Cat urinating.. I need some major help!

Hey all. I live in a house with 6 cats, my mom and my brother. We just got our most recent addition about 3 months ago, her name is Lilly. Things were great until about a month ago. The newest cat, Lilly, would spend most of her time in my brothers bedroom, about a month ago she started urinating on his bed (well we assumed it was her doing it).. This happened about 3 nights in a row, then he kicked her out of his room and made sure to keep his bedroom door closed. So then she migrated to my bedroom. There was no urination outside the box during this time until last night. I was sitting at my computer desk, looked around and noticed a big spot of pee on my bed. The only 2 cats that are ever in my room are Lilly and another 2 year old male, Dinks. So I washed my sheets and sanitized everything. Later after I had been asleep for a couple hours I woke up to find my bed wet, yup, one of them peed in my bed while i was sleeping. So again, I changed my sheets. A couple hours later, same thing happened. So in one night, my bed got peed on 3 times. I am almost definate that it is Lilly doing it. I have had Dinks for 2 years and he has never done anything like this. I don't know what to do. I can't deal with this cat peeing in my bed. Does anyone know why she is doing this. I think I am going to take her to the local shelter unless I can figure out why she is doing this and get it taken car of today. Thanks for any help

You don't know for sure it is her. One of the males could have crystals. First you have to figure out which one is doing it, and then make sure it is sick. I've had cats peeing outside the box and it has always been a medical problem, evnthough I imagined it to be for spite, attention etc.
Perhaps you can isolate them with litter boxes. or on the weekend watch the litter habits very closely so you can figure who the culprit is.

You say that one of the males could have crystals? What does that mean? Out of the 6 cats, I know for sure it is either the 3 month old female, or the 2 year old male. Maybe I will call the vet and see if I can get both of them in there today.

I agree. A visit to the vet is called for. If it is difficult to pinpoint the culprit, bring them both to the vet.

You did not mention if they were spayed or neutered. That could be a big part of it as well.

all of them are spayed and neutered except for the 3 month old female.. Would a female do something like this from not being fixed?

Cats develop crystals (sandy like material) in their urine, or somewhere that it comes out with their urine. In males, it can scrape and block the ureatha, thus narrowing the passage, and sometimes resulting in blockage and death.
A two year old male is a perfect candidate for this, and if you think it is one of the two, I would vote for him. It would be great if you could catch some pee to take with you, but the vet will be able to check him out. I would take him first, because he is the one most at risk if it is him. Females have a larger opening, so passing crystals is usually not a problem for them, I heard.

Originally Posted by gailuvscats

Cats develop crystals (sandy like material) in their urine, or somewhere that it comes out with their urine. In males, it can scrape and block the ureatha, thus narrowing the passage, and sometimes resulting in blockage and death.
A two year old male is a perfect candidate for this, and if you think it is one of the two, I would vote for him. It would be great if you could catch some pee to take with you, but the vet will be able to check him out. I would take him first, because he is the one most at risk if it is him. Females have a larger opening, so passing crystals is usually not a problem for them, I heard.

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That makes sense. But why wouldn't he just go to the litter box? Do they get the sudden urge to go and just can't make it to the litter box?

Some thought is the litter is irritating and the bed or whatever is soft, some say they associate pain in urinating with the litter. Remember, it probably burns when they pee, open raw membrane on the inside with acidic urine running over it, and some say they do it to alert you that they have a problem. I choose to believe the latter. IF you look on this site. you will find a lot of info on urination problems.

Originally Posted by amanda1266

That makes sense. But why wouldn't he just go to the litter box? Do they get the sudden urge to go and just can't make it to the litter box?

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They associate the pain they feel with the litterbox, so they pee elsewhere.

Girls can get urinary infections too. With a boy, the complications can be worse...so either way it's good to get to the vet.

Thanks everyone. I have an appointment on Friday for both of them. I'll probably leave one in the bathroom, and the other one out so I can figure out who the culprit is. They pee when i'm not looking or sleeping, sneaky cats.

I have one other question.. I have noticed lately that the 2 year old male has been digging at his belly alot. Like overly cleaning himself. If he did have a UTI would it make his belly hurt?

