My cat bites my child and pees in the tub. Could he be sick?

Inappropriate elimination can be due to either medical or behavioral problems. I always recommend having the cat examined by a vet to rule out any medical problems first, like GI disease, intestinal parasites or a urinary tract infection. If everything is normal on exam then you can consider this a behavioral issue. Cats will sometimes go outside the box if it is not cleaned frequently enough, if the litter or location of the box has been changed, or if there is something in the environment causing the cat stress (like the new housemate). You need to also consider pain/discomfort when using the box, either due to posturing or getting in/out of the box, especially if your cat is older. You may want to consider adding an extra litter box or two to your home, making the boxes more easily accessible. To help decrease your cat’s stress levels try adding pheromone diffusers like Feliway throughout the house. You may want to also consider talking to your vet about a urinary specific diet and possibly consider anti-anxiety medication to help relieve stress. I hope this helps. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Urination outside the litterbox and blood in the urine can be caused by stress or behavioural issues, but can also be due to urinary tract infection, crystals in the urine, stones in the urinary tract, toxin ingestion, coagulation disorders, or trauma to the area. Another cause, which you referenced, is idiopathic cystitis or Feline Urinary Tract Disease, which can cause the symptoms you've noticed and can be triggered by stress. It is important that you make an appointment to have Keiko seen by your veterinarian immediately to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment. If you notice him straining to urinate/unable to produce urine, this is a medical emergency and he should be seen by a vet immediately. Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for cats, so I do not recommend giving any to Keiko without consulting with your vet. If medical causes are ruled out, it is possible that Keiko is exhibiting signs of stress in his home environment. You can do the following to help make sure Keiko ’s environmental needs are being met. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com, and Feliway Friends, which helps cats get along with each other www.feliway.com/ca_en/Products/FELIWAY-FRIENDS-Diffuser .

Poor Nato! It's possible the bath scared him to the point of urinating on himself (which can happen), however if he's suddenly having a behavior change and doesn't want to be handled, or has started urinating on the bed it could indicate an underlying issue such as pain or even a urinary tract infection. It would be best to have him checked out by your vet and a sample of urine tested to look for possible causes such as this. If he checks out healthy, keeping him out of the room he urinates in, using an enzymatic cleaner to completely remove any accidents, and letting him approach you rather than you try to pick him up may help him relax some. Pheromone collars and diffusers can also help reduce stress and anxiety in cats and may reduce aggressive behavior and inappropriate urination as well.

Causes of urination outside the box can be urinary tract infection, crystals in the urine, stones in the urinary tract, trauma to the area, or difficulty getting into the litterbox due to pain, or other reasons. It is important that you make an appointment to have Jinx seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment. If you notice his straining to urinate/unable to produce urine, this is a medical emergency and she should be seen by a vet immediately. In an unneutered male cat like Jinx, it may be that he is starting to mark around the house, in which case having him neutered may help. This will also help prevent him from getting your other cat pregnant. It is also possible that Jinx is exhibiting signs of stress in his home environment. You can do the following to help make sure Jinx’s environmental needs are being met: Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 , healthcareforpets.com and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic phisomone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com. Try an enzymatic cleaner like Nature’s Miracle on the areas where he has accidents to help with the smell and staining. Good luck!

From what I can see in the photo, it appears to be a scratch under the eye and by the mouth. If he was recently put outside, he may have injured himself. They appear to be only minor scratches, but you should make sure they don't appear to be getting worse or developing any swelling or drainage, as these are signs of infection. As for taking longer to urinate, this is more concerning to me. One potential cause is a condition called FLUTD (or feline lower urinary tract disease). For reasons that we do not fully understand, cats can get inflammation in the urinary tract that can lead to swelling and even complete blockage. This is an emergency, because the bladder can rupture. Often these cats are placed on special diets to help control the symptoms. I recommend having him checked by a veterinarian to see if a special diet may help Alex. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

What can I do for my cat that is eliminating inappropriately? The recommended treatment for such cats is multifold so work with your veterinarian to determine why your cat is doing this behavior. Here are some general guidelines. First, identify the offensive aspects of your current litterbox arrangement. Is the litterbox being scooped and completely cleaned frequently enough? Is the box large enough? What substrate does your cat(s) seem to prefer? Ensure that you have at least one litterbox per cat in the household (and potentially more), adequately spaced. Consider that covered litterboxes, automatic litterboxes, litterbox deoderizing additives, and plastic liners may be aversive to some cats, but acceptable to others. Choose litterbox locations that are quiet and free from harassment. Second, increase the litterboxes’ appeal and accessability by conducting a litterbox choice experiment. Offer your cat a variety of litterbox and litter choices (from coarse to fine, clay and non-clumping), boxes without liners, and different litter depths. Create a quiet area with all litterbox choices available to the cat. Allow the cat several days to make a selection. Animals may initially prefer the substrate they have been accustomed to but may select a different substrate later in the trial. Be patient during this litterbox trial period. Third, discourage use of inappropriate elimination areas by cleaning soiled regions with an enzymatic cleaner. Cats that are fed or receive attention in a commonly-soiled area may be discouraged from eliminating there further. If your cat targets only a few areas of the house, remote distracters (contact paper sticky-side up, aluminum, motion-or-light-triggered alarms, etc.) may be used, but only if the punishment is delivered immediately and consistently. Never physically or verbally punish your cat. What can I do for my cat that is displaying marking behavior? All cats should first be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine the correct diagnosis. Unaltered males should be neutered. Hostile intercat interactions, either to cats inside or outside the home, often trigger marking behavior. Reducing these interactions by blocking windows, making the yard antagonistic to outside cats, partioning living space for indoor cats, and ensuring separate feeding areas and litterboxes may subsequently reduce marking. Litterbox hygiene should be maintained to encourage appropriate elimination. The feline facial pheromone product Feliway® can be used to help decrease marking. Medications may be also be used in conjunction with environmental and behavioral changes. If you cat has been diagnosed with urine marking, please contact your veterinarian for more information,. For any inappropriate elimination problem, there is help. Please work with your veterinarian to devise a treatment plan specifically for you and your cat.

Causes of urination outside the box can be urinary tract infection, crystals in the urine, stones in the urinary tract, trauma to the area, or difficulty getting into the litterbox due to pain, or other reasons. It is important that you make an appointment to have Moon seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment. If you notice his straining to urinate/unable to produce urine, this is a medical emergency and she should be seen by a vet immediately. I highly recommend speaking to your vet about having Moon neutered, as this kind of behaviour can happen in male cats as a form of marking behaviour, and sometimes having them neutered can help reduce or eliminate the marking. It is also possible that Moon is exhibiting signs of stress in his home environment. You can do the following to help make sure Moon’s environmental needs are being met. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 , healthcareforpets.com and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com.