Ashley Pee Troubles - Vet Wants Ashley to Start Amitriptyline - STILL PEEING

[Cataholic]

Peeing outside the box can be very stressful for EVERYONE. Please know that Ashley is not peeing outside the box 'on purpose' in the way we think. Getting angry- while understandable- only adds to the stress in the household.

I have had a lot of success with Feliway plug-ins. The thing is- you have to give it time to work. Not a day, a week, or two. A solid month of constant plug-ins. With a one bedroom apartment, I would have two plug ins. One in the bedroom, one in the outside big room.

Next, I would look at your litter box and type of litter. Box placement is critical, as is the type of box one uses. Some cats (mine) hate covered boxes. Some cats hate boxes placed next to dryers (as the buzz scared them once mid action...and they associate that with the box). Some cats hate certain types of litter- especially, especially scented litter. Some cats hate boxes with poop in it. Place two boxes side by side.

Make sure the peeing isn't accidental- over the side, by mistake. I had that issue. I fixed it after reading someone on here and their solution. My cats have a HUGE rubbermaid tub with a 'U' shape cut out on one side. No more pee-overs.

I have heard that c/d is not a long term solution food. I have heard that s/d is what you want for crystals. Frankly, it is easy for a vet to say that it is behavioural. That is a wide 'diagnosis', and you really, really, really need to slowly and completely explore the solutions. One by one, systematically.

Without going back and re-reading your thread, I thought you had said at one point Ashely does best being alone..no kittens, no cats in the room with her. But, I think I also read that you put 3 other cats in there with her, and her peeing is worse? Again, I didn't re-read...I am just wondering if that was the cause?

And, at the end of it all, I try to comfort myself with the thought- it is only cat pee. No one is dead or dying, and with time- you will find the solution for Ashley.

Good luck.

[Catty1]

Amitryptiline is used for bladder spasms in humans and animals. My sister was on it - a version called Baclofen - as her bladder got spastic very early in her journey with MS.

Yes, amitryptiline is also used as an anti-depressant, but does nothing for the peeing.

Ask your vet about Clomicalm. It is designed to CALM the critters. Plus, keep her in her "own" space; don't just set her out among all the others if you know that stresses her and makes her pee again.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear that Ashley is still having peeing problems. Here's a great link about litter box problems http://www.catinfo.org/litterbox.htm.

I had a brief period of time where both Storm and my RB Starr were both peeing out of the box and it was all due to stress. My vet recommended that I buy some Cat Attract Litter by Dr. Elsey and it worked immediately. I just added it to the top of the litter that I was already using. I also used the Feliway plug-ins and the spray. I put out more litter boxes and they're all uncovered except for 2 of them. I also put 2 of the litter boxes where the peeing outside of the box occurred and one of them I gradually moved a little bit every day to a more desirable location because it was right by my front door.

Now I use Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Litter and it clumps very well and it's unscented. I was able to stop using the Feliway plug-ins because over time they didn't really do anything. I have 5 cats and 6 litter boxes and I scoop them in the morning and the evening. They usually only use 3-4 of them but sometimes they will use them all. I hope that you'll find something that will help Ashley. Please don't give up. Good luck.