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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.

What could this mean? Elderly cat.

18 replies

MissingMoominMamma · 07/10/2023 12:34

Hi, my cat has been asleep in his litter tray for most of the morning (it’s clean). For the past few weeks, he’s been weeing in strange places too. He’s almost 19. Do you think this might be the beginning of the end? 😔

What could this mean? Elderly cat.
OP posts:
Scampuss · 07/10/2023 12:39

It might be Flowers

You need to talk to his vet.

margotrose · 07/10/2023 12:51

Bless him Flowers

It sounds like it's probably time to make that appointment. Big hugs x

MissingMoominMamma · 07/10/2023 12:55

He seems happy enough though. Eating and drinking, sleeping on me at night (although last night he slept downstairs on the dog 🤔.

You’re both right, of course; I think I just wanted someone to say that their 26 year old cat went through this phase at 19 ☹️.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 07/10/2023 13:00

I’m trying to think of a way to say this gently and kindly OP. We lost our old girl at 19. Eating and drinking doesn’t mean a cat is happy. Our vet said pts wasn’t about a cat suffering. It was about whether they have dignity as well as a quality of life. I’m sorry.
It is worth having a vet check over your cat though. There can be treatable issues at that age too. Wishing you and puss well.

MrsSlocombesCat · 07/10/2023 13:00

Ah this sounds familiar. Our cat was 19 when she started exhibiting strange behaviour. She had kidney disease. At first they recommended special food to help with that but then she started losing weight and she was eating cat litter. She started having fits. Eventually she lost the use of her back legs. At that point the vet recommended having her euthanised as her quality of life was so poor. It doesn’t sound like your cat is there quite yet, so take her to the vet for a diagnosis and keep an eye on her.

OhDoSitDownAndShutUp · 07/10/2023 13:01

I had cats for over 40 years (all rescues), and 2 of them got to the age of 19. I think your cat is getting towards the end of his natural life. So long as he's eating, drinking a bit, able to walk about, and isn't in pain, he's doing ok. Might be worth seeing the vet, though, to have his liver, kidneys and thyroid checked (all those can be affected in elderly cats)

HuntingoftheSnark · 07/10/2023 13:46

Hi OP, my cat is 18.5 and she did this a couple of weeks ago (actually possibly longer ago). It lasted for a few days and she's not done it since. I definitely don't think she's near the end of her natural life - she's been drinking more water over the last couple of years, and she gave me a scare with sickness in January of this year, but aside from that she's exactly the same as usual.

What could this mean? Elderly cat.
Peachpicklepie · 07/10/2023 13:47

If he is weeing in the bath that is often a sign of a UTI infection. I'd definitely get a check up.

caringcarer · 07/10/2023 14:38

The vet needs to check kidneys for infection. My former cat had a kidney infection. We got it treated and he lived almost 2 years afterwards until he had to be PTS after having a massive stroke. I still miss him. He was 21 and much loved.

Toddlerteaplease · 07/10/2023 17:48

Peachpicklepie · 07/10/2023 13:47

If he is weeing in the bath that is often a sign of a UTI infection. I'd definitely get a check up.

One of our old cats did this when she had kidney failure.

MissingMoominMamma · 08/10/2023 15:27

Thanks all. I’ll definitely take him tomorrow. Our former cat died from kidney failure at 17, but was clearly suffering in the weeks before. I let it go on too long, in the hope he’d recover, and I don’t want to do that again.

Your cat is gorgeous @HuntingoftheSnark (and I love your username- I still have that book from my childhood!!)

OP posts:
MissingMoominMamma · 08/10/2023 15:29

He’s weeing in my son’s room. He’s done it twice now. Today he’s been sunbathing though. He purrs very loudly still when I stroke him, and isn’t showing any signs of discomfort.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 08/10/2023 16:01

The trouble is they mask discomfort.

margotrose · 08/10/2023 16:09

MissingMoominMamma · 08/10/2023 15:29

He’s weeing in my son’s room. He’s done it twice now. Today he’s been sunbathing though. He purrs very loudly still when I stroke him, and isn’t showing any signs of discomfort.

Purring can also be a sign of pain, I'm sorry to say. Lots of cats purr to soothe themselves as well as when they're happy.

Runnerinthenight · 08/10/2023 16:23

We went through this with our cat who died aged 20+ (we weren't entirely sure as he was a rescue). He'd had various ailments over his last few years, epilepsy, arthritis,vestibular disease, urinary infections, diabetes... and still kept doggedly carrying on.

He saw the vet weekly in his last months and she was confident he wasn't in pain. He did become doubly incontinent though and I am sure that was distressing for him as he had always been fastidious.

He ate like a horse until the day before he died, and even put on weight at one point!

He fought so very hard to stay with us, and in the end, he passed away very gently and peacefully in his own time.

Our guy did the sleeping in the tray thing. He wee'd everywhere. Fortunately he could no longer access upstairs. It started with him weeing over the side of the tray. I tried everywhere to get him a tray suitable for a disabled cat and the only one I could find was in the US. By the time we got it, it was too late. I've since seen seed trays in garden centres that might work in terms of height to access. Not sure if access would have made a difference though.

Don't despair just yet. See what the vet advises. We thought several times we were facing into 'the decision', but he was able to keep going with meds. Our vet was amazing.

Our vet had agreed that if needed, they would come to our house to do the deed, as our cat detested going to the vet's! Unfortunately (and inevitably!!) his decline came on a Saturday morning when vet was closed for the weekend. I had sourced the contact details for a home service, but we didn't need it.

Hopefully you will manage to have some more time with your boy. Let us know how it goes tomorrow x

MissingMoominMamma · 08/10/2023 18:05

Thank you. He’s sitting on my knee, snoring. Only purrs when I tickle him under his chin- like he always has.

He has supported me through so much- I just want to do the best I can for him.

OP posts:
Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 08/10/2023 18:07

Oh darling, you know what will be best. While he is still purring.

Runnerinthenight · 10/10/2023 23:49

MissingMoominMamma · 08/10/2023 18:05

Thank you. He’s sitting on my knee, snoring. Only purrs when I tickle him under his chin- like he always has.

He has supported me through so much- I just want to do the best I can for him.

How did you get on at the vet?

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