Help me help my cat to want to pee in the right places ...
August 30, 2013 12:11 PM Subscribe
Mango (pic here of course, the smaller, less white one) has taken to peeing inside the lobby door inside the front door. He started when we had a workman in - we think the workman might smell strongly of his own, elderly cats. I am calm and understanding with him, not angry, I try not to reinforce it, we have had him checked and done many things (see list below) but it's still happening and it's not great. Have you successfully stopped your feline companion weeing in an inappropriate place and how did you do it?
Background: rescue cats, aged about 3, lived together before, fairly happy, a bit of playfighting. Live indoors in a large house, they have the run of three floors, all the rooms, lots of toys. Outdoors not an option (road, dodgy neighbours, foxes, please don't lecture us on this. Vets and rescue centre happy with our setup). Seem contented and bonded to us, OK with each other, don't cuddle but do sleep next to each other etc. When they came he weed in the bath, he still does that or in the shower if the litter is not to his liking (see below for all litter details). We don't mind that so much as it's easy to clean away. Went once in room where original trays are when tray not to his liking. Original trays are in understairs cupboard, nice and private, easy access, middle floor of house. I work from home so remove poos and smooth the trays very often, also play with the boys. They have a ball in track, numerous loo roll innards, kickaroos, gloves and socks to play with. He doesn't do every pee there, just one every day or so.
What we have done: Added another tray in the bathroom into which his larger brother cannot fit. He uses this although we had a shower-pee incident yesterday when we tried letting the door hang down after taping it open before. Door removed, has peed in there since. Vet has checked him out thoroughly inc urine sample (hooray for peeing in the shower). Notable maybe: he would NOT be expressed by the vet, vet was impressed by his tenacity in not doing it, he held it home on the bus till got home then went to tray. Feliway plug in pumping out the Feliway at all times, in socket outside their loo on floor they use most frequently. No telling off, just calm praise and some treats when he wees in the tray. Cleanup done with stuff that neutralises the smell though I think there was a patch in the lounge that was smelling but now isn't after a thorough clean.
I think that's it. Any ideas from your experience welcome. I won't thread-sit but will of course answer questions.
Background: rescue cats, aged about 3, lived together before, fairly happy, a bit of playfighting. Live indoors in a large house, they have the run of three floors, all the rooms, lots of toys. Outdoors not an option (road, dodgy neighbours, foxes, please don't lecture us on this. Vets and rescue centre happy with our setup). Seem contented and bonded to us, OK with each other, don't cuddle but do sleep next to each other etc. When they came he weed in the bath, he still does that or in the shower if the litter is not to his liking (see below for all litter details). We don't mind that so much as it's easy to clean away. Went once in room where original trays are when tray not to his liking. Original trays are in understairs cupboard, nice and private, easy access, middle floor of house. I work from home so remove poos and smooth the trays very often, also play with the boys. They have a ball in track, numerous loo roll innards, kickaroos, gloves and socks to play with. He doesn't do every pee there, just one every day or so.
What we have done: Added another tray in the bathroom into which his larger brother cannot fit. He uses this although we had a shower-pee incident yesterday when we tried letting the door hang down after taping it open before. Door removed, has peed in there since. Vet has checked him out thoroughly inc urine sample (hooray for peeing in the shower). Notable maybe: he would NOT be expressed by the vet, vet was impressed by his tenacity in not doing it, he held it home on the bus till got home then went to tray. Feliway plug in pumping out the Feliway at all times, in socket outside their loo on floor they use most frequently. No telling off, just calm praise and some treats when he wees in the tray. Cleanup done with stuff that neutralises the smell though I think there was a patch in the lounge that was smelling but now isn't after a thorough clean.
I think that's it. Any ideas from your experience welcome. I won't thread-sit but will of course answer questions.
Response by poster: Thanks Joan. The problem with a tray there is that we couldn't get out of the house as the hallway is quite narrow and the door opens inwards towards where the tray would be. I will look into the blacklight thing, is it also worth getting special spray that promises to eradicate the smell (we have washed the floors with bio washing powder in solution and used Dettol that kills bacteria on it so far).
