Worried about my cat

[CazD]

I need some help deciding what to do about my cat. She is 19 and has started weeing in the house. We've been back and forwards to the vet who has prescribed antibiotics on and off but now says that really we need to try doing an X-ray to see if something more is going on. Trouble is, the vet says that because of the cat's age she cant use anaesthetic on her for the X-ray and we will just have to try giving the cat a sedative to keep her still.
I cant decide whether the time has come to let her go. If the X-ray shows something, they wont be able to operate in any event. The cat seems happy enough in herself. She's a bit wobbly on her legs but potters about OK. She is eating, albeit only small amounts of cooked chicken. Its the weeing that is becoming a problem. She will get out of her basket, then get back in and wee in it. Or she will jump on the sofa and then wee on that. Over the past few days she probably wet in the house two or three times a day. She has access to the garden and someone is home if she wants to go out. She just seems to have forgotten all her housetraining.
I suspect the vet is leaning towards pts as she keeps telling me it is difficult to live with a cat that wees everywhere but as the cat seems Ok in herself it is a difficult decision to make. please could people give me their opinions.

 

[ThePony]

Sounds horrible, but if there isn't an obvious cause that can be fixed without surgery or invasive procedures then I would be considering pts. Cats are such clean creatures by nature that it will be upsetting for her too to be acting in this way. If antibiotics (presumably for a UTI?) have already been tried then unless the vet can suggest another common cause that can be treated without additional stress to the cat, then I think you might have come to the end of the road with her.
Assuming obvious things have already been checked - no change to cat litter or placement of litter tray, no different smells in the area (strongly scented cleaner etc?) litter tray is kept clean, area tray is kept in hasn't been busyer than usual, no other new arrivals or depatures to the house (new kitten etc?), is the cat expected to share the litter tray? If you regularly place her in the tray will she wee so she doesn't get caught short next time?

 

[LoopyLouise]

Sounds silly but does your cat have access to a cat litter tray. Like people cats as they get older loss control of their bladder.
Is she doing all around the house on in just one room/area?
If she is happy in herself then I would go for the x-ray.
I know that making the choice to have your cat pts is heart breaking.

(((HUGS)))

 

[*hic*]

My very opinionated very elderly cat also started to wee inappropriately. I found that giving her a quick reminder by putting her in a small dog crate overnight with space only for her bed, food and water and a litter tray focussed the mind wonderfully - this was a cat that normally went outside to wee but did have access to a litter tray at all times.

If she's still fine in herself and it's just the weeing that's causing a problem see if a tray in a crate for a few nights / days will help. We persisted with our old girl until one day the light in her eyes was gone and all her cattitude had left. We pts that morning.

 

[Aces_High]

I am going through the same thing with a very old 20+ something pussy cat. She's a stable cat but pees in the tack room which really irritates me! I was going to have her PTS before I came away but she was so bright I just couldn't do it. I would try her with a litter tray as bit easier than negotiating cat flaps etc to get outside. I wouldn't go down the x-ray route etc with such an old cat as it's going to be the same answer. If she's happy and can potter about, has bright eyes and is eating - try the litter tray. Just depends how long you can go on clearing up cat pee I suppose if it doesn't work. I know when I get home, if there is a lot of peeing going on it will be to the way up above I think.
Cattitude - summed up in one! Jemima _Too

 

[*hic*]

Look at that face, the very definition of cattitude. We pandered to that cat something rotten She was SO old in that pic - well into her 20s and we'd only had her since she was 15 or so. She had virtually no teeth, terrible breath, a benign tumour in one ear that was messy rather than anything else and oh how we loved her, grotty old girl that she was.

 

[2Conker]

Look at that face, the very definition of cattitude. We pandered to that cat something rotten She was SO old in that pic - well into her 20s and we'd only had her since she was 15 or so. She had virtually no teeth, terrible breath, a benign tumour in one ear that was messy rather than anything else and oh how we loved her, grotty old girl that she was.

Not surpised you waited on her, she's brilliant.
CazD-think restricted area with a cat flap as other mentioned is best if not ready to pts. Like old things generally, incontinence is what happens in many cases (oh what a lot to look forward to!!) Wipe areas where she's pee'd with White Spirit, it'll help stop her using them again, and will remove much of the smell. You will need to work with the incontinence, as it cant really go away. Wonderful that so many people have cats that old - I need to take notes to keep my two going that long.

 

[Aces_High]

Jemima_Too - she's beautiful. So much like my old pussy cat. 2Conker - you just need to remember you are a mere mortal and were put here to wait upon your pussy cats as and when they require you. Remember that if they decide to go hunting for a couple of days that's their choice and woe betide you if you get upset as they haven't come back for supper. I do think the best thing is a litter tray right beside the bed - will do this for Fluffy when I am back if she's still peeing. I think in the night when it's cold, who can blame an animal that's about 150 in human years not wanting to go out in freezing conditions to pee when they can do it in the warm on our floors? Common sense really!!!

 

[CazD]

I will try a litter tray - she hasnt had one since she was about 6 months old as she's always had access to a catflap. The weeing happens all over the house - she will walk in a room and wee on the carpet, or else she will jump on the sofa for a stroke and then just wee on there while I am stroking her. Mostly she goes in her own basket or in one of the dog baskets.
There havent been any changes at home - other than one of the dogs has died. We were having problems with her weeing before he died though, although she has got worse since he had gone.

 

[ThePony]

Sounds like a litter tray is the way to go then. If she isn't 'holding on' as well as she used to, then the walk to the cat flap and outside might just be too much.
Hope it fixes the prob and you have more years left together!

 

[LoopyLouise]

I would say that if she is weeing in different rooms then get two or three litter trays.
My old cat Tilly started weeing and poohing in what ever room she was in and the only time she used the tray was if she was down stairs so got two more trays and placed one on each landing.
Once she knew they where there she started to use them. She did still have little accidents but was loads better than before.

 

[AmyMay]

God, this is such a difficult one - and I too struggled for about 6 months with one of my cats.

She wasn't old, just clearly ill (and we never found the cause). She was defacating so really horrid. And wouldn't use the litter tray left for her either. And had good access to outdoors.

Whatever the problem is - if steroids or a course of antibiotics haven't worked then I'd say let her go.

Her kidney's are probably going, and there's so little you can do for that.

Heartbreaking. But what a wonderful age.