I have a 3 year old neutered tom cat and a 1 year old spayed female cat. I have had the female since she was about 6 weeks old. They get along beautifully, but the fun ends there. In the last few months, they have started peeing anywhere that is fabric like, or on towels or rugs. I have ruled out UTI's with a vet visit. The male NEVER did this before the girl came(he uses the toilet to pee) to live with us...I am guessing she did it, which in turn got him started. Not to mention they both go where they shouldnt, jump oin htings, and the girl cat will shred paper all over. If thyey get mad at me..they will go pee on the bed.I don't want to give away either of them, but epscially not the male. What are some things I can try to get them to stop? If they don't...I'll be made to give them up.
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Problems,problems...
- Thread starter cwmsladym
- Start Date
Unlike us, animals have no malice. If it is not UTI, the peeing means they are stressed about something. Maybe she started it because the arrival of the male upset her at the start. You also need a better cleanser to really get rid of all traces of urine odor.
I find the shredding, jumping and going to places where they shouldn't, very normal kitty behavior. If you do not like it, you may have to place them in their own room (by the toilet for the male's use), with lots of cat toys and cat trees so they won't get bored. And no rug of course.
I find the shredding, jumping and going to places where they shouldn't, very normal kitty behavior. If you do not like it, you may have to place them in their own room (by the toilet for the male's use), with lots of cat toys and cat trees so they won't get bored. And no rug of course.
You really need to purchase a black light and an enzyme cleaner. Sounds like you're going to need an industrial size bottle. We use Nok-Out, and it's available here: http://www.nokout.com/pet_odors.html
If you haven't been cleaning the clothes, the mattress, the furniture and the carpets with an enzyme cleaner, they are going to continue to smell the pee and continue going there.
Go through your house with the black light - any orange splotches are kitty pee. DOUSE the area with the enzyme cleaner - and I mean DOUSE. Down to the floor boards. If you did it right, it should take a couple of days or more to dry completely. If they've gone repeatedly, you may have to douse the area again - which I would consider doing anyway. Wait until it dries, then do it again. If you can, cover wherever it is with aluminum foil while it dries - this will discourage continued use of the same place - even it if means your home is half covered in aluminum foil. If it's on couches, keep some throw blankets around to toss on there when you want to sit on them. Pick up the blankets and put them on a shelf or someplace kitties can't access when you're done sitting.
Take anything they've peed on - towels, blankets, throw rugs, etc. and add the enzyme cleaner to the wash.
For your mattress, you must soak the areas where they've peed. Take a couple of towels and lay them over those spots then make your bed so the towels can absorb the wet while you use the bed.
Make sure you have a minimum of three litter boxes. I'd go for four.
Consider purchasing a product called Cat Attract. I believe there is now "cat attract" litter - we purchased an additive that you use to cover the litter. It helped our female feral that didn't have a medical problem.
I'd also consider purchasing Feliway spray or plug-ins. This will help destress the kitties. You can also consider Flower Essences - this helps some cats, it doesn't help others. But it seems like a highly stressed situation, so it may help. Feliway and Flower Essences can be purchased here: http://www.catfaeries.com
Also, to discourage continued use of the bed, cats HATE the smell of Oil of Olbas. Purchase it from a health food store, put some drops on a damp tea bag, make a couple of those (I'd do like four), and place them around on the bed - until you want to get in it. It should be enough to prevent kitties from wanting to be on the bed, let alone pee on it.
I'd also make sure to give each kitty some special alone play time. At least 10 or 15 minutes a day. This will help diffuse stress.
As a very last resort, I'd consider separating them and retraining them. Try separate rooms. If they use the boxes when they're alone for a few days (good time to let the enzyme cleaner all over the house dry), try letting them out for several hours at a time. Increase the amount of time they're out of the separation rooms each day. Any time you see one of them using a litter box, praise them to high heaven and give them treats.
Hope this helps,
Laurie
If you haven't been cleaning the clothes, the mattress, the furniture and the carpets with an enzyme cleaner, they are going to continue to smell the pee and continue going there.
Go through your house with the black light - any orange splotches are kitty pee. DOUSE the area with the enzyme cleaner - and I mean DOUSE. Down to the floor boards. If you did it right, it should take a couple of days or more to dry completely. If they've gone repeatedly, you may have to douse the area again - which I would consider doing anyway. Wait until it dries, then do it again. If you can, cover wherever it is with aluminum foil while it dries - this will discourage continued use of the same place - even it if means your home is half covered in aluminum foil. If it's on couches, keep some throw blankets around to toss on there when you want to sit on them. Pick up the blankets and put them on a shelf or someplace kitties can't access when you're done sitting.
Take anything they've peed on - towels, blankets, throw rugs, etc. and add the enzyme cleaner to the wash.
For your mattress, you must soak the areas where they've peed. Take a couple of towels and lay them over those spots then make your bed so the towels can absorb the wet while you use the bed.
Make sure you have a minimum of three litter boxes. I'd go for four.
Consider purchasing a product called Cat Attract. I believe there is now "cat attract" litter - we purchased an additive that you use to cover the litter. It helped our female feral that didn't have a medical problem.
I'd also consider purchasing Feliway spray or plug-ins. This will help destress the kitties. You can also consider Flower Essences - this helps some cats, it doesn't help others. But it seems like a highly stressed situation, so it may help. Feliway and Flower Essences can be purchased here: http://www.catfaeries.com
Also, to discourage continued use of the bed, cats HATE the smell of Oil of Olbas. Purchase it from a health food store, put some drops on a damp tea bag, make a couple of those (I'd do like four), and place them around on the bed - until you want to get in it. It should be enough to prevent kitties from wanting to be on the bed, let alone pee on it.
I'd also make sure to give each kitty some special alone play time. At least 10 or 15 minutes a day. This will help diffuse stress.
As a very last resort, I'd consider separating them and retraining them. Try separate rooms. If they use the boxes when they're alone for a few days (good time to let the enzyme cleaner all over the house dry), try letting them out for several hours at a time. Increase the amount of time they're out of the separation rooms each day. Any time you see one of them using a litter box, praise them to high heaven and give them treats.
Hope this helps,
Laurie