Another pic by the way, he's the one at the back. A charming creature.
posted by LyzzyBee at 12:24 PM on August 30, 2013
Another pic by the way, he's the one at the back. A charming creature.
posted by LyzzyBee at 12:24 PM on August 30, 2013
Does brother cat like to jump him while in the box? Maybe move the box so brother cat can't sneak up on him.
posted by florencetnoa at 12:28 PM on August 30, 2013
posted by florencetnoa at 12:28 PM on August 30, 2013
We have used Nature's Miracle with some success, but if he wees on carpet all bets are off. We got a special pump action sprayer like you might use in your garden to effectively nuke the problem from orbit. But when it gets into the carpet pad you really can't address it in this way.
You appear to be taking all the recommended actions. My vet told me this is the A#1 most common and intractable problem in cats.
posted by rocketpup at 12:29 PM on August 30, 2013
You appear to be taking all the recommended actions. My vet told me this is the A#1 most common and intractable problem in cats.
posted by rocketpup at 12:29 PM on August 30, 2013
What you really need is an enzyme cleaner specifically designed for urine removal like Nature's Miracle or Anti Icky Poo. If the pee was on a carpeted area you also need a carpet injector. Anti Icky Poo actually has a kit that includes a blacklight and carpet injector.
These types of products work best if you totally douse the surface with the enzyme cleaner and let it sit for a long time rather than apply and wipe/scrub. The enzymes are supposed to "eat up" the proteins. You'll have to keep kitty away from that area while it's doing it magic, of course.
posted by joan_holloway at 12:35 PM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
These types of products work best if you totally douse the surface with the enzyme cleaner and let it sit for a long time rather than apply and wipe/scrub. The enzymes are supposed to "eat up" the proteins. You'll have to keep kitty away from that area while it's doing it magic, of course.
posted by joan_holloway at 12:35 PM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Once when she had a bladder infection, one of our cats peed in a corner of our kitchen on the tile floor. From that point on, we COULD NOT get her to stop peeing there. We tried what you have tried with larger and improved litter boxes in the usual place, plus we cleaned the hell out of that corner. We threw everything we could at it, including Nature's Miracle, vinegar solutions, bleach solutions, essential oil solutions, major scrubbing, everything. Nothing worked and every few days she would pee there again (like yours, not every time, but enough that it was a real problem). In the end, the only thing that saved our kitchen from puddles of cat pee was to put a litter box in that corner. It was a terrible place to have a litter box but there was no other option. She used the litter box there just fine and we just had to deal with it. I suspect that if we had covered that specific part of the kitchen floor entirely with some other object, like a cabinet or something that she couldn't crawl under, that would have stopped the behavior, too. It was just that one spot that was a target. Maybe put some obstacle on the floor that would be less intrusive to you than a litter box? Clean the floor really well and then keep the cat from accessing it for a long-ish period of time and see if that breaks the behavior?
posted by otolith at 12:36 PM on August 30, 2013
posted by otolith at 12:36 PM on August 30, 2013
You are doing all the right things. My only suggestion would be more litter boxes, or maybe trying a new type of litter (don't switch suddenly gradually mix together).
I imagine the one by the door is simply territorial marking and it might actually be the place you want the feliway dispenser, you can also get feliway spray you can simply spray all around the lobby area. You do however want to really make sure you got all the pee smell up first with generous washing with either Natures Miracle or a bit of oxyclean mixed with water. If there is a carpet you want to soak that pad underneath which is not great for the carpet, but then neither is being peed on and then leave the stuff their for the enzymes to work their magic a quick wipe is not going to cut it.
Other option is ban all access to the area by keeping the door shut if possible.
The bathroom one might be deflected by putting the kitty litter box in the shower and once he starts using it slowly creep it back to where you want him to go. If nothing else at least peeing in a shower is easy to clean up.