Originally Posted by amanda1266

I have one other question.. I have noticed lately that the 2 year old male has been digging at his belly alot. Like overly cleaning himself. If he did have a UTI would it make his belly hurt?

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With a UTI you may see him licking his genitals more frequently. If he's doing that A LOT I would get him to the vet sooner, as that can be a sign of urinary blockage (which quickly becomes life threatening in males).

You said he was cleaning his belly, though. Excessive grooming in general can be a sign of stress. Is he overweight? I only ask because he might lick his belly if he couldn't reach what really hurt (his genitals). That's a stretch, but just a thought.

I would suggest getting that boy into the vet sooner. Friday might be just too far away.

No, it shouldn't. It's more likely that he's got a little skin problem there, but again ask the vet when you take him in.

When I got a UTI and left it too long I started to get pain come up into my lower belly and then spread up one side... Apparently it was the infection making it's way up through my bladder and into a kidney. (This only took two days, and I was permanently hunched by the time I got into the doctor). But I'm not a cat... so... *Shrugs*

Long story short, it's possible that if he's got a UTI he'll get belly pain.

EDIT: Just noticed that someone mentioned licking his genitals if he's got an infection -- if he's hurting there, it might be too painful to like directly?

Well I know who has been peeing on my bed. It's the 3 month old female. I thought for sure it was the male, but it's not. I saw the female actually doing it. So what could this mean. Do you think it's a behavioral problem? She doesn't act like she is sick or anything...

Originally Posted by amanda1266

all of them are spayed and neutered except for the 3 month old female.. Would a female do something like this from not being fixed?

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My female cat sprayed urine when she was around 6 months old. She did it a few times in my closet. Then I spayed her and it stopped.

I would say 3 months is too young, but females do spray also.

She's being possessive about her 'territory' and warning others off (except you I presume).

I think this article covers inappropriate urination quite extensively:

What You Should Know about Inappropriate Urination in Cats

Inappropriate urination, or urinating in unacceptable places, can be one of the most frustrating feline behavioral problems that many cat owners may have to deal with. However, by understanding the reasons behind this behavior and by utilizing retraining techniques and/or medical therapy, most cases of inappropriate urination can be resolved.

There are two types of inappropriate urination: house soiling and urine spraying. Behavior associated with house soiling is similar to normal urination. The cat will rake the ground, squat, and then will release a normal paddle on a horizontal surface, usually on furnishings such as carpets, rugs or other soft materials. On the other hand, urine spraying is a territorial or sexual behavior that has nothing to do with the physiological need for urination. The spraying cat typically stands with its tail fully erect and squirts a small amount of urine against a vertical surface such as the wall.

In all cases of inappropriate urination you should have the cat examined by your veterinarian as an underlying medical problem may be the culprit for the urination problem. In this case it therefore needs to be addressed before anything else. Cats with conditions leading to pain during urination will tend to avoid the litter box because they consequentially associate pain with it. The most commonly seen cause of painful urination is cystitis (inflammation of the bladder). For older cats suffering from arthritis, it can be painful to get in the litter box and to squat. Renal and endocrine disorders, like diabetes and hyperthyroidism, can lead to excessive water intake and increased urine formation, thus the cat may not be able to make it to the litter box on time.

In the vast majority of cases, inappropriate urination may be resolved if the primary cause can be treated.

HOUSE SOILING

If no evidence of an underlying disease is found, then your cat may simply dislike something particular about the litter box itself. For example, it may take aversion to the location of the box. The litter box ideally should be placed in an easily accessible and quiet spot, a distance away from the feeding and playing area. It should also enable the cat to have a wide viewpoint so that it has the opportunity to see what's going on in the room.

Cats can often be put off by the texture or scent of the litter and certainly, most do not like a dirty and smelly litter box. You need to consider whether your cat's behavior started after a change in the brand of the litter. Experiment with different types of litter in order to check your cat's preference and take care not to overfill the box. It is also important to clean the box daily and wash it in a mild detergent at least once a week. You will need to rinse it well to ensure that all residual smells and remnants of detergent are removed. If you have more then one cat, make sure that each cat has its own litter box and it is a good idea to provide one extra box for the house.

Regarding the type and size of the box, most cats tend to prefer a large uncovered box that is easy to get in.

