According to a model proposed by P. Pageat, the forms of inappropriate elimination include not only simple micturition disorders, but also emotional micturition. This problem consists in emission of small or moderate amounts of urine in different places around the house (Fig. 1). The cat does not choose the substrate on which to urinate and the normal sequence of the behaviour is absent: the animal eliminates wherever it finds itself, without sniffing, digging, or trying to cover the urine emitted.
The history taking should collect information on the following:
- the frequency and way the micturition takes place (for example, the number of episodes per week, whether the behaviour occurs only when the owner is absent for a few days);
- the place involved (for example, whether the urine is deposited only near a window);
- the surface(s) chosen (for example, whether the cat urinates only on carpets);
- the posture assumed by the cat (for example, crouched or standing on all four feet);
- the amount of urine emitted;
- the sequence of the behaviour (for example, whether the cat sniffs the site, digs before eliminating, and tries to cover the products of elimination);
- the time dedicated to the elimination sequence;
- the characteristics of the litter used (for example, the type of litter used, any changes in the type of litter used, the model and position of the tray(s);
- cleaning of the litter and tray;
- punishment and the cat’s response to the punishment;
- the environmental history (for example, possibility of going outside, view of other cats from a window or balcony, a house move, acquisition of new furniture);
- the social history (for example, the occurrence of aggressive behaviour – even only intimidation – between cats living together and/or directed towards the family, the arrival of a new cat in the neighbourhood or the birth of a baby in the family);
- the dietary history (for example, the type of food used in order to plan any changes in diet);
- drinking behaviour (it is useful to measure the amount of water drunk by the cat over 24 hours);
- marking behaviour (the deposition of type F3 and F4 facial pheromones, marking by scratching, urinary marking);
- medical history (results of any past laboratory investigations and clinical examinations).
All animals that urinate in inappropriate places should undergo a complete physical examination. Thediagnostic work-up should include:
- physicochemical examination of the urine (sampled by cystocentesis);
- urine culture;
- full blood count and biochemistry tests (+ thyroid function tests in elderly cats);
- diagnostic imaging (X-rays, ultrasound).
EMOTIONAL MICTURITION
Emotional micturition is usually a sign related to the presence of a pathological condition (phobia, anxiety, depression). I believe that cats can also display emotional micturition when they smell strong, acrid odours (for example, that of a prey, the owner’s sweat or dirty underwear) or a particularly “attractive” substrate such as a feather bedcover or a plastic bag. Numerous behavioural and/or organic disorders can underlie emotional micturition.
Transport-related stress: during transport in a car, many cats show marked signs of malaise, such as vocalisation, agitation, salivation, vomiting and emotional micturition and defecation (Fig. 2).
Self-control disorder (hypersensitivity – hyperactivity syndrome): cats affected by this disorder bite and scratch at every physical contact with the owner because of the lack of control of biting and claw retraction. Some individuals develop unexpected phobias: for example, they may refuse to enter a room because of the presence of a new object or stop using a feeding bowl because they heard a particular sound while eating. Sensory homeostasis is not employed correctly in this conditon. Because of the breakdown of the cat-owner relationship (following punishment given immediately to an animal caught in the act and/or subsequently in the case of bites and scratches) a pathological state of intermittent anxiety may develop. Emotional micturition may occur, for example, on the occasion of a verbal or physical punishment.
Simple and complex phobias (sensory privation syndrome): a kitten suffering from this disorder is raised in an environment lacking stimuli and shows defective socialisation with humans and/or other cats associated with multiple phobias, particularly of sounds. The social phobia leads the kitten to avoid contact with any human and can result in fear- or irritation-elicited aggression with emotional micturition.
Cohabitation anxiety (phases of skirmishing and obnubilation): the reason for a behavioural consultation is the onset of territory-related or irritation-elicited aggression in clowders of two or more cats. The animals examined may be the resident cat and a newly arrived cat or two or more resident cats who are suddenly no longer capable of living together. When this condition starts to develop there is a reduction in identifying facial marking which creates imbalances in the group with an increase in anxiety-creating factors in the territory. The intervention of humans, with a static division of the territory (tending to divide the cats into separate areas) worsens the situation. Cohabitation anxiety is also aggravated by an owner’s attempts to bring the cats together by holding them in his or her arms, forcing them to approach each other and preventing them from running away. Finally, punishment of the aggressor further worsens the relationship between the cats. On the occasion of close-quarter fighting, one or both of the cats may produce emotional micturition. The veterinarian may also trigger this disorder, for example by discharging a cat after a period of hospitalisation, without carrying out a careful behavioural evaluation of the group of animals living together (the resident cats may be aggressive towards the animal that was absent) (Fig. 3).
Territory-related anxiety: the main reasons for a behavioural consultation are urinary marking (accompanied by emotional micturition) and/or an increase in scratching (Fig. 4).
