My friend rescued a persian cat from a shelter a couple of weeks ago. He is a five year old who had a good home. (New baby came - cat left.) The unfortuate thing is that the cat was paper trained instead of litter trained. Even that might be livable, but it has decided to urinate on the bath mat. Yesterday, for the first time, he pooped there also. 
The first urination resulted in complete removal of that mat and purchase of another one. This friend of mine is a neat freak and I am sure all surfaces were cleaned on her knees with a toothbrush. It is a carpeted bathroom, so extensive cleaning was probably done.
She is really on edge. Being a rescue, it is disheartening for her to think that she just can't handle it. She immediately took the cat to the vet (same one he had always gone to) and they proclaimed no health problems. She has talked to the previous owners and they claim it wasn't that way at their house.
She tried litter the first few days and gave in to the newspaper.
There is an option to get the other cat that he lived with. They are planning to give that one away, too. Do y'all think that it will solve the problem or intensify it? I know from my own experiences sometimes two cats is better than one.
Some of my suggestions (besides getting the other cat) were:
1. Cut a square of the bath mat to put under the paper and close off the bathroom, solving several problems at once.
2. Sprinkle small amounts of litter on the paper to gradually train him to the litter.
3. (least favorite) Put the paper in the bathroom (even I {not a neat freak} couldn't live with that.)
Now I am relying on my newfound friends on this site to come up with some more solutions. I really think my friend needs this cat and the cat needs her. She is wonderful and will spoil him.
I am lucky. My cats are great! I have no experience with pee problems.
Thanks, in advance, for your help!
The first urination resulted in complete removal of that mat and purchase of another one. This friend of mine is a neat freak and I am sure all surfaces were cleaned on her knees with a toothbrush. It is a carpeted bathroom, so extensive cleaning was probably done.
She is really on edge. Being a rescue, it is disheartening for her to think that she just can't handle it. She immediately took the cat to the vet (same one he had always gone to) and they proclaimed no health problems. She has talked to the previous owners and they claim it wasn't that way at their house.
She tried litter the first few days and gave in to the newspaper.
There is an option to get the other cat that he lived with. They are planning to give that one away, too. Do y'all think that it will solve the problem or intensify it? I know from my own experiences sometimes two cats is better than one.
Some of my suggestions (besides getting the other cat) were:
1. Cut a square of the bath mat to put under the paper and close off the bathroom, solving several problems at once.
2. Sprinkle small amounts of litter on the paper to gradually train him to the litter.
3. (least favorite) Put the paper in the bathroom (even I {not a neat freak} couldn't live with that.)
Now I am relying on my newfound friends on this site to come up with some more solutions. I really think my friend needs this cat and the cat needs her. She is wonderful and will spoil him.
I am lucky. My cats are great! I have no experience with pee problems.
Thanks, in advance, for your help!
