Please Help To Stop My Cats From Peeing Everywhere!

[Bel]

Hi everyone!
I know how helpful this site has been for me in the past and I come beseeching for help over my cats' newest problems.
So it's not new that cat my cats have had on/off litter problems but primarily these problems stayed in the shower sometimes on the tiled floor. It wasn't fun and I'd get frustrated but it always passed. At one point this summer though it didn't and I got so frustrated that I cut off all access to the shower to get them to stop.
That being said the tile pooping is beside their litter box and it has always been on/off.
But recently things have really started to hit the fan. My cats have taken to peeing on the carpet and the tile almost daily. The carpet actually has been almost everyday this week and it wears thin on my patience.
I don't punish my cats for this behaviour anymore because I learned that it was wrong. But that doesn't change that it does upset me and it takes time for me to try and recoop and face it. This week I took to buying enzymatic cleaner and deterrents for the carpet and tile to try and combat this issue but I am not very optimistic.
Part of this is because my cats seem to very regimented with this peeing and pooping. Like if my cat meows for me and I have to ignore him for a few minutes he pees. If they get hungry and think I've waited too long they poop beside their litterbox.
All of this is really stressful. I have school and I have work so I can't always 100% address their needs when they want it. Sometimes they have to wait and I don't want to have to get down and scrub for every moment I can't do something.
Over the last 2 weeks I've tried really hard to get a new litterbox because maybe the older ones were too compromised. I only swapped one litterbox keeping an original litterbox (because they are same type) they did start adjusting to the newer ones but it hasn't stopped the peeing.
On top of that I bought newer more interactive toys to keep them occupied for the times I am busy but I need to wait and see if there are results from that because it is recent.
The litter I use is the same litter I've used for almost a year and a half. And since this is so on/off I'm not even sure if that has to do with the problem.
I don't think this is medical because they've had almost 9 vet visits since I've gotten them and this has kind of been sprinkled throughout my time having them even I've brought this up with my vet but in the 2 weeks things have been snowballing.
I have 2 cats and live on a one level apartment I'd think that 3 litterboxes is enough and it did sort of address the pooping but the peeing but this is out of control now...
I love my cats but I really can't deal with this everyday and I really need help apart from this they seem outwardly happy but if they really aren't happy I may need to look into other options for them. And my landlord will kill me if he finds out the amount they are peeing on the carpets.
I think what I really want to know is if it is possible to break this habit in cats once it starts?

 

[kissthisangel]

I'm really sorry this is happening, it is frustrating when your beloved starts going outside of the designated areas. If this has stepped up a notch in the last couple of weeks we can start at looking at changes that have happened ( in the last month or so) to cause / fuel this behaviour. Are you stressed? have you had more classes? More shifts? Feeding routine out the window? have you maybe forgotten to change the box a couple of times? You shouldn't feel guilty about any of it life is life after all just think about it to see if you CAN identify any changes in your life and their. It might help you to get it back to a controllable level.
Outside of your apartment:

Do you live in a building where other animals are present in/outside? Have more animals moved into your building recently. Cats can smell others from a long long way away, and not only that they have a specific scent. So they know who has been where and when. Animals outside can do the same, though you can't keep 100% of animals out of your garden /outside area you can try and help minimize these types of stressors if they are identified by making the cats confident their area IS secure.

Have you many "cat spaces" in your apartment that they are able to go to town on rubbing and marking as their own? Raising up a few shelves (if you are able since it's rented) if not cat posts, or beds on windowsills can help. They may share these spaces but ... they may not. The more places they can seek out to call their own, the less anxious they will be meaining they don't have to pee to claim a spot.

What do you do with the pooping accidents? some pop them in the litterbox if they think kitty may have just forgotten where to go. Or it can help to teach an appropriate place to toilet in cats that perhaps have lived outside but are now indoor only.

Enzymatic cleaners are favoured because they do remove the scent of the cat urine, however you have to be thorough, cat's noses are very sensitive and even on resistant materials such as tiles (think of the absorbent grout inbetween) or in the bath / shower ( most have a sandblasted area great for grip but hard to clean) so the cat can still smell that they have previously toileted in this area and may do again.

For now, since you've already mentioned this to the vet and they haven't said it's a health issue, I wouldn't be concerned medically but one cat peeing innapropriately can set another off so if you've taken one but not the other I'd take the other one just to be safe. I'm really interested in how this goes so let us know and I hope someone else can come along and offer more than general thoughts.
x

 

[Bel]

I'm really sorry this is happening, it is frustrating when your beloved starts going outside of the designated areas. If this has stepped up a notch in the last couple of weeks we can start at looking at changes that have happened ( in the last month or so) to cause / fuel this behaviour. Are you stressed? have you had more classes? More shifts? Feeding routine out the window? have you maybe forgotten to change the box a couple of times? You shouldn't feel guilty about any of it life is life after all just think about it to see if you CAN identify any changes in your life and their. It might help you to get it back to a controllable level.
Outside of your apartment:

Do you live in a building where other animals are present in/outside? Have more animals moved into your building recently. Cats can smell others from a long long way away, and not only that they have a specific scent. So they know who has been where and when. Animals outside can do the same, though you can't keep 100% of animals out of your garden /outside area you can try and help minimize these types of stressors if they are identified by making the cats confident their area IS secure.

