Help! My cat is peeing over the wall of my rubbermaid tub litter box! (kitten, male)
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I have a 4 year old large male neutered cat (~19 lbs). For about the past 6-8 months (maybe a year) he has been peeing with his butt in the air and tail quivering in the litter box. The litter box is a 30 or 40 gallon rubbermaid tub with an opening cut out the side. I know that this is often decribed as spraying, but he does not do this anywhere else except in the litter box or outside so I don't think he is marking. He was recently (November of last year was his first symptom that we noticed) diagnosed with FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease) and as a result he is on restricted diet of presription food and lots of fluids.
So when he is in the litter box and pees like this the pee typically shoots straight over the top of the rubbermaid tub onto the floor or the wall. Lately he has been peeing right at the entrance from inside the box and making it so that our other cat can't even go in. She resorted to peeing near the litter box on the floor. We have been spraying with natures miracle to keep the smell down, but it's too much to keep up with. So my question is: Is it normal for a cat to pee in this manner or is this another sign that something is wrong? Also any tips on how to keep him from sticking his butt right at the opening of the tub to pee?
He is marking his territory! Just tape a sheet of plastic on the wall and run it into the litter box. If that's the only place he's marking - then life is good.
OP - if you search through not-all-that old threads, you'll find one posted by Hanna B. about Manny who suffers recurring bouts of FLUTD, and his reluctance to squat to urinate because of it.
I'd head back to the vet before chalking this up to behavioural issues.
To me, it sounds like he is marking the litter box as his so that the other can won't use it. Get the other cat a litter box and put it in a different location.
I've found that when using the covered variety one cat in particular (long haired Maine Coon) spends a little longer than she should in there, and the end result is a cat that smells like a littler box. It's probably not the same for everyone but there are just some cats that like to play in the enclosed sandbox.
I've found that when using the covered variety one cat in particular spends a little longer than she should in there, and the end result is a cat that smells like a littler box. It's probably not the same for everyone but there are just some cats that like to play in the enclosed sandbox.
Is he going through puberty? When children reach "that age", and they are spending longer in the bathroom than they should - chances are, they ARE doing something they shouldn't be. . . - keep an eye on your cat! This isn't a re-enactment of Treasure Island, for cryin out loud!
I agree with the above, though. Get a second litterbox, pronto!
Yes, I've had a cat that liked to play in the covered litterbox. It's a difficult situation: you don't want to fuss at them too much or they might stop using it entirely! The laser pointer came in handy then; it got the cat interested in something else. As I recall, the cat soon got over wanting to play in there.
Is he going through puberty? When children reach "that age", and they are spending longer in the bathroom than they should - chances are, they ARE doing something they shouldn't be. . . - keep an eye on your cat! This isn't a re-enactment of Treasure Island, for cryin out loud!
I agree with the above, though. Get a second litterbox, pronto!
Ever since I brought Kitty home as a kitten she's spent entirely too much time in the litter box, obsessive compulsive digger and bag liner ripper. If I do not clean the box as soon as she does her business I will surely find a surprise outside of the box, or shall I call it her previously buried treasure. Kitty gets upset when I am cleaning the box too. She is a big kitty and when she goes she has to plant the front feet on the top of the box and the hind quarters inside the box. We call her Sh***y Kitty. I had one of the big dome variety litter boxes and she would just hide in it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catman
Yes, I've had a cat that liked to play in the covered litterbox. It's a difficult situation: you don't want to fuss at them too much or they might stop using it entirely! The laser pointer came in handy then; it got the cat interested in something else. As I recall, the cat soon got over wanting to play in there.
Call me mean but I would either smack the box if she was in it for too long or sound the air horn from across the house...
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It's probably not the same for everyone but there are just some cats that like to play in the enclosed sandbox.
- keep an eye on your cat! This isn't a re-enactment of Treasure Island, for cryin out loud! 
