Cat not using litterbox?

Hi. I have four cats, the most recent of which is a stray who is approximately 8 years old. He came to my household last August.

He had no problems using the litterboxes provided (I have five, all of which I keep downstairs and very clean). However, in October, I noticed that he had started urinating and defecating on the carpet upstairs. After a few days, I noticed blood in his urine. I took him to the vet and he diagnosed the cat (without a test) with cystitis. I gave him a cycle of antibiotics and the blood disappeared. The vet assured me that the cat would return to the litterbox upon recovery (once he no longer associated the litterbox with pain).

After the cat recovered, he would still urinate/defecate upstairs (in the same area as before) intermittently. When I posted to another cat forum for assistance, I was chastised for not demanding that my vet perform tests on the cat to be sure that it was cystitis (or a bladder infection, whatever that's called) before treating him. The situation got bad enough that I just put a litterbox upstairs. He has absolutely no problems going in that litterbox.

A month or so ago, I noticed more blood in his urine. I took him back to the vet and this time, the vet tested him and sure enough, came back with cystitis again. (He told me it was due to my poor cat food quality -- I've since upgraded foods.) Another round of antibiotics and the cat's fine. He still goes in the litterbox upstairs.

Now, I tried migrating the litterbox ever so slowly to join the other boxes downstairs (because who wants a litterbox in their dining room?). I moved the box bit by bit, every few days, getting closer and closer to the basement door. Then, the other day, I noticed that the cat had defecated on the carpet again (where he used to and where the litterbox originally was). The litterbox was only 20 feet away and he literally passed by it on the way to use the carpet instead!

At this point, I don't know what else to do. It's not another bout of cystitis, I don't think, because 1) there's no blood in his urine; and 2) he uses the litterbox to urinate and *sometimes* defecate.

My other cats don't go on the carpet -- they use the upstairs litterbox or the downstairs litterboxes.

Is it the smell attracting him? Do I have to replace the carpet? I thought only dogs were like that.

I thought that it might be that he has trouble getting downstairs to use the boxes since he's older, but that can't be it because 1) the food is downstairs and he has no problems getting up and down steps; and 2) there is a litterbox upstairs over which he prefers the carpet!

Does anyone have suggestions on how to get this cat to use the downstairs litterboxes again? I need help ASAP, not only because I hate having a litterbox in my dining room but also because I'm inheriting one of my mom's dogs soon and, as we all know, he'll have a field day with a full litterbox upstairs.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Yes, the smell is telling him that the carpet is a toilet.

You need to get an enzymatic cleaning product from the vet or a pet shop and thoroughly clean the area he has been using. The enzymes are necessary to completely break down the urine, so that your cat does not keep returning to that place. Using a black light can help you see whether you've removed it all or not, cat urine glows in UV light. If there is even the tiniest trace left it is sending a scent message to the cat that it is the correct place to go!

Once you've cleaned the area well, it might be worth shutting him out of that room for a couple of weeks to also break any mental association he has with peeing in that spot.

I hope you manage to get it sorted soon

You may have to keep that litter box upstairs. I'm not sure if it would hold true in cats - I suspect it would, but certainly recurrent bladder problems could cause some problems all around. The cat not being able to hold it long enough to get downstairs (urgency, etc.) You may want to ask in the health and nutrition section, there may be a few specific foods that would prevent that in him -that are good quality and not over priced, too.

If you have to keep the box upstairs is there some way to disguise it in such away that it doesn't look like a litter box, keeps the dog out, and is still easy for the cat to get in? I'm thinking top open box disguised as a table/cabinet.

It could simply be that he doesn't want to share - that's his box, his preferred spot. Cats are sensitive to scents after all. Beyond that...

I thought about bladder issues, but like I said, the vet is very sure that it's caused by my poor food choices, not the cat himself. The cat is very healthy otherwise.

Also, as for wanting his own box -- the other cats use the litterbox upstairs, too. I guess just because they find it convenient.

I'll try the enzymatic cleaner, but it'll be hard keeping him out of the room. There's a large open doorway and a half-wall to contend with, so unless I plan on covering those openings with screen or something, I don't see how I'll be able to keep him out.

Would you recommend using the cleaner first to get out the odors and stains and then leave the litterbox up there for a while just to make sure he won't do it again? Or would you move the litterbox downstairs immediately after cleaning?

Originally Posted by strange_wings

You may have to keep that litter box upstairs. I'm not sure if it would hold true in cats - I suspect it would, but certainly recurrent bladder problems could cause some problems all around. The cat not being able to hold it long enough to get downstairs (urgency, etc.) You may want to ask in the health and nutrition section, there may be a few specific foods that would prevent that in him -that are good quality and not over priced, too.

If you have to keep the box upstairs is there some way to disguise it in such away that it doesn't look like a litter box, keeps the dog out, and is still easy for the cat to get in? I'm thinking top open box disguised as a table/cabinet.

It could simply be that he doesn't want to share - that's his box, his preferred spot. Cats are sensitive to scents after all. Beyond that...

Click to expand...

They do have these cool cat boxes that are covered and have a fake (I think) plant on top....