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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Elderly indoor cat peeing next to litter tray

16 replies

CanadianJohn · 19/05/2023 00:36

The litter tray is in the broom closet; the door is always ajar. The cat always craps in the tray, but has started peeing next to it. The litter tray is always clean (Beloved is a fanatic).

The cat's technique, I think, is to put her front paws in the litter tray, but hangs her bum over the edge. The cat is 16, female, never been outdoors. She's never been fabulous about peeing in the center of the litter, usually goes against the inside edge, but lately has been going (apparently) against outside edge, and therefore outside the litter tray.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:

bizzey · 19/05/2023 01:42

I am no expert but when DM's cat did this it was a kidney problem .

Maybe good to go to the vets ?

RagamuffinCat · 19/05/2023 01:45

My cat who has trouble seeing does this sometimes.

Zooeyzebra · 19/05/2023 01:51

Our 20yr old cat has started doing this. No health issues, he has been checked.

We had some initial success getting a high sides litter tray, but then he stopped even trying to go in it. So we are back to the old low sides tray but with an xxl puppy pad underneath to catch the spills. Not foolproof as even then he sometimes misses.

no real solution for us, just constant cleaning. Just glad we have polished cement floors.

but give the puppy pad a try

Defiantlynot41 · 19/05/2023 15:38

Similar here, we put a second small shallow empty litter tray at right angles to the entrance so it catches the pee! And a puppy pad.

ChristmasKraken · 19/05/2023 15:40

Worth considering arthritis - my vet mentioned problems around using the litter tray as a possible sign.

MrsRinaDecker · 19/05/2023 15:40

Another elderly female cat here and another vote for puppy pads! The pets at home ones are the most absorbent.

Pashazade · 19/05/2023 15:42

We ended up with a ridiculous arrangement of puppy pads around the tray. Afraid it was the beginning of the end for our old girl, she 16 too. She had a brain tumour, maybe see if her eyes are looking bulgy (sorry, but I missed it until she hit the leg dragging stage as she'd seemed quite happy up to that point apart from the random peeing).

Chchchchchangesss · 19/05/2023 15:43

When my cat started doing this it was either UTIs or arthritis.

TheShellBeach · 19/05/2023 15:45

I think it would be a good idea to get your cat checked for arthritis.

QuintanaRoo · 19/05/2023 15:50

With my now deceased elderly cat I had large rubber mats covering a wide area of carpet around the litter trays and also Perspex sheets up the walls. Agree with a vet check.

Mia184 · 19/05/2023 17:20

This. Maybe try to get a litter try with low sides so that she can get in and out more easily.

Mia184 · 19/05/2023 17:20

TheShellBeach · 19/05/2023 15:45

I think it would be a good idea to get your cat checked for arthritis.

I had wanted to quote this post in my previous post.

Original poster

CanadianJohn · 22/05/2023 13:35

Thanks for all your comments. Pussycat had diabetes a few years ago, but it went into remission after a couple of years. For now, we'll go with the puppy-pads idea, and keep a watch out for symptoms of diabetes.

OP posts:

Chchchchchangesss · 24/05/2023 10:06

So has the cat seen a vet? This is often a sign that something isn't right and your cat is very old. Their kidneys may be failing.

LacewingOrpington · 24/05/2023 10:10

You really need to go for a vet check too.

Baldieheid · 24/05/2023 10:11

Our old boy started peeing outside the tray as he couldn't keep his footing on the litter. His muscle strength had gone in his back legs and his feet slipped and splayed out in the litter. We gave him a puppy pad to use by his tray and he was happy with that. We lost him just a few weeks after but he was 20 so...

Maybe her feet are slipping?

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