Anxiety or UTI?

My cat had a couple teeth removed on Jan 1st. This is not the first time, though the work was slightly more extensive than in the past (the Vet had to dig around a little to find tooth fragments). She went back to the vet on 1/14 for a follow up appointment, and they said her mouth is looking really good and healing properly.

However, she still has had minimal interest in food. The only way I can get her to eat is to sit her on a towel in a quiet, closed off room and, more or less, hold the food in front of her until she eats. Which would be fine, except she has now started to pee (and sometimes poop) on the towel before or while she is eating. This is the only time she does it.

Do you think she is urinating outside the litter box due to anxiety (about pain and/or eating) or because of a UTI?

Any advice or suggestions are much appreciated.

Other things to note: She was on pain medication, but took the last dose 1/12 in the evening. We just recently discovered her kidneys are starting to not work properly (her urine is diluted), but her blood work still looks really good.

Pain medication often affects appetite, that's something I know for certain. How old is she? Is she peeing more frequently?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Karen

Pain medication often affects appetite, that's something I know for certain. How old is she? Is she peeing more frequently?

---

We are not entirely sure of her age. We got her from the Humane Society 6 years ago, at which time she was already an adult. She does not appear to be peeing more frequently, she does not appear to be "straining" when she goes, and the urine does not appear to have any blood in it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Slora

We are not entirely sure of her age. We got her from the Humane Society 6 years ago, at which time she was already an adult. She does not appear to be peeing more frequently, she does not appear to be "straining" when she goes, and the urine does not appear to have any blood in it.

---

If she's otherwise normal seeming, active, etc., I'd give it a couple days to see if her appetite perks back up now that the pain meds are leaving her system, but if it doesn't, at least a phone call to the vet would be in order.

A UTI can have many symptoms. Frequent urination, and paid so they tend to avoid the litter box, as they associate the pain with the box.

Straining would not be a sign of a UTI, that is more a sign of a blockage.

Also think about what food you are using. Just because she ate it before, that does not mean she CAN eat it now. She has had teeth removed and this is not the first time, so her abilities may have changed. With a slight kidney issue, a canned food in a gel is better than one in a gravy. The gel seems to help them hold fluid in better. A high quality grain free food would be best as it will put less strain on her entire system. Look for canned foods by Weruva, Fussie Cats, or something like that. Don't waste your money on grocery store brands, those are just junk foods.