<3 Month Old Male Kitten Suddenly Peeing On Furniture

[scheasbro]

Hello!
Please help!!

I have a kitten that will soon be 3 months old named Finneus. I have two litter boxes in my home on the main floor (only floor) - one in the front of the house and the other in the back of the house), and I've had him treated for UTI at the veterinary...However, he continues to pee and poop on my sofa and chair - specifically these pieces of furniture.

At first, I thought it was separation anxiety as I work out of town and am gone for long hours at a time, though I have another kitty in the house with him, Daisy. She's been here all along. But, Finn will pee or poop on the couch even when I'm sitting in the same room with him - sometimes when I'm sitting on the same couch with him. It doesn't seem to make any difference whether I'm there with him or not. He gets played with often and doted on constantly. He does not lack for attention when I'm home and has several toys to play with.

I've attempted to clean the affected areas with vinegar/hot soapy water and a scrub brush and let it dry. Afterward, I sprayed the area with a pet deterrent, which he ended up rolling around in - obviously not affected by the smell. I then made my own spray using tea tree oil, lemongrass oil, lemon scented soap and water. I sprayed down the entire couch and chair after cleaning it again and allowing it to dry...enough that I could definitely smell the spray. I went to bed and woke up this morning to poop on the couch again.

Yesterday morning, before I went to work, I placed him, his litterbox, food dish in the bathroom after making sure he had access to water and locked him in. The vet had suggested that perhaps retraining him by confining him with a small space with his litter box would do the trick. Maybe it's too soon to make a judgment call, but so far, nothing has helped.

This morning I had a cleaning company over to clean the rest of my house, after removing the poop from the couch, and again spraying down everything with my pungent, homemade spray. Literally 10 minutes after they arrived and within 30 minutes of me cleaning the couch, he peed on it. An hour later, he returned and peed on a different part of the couch.

I'm literally at my wit's end. I rent my home, and the landlord was hesitant to allow pets. I was able to convince her that MY kitties were definitely litter box trained and had no issues...which at the time when I signed the contract, was true. Finneus has just developed this behavior over the last 2 weeks.

What can I do??? He's so darn cute and I absolutely adore him...but I have to break him of this inappropriate peeing and pooping before it really becomes a lifetime thing for him.

Please......help!!!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

You MUST use an enzymatic cleaner on these areas, or he will smell them again. That's the only thing that will reliably take those odors out, and believe me, he can quite easily smell his own waste even if you can't.

You may also have to experiment with different litters and boxes to find one that he really likes. I know it seems like a lot of effort, but think of it this way...if you had to use a toilet that had a seat lined with thumb tacks, you might resort to an inappropriate spot, yourself. The feel and smell of a litter are vitally important to our cats, and their noses and paws are quite, quite sensitive.

 

[scheasbro]

Thank you for your reply!
I had thought about the enzymatic cleaner but haven't obtained any yet. That's next on my list.

However, since I posted my original schpeal, Finneus has since twice peed on the couch. He seems to be peeing excessively. He came into my bedroom where I was sitting on the bed and wanted attention. It was then that I found pinkish/red tinged urine all over his little boy parts. He was wet in a pretty big spot. I wonder if he's still battling some of the UTI, or if there's something more seriously wrong with him? If he's that wet on himself, would that indicate that he's either straining or there could be a slight blockage causing him to not control the stream?

The veterinary did a UA on him last week but has failed to get back with me on the results of said test. I've been giving Finneus Clavamox twice per day for a week as instructed and thought we were on the road to recovery. Maybe not.

I just want him well, happy and normal...and for my furniture not to be ruined.

 

[silkenpaw]

Red-tinged urine is definitely a problem. Why was he treated for a UTI? Was it because he actually had one or “just because”? Was urine sent for culture? He most likely has an infection but he might have some other condition that antibiotics won’t help.

Do check on the urinalysis and let us know what’s going on. Best of luck.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, call that vet and see what the results are, a UTI would definitely cause him to do this. A cat urine enzyme spray is a must. It actually 'EATS' the urine bacteria and gets rid of it, not covering it up. Cats can smell through pretty much anything. There must be something about the litter box he doesn't like, give him one temporarily as his own and use different litter, to entice him. I would get some waterproof mattress pads to cover the chair/couch and get some clear plastic. carpet runner and put it 'nub' side up where you don't want him to go. It hurts their feet to walk on it and they avoid the area. It is easily removed and put back (like at night). If he does not have a UTI, I would get him neutered as soon as possible before this becomes a habit. This CAN be resolved, you are not alone in this. You might want to research some older posts and see if anyone found a good solution. All the luck and keep us posted!

 

[danteshuman]

Is he neutered? I would be sticking him in 1 room with the door closed, along with a litter box full of cat attract litter. I would also buy a black light & use an enzyme cleaner EVERY where before I let him out of the room. Along with having him not miss the litter box for a couple of weeks. You can also put a tarp or plastic shower curtain on your bed to keep him from peeing on the bed while you are gone. (It might be worth buying a water proof bed liner.) I know litter box issues are a pain. Please hang in there. It will take time but you can find out why he is avoiding the litter box.


*This may not be a top priority but take lots of pictures. They grow up so fast!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Absolutely, with red-tinged urine you are dealing with a UTI, and he needs to go on medication for it. If you have to, take him to a different vet. UTIs cause pain on urination, and cats tend to associate the pain with the box rather than their own bodies. THAT's why he's peeing other places. Once you get the UTI cleared up, if there is still an issue, try a different type box and litter in a different place. Get rid of those old "pain" associations.

 

[maggiedemi]

I would also look at his diet. Is he getting canned food every day?