Have you many "cat spaces" in your apartment that they are able to go to town on rubbing and marking as their own? Raising up a few shelves (if you are able since it's rented) if not cat posts, or beds on windowsills can help. They may share these spaces but ... they may not. The more places they can seek out to call their own, the less anxious they will be meaining they don't have to pee to claim a spot.

What do you do with the pooping accidents? some pop them in the litterbox if they think kitty may have just forgotten where to go. Or it can help to teach an appropriate place to toilet in cats that perhaps have lived outside but are now indoor only.

Enzymatic cleaners are favoured because they do remove the scent of the cat urine, however you have to be thorough, cat's noses are very sensitive and even on resistant materials such as tiles (think of the absorbent grout inbetween) or in the bath / shower ( most have a sandblasted area great for grip but hard to clean) so the cat can still smell that they have previously toileted in this area and may do again.

For now, since you've already mentioned this to the vet and they haven't said it's a health issue, I wouldn't be concerned medically but one cat peeing innapropriately can set another off so if you've taken one but not the other I'd take the other one just to be safe. I'm really interested in how this goes so let us know and I hope someone else can come along and offer more than general thoughts.
x

It's hard to say. I mean they have cat food allergies and they didn't like the first flavour. So we switched to a second (which they liked too much) but I was so happy they were eating again that I kept them on it for the remainder. It's only today that I actually started giving them a taste of regular food to identify the allergen so I know that's out.
There's a cat that visits them from the outside but she has been coming to our house since the second week I got them so I don't think that would cause it because it's frequent.
My schedule hasn't changed and feeding has actually had to become more regimented to try and prevent morning poop on the tiles.
...Recently a neighbor has been blasting a deck a few times which is really loud but that was for a few days so it could have stressed them for a few days maybe? I think once the peeing started though that was basically it and since it started it's been very hard to manage.
I feel like part of the problem could also be because I'm not getting angry and punishing them (which is wrong) but I feel stressed and dejected so I don't mean to but I avoid them more. Which probably is just making it worse so I really need to try to not be doing that.
But thank you so much for the advice it's given me a lot to think about.

 

[talkingpeanut]

How are you punishing them?

 

[Bel]

I haven't been punishing them. I sort of just clean it and then sulk to myself about it...
At first though I'd get angry and try and verbally reprimand them and make a show of having to clean it...but that wasn't what I was supposed to do.
So now I just clean it and move on.

 

[kissthisangel]

It's hard to say. I mean they have cat food allergies and they didn't like the first flavour. So we switched to a second (which they liked too much) but I was so happy they were eating again that I kept them on it for the remainder. It's only today that I actually started giving them a taste of regular food to identify the allergen so I know that's out.
There's a cat that visits them from the outside but she has been coming to our house since the second week I got them so I don't think that would cause it because it's frequent.
My schedule hasn't changed and feeding has actually had to become more regimented to try and prevent morning poop on the tiles.
...Recently a neighbor has been blasting a deck a few times which is really loud but that was for a few days so it could have stressed them for a few days maybe? I think once the peeing started though that was basically it and since it started it's been very hard to manage.
I feel like part of the problem could also be because I'm not getting angry and punishing them (which is wrong) but I feel stressed and dejected so I don't mean to but I avoid them more. Which probably is just making it worse so I really need to try to not be doing that.
But thank you so much for the advice it's given me a lot to think about.

Once a Habit is set, it is hard to break, like you say.

How do they react to this other cat? are they ok with it, a little frightened? very excited?. Although it's visiting often, it's not a constant so it's difficult to determine if this is a factor in the peeing episodes.

Personally, I'm not so concerned about the neighbour's music, my partner is a DJ and mine are quite happy with loud music and always have been BUT you know the cats better than I. Watch for reactions, pinned back ears wide eyes, hiding, these signs suggest (YELL) that it is NOT ok. My cats have been used to it since being kittens.

Cats don't really respond to a punishment as such. Repeating the same action to an action - putting them down when they get on a table. for example will eventually get through. But it's not a "punishment" to them it's just ok well every time I get up on that table I get put on the floor: there are no rewards from getting on the table. Yelling at them won't change a thing so you're right not to do that. They will still get up on another table until you put them down every time they get on THAT table. Sometimes the cat is so stubborn you won't even accomplish that. Offer in praise for another excercise and a treat some cats... they'll never think about looking at that table again let alone getting on it since it won't reap a reward.

your situation IS different, but it's more that you need to identify a cause in the behaviour and then we can work to change it which is alot more difficult than it sounds.

