I am so sad right now. A little background for you:
We have had our cat Rosie for 11 years. She has been in the house from day one. She sleeps with us and uses a litter box and eats her meals in the house. For the last 12 months or so she has been piddling around the house. At first we thought we were just being a bit lazy and not cleaning out her litter tray often enough for her liking. Then I noticed if there was anything left on the floor like maybe clothes or a towel or anything really, she would pee on that. Well, now she’s just peeing indiscriminately. I took her to the vet thinking she might have a urinary infection but she got the all clear. Anyway, I came home from work a little while ago and she was outside. My husband had a post-it on the front door saying “LEAVE ROSIE OUTSIDE!” So she has been outside for the last 12 hours crying. My husband is so mad at her for peeing on our bedroom carpet last night-you know cat piss stinks like hell. I tried to reason with him but he doesn’t want her in for the time being. I took her food bowl and a box with a blanket in it and put it outside for her but she has not stopped crying yet. It’s been two hours and my heart is breaking. My question is, and please don’t laugh because I am serious, will making her stay outside after living in the house with us for the last 11 years do her psychological damage? I’m know she doesn’t know why we wont let her in and I feel so bad for her. My husband says, she’s a freakin’ cat-she’ll be alright. She is outside my window crying for the last 2 1/2 hours non-stop. Do you think she will settle down eventually? Will she forgive me? 
First of all, does Rosie still have her claws? If she doesn’t, you need to go out and get her NOW…put her in the basement if you have to, but declawed cats absolutely should NOT be outside the house. Their only natural defense is gone.
Maybe she has other health problems. Kitty Tooth pains, Kitty back pains, etc…
thanks for the quick reply. Yes, she has her claws. She had most of her teeth removed two years ago. I have a good vet who has been seeing her for years so I trust him when he says she’s healthy. She’s right outside my window so I think she’ll be ok. We live in a small estate and it’s very quiet. There’s no traffic, kids or animals around. I’m just worried because I think she’ll be cold. It’s around 45 degrees tonight. (I think I might be over reacting). She’s actually stopped meowing as of 5 minutes ago. Do you think she’ll still love me? I feel awful.
This seems more like an IMHO question.
Most likely at this age, your cat is losing some kidney function. Could also be behavioral, if something has changed in the household over the past year. Might consider getting a product called Feliway, a plugin that uses feline pheromones to soothe cats who are stressed out and having behavior problems.
But to answer the main question: A cat that’s lived indoors for 11 years should not be suddenly thrust outside to fend for itself. Jesus, the poor thing is a senior citizen getting tossed out of its lifelong residence after years of having companionship, warmth, and familiar surroundings, all because of health problems.
This is mindboggling and IMHO borders on cruelty. Is there no room in your home that can be closed off? What about a gate you can get to block access from certain rooms?
I am thinking very, very angry things about your husband right now. VERY angry things.
In addition to the above, it could be litterbox issues, too. If she has to share with other cats, you should get her her own box and see if that helps. If you’ve recently changed to a different kind of litter, you should try going back to the original brand. Cats can be picky about their litter, so finding one that she likes might help. Or, perhaps the box isn’t being kept quite as clean as she’d like it. At any rate, something caused a sudden behavioral change, and whether it’s illness, stress, territorial or litterbox issues, it’s important to find out the cause if you want to correct the problem. Good luck!
Halleluja!!! Rosie is back in with the fold! Thanks a million choie! I made him read your post and he felt like a big asshole. He loves her very much-he was just pissed off. I think I will take her back to the vet next week. She’s curled up on my bed waiting for me and I will go join her now. Good night y’all. I thank you and I’m very sure Rosie thanks you! 
Although it primarily afflicts male kitties, ensure that FUS isn’t a problem. One of my kitties piddled indiscriminately, because he couldn’t properly pee. Switching to a low-ash diet (Science Diet) resolved the problem.
Wow, that is some great news, bigdfrombigd! My screennamesake (my late beloved cat) would be very pleased. Yay for Rosie! I hope you all have many more happy years of semi-piddle-free time together.
