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As cats age, they undergo physiological and psychological changes that can manifest themselves as elimination problems.

• Your cat is considered to have an elimination problem if it suddenly begins to eliminate in inappropriate spots, or if he becomes unable to exercise sufficient control over his bladder and bowel movements.
• Problems may manifest themselves by the cat not 'going' in the litter box, or by spraying.

You will need to have your cat seen by a veterinarian in order to determine if its elimination problems are simply behavioral problems, or if they might be medical. Problems can also arise due to your cat being more finicky than normal.

• Keep the litter box clean.
• Try changing the type of litter you are using.
• Try moving the box to another location.

Your cat may become disinterest in using the litter box if it has difficulty getting in and out of it. It can also be a sign that he simply cannot 'hold it' long enough to make it to the litter box.

• If your cat has arthritis or other problems, that make it difficult of the cat to get into the box, try using a box with very low sides.
• If your cat suffers from urinary or fecal incontinence, difficulty walking or poor eyesight, try placing several litter boxes around the house.

Elimination problems may also develop in older cat's that are under stress. This can occur when the cats routine is disrupted, such as during a move. Alternatively, being startled can cause it to lose control of its bodily functions.

• Keeping your older cat in a stress-free environment will help keep it happier, and will ease elimination problems related to stress.

Spraying is a different function than urination. When a cat sprays, they shot a vertical stream of scent on furniture and walls, marking the boundaries of its territory. All cats spray, but it is usually more of a problem with intact males. Spaying or neutering may help correct the problem.

• A cat, which previously did not spray, may begin doing so after going through a very stressful situation or if another cat is brought into the house, or if one begins to frequent its yard.

• It may help if you can prevent your cat from seeing strange cats, as this can trigger the instinct to mark his territory.

• Religiously cleaning up behind him, with an enzyme killing cleaner, may also help eliminate the spraying. Otherwise, as the smell begins too lose its potency, he may remark the spot in order to keep the scent strong.

• If the cleaning agent does not work, you can use a scent repellant to keep your cat away from the scented area.

Older cats are prone to many diseases that can cause, or contribute to, elimination problems. Your vet may be able to recommend treatments that will lessen the impact of the disease. With most disease related elimination problems, once the underlying illness is treated, the elimination problem will also disappear.

• Colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases can cause your cat to have severe diarrhea. These can be chronic and life threatening problems that need to be treated by a veterinarian.
• Diarrhea can be brought on by a number of causes ranging from food poisoning to allergies to too many table scraps.
• Liver or kidney diseases.
• Urinary tract diseases or infections. If your cat is attempting to urinate frequently, but is having difficulty passing fluid, or if that fluid has blood in it, take your cat to the vet immediately. Your cat may have a serious problem, one that if not treaty quickly may be fatal.
• Diabetes mellitus can cause frequent urination.
• Hyperthroydism is common in older cats. Some of the warning signs of hyperthyroidism are weight loss combined with an increased appetite and frequent urination. It can be treated both medicinally and surgically.
• Arthritis and other joint diseases are common in older cats and many medications exist to treat the joint inflammation and the pain it can cause.
• Loss of vision may make it difficult for your cat to find its way to the litter box. Having multiple litter boxes may help your cat find one in a time of need.