Is our case hopeless?

I have read through all the posts about cat peeing problems. I am writing because I feel terrible that we may have to give up one of our kitties. I guess I'm just wondering if there really is no hope left or if there's one last thing we can try.

The background of this case is a kitten that was found in a Walmart parking lot. We were persuaded by someone else to take him in, even though we have another cat. Our other cat (a female) had been used to another male cat that sadly passed away a couple years ago.

Anyway, this kitten has had off and on inappropriate urination since day one. He checked out with two different vets. He will sometimes go weeks without incidence and then just start up again. When he does go back to this behavior, it's always a horizontal surface (he is peeing---not spraying), but the objects change (one day a jacket, the next the ottoman!) and he acts territorial. He was fixed over a month ago (around 5 months old at the time). He will sniff something and act like he smells another animal, squat, and pee on it. It really doesn't appear to be an issue of finding a "safe" place because he will do it with the whole family watching.

We have four litter boxes for our two cats (two downstairs and two on the main level). We have used Cat Attract and regular unscented litter with Litter Attractant. (He uses the boxes regularly, he just once in a while pees on an inappropriate object.) I also spray a facial pheromone spray all the time, and I have the Feliway Diffuser.

Lately, he seems to be trying to make it with my female, and the urination has started again. It was three weeks since his last incident, so it really bummed me out. He peed on the ottoman last night right in front of everyone. We bought a rug cleaner and totally cleaned the thing. He did it again, tonight.

We have a toddler, and I am constantly keeping an eye on him. I can't also watch little Baxter like a hawk.

The thing is...he is such a sweet cat! I love him to death, but my husband and I can't take this anymore. We have tried everything we can think of (even Calming Treats) and are just starting to believe that he will always be this way. Maybe he is meant to be an "alone" cat. Or maybe he has a mental issue (who knows what his past treatment was).

Is there anything else we can try? Does it take a long time for testosterone levels to drop after being fixed? Is there a possibility that it will resolve as he matures and slows down?

If there is nothing else we can do, I would love to see him go to someone with hardwood floors and leather furniture. He is such a loving kitty. It kills me to think about letting him go, but this is the point we are at right now.

Thanks for your help!

<<<sounds like there is some repetition at least on the ottoman>>>

The peeing on the ottoman JUST started. Before this, it was only different objects left on the floor. So him going back to the ottoman is the first time that's happened.

We do have the Feliway plugin. All I can think of is maybe he can't handle being around my other cat. Maybe he would be fine by himself. But I'd hate to give him away only to have him pee on someone else's stuff and end up in a shelter. I mean, I really hate to give him away at all---but we just can't have this behavior. We have a toddler and hopefully another on the way. I can't have the stress of watching two babies and a trying to keep a cat from peeing on stuff.

But thanks, everyone. I am checking out the cat coach.

Thanks for the info. about hormones. The rug cleaner we bought isn't just a spray...it's an actual machine that uses hot water. Soaked the thing and used vinegar on it. But maybe I need to clean it again. Hated spending that much money on something, but as my husband said, with a toddler we are going to need it anyway.

All the litter boxes are different. One of them was covered, but I took it off, in case the kitty didn't like it. It's been used more, now, without a cover. All four get used by both cats.

The first vet he saw while he was under my mother-in-law's care. It was his extensive workup, but I don't know for sure if that included urine (I know they checked his blood). I will have to get out his records. He did have to be on antibiotics for an abscess for a while (he was found that way---a possible wound from another cat).

The second vet saw him twice---for the cat's castration (which I scheduled because of the peeing) and afterwards (after a particular bad day of inappropriate peeing). He did not test his urine as he believes this is behavioral but gave him an antibiotic shot "just in case." Kitty has no other symptoms---no licking or irritation, frequent or extended time in the box, no sensitivity in his belly, etc. I feed both cats a canned diet because the other cat is FUS. I know it's important for them to get that extra moisture.

The second vet suspects that it could even be an issue related to his prior experience---not just territorial. I actually have wondered if maybe he did have a urinary infection before we got him and maybe got used to going on soft things or was even abused by somebody. But it's the boldness with which he does this that is odd to me. With my other cats, we would usually FIND pee (only if they were sick). With this one, we SEE him pee. It's like "hey, guys look at me." I'm not sure if it's really a statement to us as much as to the other cat, but he is definitely not shy about it.

I went ahead and picked up some enzyme cleaner from the pet store. I also moved his bed to the ottoman, and he seems to have lost interest in going on it...at least for today!

It's definitely a large amount while squatting. And it's only once in a while. It doesn't seem like a litter box aversion to me because he uses the boxes most of the time. I'm really thinking this is either a territorial or fear-based thing (incidents could be explained by discord with our other cat or smelling other people's cats on our clothing) OR an issue of prior abuse.

My other question though is whether feral cats would have more of a tendency to have this type of problem. He for sure looks like a domestic long hair. But since he was found under a car in a parking lot, I have no idea what his family tree is. Is there something inherently different about feral cats? Or are they just cats that have adapted to the wild? I don't know much about domesticating feral cats and whether a feral kitten would handle being inside just as well as a domestic kitten.

Thank you, everyone, for your words of advice and encouragement!

Thanks, again, for the suggestions! Putting his bed on the ottoman has stopped him marking it for now. I'm limited in that I have a toddler who thinks cat boxes are sand boxes. So I can't move the litter into the living room. But moving the bed there has helped already.

I am going to use the enzyme cleaner on the ottoman tonight, just in case. I am also going to add more Feliway diffuser (waiting on UPS for it). We also started separating the cats when we go to bed. There's been less energy between them in the mornings, it seems. I'm also restricting kitty's access a lot more whenever I leave the house. He has always been blocked from the bedrooms (for the most part). Living room is now added to that list if I can't keep an eye on him. We have done some retraining in the bathroom in the past. He would seem fine for days, even when he was let out to roam. When he does wet on something, it's sorta shocking because I think he's finally over it.

But anyway, I am hoping that the extra feliway combined with good cleaning, restricted access, and a pet bed on the ottoman will at least reduce the frequency of "accidents" (ha) even further.

Thank you, everyone, so so much for your help! I really appreciate it!

I know this thread is old by now, but just wanted to give a warm thanks to everyone who offered advice and support. Unfortunately, after yet another vet visit and several more dollars and time spent trying to break the peeing habit, it seems to be getting worse. The fighting between my cats seems worse, too.

So, Baxter is getting a chance to redeem himself at my dad's. My dad doesn't have any other animals, so we're really hoping this is just a territorial or dominance thing and that Baxter will be fine there. He is such a sweet cat when my female kitty isn't around. When we first met Baxter, he seemed so nice that we thought surely he would get along with another cat. But maybe some are just not cut out for that. We used to have another male (not in this house, though), and he was best buds with Bijou (our female). So I am really bummed that it didn't work out this time.

But thanks, again, to everyone who offered help! Just thought you might want an update.