P.S. It’s an amazing gift to be able to have some effect, no matter how small, on someone an ocean away. I love the web.
I’d be thinking some strange things about anyone who allowed their cat to ruin their carpeting …
For some reason this thread has really touched me – my own cat, Boo, is around 12 years old and in very good health for an old lady, but I know that sometimes I take her health for granted. After reading this thread, I’ve just gone and cleaned out her litterbox even though it didn’t really need it. Plus, I think we might have some shrimp for dinner tomorrow night…
I agree, isn’t it wonderful how your words had such a positive effect, giving bigdfrombigd the strength to stand her ground and getting her husband to do the right thing? Why should he care what someone in New York thinks? So, kudos to him for recognizing the value of a Doper’s advice. And kudos to Rosie for setting off a chain of events that will end up (I hope!) solving her peeing problem, thanks in part to a message board in Chicago. I tell you, we’re all just pawns in the cosmic feline game of chess. Props to bigdfrombigd, of course, for taking care of Rosie’s needs and getting the word out.
This has been a great heading-off-to-bed story for me; let us know how it all works out, please, bigdfrombigd!
Dear bigdfrombigd,
first, I am glad that the cat is back in the house. The problems either arise from health problems, then the your vet (or perhaps an other one?) should be able to help, or they arise from psychological problems, then it’s your turn to help your cat, which can take some time and a lot of patience. Throwing her out of her usual environment will, that’s for sure, not help at all. Try to pay more attention to her, even if this is difficult right now. Keep in mind, she does not urinate to make you angry, she just does it, just as little children with psychological problems might wet their beds in the night.
I think you can find good books about troubles with cats, I have one right here, but it is in German. However, for your problem, there are a few tricks in this book to start with:
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For the moment try to clean her litter box after every use. You might try to buy a second box, also. Some cats like to use one for pee and the other for sh…
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Placement of litter boxes should be in a way, that the cat will be undisturbed, while using it. Don’t use strong chemicals to clean the litter box, the smell will be awful for the cat.
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Food and water should be served away from the litter box. Cats don’t like to eat where they sh…, who does?
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The litter box should be stable, so that it does not flip over when the cat stands on the edge. Litter boxes with roof are popular with cat owners, but not always with cats, so use an open one. (Even if your cat did use a roofed box for the last ten years, this could be the reason, as older cats forget what they learned (i.e. use a roofed box) and return to their instincts (i.e. do not litter in small caves).
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You should be able to get chemicals in the pet store to neutralize the smell of cat urine.
However, if you did not change much in your house, before your cat started urinating, then I think it is more likely a health problem. If your usual vet does not find anything, try another, at least to be sure. (And remember to ask especially about FUS, which would be my guess also.)
cu
My parents cat was 13 or 14 years old, and started peeing all over the place.
He would also meow non-stop and we had to constantly change his food around or he wouldn’t eat anything. She also noticed a strange smell coming from his mouth and there was pus and blood on occasion. I told my mom she better take him to the vet, as there was probably something wrong with his mouth. She did, but took her time about it. I was a bit mad, as the cat was obviously suffering. I think she was genuinely afraid she would find out it was something serious.
It was. The cat ended up having cancer in his jaw, in fact, the vet said his lower jaw was nearly all cancerous. The cat had been living with terrible pain for the last few months, and it was necessary to put the cat to sleep. I was never a cat person, but the thought of a cat in that much pain to this very day brings tears to my eyes. The cat was put to sleep last year.
I know you said that your cat is healthy, but I thought I would just tell this story for those in similar situations that may be hesitant to take their animal to the vet, thinking constant meowing/whining and peeing is a “phase” that will just go away.
If she’s only peeing on soft things, clothes, carpet, could it be the litter is hurting her feet?
Did the vet check her all over? She may have another health problem and the peeing is her way of telling you something isn’t right.
