16 year old neutered male cat started urinating in the house

My cat was given to me by my neighbor a few years ago. He is 16 now. He was outdoor only when she gave him to us and that was good because my husband is allergic to cats.

To make a long story short, the cat got really sick and we took him to the vet. This was like a month after we got him. After that, he decided he liked it indoors and he is mostly indoors now.

The only thing is, he does his business outside. He meows at the door and we let him out. He comes back when he is done. The last couple days, he has peed on the floor and not too long after he went outside.

I was told by a friend that maybe he is spoiled and throwing a tantrum if he doesn't get what he wants but from what I understand, cats don't act that way and he has never done this before.

I live in an apartment building and I know the new upstairs neighbors have a cat. Could that be affecting him? I can't think of anything else that has changed.

I am afraid he may be sick because he somehow had urine on his belly and feet. I have to do something. I love him more than anything and I rent and have an immaculate renting history so I can't screw that up. Help me.

My Thoughts: I'm sorry to hear that your cat is having problems. He may be concerned about the neighbor's cat, but I think you may be right in assuming that he's sick.

I'm not a fan of letting cats outside to do their business because it prevents you from being able to closely monitor their bathroom habits. Bathroom habits, or changes in them, can be a key health indicator.

By urinating on the floor, however, your cat may just be telling you that he has a medical problem. Cats often urinate outside of the litter box, or in your case, inside the house, when they have a urinary problem or other ailment. That could be anything from an infection to a partial blockage to kidney disease. Keep in mind that urinary tract blockage is especially dangerous and a life threatening situation for male cats.

As I've written about extensively here on the site, there are other reasons for this type of behavior as well. As cats age, they can develop many of the same issues as humans, including dementia or even poor bladder control.

If he were my cat, I would take him to the vet and have him checked out. At 16, if he hasn't had his blood tested in a while, it's time for that again as well.

I hope that helps. Please let us know how he makes out.

-Kurt