Need Help! Peeing, hissing, hiding cat

Hello All - I am new to this forum and need help fast. A little over 2 weeks ago I took in my pregnant daughter's 8 year old cat. She got him from a rescue shelter when he was about 2 years old and obviously had some trust issues, (it took him months before she could pick him up.) Now he's living with me and has kept himself hidden under a bed or in a closet for all this time. While he uses the box for defecation, he has been urinating on the stairs and just recently started to scratch the sofa, either at night or when we are not at home.(I've taped the sofa with double face tape to discourage that behavior.) When I try to touch him, he hisses violently. My husband is already on the verge of giving up on the cat but I want to exhaust all measures before I even think about giving him away.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I especially need to know how to get him to pee in the litter box.

If a cat starts to pee other places than the litter box the best thing is to take them in for a vet check as its a sign of other hidden problems.

Cats are programmed to pee in litter, they love the stuff! peeing outside he box is actually uncomfortable for them so is a sign that somethings wrong.\\

Sounds like he's stressed, his whole worlds been turned upside down
Will your daughter be taking him back at all?

Try buying some feliway, a plug in that emits the happy phereamones that make cats feel more relaxed, get as many familiar things from your daughters house as possible, eg his toys, bedding etc. and try putting one of your daughter old shirts in a safe place for him to sleep on.

Welcome to TCS!

Thank you for not giving up on this poor kitty, he needs you very much!

Firstly, it might be useful to have a read through this thread: Inappropriate Peeing, you may be able to find some answers there.

Two weeks is not a long time for a kitty to adjust to a new home - it can sometimes take a very long time! You mentioned that it took a long time for him to trust your daughter so this will probably be the case with you too!

The main thing is to remain calm and patient!

Has the cat been seen by a vet recently? A check up wouldn't go amiss to rule out any health problems!

Are you able to confine the kitty to one room with a litter tray, food and water? This way, you'll be able to introduce the kitty to your house slowly and be able to reinstate litter tray usage.

It might be a good idea to invest in some Feliway plug in to help your kitty feel safe.

I hope you'll be able to help this kitty to feel safe! Please do keep us updated!

Thank you for not giving up!

Thank you both. I bought the Feliway yesterday and am praying that it helps. My husband discovered that Mr. Neeko has been peeing on our floor vent registers. It seems that he has peed on every one in the house. In fact he has peed everywhere in the house except in the litter box. Will the Feliway re-direct him to his box?

One thing you might want to do is to buy an enzymatic cleaner - this will eliminate the scent in the places where he has pee'd - so it should prevent him from using the same spots!

There is another Feliway product that you can spray on the pee'd areas and it'll detract them. Although, the plug in should relives stress and encourage your kitty to stop marking.

Just on a side note, is the kitty neutered? Has he been to the vet to rule out any health problems?

Do come back and let us know how tings are going!

Hi and welcome to TCS.

I was wondering if you might not have enough litter boxes. Is there one handy enough (likesay in the next room over or closer) for whenever he should need to go? He's probably still figuring out where everything is. Maybe there was a litter box near the floor vents in his old place? And, are you using the same litter as he had before?

As Sar suggested, I would definitely confine him to a small room while you are not around to watch him (I used the bathroom). Put his box in there and bed and some food, water, and toys. Once he's using the box regularly again then you can let him out. In the meantime, do make sure you have removed all trace of his markings or he will go there again. I like "Get Serious" extractor (usu in dog section in Petsmart) and this was the only one that worked for me.

How was he acting at your daughter's house? I know someone who adopted a kitty from a co-worker, and the kitty was viscious. Turns out the original owner kept it locked in a basement its entire life, so it was never tamed.

I'm not saying your daughter kept this kitty locked away, but possibly it is just terrified of the new home and trying to make it smell like him. Definitely confine him to one area...this will give him more of a sense of security. And rather than trying to pet him, try to draw him to you. For example, go into the room several times a day, and sit or even better lay on the floor on your back. Read a book out loud, and place some yummy treats near you. Then he will come near for the treats, and will learn you are harmless. Keep working on getting him closer...even taking treats from your hand.

Can your daughter visit and help give you some insight into what he likes and doesn't like? And as asked before, is he neutered?

He is probably peeing because he feels insucure and is marking to claim your house. Cats also have sent glands on their face. I have seen where people were told to rub the cat's face and then rub the funiture that he likes to go by. Not sure if you can do this though with the cat being as wild as he is though.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Unfortunately nothing I've tried thus far has encouraged Neeko to pee in his litter box. My daughter has visited a couple of times and he was so happy to see her. He came from under the bed and actually allowed my husband and I to pet him a little. But he contines to pee around the house. I have the Feliway spray and the plug in diffuser but I don't know if they are doing any good.
I would like to confine him to the bathroom but I can't get my hands on him. Last night I confined him to the bedroom where he spends most of his time hoping that he would use the box to pee, but as of this morning he hasn't. I am a little afraid that he will use the carpet or the bed and I don't know if that's better than having to patrol the house looking for where he's gone. Yesterday, I noticed that my curtains in the den were saturated as were the ones in the living room. I've cleaned them but my husband can't take much more. We are both trying to be patient but it's wearing thin. It would pain me to give him away but I don't know what more to do.

PS - Neeko didn't exhibit any of these behaviors with my daughter and I know that the reason he's doing this is because he's unhappy but I have got to get him to use the box.

Try leading him to the room where you would like to confine him for a bit with food.

Or have your daughter confine him on the next visit.

To quote my vet "being a cat psychologist is difficult". They're extremely complex and can't communicate what's wrong. So you play the guessing game and keep adjusting things until (finally) something works.

It really sounds like he's having adjustment issues. If your daughter has any items that he had at her place, she should bring them. When we moved Puppy, we brought a towel that happened to be on one of his many napping areas. Quite frankly, I thought it was silly since he wasn't actually attached to the towel, he just liked the chair it happened to be on, and if you seperated them he would go to the chair. Once we brought him home though, the towel was suddenly his favorite item. He sleeps on it all day while we're at work, and he never was that attached before. It was just the one thing in the new place that smelled familiar, so he always went back to it.

Try and get the same cat food and litter that he had before. Bring over his bowls, his litterbox(es), and any items with his smell. Hey, if he liked a particular chair, even bring that over if at all possible. Just until he gets settled into your home.

If I may ask.. why did your daughter need to give away the kitty?

I was presuming it is because she is pregnant and was concerned about being around kitty during that time. I believe pregnant women can own cats, they just need someone else to handle the litter and they should wash their hands after petting the cat.

Is she planning to take the cat back when she has the baby?

I've read that it's okay to live with a cat while you are pregnant. They are harmless and won't effect to pregnancy unless they actually have toxoplasmosis (spelling?) which is rare in itself. I'd think the only thing you have to be cautious is with the litter.
With all due respect, maybe this kitty is enduring aot of un-needed stress.

I wouldn't try to grab him to confine him, either do what you did and shut him in a room he happens to be in, then keep him there for at least several days, until the behavior improves. Or use a blanket or towel held up in front of you to "shoo" him into whatever room you want him to be in.

Poor kitty, he must have a traumatic background somewhere to be feeling so desperate. Is there no way she can take him back?!? I don't know how you could rehome him elsewhere...its hard enough to find homes for friendly kitties!