Cat uses litter box all the time, but always pees on new rugs and ONLY brand new ones.

galinuva25 · Sep 11, 2014

Hi there. I've been having real issues with my 3 year old cat, Zumi, peeing on rugs. The odd thing is, she only pees on BRAND NEW ones. The biggest ones tend to be bathroom mats, you know the ones... really fuzzy with a non-slip white rubber bottom? She loves peeing on those. I don't think they give off any weird smells when they're brand new, but as soon as there is a new rug in the house she pees on it. It just happened again to a new rug my mom put in the kitchen, made of Jute no less, and she's furious and threatening to get rid of her tomorrow! I can't figure it out at all. I just changed her litter yesterday, and she doesn't have a UTI. Even after washing the smaller bathroom mats she will pee on them again. If she wants the rug to smell like her so badly, can't i train her to just lay on it instead of urinating? I'm actually moving into my first house with my fiancee in a month and a half and he already has some reservations about Zumi because he knows she does this. We obviously don't want her marking her territory in our brand spanking new and gorgeous house. Should i try putting catnip on them so she will roll in the nip instead of marking on it? Please help!! I've tried looking for info from Jackson Galaxy since i love his show and he has taught me a lot about cat behavior, but this one truly baffles me. My friend said to use a solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle, but idk if it will work. Thanks in advance. ~MK

ondine · Sep 11, 2014

Sounds like she's marking. Even though you may not smell it, the rugs probably smell differently to her, so she has to make sure her scent is on them. It may alos have to do with the texture of the rugs or their placement.

The vinegar and water will work. You can also put vinegar in the washer when you wash them.

If you rub her all over with a towel and then rub the towel on the new rug, it may prevent the peeing. The rug will already smell like her. You won't smell any difference but she will.

Good luck!

galinuva25 · Sep 11, 2014

Lol, can I just rub the rug all over her? It's small enough!

Also if I move her to the new house, she may do this to large rugs i'm unable to pick up and rub all over her, like carpets. Should I spray the water/vinegar combo or should i rub her on the carpet?

ondine · Sep 11, 2014

The water /vinegar wash removes the enzymes that make the urine stink. It may not prevent her from peeing in the first place.

If the carpeting is new, you may have to watch her and get the vinegar wash on the pee spots as soon as she marks.

It seems the newness is what she's trying to mark, so there may be a chemical finish that smells to her and that she's trying to cover up. Maybe try washing the rugs before you put them down? You probably could rub them on her but she might not like it.

I sure hope it's just these rugs and that she doesn't feel the need to mark the carpeting.

feralvr · Sep 11, 2014

I she spayed? I would assume so. Has she had a urine sensitivity culture test done? I would do this first and foremost. The vet will have to retrieve a sterile sample OR you can try to get a sample from her stream if she will let you. I use those little plastic glad containers - the small ones to collect urine from my cat's stream if I need a pure/clean sample. Are the pee spots large? Or is she expelling small amounts of urine in her litter box. In other words, are the clumps a good size in the litter box when she uses it? If she is urinating frequently, then a UTI is suspect or a possible kidney issue.

I would spray any new rug heavily with Feliway spray And/ or spray with Rescue Remedy OR even an orange oil spray as a deterrent.

You also must remove all urine properly or she will continue to return to those spots http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-remove-cat-urine

She may need something to help calm her if there are stressors in the home that you may not be aware of. You could try Jackson Galaxy's Spirit Essences http://jacksongalaxy.com/spirit-essences/

chromium blues · Sep 14, 2014

Brand new rugs often smell like cat urine. I wasted ten years of my life working in a department store and noticed this many times. Its something they've treated them with. In the case of bath mats, if you wash them before you put them down, you may prevent their christenings.

hexiesfriend · Sep 14, 2014

I do not buy any rugs with rubber backing for this reason they will find it and pee on it. My cat won't pee on rugs with the hard backing or no backing but the rubber, forget they pee on it every time even after cleaning them properly. There has to be something with the smell of the rubber.

galinuva25 · Sep 14, 2014

Thanks for all the advice. I would like to mention that we have a Jack Russel who is 10 years old also living with us. They usually just do their own thing but once in a while they do get in a scuffle. With that being said, do you think the cat is marking the new rugs because of a territory issue? Do you think this can be solved by moving her into my new home that has no dogs? Thanks in advance.

billchamb · Sep 15, 2014

I'm also beginning to believe there is something to the smell of rubber-backed rugs. They do not smell pleasant even when brand new; either the rubber backing or the cheap poly-olefin plastic fibers is the culprit.

In our new home, we have already trashed (2) identical runners, each peed upon by our 13 year old Sassy.

The first, we chalked up to the stress of moving and transition, and the noise/presence of the Comcast cable guy.

