Seasonal urinating problems?

Hello,
Last summer my cat started urinating outside the litter box. We took them to the vet and got`em checked out, made some changed based on the advice of our vet. And it stopped (eventually). But it's recently started again. According to the vet records (yes I keep every bill and I even keep notes about vet visits) the urinating problem began last year about the same time. We attributed the behavior to moving (we'd just moved into a new house) and getting a dog. We have our suspicions on who the culprit is, but since we've never caught them in the act, we can't be certain. Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon? Both boys are indoor only cats, and neutered. We adopted Buddha (our main suspect-meows/cries about not being able to go outside and kill the birds) about 1.5 years ago he was about 2, and weâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve had Meeko (suspect because heâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s evil, and the only other cat in the house) since he was a kitten. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m sort of at a loss and my partner is not happy, at all. We took them to the vet, and theyâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re healthy. We followed our vetâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s advice last time so I really donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know what to do now, switch back?! Should I start letting them outside? Could this be related to heat? the season?

My first thought...the windows are open and there's a stray cat outside either urinating under the window or against the house. So this is a territorial reaction.

We have to keep the windows closed because Buddha and Meeko figured out how to pop out the screens (they run and jump at the screens, eventually knocking them out).

Are Buddah and Meeko fixed?

Yes. Meeko was fixed as soon as he was old enough. But I'm not sure when Buddha was fixed. When we adopted him he was already fixed, and the shelter had no information on him. I should also mention that Buddha loves to talk. Meeko is a rez cat, and Buddha was a rescue cat. I've never had cats, only dogs. Are you supposed to discipline your cat? My vet said no, but how will they learn?

Since you've taken them to the vet and received a clean bill of health, you can cross off the feline UTI from your list of things.

Next, I see where you moved and got a dog. For any pet, either event can be very stressful, let alone both.

This is probably a behavior issue. Here's what you can try:

Confine one or both cats in separate rooms with food, water, and a clean litter box. Give them their favorite toys. When you check on them observe:

Are they both using the cat litter box, or is one/both still going outside the box? If they're both good boys, and using the cat litter box, then it could be they don't like the litter box location in other parts of your house. Or, it's possible the dog is hanging about when they're trying to do their business, and if that's the case, kitty will find other spots to urinate.

How often do you scoop the waste from the cat litter boxes? The more often, the better. If there's a lot of "stuff," many cats won't use the litter box, because it's too dirty.

And speaking of that, how often do you completely dump the litter, and scrub out the cat litter boxes? It's best to do this at least once a month; more often is better from the cat's point of view.

Cat litter boxes - do you have enough? The rule of thumb is:

"X" cats + 1 = minimum number of cat litter boxes needed. Since you have two cats...three boxes.

Litter box location - are the cat litter boxes in "safe" locations for the kitties? Away from high traffic areas? Consider this.

Cat litter - it's possible one or other has developed a dislike to the cat litter brand you've chosen. Try the "Cat Attract" brand litter. I and many others have had great success retraining problem kitties to get back into good cat litter box habits again.

If neighborhood kitties are a problem, there are a few feline repellent products you can try. Here's two:

Liquid Fence
Cat Stop Ultrasonic Cat Deterrent

OK - if they're anxious or stressed, you can try these to calm them down. Often, anxious kitties will stop using the cat litter box and start marking around the house to try to relieve their anxiety.

Rescue Remedy
Homeopathic Nerve Ease
Calm Supplement
Feliway

The first three are natural flowering essences that can be put into the cat's food and/or water. You can also use Bach's when you're stressed out - it's great!

The Feliway system is a plug in unit (in the electrical wall socket of your home) that emits feline phernomes that calm kitties down. I use both for my little Scout, and she's been doing great - uses the litter box consistently now. (She also had a feline UTI).

So, look over these options, and give some of them a try. Good luck, and keep us posted,