18yr old pooing on carpet

[Michiamo]

My 18yr old cat has not always been using the litter tray for poo recently. Also they have become quite loose so maybe he’s getting caught short and doesn’t have time to run up to the bathroom where the litter tray is.

I don’t really want to put a litter tray in the front room where he sleeps but maybe now he’s older this would be good for him?

his stomach noises are certainly noisier than before so I think somethings going on.

It’s that difficult time where he’s not ready to be pts but is having some struggles. Also, he finds the journey to the vets traumatising so that always puts me off!

Didn't see 'the litter tray' section at first and was horrified 😂

He could well be in pain. Cats avoid using the litter tray if they associate it with pain and given his age this could be likely. Please take him to the vet to check what's going on-he may not like it but I feel with his age, you need clarification that he's not in pain.

Yes, a morning "poo-check" was the first thing I did every day for several years. It's common. An 18 year old cat may have some element of dementia, or achy legs which mean it doesn't want to run off to the loo. Another litter tray is a must, keep it clean and keep it near, in the room where the cat spends most of its time. It won't stop accidents entirely but it might help.

@Nabooh 😂

thanks for the advice. I think I’ll take him for a check up and also get another litter tray for him.

Have you tried a walk in litter tray so he doesn't have to get his legs over the sides?

I bet at 18 he's pretty arthritic.

😂

Op yes I think he needs a more accessible litter tray. I'd try that and see if it helps. Otherwise definitely a trip to the vet to investigate if it's illness related.

At his age, he's almost certainly arthritic and would benefit from pain meds. Another litter tray would be sensible, make sure it's got a low entry.

I haven’t seen a walk in litter tray?

So… took him for a check up. The vet gave him an examination and said nothing felt untoward in his abdomen.
she said it could be any number of things and was happy to give him some probiotics. I’ve also got to collect some stool samples so they can check for parasites.

I did by another litter tray and he hasn’t used it or crapped on the carpet so all good.

The vet was lovely and was happy to keep and eye on things for now. She also said he has a heart murmur but she said it wouldn’t be unusual for an 18yr old cat to have some heart disease.

I saw a hairless cat in the waiting room,I’ve only ever seen them on Instagram!

thanks for all the advice.

Same 🤣

Just checking in to see who else didn't notice the Litter Tray section on first glance and was horrified 😂

So pleased it's gone well for you. Try and enjoy a worry free life for the moment 🐾

With our elderly cat - we had to use puppy pads for a few months to protect her dignity and our sanity before she died peacefully in her sleep

OMG our elderly boy pissed and shat everywhere in his last couple of months!! I bought an expensive litter tray from the USA to make it easier for his arthritis (had to get it sent via DH's NY office) but it arrived too late, if it would even have made a difference.

I reached a whole new low when I watched him curled up under a lamp table pushing out a shit. I am sure he didn't like it either tbf as he was always fastidious!

My daughters washed him one night to get rid of the pee smell and jesus, he pissed and pissed and pissed for a good couple of hours afterwards - I don't know where it all came from and I thought it was never going to stop!!

He had come to us as a stray and he loved his life so much. He fought so hard to stay with us, over so many illnesses and setbacks - that boy did not want to die!

We used puppy pads too but they weren't enough. After our cat died, I noticed that seed trays from a garden centre would probably have been the right height. We tried various litter trays including one that had one low side and three high sides which in theory should have worked - but he insisted on going in the low side and exiting a high side!!

Our boy thankfully slept away too - he was 20+.

I lay on the floor with him for several nights before he died. Two nights before he went, he grabbed my fingers between his claws. Every time I went to extricate them, he tightened his claws. He wanted to hold onto my finger, and he did it for hours before he finally fell asleep and let go! It still breaks my heart, and brings tears to my eyes! He was a lapcat in the latter years of his life but he wasn't the kind of cat you'd have expected that from either!

Just checking in to see who else didn't notice the Litter Tray section on first glance and was horrified

You are not alone. I only clicked on anticipating the usual batshit ‘my 18yo child is shitting on my carpet - is this normal?; or I don’t like my 18yo child shitting on my carpet continuously, AIBU’. Because that’s mainly what posts consist of these days, people questioning really bizarre stuff.

Anyway back to the cat. Mine did this sort of thing when they started with dementia, but I also wouldn’t rule out old age arthritis or muscular problems being stiff when they get up. Poor thing.

Me too!

Some lovely/sad stories of elderly cat care in the final moments.

Our boy looks very good for his age,he doesn’t seem elderly on the whole. I think he has a while to go yet (unless he has cancer or something sinister)

Also,since I took him to the vets his stools have hardened up a bit and no accidents thankfully.

I did this too, i got them at the poundshop.
I sat a shallow sided litter tray on about 4 of them so if she missed the edge the pad caught it