Ask The Vet: What to do about litter box behavior and littermate animosity
I have a 14-year-old female cat that has never peed like a female cat. She always pees like she is spraying—butt up and all over the wall above the box. We have switched to the box with the highest sides we can find and with a top. She is also peeing on my front door and on my footstool even when her box is clean. We have tried the calming collar and plugins but nothing seems to keep her from peeing where she wants. The vet thinks it’s behavioral but we just don’t know what else to do.
— Jennifer Van Oosten, Elkridge
Thanks for this question, Jennifer! Inappropriate urination is a very common and frustrating challenge for many owners with feline companions. In fact, inappropriate urination is one of the most common reasons that cats end up in shelters or rescues. Your veterinarian is likely spot-on regarding the idea that your cat’s urinary habits are behavioral. Of course, ruling out medical issues like urinary tract infections is important and can be accomplished through simple diagnostics like bloodwork and a urinalysis. Assuming those two tests are normal, it is reasonable to classify the issue as behavioral.
So, what can be done? It seems like you’ve attempted many of the appropriate steps but there are still a few options to consider. First, talk to your vet about veterinary prescription diets formulated to reduce urinary issues in cats (and dogs for that matter). I have seen them have a tremendous impact on my own patients. You could also consider using a medication called fluoxetine (Prozac) that can be effective in reducing the instances of inappropriate urination in felines.
We adopted bonded kittens two years ago. They were found by a rescue group when they were 4 months old and fostered by a kind family until they could be adopted at 6 months. They were clearly bonded for about a year, but one has been exhibiting aggressive behavior towards the other. They are both males. The grey and black cat, Willie, will bite the orange cat, Reddy’s, neck and try to mount him. He will chase him off the top of a perch and seems to want to keep him out of our bedroom. How should we handle this?
— Anne McBride, Kingsville
Thanks, Anne, for this question. Interhouse cat aggression is relatively common, even in cats that are littermates or that were raised together from a young age. With that being said, here are a few things to try to help alleviate the friction in your home. First and foremost, ensure that there are an appropriate amount of litter boxes in the home. A general standard is one litter box per cat plus an additional box. This means in a home with two cats, there should be three litter boxes. I recommend this because with interhouse aggression, we can sometimes see litter box issues arise. Second, talk to your vet about prescription diets like Royal Canin Calm cat food, which may help alleviate some of the friction in your home. Finally, you could also consider using a medication like fluoxetine (Prozac), which has been demonstrated to help reduce aggression in felines.
Ask The Vet is a weekly series by Dr. Devon B. Smith, a Baltimore veterinarian who is an associate at Madonna Veterinary Clinic in White Hall. Send your pet questions or photos via the forms below.