 

[Bel]

Well one seems to say hello to her through the window so I would say more excited and the other is more indifferent. But it's never been an issue.
Sorry I meant that they've been power cleaning the deck (not as in blasting music). I'm not really even sure what cleaner it is because it's so very loud I know it's an industrial cleaner and we feel the vibrations in this building. They were doing this mostly last week though and on Sunday. I know it seemed to bother them because they seemed more agitated those days...but like I said it's been every day this week as well so it's hard to tell if that started it/made it worse.
And since they were on this sensitivity diet that in and of itself was different now having to revert to regular foods is another stressor (even though I've just started that today) I know it may just make the situation more difficult.
But thank you for responding and your support much appreciated!

 

[kissthisangel]

Oh my gosh I'm so sorry for mixing that up. Vinyl (records) are played on decks and I didn't even consider any other meaning since we have patios outside mostly, people do have decks here but rarely, I wouldn't have even considered that meaning. Yes loud unusual noises like cleaning machines can cause stress.

I think that's rather funny though the mix up. Blasting a deck just... Blasting out music haha.

I'd just watch for another couple of days and continue integrating the diet, use your cleaner and let us know how it goes. Maybe don't let the other cat in for a couple of days to see if it improves things, if the other cat is at the window it's essentially on their patch so it might be causing a difference. x

 

[Bel]

lol I did find that to be rather funny

Like you said I've got two newer litter boxes being introduced (one I got last week which has gone okay for the most part), and two hooded without the lids (I've only started them on one though). So maybe they just don't like their old litters. But that being said he peed on the carpet today and has had that third litterbox for a week and they do pee in it but they also pee on the floor. So that may not be it.

I'm just going to try my best to be proactive with the cleaning, I've introduced some new toys to keep them otherwise occupied, and try to spend more time with them.

I will be sure to keep y'all posted.

 

[cheesycats]

I had this issue with my older male when I brought in my fourth cat into the mix. I took him to the vet. He checked out well. In great shape. She suggest quite the long list of things that I will relay to you now in hope something helps.
First make sure you have as many litter boxes as you do cats plus one extra. Make sure they don't have lids, lids are unatural and can make cats feel uncomfortable and trapped making them not want to go into the box so they tend to use the outside, also make sure you have a box in every room or as spread out as you can basically. If you have multiple floors in the house. Make sure there is at least one box on each floor. Make sure the boxes are in an opened or at least semi opened area. Same as with the lids on the box if you stick the boxes in a closet or a cupboard it creates that same closed in, trapped feeling. Cats need to be able to feel they can escape if necessary especially if you have more than one cat in the house. Obviously make sure you're scooping once (preferable twice or even more if you can) a day. Change litter completely every week or every two weeks and make sure there is at least 3 inches of litter. Replace all litter boxes at least once a year. Every litter change be sure to thourougly wash the boxes out.
These things helped immensely with my boy cat. He was peeing in front of everyone just right in the living room it got so bad and on my dads bed when I lived with him. Other things I tried that I'm a little sceptic about was cat attract litter. Dr elseys cat attract and blue buffalos walnut kitten training litter were the ones I tried. I also added litter attraction power. His issues had stopped I think because of the other things I tried but I have heard great things about both of those litters. Also stay away from scented litters. I find my cats (and myself) enjoy everclean cat litter. I buy the multicat unscented. It's the best litter I've ever found as far as odor, clumping, pretty much everything. The Cats like it too. I also tried feliway plug ins. This was something else I wondered about too. I only bought one once and never again and he still continued using the box so I don't think this one was very important in helping him relearn the litter box but I've heard good things from some if used correctly. It's definitely one of those things that either works great for you or it doesn't. But it's worth a try. I also medicated him to help calm him down because the vet said it was pretty likely it was stress related and territorial type stuff with the other cats in the house. But it kinda turned him into a zombie and again after I took him off the ends he was fine so it was just one of those who knows things. Anyway I hope something from this helps you even a little bit.
I also like cleaning with natures miracle. It's been the best cleaner I've used. Keep in mind enzymatic cleaners become useless if anything else is used with them or before them. Such as soap or other chemical cleaners so refrain from use of those on areas the cats have peed as an enzymatic cleaner will be deemed ineffective if you do. Good luck

 

[Bel]

Thank you for all of those suggestions! So far I've tried swapping out their litter because they may be too old, I have 2 new litter boxes already set, in a few days I plan to set up their last new one to see how things go. I like what you said about the litters I haven't tried a new litter yet so I will also try that to see if a non-scented may help. I'll probably have to go to the pet store to see if they have the everclean.
I feel like you make some good points I decided to try the basics (litterboxes, litter, cleaners, even deterrent). I could try the attractor or the diffuser but I'm a little skeptical and want to see how the other things work. If not I could try those.
Do you know if the enzymatic cleaner would render a deterrent useless or vice-versa?
Thanks for the advice though it is really helpful and gives me more avenues to explore