Time to put this cat down?

OK, today was the last straw. I've had this cat for 9 years. I got her and a male together from the SPCA. She has peed all over every apartment and now house I've had, for no ryhme or reason. ANY time I get something new, she pees on it.

A week ago today I got a brand new very expensive living room set. My wife got home today and she peed on it.

She peed on a $2000 matrress soon after we got it; our last new couch 7 years ago; brand new rugs; she peed on a newly tiled bathroom floor hours after the grout was dry. She's peed in my daughters crib. She peed on my brand hardwood floor that I paid in excess of $3000 for. When I did my new hardwood floor I added a built in oak book shelves, she went on that too.

The thing is, she'll go a long time without doing it and then all of the sudden she does it. Always seemingly right after I've spent money on sime improvement. The vets have no clue and I'm sick of the same old song and dance. It's an animal and like humans, bad habits are sometimes impossible to break.

9 years of this.

And we've tried everything in the book, every types of scent, spray, etc. to get her to stop.

I''ve been patient and had to fight my wife to keep her but today I can't take it anymore.

I guess this isn't seeking advice as much as it is venting. I'm done with animals after this.

I understand your frustration but don't put the cat down! Maybe you can find someone who would be interested in adopting her. I know sometimes if I don't change the litter box right away my cat will pee somewhere to basically say, "Hello? What the heck are you doing, Mom?" Do your cats share a box. If they do that may be the problem. Anyhow, peeing is no reason to put a cat down. Have you read the thread about peeing problems at the top of this section?

Cats normally pee like that when they have a urinary track infection, if that has been checked and elminated and all other health problems has been eliminated then maybe the best thing you can do for this cat is to find her another home.

I understand that you are frustrated that things you have purchased have been ruined from cat P, but please understand (and I hope this doesnt sound like an attack) not all people would have a cat put down for this. So there are people who would care for her, love her and keep her inspite of some peeing issues.

If you are harsh with her, she will be stressed and as a result p. A lot of cats p when they are frightened.

Please look into finding her a home with someone that can deal with her and handle her with all of her good and bad. Please dont have her put down for something like that. Its just not a fair decision to make. And you can find someone who can deal with her.

First of all, Welcome to TCS! I'm glad you turned here for any questions you may have. Honestly, I'm going to tell you NOT to put this cat down, it still has years left to enjoy. Maybe you should put the cat up for adoption? I feel your frustration with this cat, and understand you've done everything you could possibly do for it... but from the kindness of your heart please don't get put it too sleep quite yet. There is a possibility that this cat is not doing this on purpose, it could be something medically wrong that the vets have overlooked. Maybe it just doesn't quite fit right with your family, but it could with another family. Good luck, and keep us updated

Is she sprayed? I've heard that, with non fixed males, they pee on everything in order to claim it for their own. This could be completely wrong, but there may be a possibility that your female cat is exhibiting a similar territorial trait.

Hi Welcome to TCS.

I, too, can understand how frustrated you must feel but please remember that there will be a reason why she's doing this. Cats don't pee all over the place for no reason. Something is wrong, whether it be medical or behavioural. Has your vet tested her urine to see if there is any infection? Cystitis can recur often and cause cats to pee outside the box.

If you're sure there's no medical problem causing her to do this (including not being spayed) you need to look at other reasons such as litter box maintenance, type of litter used, locality of litter box etc. Do you have any other cats? Do you think she is feeling stressed about something? Are you cleaning the areas where she pees thoroughly so that there's no lingering smell to attract her back? Unfortunately once something like this becomes a habit it can be very hard to solve. If you can't solve the problem on your own ask your vet to refer you to a behaviourist who can look at the problem in detail.

I know you say you've tried everything, but there may be something you've not tried. Have you tried using feliway plug in and/or spray? That might help reduce any stress that could be causing her to do this.

Please have a read of this thread about inappropriate peeing and see if there is anything in there you've not tried

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9563

It sounds like she may just want to mark new things as her own, part of her territory -- so maybe the thing to do is rub her bedding on anything new you bring into the house, so it will already smell like her. Maybe she'd be more comfortable with it that way.

Also, Feliway "Comfort Zone" diffusers can work wonders with anxiety and territorial issues... and there are also herbal medicines that can ease anxiety in cats.

Finally, there are no-kill shelters and rescue groups who will find a new home for this kitty -- having her killed is completely wrong and unnecessary.

My sister put her 10 year old female cat down because of this same problem (that went on and off for years). It all seemed to start when she moved into a house where the previous owner's cats had peed. I truly believe, after that, that it became a learned behavior for her whenever she was nervous (and she was a fraidy cat). My sister spent thousands of dollars replacing carpeting in three different houses though the years. When her other cat died of renal failure (at age 12) the peeing cat seemed to stop for a long time. Then she started doing it again and my sister had had enough.

I am not saying you should do it but I tend not to be judgemental in these cases because I have seen it first hand -- my sister was devastated about it but felt she had no other option left.

