a sometimes litter box problem

[Mamapearl4410]

Can anyone help? I can't believe I am the only cat mommy to have this problem.....
Sam is 11.5 years old. I've had him since he's 8 months old. I have 2 other cats, and all three have lived together for over 9 years. We have never had problems with sharing litter boxes and we have used the same litter for many years.
Sam was diagnosed with diabetes about a year ago, but is doing well on insulin and a controlled diet (no kibble - wet food only). In February, he started peeing on the bathroom floor, just steps from his box. He does not always pee on the floor - but it is several times a week - and sometimes right after I've cleaned the box (so it's not an aversion or a dirty box). He never poops outside the box. He has been to the vet a dozen times for urine cultures and an ultrasound. The vet ruled out medical causes. The problem seemed to have resolved, and we went for a period of about four months without incident, but then it started again. In the past three weeks, in addition to the bathroom floor, he has peed on my quilt (not on the bed, thank god, but on a corner hanging down on the floor) and twice in my shoes, the last time right in front of my husband, like it was the most normal thing in the world. We have tried everything I've been able to find on-line, including puppy pee-pee pads (which increased the problem, so we stopped that!) and adding an extra box (which he ignores). We have wracked our brains, but cannot think of anything that may have caused the behavior to start, stop, and start up again. We have gone back to the vet several times, and again, no medical cause.
We have also noted that over the past year or so he has started crying at night. It's a pitiful cry - not a pet me or play with me or feed me cry - and it sounds so very sad. He does this while sitting in the hallway, or sitting at my feet, looking up at me. The vet has suggested dementia, but he seems a little young. Sam is truly my fur baby, and it breaks my heart that I cannot help him with whatever is wrong. Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Ruth B]

Two things come to mind, first, while a lot of cats live into the late teens, 11.5 years is past middle age for a cat so dementia is a possibility. If he is in the early stages of it he could be just getting a little confused at times.

Secondly, have you checked his blood sugar levels whenever he pees outside the box. My mother has a diabetic cat (also on insulin) and I am diabetic myself (not on insulin yet), we often compare notes of similarities and differences of how it effects cats and humans, one thing that is clear when ever the blood sugar is either too low or too high it can effect the way we think. I notice I get more confused and irritable if my blood sugar is low, and just sleepy if it is high, my mother has noticed her cat behaving oddly when she hasn't eaten enough after the insulin or if the insulin is a bit late. Her cat also has problems occasionally knowing what a litter box is for.

I'm not sure there is any answer to the problems mentioned. I know you have mentioned you no longer give him dry food, make sure that the wet food is as high in animal proteins as possible or even offer a bit of raw or cooked meat now and then. Animal proteins are the best option for a diabetic cat to help stabilise the blood sugar.

[Lilith]

Hi Mamapearl and welcome

There are people on here with diabetic cats (Hi Ruth we've overlapped lol but will leave my post as it is) who will be able to advise more fully, but about the litter problem, I've been having trouble for years with my youngest cat, 5, who wouldn't use a tray unless it was spotless and filled with NEW litter. Recently I changed to a cheaper litter - Sainsbury's clumping as opposed to their ultra-clumping at twice the price; I wasn't really satisfied with the posh stuff any more and though this new stuff looks a lot coarser and dustier it performs far better. And so does Molly. The cheaper litter's not 'fragranced' as far as I know. The ultra was - and if there was only a wee in it, Molly found a corner - but not in the tray. I do clean whenever I see a tray used of course, but I've been surprised at the improvement in Moll's behaviour - paws crossed! So could it be that Sam might not like the litter...that is the trouble with cats - they can't tell us.

He's young for the night-time howling. I have a pair of them at it, Mouse, 14, who is black tuxedo and a typical 'Jellicle' cat - she'll 'practise a caper or two in the hall' and is 'pleasant to hear when she caterwauls' (although I wish she'd choose her times better she sounds quite happy.) But Emily, 15. I know exactly what you mean. If you overheard that cat you'd think she was in awful pain or fear. She isn't. One day she was asleep next to me; presently she sat up, opened her eyes and started to wash. And howl. Every time she took her paw out of her mouth she let out the most heartrending yowl. When I touched her and spoke to her she started, as if she'd been in a dream. Luckily it doesn't last for long; it just seems to be something she does. If she howls and is within reach I go to her and cuddle her; if not I know it'll be over in a minute and she's not in need. She IS deaf, and I think poorly sighted as well; today I threw a pebble for her in the garden and although she'd been running around playing, she just didn't see it land though I attracted her attention close-up before I threw.

So I'm wondering , this howling can afflict deaf cats too; might Sam be beginning to be deaf? Or have eyesight problems? Again, he IS young, but perhaps something to check out. I think they simply don't know they're howling, whatever the cause, they're not in distress but it IS distressing, makes you feel so guilty. 'The baby's woken up,' I joke to Emily, but it does, it sounds so sad. Poor old Sam.

Hopefully there will be people along soon who are knowledgeable about the diabetes, like Ruth already, and other problems too, but hope this helps for now, all the very best with him and hope he mends his manners, bad lad, give him a love from me