up? Maybe there is a physical cause?

[furcoatbigknickers]

george yes I have twice. Shes as fit and well as an old dear can be.

[ATailofTwoKitties]

No idea, but if you do find the answer, could you let our equally ancient cat know?

She does try, bless her, but her marbles are not what they were. I sometimes find her peeing next to the bag of cat litter with a slightly baffled look on her face, as if she has a feeling that she's got it slightly wrong.

[georgedawes]

Aw bless her. All I can suggest is lots of litter trays then but you've probably tried that already!

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

I'd like some tips too if anybody has any. Ancientcat is 22 and now uses the floor more often the tray. I once saw her pee on the floor then get in the tray and attempt to bury it.

[ShatnersBassoon]

I sometimes find her peeing next to the bag of cat litter with a slightly baffled look on her face, as if she has a feeling that she's got it slightly wrong.

Oh, that's heartbreaking

I did read that using a litter tray with a low lip can help slightly doddery old cats (perhaps some other tray used for litter rather than a proper one), and numerous trays about the house to force them to remember about toileting. Obviously not ideal from a mess point of view, but better than trying to soak up accidents

[ATailofTwoKitties]

Some old cats find it awkward to climb into a litter tray and squat -- have you got a low entry tray?

Plenty, our cat will hazily paw at the tiled floor to try to bury a wee. If she had car keys, she'd be looking in the fridge for them...

[ATailofTwoKitties]

Crossed posts, Shatners!

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

We've tried every sort of tray we can find - deep, shallow, with and without lids ... every sort of cat litter, multiple trays ... I think it's just old aged addledness.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I thought you can buy nappies for cats now?.

[ShatnersBassoon]

I wonder if some of those disposable pads/mats used to soak up bed wetting accidents might be attractive to a cat who doesn't like the litter tray any more. No need to climb or dig. Put one near the litter tray perhaps?

[cozietoesie]

I've actually just bought some of those from Amazon - they weren't expensive. Seniorboy still uses his tray like a good 'un for his pees but I reckoned that if the time came that I needed them for him, it was as well to have some in the cupboard for immediate deployment.

[ATailofTwoKitties]

Yes, I think I need to get some of those for around the litter tray, to prevent that seeping-into-the-socks feeling as I unwarily trot into a pool on the way to change the cat litter (bleurgh).

[cozietoesie]

ATail

Just go on the Amazon site and type in 'Incontinence' and lots of suggestions will come up. I looked under the 'Incontinence Bed Pads' - they have lots of different sizes to choose from.

[cozietoesie]

PS - they also have loads of puppy training pads which might be better for your purpose. I didn't do any comparison because I would be using them primarily for the bed where Seniorboy sleeps - if the need arises.

[chemenger]

Do you have multiple litter trays? We had six at one point when our elderly cat was peeing everywhere, we are down to four now. It is better to have a litter tray behind the sofa than a puddle, even if she does choose the most inappropriate times to go in there and peeeeeeeeeee loudly for what seems like five minutes at a time. I also recommend a UV torch for finding pee and the enzyme spray from Pets at Home for getting rid of the smell. If curtains are involved make sure you tell the dry cleaners that there is cat pee on them, they have a special treatment. Bitter experience.

[ATailofTwoKitties]

Thanks, will do!

MN -- the answer to the problem you hadn't got around to thinking about!

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

Hmm puppy training pads worth a try although I'm not holding out much hope - we had layers of newspaper over plastic for a while. She just used to shred it all and then pee next to that. We've got rid of the carpet where the tray is altogether (on the landing). Replaced it with cheap vinyl flooring but she didn't like that so she just started peeing on the next nearest carpet. We now have bare boards which are beginning to rot in places

Multiple trays made no difference so we're down to one again now. She does at least always go near the tray, not all over the house. I'm near enough at my wit's end as it is, I don't think I could cope with that.

[cozietoesie]

Is she a happy cat otherwise, Plenty ? I ask that kindly, having thought this one through over Seniorboy in the wee small hours. He's not as old as your girl but he's getting there.

[NewEraNewMindset]

Can I just admire you for loving your cat enough to not be thinking of the PTS option. I've lived in a house with an awful lot of cat pee and it's exasperating and upsetting in equal measure. I'm not sure I could do it again if I'm honest

Practicality wise I can only concur with others about low lipped cat litter with plenty of paper around it and lose the carpet downstairs if you can. We ended up with a nice wood effect Lino downstairs with rugs over the top. Certainly helped with the cleanup and removed the smell obviously!

[NewEraNewMindset]

Also if she is weeing upstairs I wonder if you could fit a stairgate to the bottom rung and at least contain her to downstairs so you can have a pee free zone upstairs. Might help you sanity x

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

cozie - well, this is on my mind a lot too - yes, she's generally very happy and has turned into a sweet, purry, cuddly old thing, having been quite cantankerous in her youth. Loves her food, loves cuddles, still plays a bit, still goes out once in a while, likes a catnip mouse as much as the next cat

But -

She sometimes does the yowling at the wall thing but is fine as soon as you pick her up. I do wonder though what happens if we are all out and she has a 'lost' moment when there's nobody there to reassure her.

She's not keeping herself as clean as she used to. We spend a lot of time brushing her and going over her with those grubby pet wipes but she's still a bit pongy.

She had a seizure a few months ago. We took her to be checked over after that and the vet said she's in extremely good health for her age. She's had no further seizures and doesn't appear to be any worse for it.

Then there are the practical issues. As well as the peeing issue, we can't all go on holiday at the same time any more (DC are adults living at home so not as difficult as it could be) - I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving her. It would also be a bit much to expect neighbours to clean up all the messes.

We also have a massive and growing list of desperately needed home improvements that we can't start on because it would distress her - she's never been good with change.

But yes, I'd say she's a happy cat

[furcoatbigknickers]

Thanks for replies, will tead now.

[furcoatbigknickers]

Cat nappies offf to look. I have a toddler, multi trays won't work. I will get a low lipped one. Thanks.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

Good luck, furcoat!