Constipation led to litter box trauma!!! Help!!

We have a seven year old only cat, and he's our big furry baby.  We adopted him when he was four from the SPCA, and I have always believed he may have been neglected as a baby/adolescent because he has never, ever covered up any of his waste in the litter box, and runs away like a bat out of hell after pooping, every time.  He also has had problems with peeing outside the box since we brought him home; he would pee on any carpeted surface, and I think it may be due to trauma from a UTI or blockage that went untreated for too long in his first life.  He's a large male (15 pounds, just big, not fat) and he's had a UTI since we've gotten him so he's on urinary tract food, but even when 100% vet-approved healthy, still did it.  Our current home has all hard floors, so up until about a month and a half ago, we've only had minor accidents but he always went back to the box the last three years, and NEVER pooped outside the boxes.  We scoop the boxes and clean them out regularly, changing the litter etc., and they are in a tucked away spot that's not near anything loud, away from his food and water.  A few weeks before Christmas, he became constipated. The longest he went without pooping was almost four days, and it was hard and I'm sure was painful to get out.  

       Understandably, he started to poop outside the box because I'm sure he was thinking "box+poop=pain".  At the vet he told us he wasn't impacted and didn't have megacolon, and to start mixing miralax into his food, which we did and still do to keep him regular, works like a charm.  But now that he's back on track, poop is regular, optimal and not hard anymore, he still will not go in the box, and avoids it to pee too.  I've switched litters in one box, to the soft pine litter, and resorted to putting down wee-wee pads for puppies so he won't pee anywhere else, but this is hardly optimal.  He has pooped in a laundry basket full of clean clothes, a plastic bag that had fallen on the floor, every welcome mat in the house, a boot tray, the handkerchief I had tied around my nose because the smell made me want to puke when cleaning up that poop, and today in the little basket we keep by the front door for hats and gloves.  I broke down sobbing when I got home, I was so upset and tired of cleaning up poop.  We will never, ever give him up or put him down for this, we love him too much, and I know that there's a key somewhere to that squirrely little brain of his that makes him do this, but I am at my wits end.  We are looking to buy our first house and I am terrified that he will proceed to make the whole thing his litter box, and I don't even want to look at a house with carpet.  ANY similar stories, advice, etc. would be SO appreciated.  Thank you!!!!

Hi al,

I'm so very sorry for all you have been through with your kitty! Gosh that takes a lot of patience!

So first thing, have you tried different types of litter, including cat attract litter? You can also buy the bottle with the cat attractant, but you'll need to be using unscented scoopable clay litter for it to work best. When one of my then kittens had trouble using the box, I found out it was more the type of litter I was using that he was objecting to. Once I've switched to unscented clumping clay litter and added the cat attract, he was so happy he played in the clean litter and rolled around in it! And he has never gone outside the box, either, thank goodness.

For constipated kitties, I'm also wondering about the type of food he's been eating, even if it is rx food from the vet. Often times, other issues arise from using them...vet prescribed diet usually isn't ideal for a kitty, at least not long term, imho. I'd also only allow him on an exclusively wet diet, for example, or make that my goal so he'll always be flushed to keep his UTI at bay and also so you don't have to keep adding the miralax. Adding a water fountain may also help increase his water intake as well, or just place different types of water containers (mugs, glass cups, in addition to your standard kitty bowl) all around the house to encourage more drinking. I've even heard of some people "doctoring" their cat's water by adding some tuna juice in it, too. Anything to get your kitty to intake more fluids. I currently feed my cats wet only diet (even if they do not have health issues anyway), and actually add about a tablespoon more of water to their wet food. Needless to say, I scoop a lot of huge pee-clumps daily. Between both cats, I think I scoop at least 7-8 urine clumps out within a 24 hour period! Every cat is different, but this way, I know they are definitely hydrated.

I haven't dealt with constipation issues, but I do know it's a problem for older kitties. Sometimes adding probiotics also helps. I've always had carpet flooring since I've had my two last year, so I definitely know what a nightmare it can be to clean, especially kitty urine! I eventually got a good blacklight from Amazon and always made sure I've got a good stock of enzyme cleaners and tons of paper towels, as well.

