Question:
My beloved cat, Maddie, lived to be almost 18 years old. In the last 3 to 4 years of her life she began to have litter-box issues. She would urinate and defecate next to the box, never in the box and never anywhere else in the house. She did this even though I cleaned her box every day. Over the years, I took Maddie to more than one vet to ensure that she didn't have any infections. I spoke to them at length about this problem. They felt it was behavioral and offered advice and literature relating to typical and atypical litter-box problems. I tried many suggestions.Finally, I put a shelter outside for her and visited her often to show that I cared for her. One day, I noticed that she was urinating in the yard and that she wasn't squatting or posturing. I thought it odd, but became distracted by the daily events in my life. About a week later, she was inside due to extreme weather (hurricane Isabel), and I actually caught her in the act -- she was standing in her box and doing her best to use it, but she was
E.E., Hebron, Md May 09, 2004
Answer:
Thank you for your letter describing a condition about which I have never read in the veterinary professional literature.Cat owners, please cut out E.E.'s letter and pass it on to your veterinarians. This problem may be more prevalent than we suspect, especially since cats in protected home environments live long lives and, because of limited physical activity (and other health-related problems), may develop "frozen backs."My recent book, "The Healing Touch for Cats" (New Market Press, 2004), would certainly help cat owners spot this kind of problem early on, and could even make life easier for cats with arthritis and degenerative spinal problems.
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