Male neutered cat acting strange

Question
We have a 4 year old neutered at 6 months and two neutered females that are 18 months and 4 years old. They are all indoor cats with access to an area with sand outside and cat boxes inside. Our 4 year old has been driving us crazy lately with screaming loud and sometimes weird howling noises while running around the house. He uses the inside cat box to urinate but has been standing up while doing it lately and shooting it against the wall. If I catch him in time I can push his butt down while he finishes. We have also noticed that when he is running around screaming his penis is sticking out. He has been to the vet for a blood test and everything is normal they say. We are going completely crazy as he is part siamese and screams REAL LOUD. LOL. Do you have any clue what might be wrong with him? We appreciate anything you might be able to tell us.

Answer
Jerry,

Has this kitty's urine been checked for the presence of crystals or infection? These may not necessarily show up on a standard blood test. It is worth noting that Siamese cats are typically quite vocal, however if this hasn't been a regular part of your cat's personality up until this point it's quite possible that there is some sort of medical issue going on that just hasn't been discovered yet. Based on your description, if the vet doesn't find any issue with your kitty's urine or urinary tract I would be somewhat concerned that there is a territorial issue happening in your house. This can be as a result of issues between resident cats including improper introductions. It's also possible that the neighborhood cats are upsetting this kitty by invading his territory. If your cat routinely hangs out in a window he could be frustrated with the presence of other animals within his territory, if this is the case you may find that applying a temporary privacy film to the windows in your home that the kitty has access to provides some relief. Temporary privacy films vary widely in price and design, I usually suggest that pet parents shop around to get a design that they are comfortable with, one that provides privacy but still allows sunlight in is probably best. If you don't have enough litter boxes for the number of cats in your household this can cause territorial disputes that will manifest themselves by territorial behavior including excessive vocalization and spraying urine to leave their scent throughout their territory. I usually recommend that pet parents having issues with inappropriate elimination have one litter box per cat plus one per level of their home, normally my recommendation is one litter box per cat plus one. You can purchase fairly durable disposable litter boxes at most pet supply stores and gradually remove them one at a time until you are left with the usual amount. If you have recently had tradespeople in who have disrupted this kitty's habits by making noise or preventing access to parts of the house that he normally is free to roam in this can cause litter box issues. Cats are creatures of habit, finding the change within their environment that has upset them and either making it more comfortable for them, such as helping them to accept a new member of the household (new baby, aging parents, etc) can remedy the situation. I do think that checking your local area for holistic veterinarians would be well worth your while as these practitioners can sometimes offer safer, more natural alternatives to the use of psychotropic anti-anxiety/depressant medications in cases like this. Some vets will immediately suggest the use of these powerful medications as they can be quite effective in fixing issues like inappropriate elimination, however I think that it's wise to do your research and ask your vet questions before opting to change your cat's brain chemistry. Holistic veterinarians are trained in conventional medicine as well as one or more alternative therapies such as massage therapy, acupuncture and homeopathy, just to name a few. My family vet practices homeopathy in addition to conventional medicine and I must admit that I have seen some incredible results in my cats when it comes to behavioral and medical issues. If you are interested in trying homeopathy on a fairly basic and safe level with your cat you may consider trying out Bach's Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences which calms and reassures and has been used for some time by some vets and pet parents worldwide to treat conditions ranging from anxiety and shock to helping severely traumatized pets become calmer. This remedy can be found in natural health stores, naturopathic pharmacies and in some mainstream pharmacies in the area where vitamins and other nutritional supplements are kept. I would recommend that you not try homeopathy or any other alternative therapy unless you have a definite diagnosis from your vet, it isn't a cure all and if there is a medical issue there may be a need for medical intervention. If there isn't any medical issue and you suspect that your kitty may be anxious it's worth adding 5-7 drops to a fresh bowl of water each morning, this remedy is safe around the other pets and children so it's not anything that you have to be concerned about. I don't think that pushing your cat into a squatting position when you catch him spraying is going to be useful. The fact that he is running around vocalizing loudly and excessively with his penis sticking out suggests that he is uncomfortable for one reason or another, male cats (neutered or not) typically keep their genitals sheathed unless they are actively cleaning their penis or using it to mate with. In order to rule out the fact that he may be spraying urine in the same spots repeatedly because he can smell it I would recommend the use of an enzymatic cleaner to permanently remove urine stains and odors. I use a product called Petzyme which I purchase in the dog section by the gallon at Petsmart for approximately $24 CAN. This product is available in the cat section, however when I last checked it wasn't available in the larger size and it was slightly more expensive on a per milliliter basis. I have used Petzyme to clean up vomit, feces and urine from carpet and other surfaces with great success, it removes the stain and odor permanently, it also works on other organic substances, for instance, over the holidays chocolate milk was spilled onto our cream colored carpet, Petzyme got it out. Enzymatic cleaners work by using beneficial bacteria (aka enzymes) to break down organic materials which is why they are so effective. We have found that enzymatic cleaners usually get out a range of organic substances, it is important to remember that organic substances come from nature not combinations of chemicals and dyes.