The second, however, as soon as it was in place, we sprayed with several applications of Comfort Zone/Feliway. She STILL peed on it.

As they were in our kitchen, Mrs. did not even want to try and wash/re-use them. The sad part is they were covering some defects in the floor from the previous homeowner.

Sassy has had a LOT of change recently, including the loss of her/our 14 year old companion, Striker, and our son leaving for college. BUT...these rug happenings preceded that.

Hope you get your situation turned around and pee-free!

feralvr · Sep 15, 2014

galinuva25 said:
Thanks for all the advice. I would like to mention that we have a Jack Russel who is 10 years old also living with us. They usually just do their own thing but once in a while they do get in a scuffle. With that being said, do you think the cat is marking the new rugs because of a territory issue? Do you think this can be solved by moving her into my new home that has no dogs? Thanks in advance.

Would need more info. to be able to answer your question fully. Is Zumi spayed? If not, then there in lies your answer to her peeing/marking. How long has the cat been living with the dog? Did the peeing start after the cat and dog were together in the same house? After the first scuffle? If yes to the last two questions, then it is probable that the cat is stressed by the dog and some changes need to be made so the cat can begin to feel safe and comfortable once again. BUT - the fact that the cat is only peeing on new rugs and no where else then that tells me this may not at all be related to the dog.

I also have Jack Russell terriers and cat's living together and once in awhile they do play together which can turn into something more if not monitored. I have never had issues with stress in my cats from having the JRT dogs. Training the dogs, any breed of dog, is of the utmost importance when living with both species together. It can work out beautifully.

galinuva25 · Sep 15, 2014

Zumi is spayed. I've had her for 3 years, so she's lived with the dog for 3 years. Obviously the peeing started after they were together. I'm not sure when it started exactly, but like i said it always happens when my mother buys a new rug like a bath mat or kitchen rug. She's never once peed in my room or my mother's room which has wall-to-wall carpet. We once had an old cat several years who liked to mark on the landing at the bottom of the steps and ever since then our new cats will sometimes pee there as well and we can't get rid of the urine from that spot. right now, Zumi is the only cat we have and the dog has lived with us since she was a puppy 10 years ago.

feralvr · Sep 16, 2014

Thanks for the added info. Zumi's peeing has nothing to do with the dog then. In my first post, I posted a link to excellent advice on how to remove urine. Please read that article because it is so important to completely remove the smell. Even years later, a cat will be able to smell old urine and be tempted to go there as well.

In our other home, we had to remove tile flooring in the basement seal the concrete and then paint over the concrete then lay new tile. IF cat urine soaks into concrete, then it needs to be cleaned, sealed and then painted. argh. A lot of work.

Here is the link again. http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-remove-cat-urine

hexiesfriend · Sep 16, 2014

I'm still thinking it's the rubber on the back of the rugs. Unfortunately once they have been peed on they will be peed on again. I would try to find a cheap rug with no rubber backing, with the hard back, put it down and see what happens. I've had more than one cat with this issue.

Nyankat84 · Aug 7, 2017

galinuva25 said:
Hi there. I've been having real issues with my 3 year old cat, Zumi, peeing on rugs. The odd thing is, she only pees on BRAND NEW ones. The biggest ones tend to be bathroom mats, you know the ones... really fuzzy with a non-slip white rubber bottom? She loves peeing on those. I don't think they give off any weird smells when they're brand new, but as soon as there is a new rug in the house she pees on it. It just happened again to a new rug my mom put in the kitchen, made of Jute no less, and she's furious and threatening to get rid of her tomorrow! I can't figure it out at all. I just changed her litter yesterday, and she doesn't have a UTI. Even after washing the smaller bathroom mats she will pee on them again. If she wants the rug to smell like her so badly, can't i train her to just lay on it instead of urinating? I'm actually moving into my first house with my fiancee in a month and a half and he already has some reservations about Zumi because he knows she does this. We obviously don't want her marking her territory in our brand spanking new and gorgeous house. Should i try putting catnip on them so she will roll in the nip instead of marking on it? Please help!! I've tried looking for info from Jackson Galaxy since i love his show and he has taught me a lot about cat behavior, but this one truly baffles me. My friend said to use a solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle, but idk if it will work. Thanks in advance. ~MK

I cover the new rug with their blankets and some of my husbands dirty t shirts until the rug has had time to absorb the familiar smell of our home. I noticed that they didn't want to step on the new rug and seemed disturbed by it. Once I covered it they got back to business as usual and there hasn't been any pee or poo protest from them. So far this is working for me and may be useful to others.

Cat uses litter box all the time, but always pees on new rugs and ONLY brand new ones.

galinuva25

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ondine

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ondine

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feralvr

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chromium blues

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billchamb

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