Another important cause of house soiling may be related to anxiety or stress. Cats are very habitual creatures and any disruption to the routine or change within the household can adversely affect them. Moving houses or refurbishing, arrival of a new child, competition between cats in a multi-cat household and separation from the owner are just a few examples.

Treatment of choice for anxiety-related house soiling will usually consist of reducing and eliminating the stress where possible, and/or behavior modification therapy. Evidence suggests that spraying house with Feliway, a synthetic equivalent of feline facial pheromones, induces a feeling of well being and calmness in cats. This method has proved to be efficient in decreasing or eliminating inappropriate urination in 30 to 60% of cases.

Pharmacological therapy may have a number of potential side effects and thus should be reserved for the more severe cases that do not respond to behavior modification techniques or environmental strategies. Several drugs have been proved to be effective in the treatment of anxiety in cats. Clomicalm (clomipramine) is commonly used for separation anxiety and single-cat households and BuSpar (buspirone) tends to be more effective in multi-cat households.

URINE SPRAYING

If your cat is busy with urine marking or spraying, instead of finding puddles on the floor, you may see some remnants of urine on walls, doors, furniture or other objects. However, most noticeable will be the offending smell of your cat's 'perfume'.

You may find yourself asking the question as to why is it doing this? Leaving tiny but smelly messages is a means of communicating with other cats. Your cat is simply saying 'this is my territory' or 'hey, I'd like to offer my sexual services' or 'this item is mine'. Any cat can start to communicate this way, not only 'toms' as many believe, although tomcats are far the biggest offenders. Queens, especially when in heat, are more likely to spray then spayed females and the chance of spraying in multi-cat households is proportionally higher then in a single-cat household, irrespective of gender. In households where there are 10 or more cats there will be almost certainly at least one spraying.

Since urine marking is largely hormonally induced, neutering will eliminate this behavior in 80 to 95% of cases. However, don't expect instant results, as it may take up to two months before you start seeing any improvement. If your cat continues spraying after this period then there may be another cause as to why it feels the need to mark. For example, there may be a 'bully' cat in your neighborhood or other cats may be coming into your home through the cat flap. A new person or stranger in your house can also make your cat feel unsafe and insecure so it may feel the need to 'reinforce' its 'territory'. In multi-cat households, competition and territorial disputes between resident cats are a common cause of spraying.

SOLUTIONS

If you haven't done so already get your cat neutered as soon as possible. Kittens can be neutered at any time from six months onwards.

Clean urine spots thoroughly. You can use white vinegar diluted with water (1:1) or commercially available enzymatic cleaners and odor neutralizers.

Provide each cat with one litter box each plus one extra for the house. Keep boxes clean!

Try to identify the reason why your cat sprays. If for example a new person has moved into the house, have him or her feed your cat to establish a bond between them.

Play with your cat in areas where it tends to spray.

If your cat sprays in only one room prevent access to this room. If spraying occurs in one or two specific areas and it is not possible to keep the cat out of this location, put a litter box or feeding bowls there. Most cats will not urinate around their food.

If there is conflict between your cats, you may need to isolate them, or at least the one which is spraying.

Spray Feliway in all areas where your cat marks.

Do not use household cleaning products containing ammonia for cleaning soiled patches - it could stimulate the marking behavior as urine also contains ammonia.

Do not punish the cat by dragging it to its litter box or sticking its nose in excrements and never hit it or kick it! In fact, you can make the matters much worse. Your cat will then associate punishment with you and may become timid and distrusting towards you. You will make it feel unsafe in the house and this will consequently lead to even more spraying. If you catch your cat doing the deed, you can try to deter it by making a harsh noise or spraying water from a water pistol, but in most cases this will not prevent the cat spraying in the future.

To conclude, you should always bear in mind that by the act of inappropriate urination your cat does not mean to upset you. There is always an underlying reason for its behavior that can be related to either physiological or psychological disturbances, or to a normal and natural behavior. If you are unable to resolve the problem, do not hesitate to seek advice from your veterinarian. Usually, your vet will examine urine samples for the presence of blood, sugar, crystals or signs of infection and possibly will take some blood samples if there is any indication of renal or hormonal problems, or diabetes. If your cat is in good health, your vet will be able to discuss the most appropriate behavior modification therapy and prescribe any medication if needed.

Cat Behavior Problems