My cat's started peeing horizontally!

[Deleted User] · 25/05/13 - 21:38

Yes, I know, it sounds odd - at least, it does to me - so bear with me while I explain. I've also tried Googling it, and the results were varied, to say the least.

My eldest cat (17) is a gorgeous torty, and we've never had a single problem with her - we even love her awesomely grumpy temper. A few years ago, we ended up with three more cats (my son's cat and two of her babies) and one of those is an indoor cat, so we've got a litter tray for that one. It's rare that the other younger cats use the tray (oddly enough, I can tell - haha!) but I do know the old one uses it from time to time, which is totally fine.

However, a couple of months ago I noticed an occasional puddle around and at the side of the tray to about two feet away. It's on a tiled floor, and sits on newspapers so it's easy to clean up, but I haven't managed to find out which cat was doing it until last night when I saw her. My poor old cat was crouching in the tray and widdling, but the widdle was coming out in a stream horizontal to her spine! I couldn't believe it. I think the only reason it ends up on the floor is gravity. Thank god she's only the size of a domestic cat, or it'd be up the opposite wall.

Apart from a trip to the vets... well, is a trip to the vets even needed? Obviously I'll take her if it is. Is it an illness? Are her insides wonky or something? What on earth is going on here?

Lost_Soul · 25/05/13 - 23:53

my old girl started doing this when she got arthritis in her back legs and it hurt her to squat...so a trip to the vets would be a good idea...also if they'll use it a covered litter tray may help, good luck x

[Deleted User] · 25/05/13 - 23:58

My old cat Moomins (who went to cat heaven two years ago) started to do this when she was about 18. Her bladder control started to deteriorate as she got older and she did get a few infections which were treated by the vet. I watched her on the litter tray a few times and noticed that she would start off crouched down as usual but then would gradually stand as she was weeing. It`s probably aged related and maybe your cat is finding it more comfortable to stand when weeing. I used to find wee on the floor like you and that`s when I began keeping an eye on her. If your cat suddenly starts to wee wherever she is then it is a sign of bladder/urine infection

[Deleted User] · 26/05/13 - 00:45

Aww I see what you both mean about the arthritis and infections. She doesn't seem to be in any pain, you see, and she isn't incontinent, so it just looked rather odd.

About the arthritis: she's definitely being a bit more cautious about making the small jump from floor to my lap or my desk, but if my son leaves his bedroom window open, she gets up there and climbs in. It's a first-floor bedroom with a head-height fence outside! So she can climb and jump very well - such a contradiction. She's a strange thing.

Okay, thank you both very much - I'll book her in at the vets and see if I can get something to help her before she gets too bad. And the covered tray is a fab idea.

Lost_Soul · 26/05/13 - 01:32

Milian wrote: »

Aww I see what you both mean about the arthritis and infections. She doesn't seem to be in any pain, you see, and she isn't incontinent, so it just looked rather odd.

About the arthritis: she's definitely being a bit more cautious about making the small jump from floor to my lap or my desk, but if my son leaves his bedroom window open, she gets up there and climbs in. It's a first-floor bedroom with a head-height fence outside! So she can climb and jump very well - such a contradiction. She's a strange thing.

Okay, thank you both very much - I'll book her in at the vets and see if I can get something to help her before she gets too bad. And the covered tray is a fab idea.

my old girl would jump from the floor to the window sill but couldnt make the small jump onto my bed...i made her a step in the end to save her trying.

i hope the covered litter tray helps, my old girl would leave her back end sticking out of the door...lol.
Good luck at the vets x

[Deleted User] · 26/05/13 - 01:44

Thank you, Lost_Soul - how's your lovely Mac getting along, by the way?

My girl's problem is more widespread than I thought, it seems, but I knew you lot would have an idea what was wrong. Anyway, if she pokes her back end out of the door of the covered tray, I might have to make a splash-back for her, or put the tray in the bath or... wow, maybe I could put the tray into one of those shower bases! Ha!

I'll draw the line at building her her own wet room though.

Lost_Soul · 26/05/13 - 02:06

Milian wrote: »

Thank you, Lost_Soul - how's your lovely Mac getting along, by the way?

My girl's problem is more widespread than I thought, it seems, but I knew you lot would have an idea what was wrong. Anyway, if she pokes her back end out of the door of the covered tray, I might have to make a splash-back for her, or put the tray in the bath or... wow, maybe I could put the tray into one of those shower bases! Ha! I'll draw the line at building her her own wet room though.

I do actually know of someone who used a shower base to keep the litter tray in ..so not such a strange idea

personally i used puppy pads around the litter tray, it stopped anything soaking through into the floor.

Mac is doing really well thank you, i just wish he wouldn't terrorise my other 2 cats so much...but when hes quiet i worry that somethings wrong with him

hes sound asleep at the moment in a cardboard box..all the cat beds and toys they have and they fight over a box! lol

lem ramsay · 26/05/13 - 02:59

Poor cat, I just hope she's fine

dollymarie · 26/05/13 - 04:18

Would a covered litter tray be any good at helping her contain it?

[Deleted User] · 26/05/13 - 05:48

Aw thanks, Lem - I'm sure she will be. She's only been doing this for a couple of months at the most, so I'm hoping she can be helped or at least eased a bit.

Dollymarie, someone up-thread mentioned that too, and it really is a great idea.

