When I adopted my cat, I had no idea that I would be facing this situation.
Some time back, my beloved cat started using the litter box more frequently than usual.
She was using the litter box five times a day. Is that a record?
I kept a chart to track it btw.
Some days she’ll use it six times a day!
I just didn’t know what it could be because she’s always been a healthy cat. That’s when things got a little hairy.
I don’t know if it was a health issue, or if she was just eager to play with her favorite toy.
But here’s the real question: why is my cat peeing more often?
If you are facing a similar situation, you know how frustrating this can be. A myriad of questions run through your mind.
Is anything wrong with her? Should I take her to the vet? I hope not. I can’t afford that.
This can be frustrating for you and your furry friend.
Below I have outlined the different causes for your cat visiting the litter box frequently, and how I solved this problem once and for all.
My Cat Keeps Going in The Litter Box? What are the Reasons?
You always want your cat to pee and poop in the litter box, don’t you?
However, if you notice your cat using the litter box a lot, there could be several reasons for this:
1. Medical problems:
Your cat may be suffering from a medical condition that causes her to keep going to the litter box.
Frequent urination by your kitten is an indication of feline interstitial cystitis, urinary calculi, or renal problems.
These conditions include:
i. Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease:
Feline urinary tract diseases are a complex set of diseases with different causes that affect the lower urinary tract of cats.
It commonly occurs in both male and female cats, one to six years old although it can occur at any age.
This condition is more intense in male cats due to the aforementioned anatomical differences of a long and narrow urethra.
FLUTD is caused by:
- Bladder stones
- Urethral blockage (most severe)
- Bladder irritation
- Bacterial or viral infections
Cats with FLUTD will portray these signs and symptoms:
- Frequent urination
- Frequent trips in and out of the litter box
- Excessive licking o the genital areas
- Difficulty urinating
- Painful urination
- Blood in urine
FLUTD is a life-threatening condition and once you recognize these signs, seek veterinary treatment immediately.
Early diagnosis of some forms of FLUTD is treatable. Other forms can only be managed with long-term medical and dietary interventions.
ii. Urinary Tract Stones:
Your male kitty may develop urinary tract stones called uroliths, as they have a narrower urethra and hence are more prone to urethral blockage.
These uroliths are hard, stone-like accumulations that occur from mineral crystals and some organic matter that is mucus-like.
They cause tremendous pain in your cat.
Symptoms of urinary tract stones include:
- Frequent urination
- Blood in the urine
- Difficulty urinating
If you detect any of these symptoms, treat this as a medical emergency and rush your cat to a veterinarian.
iii. Urethral Obstruction:
Small stones or sand develop in the cat’s urine and block the urethra. This makes it impossible for urine to flow and for the cat to empty her bladder.
This causes the urine to back up and bladder expansion triggers pain. This built-up pressure retracts to the kidneys and may cause damage.
Your cat will strain to pass urine and it is an excruciating process.
Since the cat will not empty its bladder by taking a single leak, it will keep going back to the litter box. This occurs where there is partial obstruction.
In both partial and total obstruction, this is a medical emergency and requires immediate veterinary intervention, otherwise, you will bury your cat.
2. Diarrhea:
Normal cat stools should be well-formed and moist.
If the stool is poorly formed, watery, bloody, or has mucous, then your cat is having diarrhea.
The color, odor, and consistency of the poop, will give you ideas as to what might be causing diarrhea.
Causes of diarrhea include:
- Dietary changes
- Change in drinking water e.g. while traveling
- Eating garbage, for outdoor cats
- Ingesting poison
- Milk! Yes, milk. Grown-up cats are mostly lactose intolerant.
- Food allergies
- Stress
PS: All dietary changes should be done gradually to avoid gastrointestinal upsets.
For most kittens, once they are taken off milk completely, enzyme lactase disappears. As a result, the cat becomes lactose intolerant as the enzyme lactase needed to break down the milk is no longer available.
For this reason, adult cats once they take some milk, may experience diarrhea.
You should contact your veterinarian when diarrhea:
- Contains blood or mucous.
- Lasts longer than one day
- Has a disgusting smell
- Is accompanied by fever, lethargy, or vomiting.
- Has an unusual color on the stool
Treatment of diarrhea:
For mild diarrhea, with no other signs, treat it at home with the advice of your veterinarian.
Here is a simple guide to help you determine the type of stool and what it means:
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why does my cat pee every 5 minutes?
The following reasons can cause excessive urination in cats:
• A Medical Condition
Diseases like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and kidney conditions will make your cat thirstier hence the urge to drink more. As you know what goes in, always comes out. They will tend to urinate more. If a female cat is going to the litter box every few minutes worry less. Male cats are more prone to these diseases.
If you find out that your cat is going to the litter box and nothing happens, call your local vet.
• Hot Weather
A cat will drink more water during a hot and sunny day just like you would. This calls for more frequent urination. Just note the amount of water in the bowl and compare it to the amount of urine in the litter box.
How many times should my cat use the litter box?
A cat should use the litter box 2 to 4 times a day. Anything more than 6 times is a sign of an underlying medical condition, seek medical attention.
An ordinary feline should poop at least once a day.
However, this can spread out to 1 to 2 days on average. If 48 hours pass without your cat using the litter box seek medical attention.
My Cat Keeps Going to the Litter Box and Scratching?
If you have multiple cats in the house and your kitty keeps scratching the litter box, this is a show of dominance over other cats. If you have one cat, it could be a result of boredom by the cat.
Is it normal for a cat to use the litter box once a day?
No, it is not normal for a cat to use the litter box once a day. A cat needs to use the litter box about 2-4 times a day to both pee and poop.
Conclusion:
Litter box problems are one of the most common behavior problems in cats. The good news is that most of these issues can be remedied. If you’re training a new kitten, it’s vital to examine their litter habits and make any necessary changes to try and prevent any bad (or abnormal) habits from developing and having a litter box problem.
On the other hand, if you have an adult cat that has suddenly begun using their litter box for other purposes, it’s best to bring them to a vet since there may be something causing them pain or discomfort that may need attention.
The key takeaway here is that you should always consult your vet. He understands cat behavior better than anyone, and he’ll know if anything is going on that you need to worry about.