BTW, I think it is ridiculous to rehome a cat that chronically pees in the house. To dump this problem on someone else is very unfair -- not to mention I don't see many (if any) people lining up to take in a cat that pees in the house when shelters are full of cats that don't have this problem.

Maybe it is worth asking the vet if there is any medication you can try that might end this behavior.

where do you live? I think this would be a horrible reason to put a cat down. does she ever go outside? Maybe she could at least live outside more? Is she spayed?

Have you tried:

Feliway
different litters
different litterboxes
does she have UTIs?
spaying?

She has peed all over every apartment and now house I've had, for no ryhme or reason. ANY time I get something new, she pees on it.

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If she's peeing every time you renovate, then I wouldn't say there's no rhyme or reason to her behaviour. Cats are creatures of habit; you make changes to her territory-- she gets stressed out and communicates that by peeing. IF you truly have exhausted all imaginable options(Feliway, change of litter,etc),IF it's truly not a medical condition/health issue, IF you truly feel your only option is euthanization--consider letting her outside to do her business. I'm strictly pro-indoors, but who knows? A change in environment might solve this behavioural issue. In my opinion, you only PTS when an animal is in great suffering or a danger to others. You don't PTS because your furniture was ruined.

Originally Posted by meow meow

BTW, I think it is ridiculous to rehome a cat that chronically pees in the house. To dump this problem on someone else is very unfair -- not to mention I don't see many (if any) people lining up to take in a cat that pees in the house when shelters are full of cats that don't have this problem.

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I dont think that adopting cat that has issues is what everyone is looking for but there certainly are people who will take a cat that has these issues.

Cats that do that are generally sensitive cats that need to be cared for in a more quiet nurturing environment, not PTS.

I don't see your post so much as venting but as a desperate cry for help. You really don't want to put this cat down or you would not have come here. Please do try the approaches others here have suggested.

The Feliway could help, especially when you are making changes to her territory. Feliway comes in a diffuser for general use and a spray that you could use on the new things brought into the home.

When you clean the urine, it needs to be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner - this breaks down the enzymes in urine that cats can still smell even after we think it is clean. Nature's Miracle is a popular one and available locally.

Cats always have a reason, we just don't understand what it is.

Please let us know how it goes. You seem like a caring person who is at his wit's end.

Oh dear, please don't put this cat down! I completely understand your frustration. It must be driving you nuts, everytime you get something nice she goes and pees on it. Is this really the only time she is peeing? The fact that she is peeing on new floors is quite odd. I have heard of cats who peed on new furniture because hey, it was new and they are really creatures of habit. Are you sure the peeing is not some kind of medical issue??

Regardless, no animal deserves to be put down for natural instincts. Animals pee to mark territory and to express distress. We have to understand this.

If you really do not want the cat, start placing ads in the paper explaining the problem and that you are close to putting her down if you do not rehome her. I personally hate threatening ads like that, but please at least just give this cat a chance! 9 years and you want to end her poor life like that. No couch or amount of money would ever be more important to me than the life of my animals.

Hi

Have to agree with the above Im afraid.

No animal deserves that, I mean you would not put a child down cos they had an accident would you!

I do understand your frustration however I do not agree with that idea and I do feel strongly about it. Either have a word with the vet to make sure no underlying infection there or try rehoming with someone who can deal with it and sort out the problem.

Originally Posted by meow meow

BTW, I think it is ridiculous to rehome a cat that chronically pees in the house. To dump this problem on someone else is very unfair -- not to mention I don't see many (if any) people lining up to take in a cat that pees in the house when shelters are full of cats that don't have this problem.

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No one is suggesting that the owner conceal the cat's condition when giving it away. But there are many rescue groups and no-kill shelters that would be willing to take a cat like this to save its life. And some private owners too -- I know someone who knowingly adopted a cat with this problem, and she washes the cat's bed every day after it pees on it. I don't know if I'd take that on, but she says she doesn't mind putting up with it.

Also, this cat might be perfect as someone's outdoor cat.

When my cat was 9 he got Cystitis. We couldn't work out why he was peeing everywhere as he's usually very tidy but we took him to the vets and they also said it can be brought on by stress. We were decorating at the time and there was new floors, furniture etc. Maybe these new things you've brought have caused too much change and upset her? I would defnitely say do not put her down, there will be plenty of people willing to take her on if you really feel you cannot, but please don't have her put down.
Another thing we did was buy this spray you plug in (Like those things to make the house smell nice) and it lets out some smell that cats like, calming effect maybe? That seemed to help too and we couldn't smell anything!
Just a few suggestions, hope you manage to work out something IMO though, you've been trying to help her for 9 years, you obviously love her so I'd say persevere. Think how rewarding it will be if she improves
Good luck

I lost my 9 year old cat last year to a terrible disease. I would gladly deal with her peeing on things daily to have her back.

Please at least consider finding a shelter or rescue to take this girl before you kill her.

Yes, I think he needed to vent a bit I am hoping they are able to work things out.

I wonder if the poster has come back online to read the replies to his thread???? I hope so! I hope the poster updates us as well I'm sure someone would have taken this cat in so it wouldn't be PTS