Hi, new to the cat forum. Sorry to bore you all again with yet another weeing problem but I really need some help please.

I have a 17 year old neutered tom who has a cat flap and had never tiddled indoors until recently. A few weeks ago I saw him spraying in the hallway and then found tiddle patches in the bathroom. I put a litter tray in there and thought he was using it ok but yesterday I caught him squatting to wee on one of the dogs beds. The vet has done two lots of blood and urine tests and says there is no health problem. I have been using Urine Off and have just ordered one of the black lights. What can I do, please help?

Can anyone suggest anything?

I would go back to your vet and ask for further checks, it does sound as though it could be cystitis. Cystitis isnt often caused by bacterial infection so the urine tests wouldnt necessarily show up anything untoward. Stress is a contributing factor as is feeding dry food only so, if its possible it could be cystitis, you could try plugging in Feliway diffusers and changing his diet (gradually) to wet food (with no cereals/grains etc)

I would also provide add another tray in another location, so he's always got one avaialbe wherever he happens to be, and maybe think about changing the type of litter you are using - cats generally like to use fine, sandy type litters rather than the larger granule ones.

To clean up the areas he's wee'd in, use a solution of biological washing powder and water to wash thoroughly, then when its dry, spray the area with surgical spirit so that he isnt attracted back to that spot.

But I think another check at the vets first.

You could also try Cat Attract litter - google it. I found that worked for my much younger cat.

Have you changed anything? New furniture, decoration, moving stuff around?

Is there anything new outside? New neighbours, new cats, dogs? Might be causing the stress.

You could try Feliway diffuser too.

I was just going to suggest that, my friend's cat has just started to pee in her house again, I asked her if she had gone back to her old washing powder (ariel) as he has had a history, it stopped when she took my suggestion to change it. She is now using a different brand & he has stopped again.

Thanks everyone!

Im going to ring the vets again tonight and ask exactly what they tested for and suggest cystisis. He isnt doing it all the time though and still uses the litter tray as well as the garden. Would that happen if it was cystitis? I thought about using a diffuser after reading about them on here before but with the better weather I have the windows open a lot, would that let out the nice calming aroma? Sorry, do I sound daft?

I also read about the washing powder and Surgical Spirit on here. I used that first but could still smell wee so bought some Urine Off.

Ive thought and thought about anything new that might have upset him but cant think of anything, although I have changed fabric softener but that was recently after the problem started. He used to be a bit of a tough nut round our way and always came home with cuts and bruises but I think he was the trouble causer. I dont know if another younger cat has turned things round. They wouldnt dare come in the cat flap as I have two dogs.

What food would you suggest? He used to have Whiskas biscuits and also tinned but the vet said I should try some of their expensive k/d (?) diet for kidney troubles just in case. I bought a small bag to see if it would help but obviously it hasnt.

I wondered for a long while if it could even have been one of the dogs as the patches on the bathroom floor were quite big (underlay was marked), I didnt know if they were competing for smell. But now Ive actually seen him in the act I guess it must have been him.

Its nice having someone to talk to about it if nothing else, so thanks everyone.

I was just reading someone elses post about older cats meowing loudly. Thinking about it my cat used to howl at the top of his lungs all the time (I think he is nearly deaf too) but he hasnt hardly at all since this weeing has started.... Does that mean anything?

I don't know why your vet is recommending k/d for kidney troubles just in case! (he's had blood tests that were clear hasnt he? presume his renal function was tested?) Feeding him k/d isnt going to help his peeing/spraying, in fact feeding biscuits could make any problems like cystitis worse. If it is cystitis I would stick to wet food.

The Feliway diffusers will still work even if you have the windows open.

My uv light arrived from Urine Off yesterday. I thought it would save me crawling round on my hands and knees sniffing the carpet! The bathroom and landing carpet still smells a bit of wee so I waited until it was dark outside and headed up the stairs cleaning bucket in hand. Turned out the light and shone the torch round the floor and......nothing! Nothing at all. I even shone it over the wet patch in the cat litter and nothing. It made everything that was white glow but didnt show any tiddle patches at all and I know there is some cos I can smell it!