Cat with 2 behavior issues - we need help!

My DH's 21 lb cat (not fat, just huge!) is causing a lot of issues. Since before I met DH and moved in 2 years ago, the cat has peed at times on the basement floor. Here are his 2 issues - 1. He pees outside the box - not all the time, sometimes every day for a week, other times one time in a week. Usually near the box. Will pee on any carpet or towel left on the floor down there. 2. he is pulling out the carpet threads on the last step with his teeth! There was no issue with the carpet - he has made 4 large holes! He seems to do it at night.
There are 2 cats - he is the boss over the 2. 2 litter boxes, kept clean and fresh and in a quiet spot. It doesn't matter if the litter is clean and fresh or a week old, and just been scooped for him to pee on the floor.

We don't know what to do, and I can't take much more of this. The basement smells nasty and we are re-doing it. Please help!

I guess I should have mentioned that Jake is about 7 years old, indoors only, not declawed, has toys he doesn't play with and a cat tree, has a playmate cat(also a fixed male), is up to date on shots, has seen the vet to rule out health issues, and is not on my good side right now

Thanks for any help! I am at a loss, and really want to correct this!

I don't know if I have any good advice to you or not. My own experiences with my cats are that they will return to where they smell themselves, and if they don't smell themselves, they will put something there to smell! One of mine has gone on towels, too. I just recently moved into a new home, and they have both "marked" different spots. And before I moved I was trying to get them UN-dependent on a litter box so I wouldnt have that chore (I have plenty of property for them to go in). I have washed the rugs and and cleaned the carpet with pet smell remover- and I can't smell it anymore, but I bet they can.I just don't let them stay in the house if no one is in here to let them out anymore. I don't know what else to do either.

You need to take this cat to the vet and ask the vet to check for a urinary tract infection.


sounds to me like this cat is in a lot of pain and is pulling up the carpet in frustration because he can't get the message across that he needs to go to the vet.

Good luck!

We have taken him to the vet twice - he has gotten his urine tested, and just 2 weeks ago went for a check up and all his shots. The vet tried to tell my DH that Jake was in his box and because he is so big he was just missing it. But that is impossible from where he is going to where the urine ends up.

I did catch him pulling at the carpet today and sprayed him with the squirt gun and said 'NO'. I think he is doing this as he is no longer allowed in the bedrooms (allergies are getting worse). I could be wrong, but I think he is ticked off and is trying to be 'top cat' right below my DH.

Any other ideas? We don't want to make him an indoor/outdoor cat, but we are at our wits end!

I can understand ur frustrations with ur cat peeing on carpet and tearing carpet up! Has the vet taken his blood tests too? That's another idea since ur vet haave already tested his urine..

Did u try to buy a bigger litterbox? Maybe buy one of those long rubbermaid storage bin (LOW height)? See if he still pees outside of the litterbox. What do u use to clean with when u clean the litterbox? The reason I"m asking is because cats' noses are more sensitive and if the litter box is cleaned with bleach or strong smelling cleaning agents, that can put cats off and they'd avoid using the boxes. Another idea is to put some kind of plastic covering underneath the litterbox and carpet so if he pees on the plastic covering, you can just wipe it off and it won't get into carpet or towel.

Also, I'd recommend u use an ultraviolet light to find spots that he has peed in and use ezyme (spelling?) spot removers. That way, u can make sure no spots are missed..

Do you have various cat toys, cat trees, scratching posts available to the cat? Does he also use his claws on the stairs or only with his teeth? Maybe he likes to chew- maybe get some chewable toys for him so he can chew on these instead of at steps?

These are only ideas- Hope it works out!

Please click here for a lengthy thread chock full of ways to stop inappropriate urination. Make sure you try all of the suggestions so that you have the best chance at successfully solving the problem.

Also, with the rug pulling, it sure sounds like your cat has an anxiety problem, which also may be the cause of the potty problem. Try talking to your vet about putting your cat on antidepressants to see whether that might help.

Good luck!

I would take him back the vet and ask the vet to perform a cystocentesis. This is where a very slim needle is inserted into the bladder and an uncontaminated sample of urine is withdrawn for testing. It is the most accurate way to chase down a problem that relates to health, and it really isn't as painful for them as it is when their bladder is expressed, because it is over so quickly.

If you take him in and he checks out fine, then toss away the old litter pans and buy new ones. Sometimes cats associate pain with objects and if he had pain while urinating in one of the pans, he may just prefer to go elsewhere.

Thanks for all the ideas! I will continue reading the thread on problems with inappropriate urination. Last night I covered the bottom step with open magazines - and he left it alone. I can't find anything else that he may have started in on last night.

The 2 cats do have big rubbermaid containers as litter boxes(no lids). I am afraid to put plastic down as the other cat is so afraid of any plastic noise. I did just buy 2 'pet trays' that are hard plastic - I will put those down and see if they help.

Any recommendations of enzyme cleaner for the basement - concrete and linoleum flooring? He got some wood too(peed in front of it) so DH has torn that down and we are tossing it out. I am going to get some citris spray for the area that is outside his litter closet that he hits on occassion so that if we put down plastic inside the kitty area then maybe we can stop this.

I will call the vet again. Since he has been doing this on and off for over 2 years, it just seems more behavior related. He eats good food, drinks water daily, and acts like he is happy most of the time. I truly think this cat may have been meant for an only pet house or one with less traffic. He seems aggitated by his place on the higherarchy?

Thanks for all the ideas to look into. Some seem so obvious, but when you are so frustrated it is hard to think 'outside the box'

we had a friend who had 2 cats who pooped and peed all over the apartment. they were very happy cats in every other respect, healthy, friendly, etc. just had this one "problem" that was really, really disgusting.

what they did was get like 5 litter boxes, and put them in different places in the house. maybe your jake is tired of where his box is, or doesn't like sharing it anymore, or just has a big attitude problem.

my friends also gave the cats a few more places where their food was available, too. the cats really liked this new arrangement and stopped the inappropriate leavings.

good luck!
evi