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Written by Wendy Christensen
Q: I tried just about everything and cannot get Chloe, my 13- month-old calico, to stop peeing on my scatter rugs, especially the one by the kitchen sink. She will go anywhere, though. I caught her this afternoon in the computer room. We had her checked by the Vet and she doesn't have a urinary tract infection. We have bought all kinds of products but nothing seems to work. My husband and I have grown to love her but I can not tolerate her behavior.
A: You would not believe how many questions I get about cats who mysteriously urinate on scatter rugs, bathmats, kitchen mats, etc. I, too, was mystified by this (my own cats did it, too) until I discovered that the "non-skid" backings and coatings of many, if not most, such rugs and mats include an ammonia-like component that, especially when damp or wet, smells exactly like cat urine.
If your mats and scatter rugs have a latex or other non-skid backing, the odor may well be calling Chloe, telling her that "this is an OK place to go." After all, it smells just like a litter box! Even if you thoroughly wash the item, that smell will remain, as it is actually part of the backing. So I now just avoid using such "non-skid" mats and rugs. I use thick, reversible mats, and scatter or throw rugs with woven or burlap backs. Or, just plain bare floors, which I've come to prefer for many locations in the house anyway.
Also, be aware that many of the rubbery "rug backing" pads and mats sold to help keep non-latex-backed rugs from sliding and skidding also have that ammonia-like smell, and will draw the attention of urinating felines. You can keep small rugs from skidding by securing them with strips of rug tape or carpet tape, a wide, two-sided removable adhesive tape. Don't use any more than necessary to secure the rug, as some of these tapes also carry "that scent."
I had a funny, related experience last summer. I was doing a lot of work in the yard and had bought some excellent waterproof gardening gloves with a rubbery, textured gripping surface. When I wore them while working in some wet grass and weeds, I suddenly started smelling cat urine. "Could the cats have peed on my boots?" I wondered? "My hat…?" I was puzzled until I realized it was the gloves! It just hadn't occurred to me, but the rubbery material obviously had a large amount of the ammonia-like chemical. It was a powerful reminder that odors from unlikely and unexpected sources can easily influence cat behavior and lead to a lot of owner frustration before the cause is revealed.
Q: My cat seems to not want to pee in her litter box. I took her to the vet about a month or two ago and she is healthy. We had moved her litter box into a different room but at first she had no problem using it or finding it. But now for the last month or so she has been reluctant to use her litter box for peeing. She poops in her litter box just fine and we clean it out once a day and at the very most every other day but still she won't go to the bathroom there. We have not changed furniture or changed her food or changed anything around the house that might cause her to do this. I read that punishing is not good for cats and we try not to punish her as frustrated as we might get.
A: First of all, she must be peeing somewhere! Where? Right next to the box? In the corner of your closet?
I suspect that something about the new location has convinced her that she wants separate boxes for urinating and defecating. It's a very common phenomenon among cats. That's why I always suggest two litter boxes, even for a single cat. (My standard rule for groups is at least one box per cat plus at least one extra.) If she's peeing right beside, or near, the box, this is almost surely the case. However, if the box's new location is in a bathroom, perhaps next to a non-skid throw rug or bathmat, she may be peeing on that in preference to the litter. (**See above.)
It's a fact that punishment not only doesn't work with cats - it's almost always counterproductive. (I suggest you read my latest book, "Outwitting Cats," for more about this and other cat behavior topics.) It's also a fact that when litter-box problems crop up, adding an extra box helps surprisingly often. So, add a second box and let me know what happens.
I'd also take the cat back to the veterinarian for a re-check. Explain what's been going on. Your cat may have developed a urinary tract problem since her last visit; such problems can come on very quickly.
Herding Cats at Home - February 2006 2
Herding Cats at Home - February 2006 3
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