I'm definitely wanting to sort out the root cause of it, though, because from the sounds of it she must be suffering. I just wish I'd known, but she hasn't shown any concrete signs, only contradictory things like not wanting to jump, yet managing to climb through an upstairs window from the outside. Blimmin' cats.

dollymarie · 26/05/13 - 10:22

Sorry, my bad for only reading the first post

WinterLily · 27/05/13 - 04:52

My cat Tom who is now 14 has been doing this for several years. He perches on the side of the litter tray with his back legs, front legs on the floor beside the tray and pees backwards so the pee comes out in almost an horizontal line.

It looks really funny and very uncomfortable but the vet assures me all is well and that's just how Tommy likes 'to go'.:)

[Deleted User] · 27/05/13 - 17:42

Haha poor you! I suppose I'm just lucky that only one of my four do this, eh? I'd be even more of a personal maid. I wish they'd all pee in the toilet, like those you see on Youtube.

nw0307 · 28/05/13 - 18:33

I have a female cat that's about 7 and she does it all the time. I don't think she has anything wrong with her, she just likes to stand and quirt it out horizontally because she's a bit lazy. I had to get her a hooded tray as it used to go over the edge. I've also seen her walk while peeing spraying the side of the house like a hose pipe - presumably marking her territory. Keeps vermin away too!

regbobsal · 28/05/13 - 21:16

Milian wrote: »

Yes, I know, it sounds odd - at least, it does to me - so bear with me while I explain. I've also tried Googling it, and the results were varied, to say the least.

My eldest cat (17) is a gorgeous torty, and we've never had a single problem with her - we even love her awesomely grumpy temper. A few years ago, we ended up with three more cats (my son's cat and two of her babies) and one of those is an indoor cat, so we've got a litter tray for that one. It's rare that the other younger cats use the tray (oddly enough, I can tell - haha!) but I do know the old one uses it from time to time, which is totally fine.

However, a couple of months ago I noticed an occasional puddle around and at the side of the tray to about two feet away. It's on a tiled floor, and sits on newspapers so it's easy to clean up, but I haven't managed to find out which cat was doing it until last night when I saw her. My poor old cat was crouching in the tray and widdling, but the widdle was coming out in a stream horizontal to her spine! I couldn't believe it. I think the only reason it ends up on the floor is gravity. Thank god she's only the size of a domestic cat, or it'd be up the opposite wall.

Apart from a trip to the vets... well, is a trip to the vets even needed? Obviously I'll take her if it is. Is it an illness? Are her insides wonky or something? What on earth is going on here?

It is scent laying. Nothing to worry about. They do this to ward off any other cats & also to attract mates. It has probably sensed another cat on its territory.

Cody1 · 15/06/13 - 03:52

my cat started doing this as soon as she had her operation at 6 months, its been a nightmare, she starts of squatting down normally, then her rear end comes back up and as you say horizontal - down walls and kitchen cupboards its been a nightmare, i filmed her doing it and showed the vet and he said it was behavioural :-O sadly shes not allowed in the house now when im not home. I still think its something to do with her op as she was fine pre that. Shes only 4.

Ive even watched her out in the garden when shes most relaxed, again she starts as normal but then her back end comes up. Its proper urinating though not scent laying :-(

Cody1 · 15/06/13 - 03:54

as someone else said - a hooded litter tray does help the matter i had one until she started crapping on the carpet - shes cost me a small fortune.

[Deleted User] · 27/06/13 - 04:05

Thank you for the replies, and I'm sorry for not coming back sooner to update you - my PC took early retirement, so I've been having to do real-life stuff for ages!

Anyway, my cat's doing well - she has got arthritis as some of you said, but it's not severe enough to limit her day-to-day cat activities, so the vet wants to leave her as she is for now. I've got supplements for her but I'm having trouble getting her to take them, so I'm working on that.

I've also sorted the piddling problem by changing the litter tray to one of those high-sided stackable containers (but not using the lid, of course). I've got quite a few with tons of knitting wool stored in them, so I just nicked one. When she piddles now, it hits the high side of the container and doesn't go on the floor. I made her a little step so she can get in and out without having to jump, and she's fine with it. In fact, she's so fine with it that she'll come in from the garden and promptly use it. :rolleyes:

The new tray is twice as long as well (two normal trays would fit in it side by side), so she's not hemmed in or anything.

Thanks again, all!

Lost_Soul · 28/06/13 - 00:01

Milian wrote: »

Thank you for the replies, and I'm sorry for not coming back sooner to update you - my PC took early retirement, so I've been having to do real-life stuff for ages!

Anyway, my cat's doing well - she has got arthritis as some of you said, but it's not severe enough to limit her day-to-day cat activities, so the vet wants to leave her as she is for now. I've got supplements for her but I'm having trouble getting her to take them, so I'm working on that.

I've also sorted the piddling problem by changing the litter tray to one of those high-sided stackable containers (but not using the lid, of course). I've got quite a few with tons of knitting wool stored in them, so I just nicked one. When she piddles now, it hits the high side of the container and doesn't go on the floor. I made her a little step so she can get in and out without having to jump, and she's fine with it. In fact, she's so fine with it that she'll come in from the garden and promptly use it. :rolleyes:

The new tray is twice as long as well (two normal trays would fit in it side by side), so she's not hemmed in or anything.

Thanks again, all!

I'm glad your cat is doing ok and it sounds like the new litter tray is working out great.

if the supplements are pills maybe try rolling them up in cheese, it was a tip i got from a vet years ago, although its good to make sure she actually eats it, ive found more than one under my sofa :rolleyes:

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My cat's started peeing horizontally!

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