Kitty peeing on couch :(

[dashalovesyou]

So my kitty Lizzy has been peeing on the couch. The first time, we cleaned the crap out of the couch, took her to the vet (she checked out fine), and then had a steam cleaner come and clean the entire sofa. Then she did it again, just days after her doctor's appointment. We cleaned it again and got the steam cleaner in again. We've been cleaning it with Nature's Miracle and a vinegar and water solution. I've added a Feliway diffuser in the living room. And a white plastic waterproof mattress pad over the couch cushions. That worked for a while, but then I took it off. After several days of no problems, she peed on the couch again this morning. It's been under two weeks that we took her to the vet, the litter boxes are clean (there are two) and nothing shows up under a black light. But she can clearly still smell it because she always goes on the same spot on the couch.

Help! We're at our wit's end. The couch is less than a year old and we can't afford to replace it.

 

[otto]

What do you mean she "checked out fine"? Was a urine culture done? If not, then she may very well have a physical problem.

Cats don't just suddenly randomly start peeing on the couch. They do it when something is wrong.

Please get her back to the vet and ask that a urine culture be done. This is a process that takes a few days as the sample is sent to a lab.

Other causes could be stress related, have there been any changes in your household? You have to dig deep because something you may not even think of could cause a cat stress.

Have you changed the type of litter you use?

New laundry detergent? New person or animal in the house, or one less person or animal. New perfume even?

New cat outside?

In the mean time clean your couch with an enzymatic cleaner and make sure she has enough litter boxes (at least one per cat plus one extra) and keep the boxes scrupulously clean.

Adding some feliway plug in diffusers may help too. Feliway plug in diffusers reduce stress and territorial feelings

 

[dashalovesyou]

Yes, they did a urine culture and there were no problems. There have been no changes - we've used the same litter always, same food, plenty of litter boxes that are cleaned twice a day. No changes in who is in the household. We live in an apartment and there are no outdoor cats nearby. Feliway diffusers have been plugged in. We've been cleaning the couch with Nature's Miracle.

 

[strange_wings]

Is she just getting the bottom cushions? If so, look at how they are put together. See if you can unzip and remove the covers. Put them in the washer and wash with an enzyme cleaner. Your cushions themselves should be foam - go fill your tub up with warm water and enzyme cleaner, soak and squish them out as if they were oversized sponges. Soak and squish them out a couple times then press as much water out as you can and lay them out to dry. If you still have a few warm dry days left in your area, take them outside.
If there's a little batting on top of the foam you may have to replace that. (it's typically an organic type cotton batting and not as easily washed)

Your enzyme cleaner may not be good enough. You may need to get another one, like nokout.

You also need to inspect inside the couch (under the cushions) and see if anything for down in to sofa.

This may not solve the peeing issue, but may get your couch left alone.