Cat peeing on personal items after we return from trips

One of our cats always pees on our personal items after we return from traveling. I've repeatedly had his health checked, and he is perfectly healthy. Our vet says that it is entirely behavioral and not a physical problem. I believe him, because the cat never does this any other time. He will do it a few times after we get home and then it stops (usually after I've taken him to the vet and gotten a clean bill of health). The vet thinks I should put him on valium, but the cat only does this when we have been away from home overnight.

Here are the things we have tried:

Feliway diffuser
Having him boarded at the vets
Having pet sitters come in
Having a neighbor come in
I leave a radio on, playing softly

Our trips range from overnights to week long vacations, and he always pees on something when we get back, no matter how long we've been away. And he does not necessarily urinate on something we took with us, either. If we take a shower and drop the towel on the floor, he pees on it. It's like he just waits and lurks until we leave something down where he can pee on it. This time, we've been back 5 days, and I put my husband's dry cleaning on a chair while I got ready to leave the house, and in the 2 or 3 minutes I was in the next room, he peed on it.

Can anyone offer suggestions that might help us?

Just put something out for him to pee on when you get back. He's doing it because he's anxious/glad you're back/marking "his" territory/aggravated because you left him/insecure that you'll leave again.

You can't fix it unless you decide not to leave him alone again for more than a day at work. Some cats are just that attached. Consider it a compliment, the cat loves you very much.

It's just stuff, it can be washed.

My indoor cat did the same thing. Only he did it when we left something on the floor..esp in the bathroom..it was in his space..& he wanted it picked up. We no longer leave anything in his space.
There are alot of cats that don't care to be left alone & will get back at you for a short time. I figure that is what he is doing..He will be better soon..
Mine just ignores us when we come home from a trip..he is always mad when we leave him..

Originally Posted by Kai Bengals

Just put something out for him to pee on when you get back. He's doing it because he's anxious/glad you're back/marking "his" territory/aggravated because you left him/insecure that you'll leave again.

You can't fix it unless you decide not to leave him alone again for more than a day at work. Some cats are just that attached. Consider it a compliment, the cat loves you very much.

It's just stuff, it can be washed.

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I totally agree. I have 2 cats that pee out of place when they are aggravated by something that I've done. And they are both known to pee on me when really perturbed. They tell you something is wrong, even if it is emotional distress when they act out this way.

When you return from your trips, what do you do to with your cat? Extra snuggle time? Extra play? Extra attention in general? Mine both relax when they get what they want, and its mostly attention by me.

Originally Posted by Momofmany

I totally agree. I have 2 cats that pee out of place when they are aggravated by something that I've done. And they are both known to pee on me when really perturbed. They tell you something is wrong, even if it is emotional distress when they act out this way.

When you return from your trips, what do you do to with your cat? Extra snuggle time? Extra play? Extra attention in general? Mine both relax when they get what they want, and its mostly attention by me.

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Usually, I let him set the pace. He gets annoyed if I try to 'make' him play, or if I initiate snuggling/lovey behavior. We have to wait for him to come to us. But I will get out his comb and comb him (which he loves more than anything).

I know that he is anxious when we leave. He starts getting antsy as soon as he sees the suitcases.

Is there anything I can do (besides what I've mentioned in my original post) to help him relax while we are gone? I guess my biggest concern (which I should have expressed more clearly in my OP) is how nervous he must be while we are away.