Overwhelmed a bit - Urination Venting

Hello!

My cat Cosmos has been peeing since before we moved to our new apartment. We started noticing that he was peeing in our old place at the end of June of this year. We moved into the new place and his places he'd tend to go were in a a open through way between the living room and main hallway to bedrooms. He also liked to pee in my room mate's room before her things were even really moved in there.

He is not allowed in our bedrooms as he can't be trusted - ESPECIALLY the room mate's. We started with the litter box in a large closet near the hallway that he would go often - so - we placed the litter box there and moved it slowly over to our bathroom - where he present box lies. We did this slowly and would move it back if he peed in the hall. For a little bit, it looked like he could be in the room mate's room until one day (within a very small amount of time, he peed on her Pop figures, her computer tower that's lower to the ground, a few wheels on her office chair, and in a corner near a closet. That was a few weeks ago. Now she shuts her door and never lets him in (understandably so).

Today he peed by our computer BUT I was proactive and put up a couple flimsy cutting boards bought for the purpose to protect our computer in the living room. He did it in front of me and I stopped him from it being too much pee as he pees a lot at once usually as he's diabetic (we have hard floors too - so it spreads out - but at least we can find it)! I put him in the bathroom and shut the door so he could just be in there with his water and toilet. He still peed on the floor AND on the mat in front of the toilet. This morning I noticed he peed on his Kitty Kasa... he's peed on my mini freezer a few times now... bathroom cabinets low, in front of tub...

We have less of a problem if he pees on his mat because at LEAST he's going to the bathroom. The weird thing is he will poop in the toilet no problem. Just pee where ever OR usually just out the front of the box.

We have tried different litters and that doesn't seem to help so much. We tried two boxes and that didn't seem to help either (we have two cats - the other cat has no diabetes and no problems going wherever the litter box is). We tied laying foil down where he tends to pee. We have tried putting his food where he used to pee.... and that didn't work. ALTHOUGH now he doesn't really go in the hallway anymore (where his food bowl is). ... so that might have just took a ton of time - but he just peed wherever else.

Anyhoo... we think it could be related to his numbers but we are also having a HELL of time getting them in order. The GOOD news is that since Lantus - his numbers have been better. He has a had a two fur shots within the last couple weeks that probably haven't helped. I read the Lantus info about low and slow (still not sure what method would be best)... but it says not to shoot if his glucose is below 90... SO... won't it just go right back up if we skip the shot? (We don't have the schedules to be able to change his 12 hour increments - but is that what we need - like, do one of us need to quit a job OR have that kind of time - or do we just skip it - mess with his numbers, and make this urination problem worse!

Finally, we did a UTI check since moving. He didn't have any signs of a UTI. Every time I have checked his ketones, they have been fine (but he is due). I am trying to do what I can get mid shots but honestly the last few days I have been exhausted with every moment generally of my life that's NOT at work or SCHOOL - it's cleaning up urine, and than wiping everything down with enzyme cleaner - complete with UV flash lights when time - and all that.

Just... I had to say something on here guys. My room mate, myself, and my husband are taking leading roles when we can so that others can get a break. I love Cosmos. He is my soul mate. I understand that diabetes his *****... a terrible thing for anyone to get - including animals. My compassion is not gone - but we just feel... TESTED. (as he likely does too). Some days... it's just hard to deal with. ESPECIALLY since everything we have tried hasn't really worked.... and WE HOPE that getting his numbers in order will help with this... up in arms a bit at times!

If you made it this far, thank you for reading! (honestly don't expect anyone to really get through all of that - but I had to put this somewhere so that I can get it off my chest with people who might understand)!

Thank you again.

Take care of yourselves out there!,
Abbey (and Cosmos)

 

Bless your heart, Abbey When I saw “ venting”. I knew I needed to read ! Have you posted on the Lantus board ? I don’t remember seeing you there . Wondering what your vet thinks of Cosmos peeing adventures ? Sending prayers that your huge patience and love can help Cosmos .

 

Sending prayers your way and hugs. Ugh.. the computer? Id call the vet to chat about this. Fury friend is lucky to have such a wonderful owner.

 

What are you using to clean the accidents

 

Have you tried carpeting your place with puppy training pads? While I can’t say it will solve the problem, at least, it will make cleanup easier until you can resoved the issue.

 

There's this litter. I forget the name, but it has catnip or.. something, in it? It attracts your cat. Or, you could try, saving a pile or two from a previous litter - then when you set up fresh litter, put the pile or two on top to attract them. Sounds to me like your cats are staging a coup - and hoping they win. Not likely! Another thing you can do, though they WON'T like you for it, is to pick them up after a good nap (1-2 hrs) and set them on/in the litter box - believe me, I have yet to see a cat who doesn't have to potty after a nap, kitten OR adult.

