Cat urinating in front of doors

[changeling]

Django, 7yo dsh neutered male, had since he was a kitten, has been peeing by the front and back door.

-4- uncovered boxes on the lower level, cleaned daily ( have one other cat). Inappropriate urination was a problem YEARS ago, before Django, when there were 5 cats, a husky and an ex husband in the house. He is a VERY shy non aggressive cat who DOES use the litter box but has added the other locations. I have pulled up carpet, re done the wood in the front door area, used odor eliminator and sprayed 'happy' pheromones. There ARE outdoor cats in the neighborhood. Both mine are indoor only.

 

[p3 and the king]

Usually if a neutered cat is spraying, they are doing it from stress.  Does he have a place in the house he knows is his own space?  If not, then he is trying to force one out by carving it for himself.  There are products you can use to clean and shampoo the carpets with.  Make sure you do the walls, too.  But try maybe putting his bed and a couple of litter boxes in the place he sprays the most.  Also maybe a cat tree by a window.  Cats love a place to be up high and look outside.  Make sure your other cat and dog do not enter his space or go in there as little as possible.  Django needs to know this is HIS spot only.  Also since he is older, the spraying could be habitual.  Or it could be medical.  I would take him to a vet and make sure that he is OK medically.  If he continues to spray after all this is done, it is habit and that is much harder to break.  However, if you give him his own space with lots of stuff of his own in there and lots of love and reassurance, he should stop.  Maybe even go the extra mile and put a water and food dish in his space.  Make sure the litterboxes are always clean.  Some cats are so picky,they won't use them if they have any pee or poo in them whatsoever.... Especially if it's not theres.  So it's important he has his own space. 

 

[changeling]

Thanks!

Django has lots of private spots that Schroder (the other cat) will not go near. He has a cat bed on a baywindow sill and loves to birdwatch! Schroder has his own at the other end of the window. D also 'hides' in his jungle under a boston fern. also gets his own play/pet time with my husband. It just the peeing! Have put down plastic runner with prickly nubs, aluminum foil and should own stock in the enzyme cleaner people. WILL be trying the Dr. Elseys cat attract litter. Has anyone had experience with it? Waiting for a cat behaviour specialist to call.

Again,thanks

 

[p3 and the king]

It could be the other cats outside.  It is mating season and males (and females) will spray even if your cats are fixed and indoors.  Not much you can do about it other the TNR.  And just try to keep him calm.  Try Feliway diffuser and the calming collar.  They don't work on every situation but this is one they can help a lot on.  If it continues, I would take him to the vet. 

 

[changeling]

Will try the Feliway, never heard of the collar before but will check it out. As for TNR, I've emailed the local people for help. Know there are two neighbor cats who are outdoors but husband saw a new guy UP on our deck last week ( quite a series of leaps ). Will try and get a havahart to catch him. There were a LOT of ferals in this neighborhood years ago ( I adopted many of the kittens and abandoned pets). Abandoned houses were torn down and really have not seen any colonies in the last few yrs.

Again, Thanks will keep you informed. Schroder is sleeping next to husbands head and Django is on his bed of towels in the spare bedroom. All is right with the world....unless I wake up to a puddle of urine in the entry hall LOL

I keep threatening to make him into a pillow. It will never happen

 

[changeling]

Django vetted sound in February before we boarded him. No urinary problems...he was so freaked out he peed all over the traveling vets van! I've had cats with urinary stones so know what to look for, straining etc. He goes like a racehorse!

Inquired about a 'cat behavior therapist' Does anyone have any experience with them? She would come to the house and than do one year of follow up phone/email consults for $375.

HOWEVER she wants BOTH cats to have vet checkups including blood/urine, those will cost $250 each. Not in my budget!

So, next paycheck will get the calming collar and pheramone spray.

If anyone has used the cat attract litter by Dr. Elsey, please let me know

 

[changeling]

Note: Neither cat (now just Django) liked or preferred the Dr. E's. The behaviorist's ideas worked for a time but I'm now back to pee-by-one-door since last Saturday when Schroeder was euthanised. Contemplating a vet visit and anti depressents as husband will be filling the hole in his heart with a shelter cat. Django is definately all mine, sleeps behind my legs but since last weekend has been more vocal,less cuddly at night and more reclusive. DOes he miss Schroeder ( who was NEVER his best buddy) more than I know?

 

[changeling]

wow..Django was hiding tonight, found him behind a door and put him on our bed. He just crawled UNDER the covers with my husband...never done that before, NOT an under-the-covers-kitty Think he is depressed and will get him to the vet ASAP.