Sure hope the litter box problem gets better in the meantime, and more members start chiming in to help you. Best wishes to you and your kitty!

I eventually got a good blacklight from Amazon and always made sure I've got a good stock of enzyme cleaners and tons of paper towels, as well.

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Just curious - I just bought Stink Free because my younger cat kept peeing everywhere when she had a UTI, and I thought of buying a blacklight to catch all the places she was going. But I live in a very old building with hardwood floors, and I read elsewhere that blacklights don't work well on hardwood floors, as they pick up everything on that surface that isn't necessarily urine. Has anyone else heard this or has advice on the matter?

Emile

You can also switch litter boxes that look nothing like the kind you have right now.  Even though you changed litter, he might still associate the box itself with pain.  Also try moving the box to a different location. 


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emilesc said:

 
Just curious - I just bought Stink Free because my younger cat kept peeing everywhere when she had a UTI, and I thought of buying a blacklight to catch all the places she was going. But I live in a very old building with hardwood floors, and I read elsewhere that blacklights don't work well on hardwood floors, as they pick up everything on that surface that isn't necessarily urine. Has anyone else heard this or has advice on the matter?

Emile

Click to expand...

-Black light will work if a paper on the floor that is white, like a piece of paper. Urine will glow yellow-green due to the phosphorus in the urine, but so will any body fluids, or natural fruit juices, too. If your floors are dirty, a simple cleaning the floors can help. Urine spots are pretty easy to identify, spilled juice in a bedroom or bathroom would be unlikely, for example. However, that being said, I've only used it on my mostly carpet flooring.

Here are other items:

http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/consumer/faq/what-are-fluorescent-compounds.shtml

Agree with Ruaryx.  If this is a trauma reaction, then try to take away everything associated with the trauma AND create a super stress-free environment (I'd stick a feliway on in the same room as his litter boxes).  I also second the food suggestions - make sure its wet food (and here's some more info on food and UTI stuff  http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth).  I'd also try talking to him as you set up the new litter boxes - acknowledging the nasty old ones,his pain, and how these new ones are just going to be great.  I know this sounds nuts, but I'm convinced they pick up something, even if it is just that you care, and this new thing is something you are doing especially for them!  And of cause praise and be happy every single time you see him near or in the box - even if he doesnt cover!  The other thing you might try is playtime/s each day if you don't already do so.  I have noticed in both humans and my boy cat, that physical movement aids bowel movement!!

And PS, kudos to you for your commitment.  I know how exhausting and depressing constant cleaning is.  But it will get better...and your more positive hopeful feelings will also help his

Did you ever solve your litter box problems? We are having the exact same issue. Our 1 year old cat Ripley had a bad bout of constipation and she stopped using her tray for peeing and pooping. She would fly around the house while she pooped leaving it everywhere! After about 2 weeks we got the constipation resolved and she started using it again for peeing. Every time we saw she needed to pee we would put her in the box and she eventually got the idea again. However it's now been 7 weeks since the initial constipation and she still won't poop in the tray.

Here's what we've tried,

Replaced all trays, we have a regular tray, a covered one and a round one. We also changed litter and she will use them all for peeing but won't poop.

We've changed the locations of the trays too.

We've tried a different food, but that just made her poops squishy.

We have feliway plug ins and I spray pet remedy around occasionally.

She's also had virtually every yet under the sun done at the vets and everything has come back negative. The next step would be a colonoscopy and full MRI but we don't really want to put her through that.

We thought if we could try putting her in the tray when it's obvious she needs to poop, that might help, like it did for the urinating, but she mostly goes in the early hours whe we are asleep!

We are moving to our new house in a few weeks and I'm worried her pooping over everything.

Maybe a whole new house night make her forget about being scared?

Any advice would be really appreciated cos we just don't know what to do next and we feel like we aren't doing anything productive at the minute.