Inappropriate urination in multiple cat household

Question
I have a multiple cat household that consists of 3 neutered males and 4 spayed females. For some time I have had inapprpriate urination and defecation inside the house. I have actually observed one of my males spraying. I find puddles on my kitchen counter, kitchen towels, stove, floor, bathroom floor, bathtub, laundry, rugs, etc... The amount varies from a very small amount to LARGE puddles, I think they store it up! I was reading some of the articles on the web site and they refer to a "dye" that your vet can give to add to the cat's food to change the color of their urine. My vet is willing to help me try anything but isn't sure what this "dye" might be. I need to determine which of my cats, one or multiple, is responsible for this so that I can begin with some labs, etc... Please can you help? I have been a cat owner for many years and have always been a multi cat family. My cats also have free roam to the outside via pet doors as well a litter boxes. I really don't want to make them stay out all the time but I am at my wits end with this nastiness. I have even tried to catch them with a game camera and have considered video taping. They range in age from 10years to 2 years. The situation seems to be getting worse. I'm afraid that one or multiple have UTI's or worse. They eat Purina One for urinary tract health. HELP!!!

Answer
Hi Michelle,

Wow, that's quite a catastrophe you have on your hands, if you'll forgive the pun.  Honestly, that's what it sounds like you need to do, and keeping them inside is to their benefit on a variety of levels anyway.  Cats are perfectly capable of leading happy, fulfilled lives strictly indoors if you provide them with their needs and ensure they are socialized properly.  I should know; I have 6 strictly indoor cats ranging from 7 years to 9 months old, and the only elimination problems I have ever had are related to my oldest cat who associated plastic bags with peeing due to her being the only one who initially had liners in her litter box until I realized what a waste of money and plastic they are, and the other is Luna, who's stool goes soft when she's stressed which occurs when I leave her for more than 2 days and has little droplets of poo on the floor because she can't quite get it all out.  I prevent further issues by cleaning up properly with an enzymic cleaner, keeping all plastic bags out of reach, and making sure I spend enough quality time with Luna.

If it were me, I would put one male and one female each to a bathroom, with the other female cat in a bedroom.  Then you can monitor them to see which one is causing the problem.  There should be one litter box to each cat, however in this bathroom scenario one per room will suffice temporarily.  Cats are clean creatures and have natural instincts to use the bathroom in a litter or dirt like substance, so the fact that this is going on always means either a medical or behavioral problem.  I don't know when this started, but the other thing you need to consider is that if you did not clean these spots properly with an enzymic pet cleaner, they can still smell it, and will continue to eliminate there.  You may need to go so far as steam cleaning your carpet if the problem is that extensive.  More than likely, one or more of them has a urinary tract infection and possibly blockage, as was recently the case with my spouse's cat.  If you want to prevent future blockages and consequently high vet bills in the future, I would get them off of that food ASAP.  Please take some time to read the following articles regarding how commercial food contributes if not creates the exact conditions you describe.  After discovering this in my research, I have switched all six of mine to HALO which I could not be happier with.  Their holistic line of products is really the only option other than properly formulated raw diets in my opinion.  Commercial pet foods are essentially legally and knowingly poisoning our pets, and I for one am not going to lay down and take it.  These are the eye-opening articles that have changed my view.

What's Really in Pet Food?
http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?more=1&p=359

Gluten and Toxins in Pet Food
http://www.celiac.com/articles/1129/1/Gluten-and-Toxins-in-Pet-Foods-Are-they-Po...

I don't know about this dye you speak of, but I personally am not willing to put any unnatural chemicals or additives in my pets' body.  I would go with the environmental control process I recommended, and keep them all inside to isolate the problem.  I don't know what specific dye you are speaking of, but the dyes found in cheap pet foods have been found to cause cancer as well as other conditions, so I would stay away from things like that.

Personally, I would keep them all only indoors from here on out.  The list of dangers that exist outdoors are vast, and if you don't currently have them on both flea/tick preventative or heartworm preventative, you are looking at a variety of forthcoming health issues.  There are so many reasons to not let a cat go outside.  Statistically, they will die from one of the following by the time they're four years old: transmitted diseases, parasitic infections leaching all of the nutrients from his body, nutritional deficiencies, viruses, poisoning, anemia from a flea infestation, heartworms (untreatable in cats), being hit by a car, a dog attack, abusive kids, etc.  Please read, I am not trying to scold, but educate to help prevent you having to go through this heartache in the future.

I hope you find the articles informative and wish you the best of luck at pinpointing which cats need attention.

Best regards,
Holly Martin