[Mountaindewed]

My cat is pretty old. We adopted him from Petco and they lied about his age. They said he was 3 but the vet told us he was 10 or possibly older. That was in March 2016.

Lately he seems to be using the litter box a lot. And it smells worse then usual. He eats Purina gentle cat chow. He seems a little cranky to me. He’s usually very friendly. I call him my gentle giant. He also seems to just sleep on the futon instead of being around us like he used to.

I worry about him a lot. I don’t know what is story is or how he got treated before I adopted him.

Is he just getting old? I spent $700 taking him to the vet a couple of times. They just say he’s old.

I hope he’s still got some time left. And I hope he’s not in pain from using the litter box so much. He meowed once when using the litter box and I started sobbing because I felt bad for him. I am so sensitive to animals being in pain.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I don’t think running back to the vet is the answer. I still have almost $200 left on the care card from the other times. And they never find anything.
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[*Laurie*]

Hi Boz, I so understand how you're feeling and your concern. I worry A LOT about my cats, too.

The behavior your kitty is showing could certainly be age-related. If he doesn't have diarrhea, and isn't pooping or peeing outside of the box, I don't think anything is wrong, really...except maybe age. He doesn't seem very old to me, but the truth is that cats over 9 years of age are considered 'seniors.' My oldest cat is 18 and she needs to go to the box 2 or 3 times in a row to poop. I think her muscles are just aged.

[UnderRugSwept]

What kind of tests did they run on your cat? Urinalysis, bloodwork?

Cats can pee more often than usual for several reasons: diabetes, urinary tract infections (which can progress to kidney infections if not treated), blockage from stones or crystals, kidney disease, etc. (Also, does he go every time he is in the box? Or is he in there trying to go more often than he is actually going?)

Here is some good information:

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-p...isease-in-cats

My cat has idiopathic cystitis, as well as struvite crystals. He was having a lot of urethral spasms when he would urinate, and is now on a medication to treat those.

Personally I would get a second opinion. I have never heard of a cat peeing more often because of age ONLY (peeing more often than usual is a symptom of something), esp. if you think he seems uncomfortable & there has been a change in his demeanor.

[ruthful]

Does he take vitamins? Maybe some vitamins will help.

I feel for you.

[Mountaindewed]

Thanks everyone.

When I took him to the vet in May, they took some blood work and did an X-ray and everything was normal. He used to use the basement floor in addition to the upstairs litter box. But I put a second litter box in the basement and we’ve had no problems since.

I have not thought of giving him vitamins. Is there a specific kind that I should be giving him?’

[UnderRugSwept]

Cats generally get all the nutrients/vitamins they need from their food, no need for supplementation (unless it's recommended by a vet for a sick cat).

You did not mention if a urinalysis was done. If your cat has not had one, I highly recommend he have one as soon as possible.
Even if he had one in May, another one is most likely in order as it's nearly Nov. & the issue is not improving.

[Mountaindewed]

I think he had one. But I’m not sure. It came out normal if he did have one.

I’ll look into him getting another.

My cat is elderly too,and she uses the litter box a lot. It's totally normal for older cats to frequently use their litterbox more than younger cats. Dont entirely change your cat's food b/c that will stress him out. Give him soft treats occasionally and just love him.

[*Laurie*]

I agree with cielpur. And I have owned many cats over the years.

As I understand it, your kitty goes to the box to poop, right? (If he's peeing frequently, that's another issue...he might have a urinary tract infection and need an antibiotic. That needs vet care, because a uti can be dangerous, especially for a male cat.)

[UnderRugSwept]

Originally Posted by *Laurie*

As I understand it, your kitty goes to the box to poop, right? (If he's peeing frequently, that's another issue...he might have a urinary tract infection and need an antibiotic. That needs vet care, because a uti can be dangerous, especially for a male cat.)

Good point....I read this thread as re: urination & responded as such.

If he is trying to poop, more fiber can be a helpful thing. I had a cat with constipation and a bit of fiber can do wonders: a tablespoon a day of canned pumpkin (like Libby's 100% pure canned pumpkin, with nothing added) was very useful for him.
I would still consult a vet anytime a cat seems uncomfortable in the litterbox, however.

[*Laurie*]

Yes, pumpkin (pure with no sugar or spices) can be very helpful, especially for older cats.

[Mountaindewed]

He threw up twice last night. I don’t think he’s got a whole lot of time left. I can just feel it. My mom says there is nothing I can do. She said to just make sure he is comfortable.

I’ll try the pumpkin to see if it makes a difference.