Physical Causes For Litterbox Problems

If a cat that was previously litterbox trained starts having accidents, there may be a medical reason for it. Cats may start having accidents if the litter box is not kept clean. If the litter box is cleaned and the cat is still urinating outside of the litter box, there may be a physical condition involved in the cat’s accidents.

Cats are prone to urinary problems. The cat owner may suspect such a physical problem, especially if the cat has had previous urinary tract infection or bladder problem. If the cat’s avoidance of the litterbox is caused by a physical problem, it can’t be corrected by anything other than veterinary care.

If crystals form in the cat’s urinary tract, the crystals can cause a blockage, infection, or irritation. If the cat urine has the proper pH, the formation of crystals is less likely. A pH level that is too high can cause the development of magnesium ammonium phosphate crystals. A pH level that is lower than normal can cause the formation of calcium oxalate crystals.

Feline lower urinary tract disorder (FLUTD) can be caused by blockage, infection, or irritation of the urinary tract due to crystals, infection, or the formation of plugs in the uretha. With a urinary tract infection cats often have pain when trying to urinate. The cat may be prevented from urinating or the cat may be able to urinate a little.

There may be blood present in the urine. If a cat is experiencing pain when the cat urinates, it may avoid the litterbox because it associates the litterbox with the pain. FLUTD may increase the cat’s urge to urinate. Treatment for FLUTD may include catheterization, antibiotics, surgery, a change in diet, or fluid therapy.

Other physical illnesses may cause a cat to have accidents outside the litterbox. Kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases may affect the cat’s urinary behavior by increasing the frequency and urgency of the need to urinate. Other diseases can affect the ability for the cat to control defecation. Diseases of the colon, parasitic infections, intestinal tumors, and gastrointestinal illnesses may increase the urgency of defecation and decrease the cat’s ability to control defecation. If a cat begins to have accidents, the cat owner should have the cat checked by a veterinarian to rule out a physical cause.