He won't use the litterbox anymore!!

[ctidwell]

My 4, almost 5, year old male cat has stopped using the litterbox and I have no clue why. We currently have 3 cats, 2 males and one female. The other two cats have no problems using the litterbox, and the third cat just started having a problem about a month ago. He began going to the bathroom on the linoleum in the living room. I thought it might be because the litterboxes were dirty, but even after I cleaned them out and filled them with completely new litter he still won't go in it. We had a problem with him doing this at our old apartment, and I figured out that it was because the litterbox was near the closet with the AC. He would get scared when the AC would switch on, so I moved the litterbox into the living room and he started using it again.

Currently the there are two litterboxes in my bedroom in the closet area (our closets have no doors), and the other two are in the living room. I tried moving one of the litterboxes to the other closet, just to see if it had to do with the location of the boxes, but that did no good. I have realized that if I catch him right before he tries to potty on the floor, and I pick him up and put him in front of the litterbox he will go in and use it. If he doesn't have to use the bathroom and I try to put him in front of the box, to show him that I've recently cleaned it he acts really scared. He tries to run away and he starts meowing. I really have no idea what is going on with him but it is getting really annoying having to clean up the floor every single day. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing him to act this way? I mean he'll use it if I put him in front of it when he actually has to go, but he acts afraid of it every other time. Please help!

Thanks!

 

[otto]

Illness (such as crystals in the urine or urinary tract infection) is the number one reason cats avoid the litter box. Urinary tract problems HURT, and the cat blames the box, so pees elsewhere in an effort to get away from the pain. His acting frightened when you put him near the box makes me think this is what is going on with him.

In males this problem can turn fatal very quickly. Please call the vet and get him seen first thing tomorrow. Don't let them put you off, this can be very serious in male cats and should not be put off until it is an emergency, because then he will really be suffering badly.

 

[ctidwell]

Otto, thank you for your insight and advice. I tried to read up on urinary tract problems in cats, but I could not find much on the symptoms. What I did find I have not seem my cat display any of them, or maybe I haven't noticed because he is at home alone most of the time. When we are home he will never go to the bathroom on the floor while we are in the room. It's like he knows what he is doing is bad, because when we catch him right after he sits in the corner with his head down looking sad.

So you are right, he could have a urinary tract problem and I just haven't noticed the symptoms because I really don't see him using the bathroom. I will definitely try and get an appointment with the vet for him soon, because if this is what is wrong with him I don't want to wait much longer to get him checked out. It's already been close to one month since he stopped using the box.

 

[otto]

It's like he knows what he is doing is bad, because when we catch him right after he sits in the corner with his head down looking sad.

This is an indication of pain. Please, bring him to the vet. Don't put it off, your cat is in pain and suffering and probably has been for a long time.

The longer urinary tract problems go untreated the more likely the cat will have lifelong problems, including scarring, requiring surgery to open his urethra, and kidney infections. A month is a long time for him to be sick. Please, get him to the vet now.

And if he is on a dry diet, switch him to canned food.

There is a ton of info out there on urinary tract disorders, but you can start here.

http://catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth

and

http://everything2.com/title/Feline%20Lower%20Urinary%20Tract%20Disease

Since FLUTD can refer to any number of complications or diseases that affect the lower urinary tract, there are a number of noticeable indications, including, but not limited to:

Straining to urinate
Pain or discomfort in urinating
Bloody urine
Urination in unusual places
Inability to urinate at all, a blockage
Licking urinary opening
Vomiting
Depression
Dehydration
Lack of appetite

and

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/urinary_tract_infection.html

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/urinary_blockage.html

^^ links to more information in these two