[Andiecat46]

I had no clue where to post this... hopefully its ok to put it in this section. Anyways, I've been noticing that lately, my apt. has been smelling like cat pee! I only have my one cat, and Andie would never pee outside of her litter box. I clean it out and use the cat litter deodorizer. But its getting very smelly... Anyone have a good suggestion as to how to get rid of the smell???

 

[Aonir]

Is he neutered? If not, he could be spraying.

 

[Andiecat46]

No, Andie is female... so she's not spraying... thank goodness. It's just odd... it's never really been a problem before, and she's 4 1/2.
I use Tidy Cat Crystals Blend as my cat litter if that is any help...
Is there anything better? Something that isnt hard to find! lol

 

[meowmix]

how often do you clean it out?

 

[Andiecat46]

I clean he box out every other day... Then about once every month and a half, I do a super clean up and dump out all the litter and wash it out and rinse it with bleach. Then I let it dry... and add brand new litter and deodorizer. Should I be doing that more often? It's just odd b/c it was never a problem before! I dont wanna embrass Andie! Haha Just kidding.

 

[Aonir]

Ok! When a cat stops using the litter box, many reasons can cause it. Since yours is female, I have to remind you females can and sometimes DO spray.

Back on topic. UTI is a top reason for stop using the litterbox, she may be having trouble 'going' or can't stop herself when she does. Have you noticed any yellow spots on the floor, couch etc? Or have you noticed any traces of blood? I'd take her in for a vet check for a UTI. It could also be an unknown issue inside her little body, like Kidney failure. But I think it's a UTI that your having, or she just learned to not like your litter!

 

[drjean]

If it smells like pee, it probably *is* pee. You can get an inexpensive blacklight at Petco or Petsmart and check your apartment for pee spots outside the box.

The number one reason for not using the box is that the box is too dirty.
I think that litter is a non-clumping clay; it should be dumped and the box cleaned completely at least every 2-3 weeks with one cat. You might want to try a scoopable instead--it requires scooping daily, but you can go 6 weeks or even a bit more between washings.

The second most common reason, as mentioned, is a urinary tract infection. If the problem does not resolve with a clean box, then a vet visit with tests is in order for Andie!

For other litterbox tips, see http://www.littlebigcat.com/?action=library.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

[Andiecat46]

Thanks Dr Jean and everyone for your help! The litter I use for Andie is a scoopable litter and I clean out the clumps every other night. She doesnt seem to be peeing anymore than usual. Her bahavior hasnt changed at all. I dont know if a UTI in a cat is the same as a human, but I know that often if a human has one they have to at least try to go all the time. I never would have thought Andie had a UTI, but now I am a bit worried. Since I got her the freshflow fountain she drinks lots of water. I am buying new litter and bleach tonight when I go food shopping so I will do a super cleanup tonight (before THE APPRENTICE haha). I will see if it improves... hopefully my Andie is ok. Maybe its just been too long since I did a complete cleanup and I dont realize it.