PLEASE help me and my cat!!!

I'm not sure if this is health or behavior related,  but either way this CANNOT be happening!

Today, while taking a nap on the sofa, I got a faint whiff of cat urine. Deciding to investigate further, I peeled back my large area rug and this is what I found...


Yes, you are looking at a ruined rug, and ruined carpet underneath, soaked with tons and tons of cat pee.

Obviously this has not been a one time occurrence. I am *fairly certain* it is my male cat doing this, as he has a long history of inappropriate elimination issues beforehand. Please believe me when I say I've done what I could to tackle this problem before...he's been to the vet, received antibiotics, my two cats have two big, nice litterboxes, they're cleaned out very regularly, I've switched brands of cat litter, sprayed enzyme eliminating spray, etc. etc. 

My male cat was my first baby and my late aunt's cat. I am highly against rehoming animals and I believe a pet is family and I absolutely adore this cat, but what am I supposed to do? What is left to do when you've tried everything? I rent an apartment and he's ruined the carpet. I have a serious boyfriend I'd like to start a life with and know there is no way this problem would fly with him if we lived together and Ollie (the kitty) was peeing on everything. I'm at the end of my rope. I can't be at work wondering what rug he chose to pee on today, wonder if he's peeing on the sofa I sit on...I was so happy when he stopped peeing all over his food and in the kitchen, and now I see he just chose a different area.

Please help us. I'm seriously considering a different home for him. 

i am no cat expert! but i do have three cats, and read a bunch. 

you've already been to the vet, and he has a history, so it's likely behavioral and not health-related. 

in any time of behavioral issues, my best advice (and what has always worked for me, personally) is that he may need to go back to living in a "safe" room.

it could be anxiety, it could be stress, it could be fear, who knows- but a clean, fresh, start with new options can usually help.

confine him to one room for a period of time. i've gone as long as 3-4 months, which had incredible results with my Q, and as little as 1 week. I'd guess a little more private, comfort time for Ollie!

even though you have two litterboxes currently, i would invest in maybe two more- use different shapes, colors, and have some covered and some not. place the new litterboxes on your rugs, or wherever he seems to pee the most. if you go with the safe room idea, i would say give him at least two litterboxes to start with. i know it may seem a little cluttered, but until he establishes a pattern it might be best.

i would also say get him some sort of cat tree, or hiding place that goes in his safe room, and when he is moved back into the full house, take the tree out there, and don't forget litterboxes on the rugs. 

like i said, i am definitely not a vet, but i've found that usually when my cats are acting out, there is something going on with them to make them feel negative somehow. 

A few questions....

How old is kitty?

What do you feed?

How long have you had him in your home?

There are some things that come to mind with these questions.

• If age is a factor, the kidneys and liver could be compromised, which could cause frequent inappropriate elimination.  Blood tests would give you the answers there.
• Food could be a factor because some cats get crystals and UTIs with certain kinds of foods.  Grain-free wet foods can help alleviate those issues.
• If you haven't had him for very long, he could still be marking his new territory.  Or, he could be trying to establish dominance/territory with the other cat.  If this is the case, you may need to put him in a (pee proofed) room with water and litterbox when you can't keep an eye on him.  It may seem drastic, but it should only take a week or so for him to re-establish with the litterbox..

Really, there are just a lot of possible factors.  More information would help us help you.

Thank y'all so much for responding!

I've had Ollie for a year this month, got Stella a few months after him. Both Ollie and Stella are fed Purina ProPlan dry food (the indoor kind) and they get a bit of wet food twice a week. I know Purina isn't the best quality but it is within my budget right now. They each get Blue Buffalo treats twice a day. Ollie is a little over a year and a half years old.

For what it's worth, Ollie's urine left gritty stuff on the rug. Not sure what's up with that.

I do like the idea of a safe room....but I live in 900 sq of space. I suppose I could use the bathroom, as it is big enough and has tile floor. I just don't want him to feel like he's being punished.  

Justicat said:

 
For what it's worth, Ollie's urine left gritty stuff on the rug. Not sure what's up with that.

Click to expand...

That could be crystallization of the urine, which can cause blockages and Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).  UTI/Crystals can be quite painful; a cat with crystals will often associate pain with the litter box, and avoid using it. Keep an eye on Ollie's behavior when he needs to pee.  If he is distressed (cries or wanders about anxiously), it could be an indicator of crystals or UTI.   I would ask the vet to do a urinalysis to evaluate kidney function and check for crystals.  You may need to adjust the diet to include more wet food.

The location indicates urination and not territorial marking. There's a lot that can be done to solve the issue but the key is to figure out the cause. Here's a guide we have that walks you through the possible causes, how to rule them out or handle them - 

Litterbox Problems in Cats - The Ultimate Guide

I can't stress enough how much I appreciate all the replies.

Update: I came home tonight to some yellow clumpy looking substance on the rug where he pees. Definitely came out of Ollie...but what IS it? Does anyone have any ideas? He has an appointment at the vet on Saturday so hopefully we'll be doing a urine screening then.

I'd make sure you see him pee and not hear any moaning and groaning. Barring any medical condition I'd consider removing the rug. Sometimes their smell either what they treat them with or if it's a rubber backing attracts cats to pee on them.