Hello all-
Thanks again for all the ideas and suggestions. I’m off work tomorrow and Rosie and I are going to the vet first thing. I’ll update you all tomorrow evening. Lucky Boo-shrimp for dinner…mmm! And choie, when we woke up this morning my husband said, “man, that guy was really pissed off wasn’t he?” I was like 
what guy? he says “that guy chooey” (choie) :wally
Definetely get your cat to the vet! When a cat starts going outside the litterbox, it could be a sign of UTI. Peeing like that is a sign of distress, either physical or emotional. Sometimes it also has to do with the fact that you moved the litterbox, and they aren’t happy with that fact. Cats can be VERY particular concerning their litterbox. Often they will go to the spot where they litterbox used to be, and go, instead of going where the litterbox is now. The scent permeates the area where the litterbox is, and even though you can’t smell it, the cat can, so to them the spot that smells of pee is where they go. Other times, the new kind of cat litter distresses them and they decide not to go in the litterbox because it sticks to their paws/hurts them.
Also, it could be that for whatever reason in a multi-cat household, your cat has decided that it wants a seperate litterbox from the other cats, and once you get another litterbox, the problem is solved. Did you get another pet around the time she started peeing everywhere, or did you move, or some household circumstances change? Even a pet that isn’t a cat can stress some cats, and make them act strangely. Often, regular play time can help with this, giving them “special time” so they feel more confident.
Cats pee to mark their territory, even females do this. Is there another female in the area who has been going into heat? That can stress spayed females and cause them to mark their space. (The cat in heat doesn’t have to be in the same household, just near enough to waft on the wind to her nose. When I lived in an apartmet building I witnessed this personally, one person had an unspayed female who was in perpetual heat for a time.) As a last resort, if she’s not ill, you might try Feliway. It’s meant to help with such problems, and from the “word of mouth” I’ve read, it works well. Here is some info from the Feliway® Pheromone Spray and Diffuser product description on the site I linked.
(Bolding mine)
Maybe also try playing with her regularly if you don’t already, to help her adjust emotionally and settle down. Don’t give up on her yet, keep trying. I hope things work out with her.
Just in case your most recent trip to the vet didn’t reveal any definitive answers, here’s a site with more info:
including indications to tell if it is a medical or behavioral problem, and some solutions for each (including some info on Feliway, as choie and Zabali_Clawbane pointed out).
You are in the unfortunate position of trying to keep both Rosie and your husband happy. If you can’t solve Rosie’s problem immediately, I would strongly suggest following choie’s advice, and just restrict Rosie to certain areas (or even a single room if you have to) using closed doors or gates. It’s better for Rosie than being outside, she’ll still have access to you although not as much as before, and it will keep your husband from blowing his top again. Maybe you could acheive the same thing by keeping your bedroom door closed. I think it would be best for Rosie’s health and wellbeing if she is prevented from making your husband’s life miserable.
Good luck.
I like cats. They amuse me the way they so successfully manipulate their domestic (human) servants and get their own way so ruthlessly, and the way they have grown adults pampering them like babies when they are some of the toughest mothers anywhere when they have to be.
I was pretty ticked off at your husband when I read the OP as well. But to give credit where due, I think it speaks very highly of him that he would take choie’s post to heart, admit that he was wrong, and on top of that feel guilty about it.
With most guys (myself included 
), it would take much more to convince them that they are wrong about something. I would have expected a “What does she know – tell her to mind her own business” type of response to choie’s post. I think with a lot of guys it would take an entire thread full of criticism to get them to see the error of their ways.
So much deserved kudos to your husband.
Hee! Oh my goodness, that’s hilarious! Tell your husband I forgive him, especially for being so easily … um … pussy-whipped. 
And hey, tell him I’m a gal, as was Choie!
***A b s o l u t e l y. *** I totally should have mentioned this in my earlier post: I’m really impressed and delighted – he’s seems like a flexible and open-minded guy. He obviously cares about both Rosie and you.
I’ve used Feliway myself for an adopted kitten who had piddling issues (on my bed :eek: ). The vet had checked her out and confirmed she was healthy, but the stress of the new apartment and getting re-used to her brother / mom seemed to be freaking her out. So I used the Feliway plugin and no more accidents. At all. It was astonishing. YMMV, though. Doesn’t work for every cat, I’m sure.
Best of luck to Rosie on her vet’s visit. And congrats to you and your husband for taking good care of her!