14 yr. old cat not squatting in litter properly! HELP!

Hello, I'm new to this site and in complete desperation! I have a larger 14 yr old female tabby. She has started to pee all around the litter box.

After doing some detective work it seems that she is entering the litter box but no longer squatting so the urine stream is literally going sideways OVER the rim of the box. We even went so far as to buy a large plastic storage bin (with rather tall sides) and cut an opening in it for entery but now she is peeing out of the opening. I've made up some cat nip bags and hung them on either side of this bin hoping she would get in and TURN towards the cat nip and pee into a corner but she isn't!

She is not digging or sniffing or preparing to pee like she used to... she just walks in the box and lets it go!

Please help!

Forever tired and drenched in cat pee,
Maurine

You need to get your cat to a vet right away. MOst likely since your cat is older it is a urinary problem. The best thing to do is get her to a vet. Whenever they have potty troubles like that it means there's something wrong. Hope your kitty will be ok!

Because she is in her double digets agewise, I would take her in and ask the vet to run a senior panel. Also, is she obese? Sometimes, the older cats who we spoil and overfeed, become obese and they can't do bathroom anymore, it just isn't possible. Perhaps the high sides tell her cat brain she can't get into the box, so she will pee at the box. But before you do the detective work about whether this is behavioral- please take her to the vet and rule out health issues.

Hello Menace... Thanks for your quick response!

Actually I have taken her to the vet 2x in one week. The first visit seems to be part of the problem. She was biting fur off her backside and he gave her a cortisone shot. Since then she's been drinking excessively and peeing several times an hour for over a week. I took her back for this peeing problem on Friday and he said nothing was wrong with her a suggested a covered box. She is rather large and one of those covered boxes wouldn't be practical for her. I just don't understand why she is isn't squatting or sniffing around for a place to go??? She just walks in and urinates right where she is standing.... I'm at a total loss.

Did they check her for diabetes? Is she drinking a lot of water? If there is a target store near you- or a walmart, run over there and buy one of those large under the bed storage units- the type you store sweaters and blankets in? They have low sides, and they make awesome litter pans. Try that- give her a larger area to go in, not one with big sides. But I would be concerned there is a health issue brewing because of the what you just posted. Have you by chance treated her recently with anything over the counter? wormer, flea treatment? bathed her in pet shampoo?

That garment storage bin is a good idea Hissy! Actually, the reason we went with a bin with tall side is because she wasn't squatting properly. She is standing to pee and it's going sideways (right over the sides of a low-rimmed box). This is why we tried this higher sided bin with an opening cut in it for entry. Now she is walking in the bin, with her butt still hanging out the opening and peeing. I used those cat nip bags to try and attract her attention so she would turn her butt away from the opening and at least the stream of urine would hit the one of the 3 tall sides. Nope, didn't work.

Concerning the vet, I do have a call into him now so hopefully I'll get a return call soon. He did tell me on Friday that the cortisone will make them drink more but I think a senior panel would be a good idea... and maybe check for diabetes as well.... To answer your other ?'s. Nope I haven't done anything differently or given her any new treatments. Those are great questions! Whew! I'm at the end of my rope...

I would really lean towards this being a health issue. She could have a low-grade infection or something, but then I am not a vet. Unless you introduced a new cat into the home recently and she is marking her territory, I am also at a loss, but my gut says this is health related- pulling out hair can be a response to pain. It can also be dermatitis, flea allergies, or just plain allergy, or stress! Aren't cats fun?

I'm with Hissy about the possibility that this is a health problem. Bloodwork should definitely be done to rule out diabetes or kidney disease.