Senior cat litterbox issues

Hi all - I'm looking for some help to make life with my elderly cat better for both of us.  He's got bad arthritis and kidney failure.  In his case, this results in the combination of him using the litterbox to pee several times a day (because he drinks so much water), but being unable to really hold himself up while he pees.  We've always used a clumping clay litter -- never really gave it much thought; he's never been picky about his box -- but the problem now that he's dragging so much is that the litter always ends up stuck all over him.  Even if we get to it right away, so that it doesn't get tracked all over the house, he truly hates the de-littering. 

So, I need a litter that , as much as possible, won't stick to fur even when that fur is wet (he's a DSH), but, also, that can handle a high-traffic litterbox.

Also, I'd welcome any advice on the transition.  It's truly a blessing that he remains committed to his litterbox, and I'd hate to throw him off that with an unwelcome litter switch.

Any other things I should consider to make peeing easier for him?  His arthritis is particularly bad in his back legs, so squatting is just torture for him. 

Thanks much for any advice.  (ETA:  we're doing what we can for the arthritis and kidneys, of course, with our vet.  The questions are really just about household management)

Would you consider replacing the litter with puppy pee pads and/or would you consider a kitty diaper? I lost a senior kitty with CRF last year and toward the end we had to keep him in a kitty diaper because he was just going on a pee parade through the house due to his constant urgent need to pee. The diapers I used are handmade of cotton material and they are completely machine washable. They attach with velcro and they have a tail hole so the kitty can do his other business as usual. You just put a half of a human incontinence pad in the diaper and it will catch 8-10 hours worth of urine (at least it did for my guy). 

Thanks for your reply.  I don't think we're at diapers yet, but I'm curious to hear more about the puppy pads.  You just put them on the floor where the litterbox was?  Or, in the bare litterbox?  He doesn't dig or bury anymore, so maybe . . .  They must be pretty absorbent, right?  Huh.  Here I thought I needed a different litter, but maybe no litter at all . . . .   

I used puppy pads outside of the litter box for an option when my old diabetic/crf cat got too weak and just needed to urinate. Also, is the litter box big enough? I'm not sure what you mean by dragging? Check out www.catinfo.org for litterbox idea. One of her set ups sounds perfect!

You c:noduld also try hot toweling. Get a bucket of hot water and dip the cloth in it, wring it out, then place it against the soiled areas for a bit and let the steam break some of it. Feels good on joints too, but either dry the kitty or place a warm blanket him until he dries.

I know you didn't ask about the arthritis issue, but I used Adequan with great success and a pet bed that would warm up when she laid on it.

Good on you for caring for this dear old soul!

The hot toweling is pretty much what I do - just trial and error on our part, but happy to hear it's got a name!  He does squat to pee, but often ends up with litter clumped all around his bum, on his tail, on his rear feet, like he peed on them when they were in contact with the litter, or peed on them and them immediately touched the litter.  I'm not sure how a bigger box would help?  At any rate, we don't have much room to spare, since his box is in a little nook, and of course I do worry about moving his box at this point.  I read about arthritic cats who stand and pee, and I think, now, that would be nice, why can't he do that?  Grass is always greener somewhere!  

Thanks for sharing your experience with adequan.  My comment was really just to assure folks that his medical issues have professional care, and I'm not looking to the internet for diagnoses and treatment recs.  Always happy to hear what's worked for others, though!  

I'm thinking the puppy pads inside a very low sided litter box might do the trick.  Or you might get away with just putting the puppy pads in place of the litter box, although not sure if your old guy would get the hint or not.  He probably would.

My guy with CRF and arthritis tried and tried to use the box, but wasn't always successful, and when he was, had the exact same problem you described.  I learned to have a very large plastic liner on the floor under the box for those times when he just couldn't climb into the box (wish I'd thought of just having puppy pads in place of his box).  He then peed right next to the box,bless his heart.   So if your guy is anything at all like my guy was, very well mannered, he will go to the puppy pad and use it.  Maybe the way to train him is to first put it in the box and let him pee on it, then remove it from the box and set it on the floor with the urine scent on it so it draws him back? 

I'm not usually one to suggest trimming fur, but have you thought about trimming the hair on his behind/back legs so that the litter is less likely to stick, or so that it would be easier to remove if it does?  I would also try the puppy pad thing.  I'd get a very shallow litter box and place one on the bottom with perhaps a little bit of litter on top.  This will give him something to scratch at (if he still does) while you make the transition, and then you can reduce down to just the puppy pad when he gets more accustomed to it.  I would avoid the diaper for as long as possible.  I may be wrong, but as cats are such clean and tidy animals I would imagine that they would not be pleased to be wearing a urine filled diaper for any period of time. 
 

I'm not usually one to suggest trimming fur, but have you thought about trimming the hair on his behind/back legs so that the litter is less likely to stick, or so that it would be easier to remove if it does?

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If you do take your kitty to the groomer, this would be called a "sanitary groom".