Why is my cat suddenly not using the litter box? Dog stress or UTI?

This may be a urinary tract infection but it can also be from stress of moving. I would recommend bringing Romeo to a veterinarian to have him checked for a uti and then if there is no uti I recommend talking with your veterinarian about behavior medication. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Stress can certainly cause an accident in the house like this. if it only happened once and Tsuki seems otherwise healthy and OK, I would just continue to monitor, and clean/wash any areas she urinated on. If the accidents continue, she seems painful in the belly, vocalizes more, is going to the litter box more frequently, etc, then a vet visit to rule out UTIs is best.

This could be a behavioral issues especially if it occurred right after adopting your dog, but it could still be a medical problem. I would recommend taking Comet to a veterinarian and have them get a urine to rule out any type of infection. There are also systemic diseases (kidney disease and diabetes) that can cause an increase in urination which can present as inappropriate urination. It may also be something called Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease which can be brought on by stress. This can create inflammation in the bladder and the urethra, it can cause bladder stones and even UTI. Depending on what the veterinarian finds would depend on treatment. They may do a trial of antibiotics, they may change Comet's food or they may even prescribe medication to help with Comet's stresses from having a new housemate. This usually can be resolved with treatment, patience and working with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.

There can be a couple of reasons why Zuzy will not use the litter box. Cats like a very clean box, and the litter should be scooped every day with the litter itself being changed once a week. If the box isn't clean enough for her, she won't use it. Cats can also be very picky about the type of litter used. If you changed litter recently, she may not like it and won't want to use it. Don't use scented litters, cats typically don't like the scent and will not use the box if it smells funny to them. I would use an unscented litter only. The litter box itself may be a problem. It could be too small for her to turn around in, or if it has a cover, she may not like using the box under a cover. Conversely, if it doesn't have a cover, she may not like going to the bathroom in the open. Cats also won't use a litter box that is too close to their food and water sources, so if the litter box is close to those, she won't use it. Finally, there could be a medical issue behind her not using the litter box, such as a UTI or bladder stones. If none of the above scenarios apply to Zuzy, I would take her into your vet for a health check to see if there is a medical cause behind her refusing to use the litter box. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Oh dear! Having accidents outside the litter box is definitely a frustrating problem. Since it sounds like this is a fairly recent behavior change for Zeno, the first thing I would suggest is to have her checked by your vet to see if there may be a medical problem causing this - she may have a bladder infection, intestinal parasites, or something causing pain when she tries to potty, since all of these can lead to accidents in strange places. If your vet agrees that she is healthy, then the problem may be purely behavioral. In most cases, if a cat is using the bathroom right beside the litter box, this indicates that they are finding something about the litter box itself objectionable. It might be too small, not clean enough, or she may not like the scent or texture of the litter inside. In that case, I would recommend offering her a few different litter boxes to choose from, with different types of litter inside so that you can see what she prefers. In general, most cats prefer a large litter box with plenty of room for them to turn around, dig in the litter, etc. They also tend to prefer clumping, unscented litter and no cover on the box. You should also be scooping the litter box at least daily, and changing out the litter entirely at least 1-2 times a month. Some cats are extremely fastidious and will not use a litter box if it has any urine or feces in it at all, so in that case you may need to scoop several times a day, or provide multiple litter boxes so that she always has a clean one available.

The only way to definitively determine if the food is responsible is to switch him, gradually, back to his old diet and see if his litterbox habits return to normal. If so, you have the option of keeping him on his old food, just feed less of it and increase his activity to facilitate weight loss. Survey the area around the home for any negative stimuli that may be causing stress. This may include recent changes in the home (furniture rearranged, new flooring, etc.), high traffic, loud noises or even feral cats outdoors that he can see through a window. A pheromone product, such as Feliway Spray or plug in diffusers, may help decrease any stress or anxiety. Additional litterboxes may also be of benefit. Use an enzymatic cleaner, such as Nature's Miracle, to thoroughly clean soiled areas. If the behavior persists or worsens (bloody urine, straining to urinate, change in thirst/urination), then Azazel should be physically examining by your veterinarian to diagnose any underlying medical causes.