Cat urinating in house

Question
I have a 13 year old cat who has recently starting urinating in my house. She has a clean litter box, why doesn't she use it?  I do not think it is a medical situation, but more an attidute problem.  Ha! Ha!  I will await your reply.  Thank you!

Answer
Hi Jean!  The number one reason a cat will urinate outside the litterbox is due to a urinary tract infection.  I would recommend a vet visit to perform a urinalysis to see if there is any bacteria in her urine that may be causing this.  It is treated with a course of antibiotics.
If this is a behavioral issue, stress is usually the cause.  Has there been any changes in your home recently?  Moving furniture, new additions, family members leaving home, a new pet, new litter, a new litterbox?  These are all things that will cause stress in a cat, therefore leading to urination outside the box.  If any of these things have occured and your kitty is stressed, your veterinarian can prescribe a medication very much like human prozac for a short duration to relieve her stress and relax her enough to use her litter box.
I hope this helps!
Hilary