I have a dog that every 12 months or so goes through a bout of peeing around the house and it takes a couple of months "retraining" to get him back on track, so I feel your pain. Good luck.
posted by wwax at 12:41 PM on August 30, 2013
I imagine the one by the door is simply territorial marking and it might actually be the place you want the feliway dispenser, you can also get feliway spray you can simply spray all around the lobby area. You do however want to really make sure you got all the pee smell up first with generous washing with either Natures Miracle or a bit of oxyclean mixed with water. If there is a carpet you want to soak that pad underneath which is not great for the carpet, but then neither is being peed on and then leave the stuff their for the enzymes to work their magic a quick wipe is not going to cut it.
Other option is ban all access to the area by keeping the door shut if possible.
The bathroom one might be deflected by putting the kitty litter box in the shower and once he starts using it slowly creep it back to where you want him to go. If nothing else at least peeing in a shower is easy to clean up.
I have a dog that every 12 months or so goes through a bout of peeing around the house and it takes a couple of months "retraining" to get him back on track, so I feel your pain. Good luck.
posted by wwax at 12:41 PM on August 30, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks everyone so far. Just to clarify, there is no carpet, he has not gone on the carpet at all (there isn't much carpet in the house). And we can't shut him out of that area with doors as it's a typical UK terrace with the stairs going down into the hallway and nothing to stop him running down them unless I shut him in a room. Other cat more likely to get jumped by him in the litter.
Vet told me NOT to put the feliway near where the weeing was in case it encouraged him but I might try some of the spray there.
posted by LyzzyBee at 12:45 PM on August 30, 2013
Vet told me NOT to put the feliway near where the weeing was in case it encouraged him but I might try some of the spray there.
posted by LyzzyBee at 12:45 PM on August 30, 2013
You definitely have to let enzyme cleaners work - it takes days, not seconds, and will smell worse before it smells better.
After you've cleaned and enzymed (make sure you at least wipe down the general wall area with the enzyme cleaner as well), put a container of dry food there. He doesn't have to eat it, but it should discourage him from peeing there.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:10 PM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
After you've cleaned and enzymed (make sure you at least wipe down the general wall area with the enzyme cleaner as well), put a container of dry food there. He doesn't have to eat it, but it should discourage him from peeing there.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:10 PM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Once a cat decides on a particular habit or pattern of behavior, you're often forced into choosing either to accept the behavior or get rid of the cat. Sad, but true.
posted by DWRoelands at 1:40 PM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by DWRoelands at 1:40 PM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Try Cat Attract litter.
posted by mingshan at 2:06 PM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mingshan at 2:06 PM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have a perennial problem pee-er in my home too. Also a rescue, etc.
I second changing the type of cat litter -- some "multi-cat" formulas have gross little smelly "odour-eaters" (sic) which cats don't like. You don't need litter boxes in the places your cats pee, but two boxes side by side where you would like them to pee is a good idea. You can try taking the lid off the litter box if there is one.
Other than that, clean the area he pees on each time, throughly like others have suggested. You might consider putting down a doormat with a rubber bottom to prevent it from reaching your floorboards (and then laundering the mat each time).
Who knew domestication would be such a bother, eh?
posted by Catchfire at 5:56 PM on August 30, 2013
I second changing the type of cat litter -- some "multi-cat" formulas have gross little smelly "odour-eaters" (sic) which cats don't like. You don't need litter boxes in the places your cats pee, but two boxes side by side where you would like them to pee is a good idea. You can try taking the lid off the litter box if there is one.
Other than that, clean the area he pees on each time, throughly like others have suggested. You might consider putting down a doormat with a rubber bottom to prevent it from reaching your floorboards (and then laundering the mat each time).
