Sick cat? Behavior problems?

Question
Hi! I have two questions.
1) For the past few days my cat has had a cloudy eye. Today he seems very spooky and not like himself. He's usually very playful and energetic. He was not very spooky before. When I bring my hand up to pet him, he flinches. He usually jumps right into my hand. Is it a cold or something else?

2) Also, he has had inappropriate uraning and bowel movements. When I first got him, he used the litter box fine. Sometimes he uses the litter box and other times he does not. I have another cat and they play/ fight. He was also diagnosed with a UTI and crystals in his urine. Is this behavioral? Or medical?

Answer
Hi Andrea,

I think your cat might be flinching because his eye hurts, and he's afraid you may touch the sensitive area. There is also very likely some vision loss in that eye, and depending on the angle you're approaching him from, you may be surprising him when you reach for him. Cloudy eyes can be caused by several conditions, including glaucoma, keratitis and uveitis. All are serious and painful and can result in permanent loss of sight. You should get your kitty to the vet right away for treatment.

At that time, you can talk to the vet about the litter box concerns. They will probably want to take a urine sample to rule out urinary tract problems and feel his belly to rule out constipation. If all seems well physically, the problem may be because the cats fight. He may feel under attack while in the box. Try adding another box in a different location. Be sure it's not in a corner, so he can escape if he feels threatened. You can try a different litter or different style of box if the problem persists.

Good luck!
Jessica