In July 2014, Romeo, a 12 year old domestic short haired cat was brought in to Centrepointe Animal Hospital with concerns of inappropriate urination, one of the leading problems seen in cats. Romeo had suddenly begun to urinate outside his litter box and for the past three weeks, was urinating on the floor or just outside his box. Romeo’s owners explained that this was the first time he had ever shown this type of behaviour and they were unsure of the cause. There had been no changes or new stressors in the house, the litter box continued to be cleaned regularly and Romeo’s schedule and lifestyle had remained the same as it always had. After speaking to Dr. Theoret, it was decided to collect urine and blood samples and run tests to ensure that there was no underlying medical issue, such as a urinary tract infection or kidney disease.

Romeo’s blood and urine results both showed no significant findings.  His urine was slightly diluted which could indicate early signs of kidney disease but not enough to cause inappropriate urination.  Abdominal radiographs were performed to ensure there were no kidney or bladder stones that could have been causing irritation or discomfort. Nothing significant was found on x-ray. With no apparent medical underlying cause, it was suspected that the inappropriate urination was a behavioural issue.

Romeo was sent home with a Feliway® diffuser plug-in, a product that releases a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone. This pheromone is used by cats to mark their territory as safe and secure. Feliway® creates a state of familiarity and security to help prevent or reduce stress in the cat’s environment and thus reduce the tendency for stress related inappropriate urination.  Romeo was also put on an Omega-3 fish oil oral supplement to help promote kidney function and overall health of his heart, joints and cognitive function.  His owners went home with the recommendation to try Cat Attract®, a litter additive that provides a blended natural herb attractant, along with the ideal texture and particle size which hopefully would help entice Romeo to use his litter box.

A month later, Romeo’s owners reported that he had stopped inappropriately urinating and was back to using his litter box regularly.

In Romeo’s case, it is still unclear what caused him to begin inappropriately urinating. However, it was determined to be behaviour related and, luckily for him and his owners, was quickly resolved. It is important to remember that inappropriate urination can be a complex problem to solve and should not be taken lightly. However, there are ways to prevent, manage, and resolve this behaviour. Cats do not urinate or defecate outside their box out of spite or anger towards their owners. They usually do so because their specific physical, social, or medical needs are not being met.

If you are experiencing any signs of inappropriate urination with your cat, please contact Centrepointe Animal Hospital. The sooner these issues are addressed, the happier everyone will be, including your cat!