Cat likes being in the litter box a bit too much

treehorn

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We have two cats - a mother and daughter we rescued six months ago. The mother turns two 'today' (it's the date we gave her for her birthday) and last week she started something odd. She has taken to going into the litter box several times a day and not doing anything (by that I mean the normal by-product of why one would go to the litterbox is not occurring). She doesn't seem to be straining or struggling...just sitting there in. Sometimes she's in a pose suggesting "I wanna pee" and sometimes just sitting there.
Sometimes she scratches litter around afterwards, sometimes she doesn't.

Of course you look on line or in books and all you see is "big problem: constipation and/or urinary blockage" as a diagnosis. But she's not acting like there is a problem. She's still very playful, very active, no personality or behavioral changes. No tenderness, no cries, no problems or resistance when you pick her up and stroke her tummy (she still falls flat on her back to get a belly rub and purrs). And she still is eating and drinking normally.

And I think she is still...functioning...normally (if our 7 month kitten is producing that much byproduct...oy!)

So my question, I guess, is this: is this a normal thing for a cat to do? Want to spend some zen time away from all of us (and like me figuring that's the best place to do it)? Or should I take her to the vet (whom I am a bit irked at and have been contemplating a switch...hence the resistance, I guess)

Anybody else have a cat who does this?
 

jcat

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It's not a normal thing for a cat to do, and she needs to be seen by a vet ASAP. She probably has a UTI.
 
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treehorn

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yeah, figured that's how I was going to spend tomorrow


Of course this had to happen on the eve of a holiday weekend, so hopefully I can get in tomorrow
 

pami

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I agree with Jcat. Cats dont show their pain in an obvious way. Its an instinct they have to protect them from predators. You usually know something is wrong, when they start displaying unusual and "out of the norm" displays, as you have mentioned. Please get her to a vet ASAP.
 

salemwitchchild

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Could you prehaps have two litters and separate the two kitties for awhile so you know for sure that it is her going potty? If you can set that up today you should know by the end of the day whether a vet visit is in order. If you can't do that I'd just take her in tomorrow. Any abnormal behavior like this sets of sirens that theirs a problem.
 
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treehorn

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Well, it was crystals, so now waiting to see if it was due to an infection (fingers crossed) or if we have to play the 'change the diet and pray' game.
 
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