Why is my cat spending so much time in the litter box? Is he sick?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Eddie. Yes, you are correct this can be a sign of illness. As long as he is eating and drinking, and using the litter box, I would monitor him for now. If he stops eating, stays very lethargic over the next 24 hours, stops drinking water, stops using the litter box, or develops other symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, I would take him into a vet right away. Best of luck.

Great question! This can mean a couple of things. It could be that Lancelot is sick. He could have diarrhea, stomach upset, may be in pain, have feline idiopathic cystitis, or bladder stones. He could be feeling so badly that it's not worth him getting out of the box only to have to return again. There are other reasons, such as feeling territorial and wanting to keep other cats from using it, but it's very important to rule out a medical cause first. He should see a vet for a check up, and I do recommend getting blood work and a urinalysis done. If he does have a medical reason for this behavior, the vet can diagnose it and discuss treatment options If he's healthy, the vet can discuss behavioral causes and treatment for that. I'd take him into the vet in the morning. I hope this helps!

This is a non-specific sign of illness that is often seen in cats - it sounds like Kali isn't feeling well, or may be in pain for some reason. There are many things that could cause this in an 11-year-old cat, including liver or kidney disease, diabetes, arthritis, or even some type of cancer. I would recommend taking Kali to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to - he/she can do blood work or other testing if needed to help determine what's wrong.

It is not uncommon when pets have not been eating or drinking well to have more extended time between visits to the box. It your kitty was a bit dehydrated from being sick this will also mean less urine in the box too. As it seems that your kitty is feeling better with the care your vet provided i would give it a little time. If he or she is eating then things should normalize. If he or she starts to feel sick again then dehydration may make things worse, and a recheck with your vet is then advised. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I would be concerned she may have cystitis - painful inflammation of the bladder (or possibly colitis or constipation of the bowel). This is an extremely distressing and uncomfortable condition and should be assessed and treated by your vet as soon as possible. Try to encourage fluid intake with wet food and freshly boiled chicken broth in the meantime

Hello, sorry to hear about Lorna. Its unlikely to be an emergency but she may not be feeling like her normal self and may have an upset stomach. I would recommend having her evaluated by her veterinarian. If you note however that she is not eating, develops vomiting or lethargy then she should be evaluated sooner. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Be sure that Dizzy is urinating normally. If he seems to be straining at all, trying to urinate frequently or there is a decreased amount of urine in the litter box then it could be a life threatening urinary blockage. If he is crying, acting at all sick or not urinating he should see a veterinarian asap.