Painting walls, hanging or changing wallpaper, frequent house-cleaning that removes facial marking, the replacement of a piece of furniture, limitation – even only temporary – of the territory due to closure of some rooms, a house move, the departure of a member of the family, the birth of a baby, the transfer of an elderly person into the household, adoption of a kitten or puppy, or even the presence of cats in the external environment can modify an animal’s territorial organization. The removal of urinary marking, cleaning of facial marking and punishments given by the owner cause the cat intermittent or permanent anxiety, which prevents the animal from re-establishing its territorial fields and paths.
Anxiety of closed spaces: the reason for the behavioural consultation is the appearance of irritation-elicited or predatory aggression towards the owner. Furthermore, several times a day, particularly at dawn and dusk, the cat has “crises of motor agitation”: the owners describe that the animal rushes around the house in all directions and leaps at high furniture and walls, ricocheting off the surfaces. The cats brought for a behavioural consultation are usually about 1 year old, because the owner tolerates the aggressive behaviour while the animal is a kitten, often considering it playful behaviour. Because of the breakdown of the cat-owner relationship (following punishment given immediately to animals caught in the act and/or subsequently in the case of bites and scratches) a pathological state of intermittent anxiety may develop. Emotional micturition may occur, for example, on the occasion of a verbal or physical chastisement.
Pathological ageing (loss of learning because of the cognitive deficit): the elimination behaviour is characterized by urination and defecation anywhere in the house, including on the owner’s bed. Some individuals urinate and defecate (emotional micturition and defecation) while they are walking from room to room, particularly during the night in a state of chronic depression. A simplified sequence of urinary marking may appear: the cat does not search for a specific place, micturates a large amount of urine while standing on all four feet (without “petrissage”) and moves away rapidly.
The stress caused by acute or chronic pain, secondary to the presence of some organic disorders (which affect the urinary system [such as emotional or interstitial cystitis, the gastrointestinal tract, skin and adnexae, endocrine system, musculoskeletal system, etc.) can cause the onset of emotional elimination.
TREATMENT OF EMOTIONAL MICTURITION
The treatment consists in management of the environment, pheromone therapy, drug therapy (to treat the patient’s behavioural disorder and pathological state) and behavioural modification.
Suggested readings
- N. Ogata, Y. Takeuchi, Studio clinico sull’utilizzo di un analogo del feromone felino nel controllo della marcatura urinaria del territorio da parte dei gatti Da: J. Vet. Med. Sci., 63 (2), 157 – 161, 2001
- D. S. Mills, J. C. White Follow up a lungo termine degli effetti di una terapia a base di feromone sul comportamento della marcatura urinaria nel gatto Da: Veternary Record, 147, 746 – 747, 2000
- D. S. Mills, C. B. Mills Valutazione di un nuovo metodo di rilascio di un analogo sintetico di un feromone felino per il controllo della marcatura urinaria del gatto Da: Veterinary Record, 149, 197 – 199, 2001
- C. A. Griffith, E. S. Steigerwald, C. A. Tony Buffington Effetti di un feromone facciale sintetico sul comportamento dei gatti Da: J. A. V. M. A., 217, 8, 1154 – 1156, 2000
- D. A. Gunn-MooreA pilot study using synthetic feline facial pheromone for the management of feline idiopathic cystitis Da: Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (2004) 6, 133–138
- D. A. Gunn-Moore, Cistite Idiopatica Felina (FIC), pubblicato da Hill’s, 2009
- D.F. Frank), H.N Erb, K.A. Houpt Urine spraying in cats: presence of concurrent disease and effects of a pheromone treatment Da: Applied Animal Behaviour Science 61 1999 263–272
- Jacqueline C. NeilsonThinking outside the box: feline elimination Da: Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (2004) 6, 5–11
- Jacqueline C. Neilson, DVMFeline House Soiling: Elimination and Marking BehaviorsDa: Clinical thecniques in samll animal practice
- Gary M. Landsberg, Andrea L. Wilson, Effects of Clomipramine on Cats Presented for Urine Marking Da: J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2005;41:3-11.
- D. Hortwitz, Y. Foulard, A. J. Castagna, Nutrition E n c y c l o p e d i a o f Feline Clinical, This book is reproduced in the IVIS website with the permission of Royal Canin, The feeling behavior of the cat
- L. J. Wright, C. Noonan, S. Ahumada, M. Á. Bullones Rodríguez, D. Buchwald, N.Afari, Psychological distress in twins with urological symptoms, General Hospital Psychiatry 32 (2010) 262–267
- J. Curtis Nickel, Dean A. Tripp, M. Pontari, R. Moldwin, R. Mayer, L. K. Carr, R. Doggweiler, C. C. Yang, N. Mishra and J. Nordling, Psychosocial Phenotyping in Women With Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome: A Case Control Study THE JOURNAL OF UROLOGY® Printed in U.S.A. Vol. 183, 167-172, January 2010
- Guida completa ai problemi comportamentali nel cane e nel gatto, Veterinary Medicine Resource Guide, Volume 1, Comprendere i normali comportamenti del gatto e prevenire l’insorgenza dei problemi comportamentali, K. Overall, pp 28 - 37