Can you trill? Roll your "R's" like a Spaniard? Slide your hand down their belly, rub/press/tickle - to stimulate them?

It can work sometimes. My girl Fena is smart, but she had some spacial awareness issues which makes her want to "scrape" the bare wood floor to "cover" her pee or poo - it's heartbreaking but I help her, and it gets done. Sometimes she gets it done on her own.

Puppy pads are another GOD SEND. The layout pattern for them can be tricky, watch your cat(s) to figure it out better. I bought a 30 pack and it's a life saver - very rarely, but if my baby Fena has problems, and sometimes she does... it helps, ALOT.

Sometimes she naps too long and doesn't make it, so she'll pee just outside the litter box rim.. she tries hard, scraping the bare wood to "cover" but she knows she can't, and she gets depressed - I try hard to be there and help her out, love on her, etc. Even if she tries to use the bare floor to "cover", I praise her and love on her - then cover for her.

As early as 2:10am last night, I heard her "scratching" so I got up, looked - she'd pooped but tried to cover via the floor - I praised her, and covered myself then tested via the "squish test" in my scoop bag and noted it in her notebook-file.

Use the puppy pads, and praise your baby even if they don't do what you want, when you can. You can buy citrus based cleaner/distractents too - I use those also.

 

I hope to find out very soon - from the vet - what they suggest. Thank you for the hugs and thank you for reading. There are some days where I feel at my wits end - and than I have to take a step back, get out of the house for a bit, and just think for a bit - just get some air! Thank you for the encouragement!

 

Enzyme Cleaner - Nature's Miracle.

 

I haven't yet, and maybe we need to do that - just... is the next few years going to be all puppy pads? I will look into them. We do have a plastic mat in front of the litter box and he tends to do the number 2 out the box... regretting the textured mat under that - but we don't want litter tracked everywhere either on top of the urine etc! Thank you for that suggestion! (we have a couple pads that are washable - 2 in total- get messed up within placing them down really - ) Disposable (sadly) might be the way to go!

 

Hmm, maybe moving him after a nap when we are around/alert for it might not be a bad idea! Thank you for taking time to offer advice!/your experience!

 

Not a problem, I do this with my own cats - and it helps! Not always but 80% of the time, it does.

 

Perhaps try one of these products.

https://www.drelseys.com/our-litter/

 

Dr Elsey's Cat Attract litter helps a lot of cats start using the litterbox again. But it really depends why a cat isn't using the box to begin with (a "treat the problem, not just the symptoms" thing).
https://www.chewy.com/dr-elseys-precious-cat-attract-cat/dp/32365

Is the cat peeing on mostly horizontal things (floor, pile of clothes, etc) or vertical things (wall, computer tower, etc)? They're often a sign of totally different issues.

Always try to rule out a medical issue first. Cats don't usually want to be "bad" in my experience, they just don't speak English so have to find an alternate way to communicate. And boy do we notice it when they pee on things! They are also very instinctual, so if they feel safer/cleaner/whatever peeing in an alternate location, that's what they do. Dr Lisa has quite a bit of info about litterbox issues on her catinfo.org website. Someone has probably already linked it for you, but if not: https://catinfo.org/the-litter-box-from-your-cats-point-of-view/

You might also set up a video or game camera to prove who the culprit is. You'd be amazed at how often the wrong cat is blamed. Even if you've caught one cat in the act, it doesn't mean the other cat isn't contributing. Sometimes there are multiple things going on in a household and it can be tricky to sort out.

The use of puppy pads has been mentioned. Walmart sells Assurance brand disposable underpads in the human pharmacy section that work great. The XL size is 30x36, the L size is slightly smaller. The benefit of these are that they DON'T have pheromones in them (unlike the puppy pads in the pet section). Pheromones are designed to attract the animal to use them. I don't actually want to attract the cat to use the pads over the litterbox, just want to catch and contain accidents.

Another idea is to put a puppy pad (with pheromones) in an empty litterbox. If the litter hurts a cat's feet, sometimes they prefer something soft to pee on. A cup or so of litter on top is optional if you want to "show" them that this is a litterbox.

Finally, and I don't recommend this often for a variety of reasons... You could consider using a baby diaper on the cat. Sometimes it gives you the break you need from messes while sorting out the issues. Just be careful to change all wet and soiled diapers immediately. You will also need to gently clean the back end to avoid urine scalding and the risk of UTIs. I've had a cat in diapers for over 7 years for medical reasons and it's NOT an easy way out.