Cat Using Tub as Litter box

[bunkywoo]

My 2 year old cat (stray from last year) has just begun to use my bathtub as its litterbox. Yesterday awoke to find her doing 1 & 2 and today just 1 in it. Hoping she doesn't have a urinary tract infection as I've had problems with cats peeing outside the litter box before.

Any ideas welcome.

Thanks - Laurie

[Piparskeggr]

Heya;

I'm agreeing with Thomas...my kitty Cerridwen (1984 - 2000) was peeing in the lavatory in our guest bathroom back in early '94.  The fluid looked odd, so we got her to the vet, sure enough, UTI.  Antibiotics, a change of food for her (and the other kitties), plus a little apple cider vinegar in their drinking water...got her another 6 good years.

It is uncomfortable for the cat, especially if, like Cerridewn, there are mineral crystals in the urine.

take care - Pip

[Thomas Dock, CVJ, Vet. Technician]

Hi there...its always very distressing to see our cats deciding that a place we like to relax in has now become a convenient toilet for them!

The first step in finding out what is going on is always a good exam, bloodwork and urinalysis by your veterinarian.   If it is a medical condition (UTI, stones, etc) then  you can get to work on that and hopefully get her back to normal and using the appropriate box!

If her exam and tests are normal, then you might need to consider that it is a behavioral issue.   We would need to know how many cats in the household, how many litterboxes, what kind of litter, where are the litterboxes in the house, any other pets and where are her feeding bowls in relation to the boxes???

Wow...sounds like a lot doesn't it?

Let us know what the veterinarian says....Good luck!!