How to figure why this is happening

We have two cats, one male and the other female. The female cat has been with us for 7-8 years now and the male cat about 2 years. Within the last few months one of the cats (we strongly thing the male cat) has been urinating in a few places that aren't the litter box. The litter box is kept clean. It is a couple of rugs and the concrete basement floor (about 10 feet away from the litter box). We can wash or clean the rugs and the floor but about once a week, sometimes more, the cat will di it again.

Does anyone know what I would need to do to identify why this just started? Our home is stable, no other animals have been added, no other major changes, etc. We just aren't sure of why this is happening.

The cat we suspect had a urinary tract infection in Jan 2005, with that he would go to planters or other places and try to urinate but couldn't, that behavior cleared up after we got him some medication from the vet. This is dinfferent in the fact that he does (not just try) urinate in these places.

Any help is appreciated.

I agree, sign of a UTI and vet trip needed. Also make sure to use an enzyme cleaner to clean up the places he's peed.

Yes, I agree with the other posters.

If you're not positive which one it is, it's a good idea to get them both checked...girls get UTI's too.

we took the cat to the vet...awaiting test results

Originally Posted by Jean44

I would take him to the vet. Even though he is actually urinating (as opposed to attempting to urinate) outside the litter box he may have an infection again. If it is painful for him to urinate he may associate that pain with the litter box and start urinating outside the box.

Healing vibes and hugs to you and your kitty.

I hope his problem can be easily solved.

Click to expand...

I guess i got to this thread too late but everyone has given u good advice I am glad that you did take ur kittie to the vet..be sure to keep us updated, to me it does sound like a UTI but u never know !!

Ya sounds like a UTI, infection or crystals or something similar. Did they send you home without the results? what kind of test did they do?

I am not sure of the test they did but the results were there was no urinary tract infection but there were 'a few' crystals in the urine...so we have some medicine that we are giving the cat.

We won't know for a while if this works, the cat wouldn't urinate in the wrong place more than about twice a week. So far so good though.