Who knew domestication would be such a bother, eh?
posted by Catchfire at 5:56 PM on August 30, 2013
I also think it's worth making that a food area. Try giving them their meals there and see if it helps. (Of course after dousing the area in enzymatic cleaner too)
Also, is it possible an outside cat is weeing against the other side of your front door, triggering this behavior?
posted by Anwan at 11:17 PM on August 30, 2013
Also, is it possible an outside cat is weeing against the other side of your front door, triggering this behavior?
posted by Anwan at 11:17 PM on August 30, 2013
Response by poster: Re: changing cat litter: they are both happy with this one, Mango goes in one of the trays 4 times out of 5 and always poos in them.
Re: trays: we have two next to each other in their understairs room, one with a lip clipped to it they have both always been fine with. Then the other in the bathroom is an igloo which he likes and the big one can't fit into, giving privacy and individual loo status.
Re: rubber doormat - thank goodness for tiled floors so no floorboard soaking so far!
Re: the front door, there is the front door, then about 3 feet, then the lobby door. No signs of spraying or peeing on the front door. Also there have been two instances (one achieved, one tried yesterday followed by a lobby door one) of under the kitchen table in a corner - this is near the back door.
Oddly, yesterday his brother was really freaked out by something too. Uttering sharp cries and kneading on me for a good 20 minutes (he used to do that when we got them, now it's down to a few kneads then settle, so we're pretty sure that's his massive comfort mechanism). I wonder if there's a cat taunting them from outside now.
I have been able to train Mango to run to where he's brushed and present himself for grooming by making a noise with his brush, and he's extremely happy-triggered by a ball with a bell, so the bell's coming out if he pees correctly and I'm hoping his trainability will allow us to achieve something that means he's happier.
posted by LyzzyBee at 11:36 PM on August 30, 2013
Re: trays: we have two next to each other in their understairs room, one with a lip clipped to it they have both always been fine with. Then the other in the bathroom is an igloo which he likes and the big one can't fit into, giving privacy and individual loo status.
Re: rubber doormat - thank goodness for tiled floors so no floorboard soaking so far!
Re: the front door, there is the front door, then about 3 feet, then the lobby door. No signs of spraying or peeing on the front door. Also there have been two instances (one achieved, one tried yesterday followed by a lobby door one) of under the kitchen table in a corner - this is near the back door.
Oddly, yesterday his brother was really freaked out by something too. Uttering sharp cries and kneading on me for a good 20 minutes (he used to do that when we got them, now it's down to a few kneads then settle, so we're pretty sure that's his massive comfort mechanism). I wonder if there's a cat taunting them from outside now.
I have been able to train Mango to run to where he's brushed and present himself for grooming by making a noise with his brush, and he's extremely happy-triggered by a ball with a bell, so the bell's coming out if he pees correctly and I'm hoping his trainability will allow us to achieve something that means he's happier.
posted by LyzzyBee at 11:36 PM on August 30, 2013
Response by poster: A quick update - the food where he wees thing is going well (and the box in the other place where he wees by the door). The black light and enzyme digester should arrive today. However, my partner is away, and I fear some of it may be territorial behaviour around me, as I've noticed that Mr Mango is constantly marking me with his face, esp when we're in the garden. So lots of love from Mr LB when he gets back! Wish me luck with the black light ...
posted by LyzzyBee at 3:09 AM on September 3, 2013
posted by LyzzyBee at 3:09 AM on September 3, 2013
Response by poster: I just wanted to update that unfortunately after masses of hard work, isolation, trying to re-litter-train Mango and working with the vet and the shelter we had him from, we very sadly had to return him to the shelter, as it wasn't working for him here and he was obviously unhappy. They were brilliant - they are a no-kill shelter and if they can't find a home for him, they will place him with one of their foster carers. They confirmed we had done everything we could. Absolutely awful, but the best choice for him. Thank you again everyone for your help in this.
posted by LyzzyBee at 1:48 AM on October 7, 2013
posted by LyzzyBee at 1:48 AM on October 7, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
Maybe also get a blacklight and make sure you really have cleaned away all of the urine in the places where he continues to go. If there's even a trace of urine left that will bring him back to that behavior.
posted by joan_holloway at 12:21 PM on August 30, 2013 [2 favorites]