After UTI, my cat won't come inside. Why does she prefer the garage?

I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. Cats have weird brains, and often after a traumatic time trying to urinate, they start to think it is the litter box's fault and decide to pee elsewhere. First, you need to clean all urine with an enzymatic pet cleaner - this will break down the pheromones that you can't smell but he can. Second, even though he is cleared of the UTI, it is still possible that his bladder is inflamed. This syndrome in cats goes by many different names, including FLUTD or FIC. There are many different things you can try to help him out, including environmental enrichment, calming supplements, changing the litter and/or box to a completely different type, prescription anti-anxiety medications or anti-inflammatories. I will include a bunch of information for you to look at below. If you still have more questions, please post another on PetCoach, or choose a consultation to discuss this further in a one-on-one conversation with an Expert. Inappropriate Urination: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=633 Supplements for stress:
Zylkene and Comfort Zone Feliway Diffuser Special Diet: Hill's® Prescription Diet® c/d® Multicare Feline Stress Environmental Enrichment: https://indoorpet.osu.edu//cats FIC/FLUTD: https://icatcare.org/advice/cat-health/feline-idiopathic-cystitis-fic http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=612 Litter Box Care:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3638

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Blackie. Urinary tract infections are not all that common in cats. I recommend that she has a urine culture performed to ensure there is an infection present and the correct antibiotic is prescribed. If there is not an infection or if it has resolved, then she should have x-rays to look for bladder stones. If this is not the case, idiopathic cystitis is very common in cats. This may be her problem. I hope this information helps!

Sounds like your cat has a bit of a sense of humor. :) If he's sleeping in the litter box you may want to try moving it to a different area to see if he'll use it. If he's had accidents, then placing the box where he has gone before may encourage him to use it. It may be that he just prefers to use the other litter box solely which is fine as long as the UTI is cleared up and he's otherwise healthy. Adding in a comfy bed where he now enjoys sleeping may also help!

Unfortunately, it is very common for one cat to come home from the vet's office only to have the other cats show aggression toward them. It is not from the UTI itself but likely because of the smells he has on him that are foreign to the other cats. Typically this will stop after a couple days. You could get some Feliway Multicat diffusers to help the situation: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/feliway-30-day-multicat-diffuser-plug-in-starter-kit

She probably has cystitis and not a UTI. It is not impossible that she has a UTI concurrently but I think cystitis is more likely. Antibiotics will not help that. She needs to be on pain meds and you need to de-stress the environment. This article has more in-depth information: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951488 I strongly recommend you put some Feliway diffusers in your house and do some environmental enrichment for her. Usually these two things help too. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=117324 thedrakecenter.com/materials/environmental-enrichment-indoor-cats  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AejmrLa_Cs4

It maybe a urinary infection. If this goes untreated it can lead to an obstruction and acute kidney failure. I would have your vet make sure there is no medical reason such as that causing it. If all is normal it is behavioral. Just because nothing new has happened inside, does not mean something new is not happening outside. There may a new cat or other animal that is stressing yours or scaring yours and you will have to look into identifying that and removing it

The only way to confirm if it is a UTI would be to bring in Curie to your vet and have a urinary sample taken to check for bacteria, crystals, etc that could be causing bladder irritation and thus the inappropriate urination. Your vet can also help you determine if other causes, such as stress or the beginning of arthritis are also affecting her ability to use the litter box properly, leading to accidents. It would be best to bring Curie in ASAP so she can get checked and treated for a UTI as needed.