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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / November 2005I don't want to give her away, but she just won't stop urinating!
Hi there, I have a one and half year old tabby cat, that I adopted from the humane society when she was 8 weeks old. I also have a 3 year old cat that doesn't generally seem to be to bothered by the little one. I changed residences about 7 months ago and in the past 4 months have been finding my cat urinating on our leather sofas and in corners of the house on the carpet. The vet has completed a urinalysis test on her and claim that her issue is not medical but behavioural. I can't seem to get the smell out of the leather sofas and I have tried many things such as the odor out spray from Pet Smart, dishwashing liquid, Fantastic, baking soda alone & baking soda+peroxide. I thought if I got rid of the smell she would stop. The smell is still there and she still won't stop peeing. I have tried keeping the sofas covered with boxes, but as soon as I remove the boxes for guests, she pees. When the sofas are covered she started using corners of the house where there is carpet. I have also tried using Feliway spray and the Feliway diffuser in combination which originally seemed to work, but does not seem to be working anymore. I have covered all of the corners where she generally pees, but then she finds another corner to pee on. I have also tried to deter her using repellent from Pet Smart, which did not work at all. We thought if we put catnip spray on the leather sofa that would keep her from peeing, that also has not worked. I have changed the litter material to pine needles, which she seems to like. I also have three litter boxes set up in the basement. After trying all these different things to try to stop this bad habit, with no success, I feel defeated. I am so frustrated that I can't seem to address this problem, that i am really close to giving her away. I really don't think there is anything more I can do, because I know eventually she will go back to peeing on the sofas. Currently I have paper towels on the sofa and inside the sofa to try to catch the urine, but the sofas still smell quite bad. I think i may have to replace those too. Please if anyone can help, I would hate to give her up! Thanks, G. http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/behavior.shtml#spraying www.urinegone.com http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/misc.shtml#removing_urine_odor > Hi there, > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > been finding my cat urinating on our leather sofas and in corners of > the house on the carpet. >The vet has completed a urinalysis test on her > and claim that her issue is not medical but behavioural. I can't seem [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > think i may have to replace those too. Please if anyone can help, I > would hate to give her up! The trouble is, to whom would you give her? Nobody likes having their stuff peed on. She would have to be a barn cat, if you could find a farm that wanted one, and if you live in a warm enough area. Aside from the move, is there anything else that might stress her out? How is her situation different now from before you moved? (Position of her litter box, etc.) Is the couch new? There is a product called Feliway that you use like an air freshener that alleviates stress and in particular stress-related spraying in some cats. People have posted here that it has worked for them to stop their cats from inappropriate urination. One woman had some success with prescription anti-anxiety medication her vet gave her. Until you are able to take some steps, if I were in your place I would definitely confine her to a pleasant room with her box, food and water, something cuddly to sleep on, and maybe some toys. It would be best if there were a window seat (you can get a cat shelf for $20 that does not require hard mounting) in there to keep her amused. It would also be best if there is nothing in there that she prefers to pee on. I know this is a heartbreaking, frustrating problem. I think a lot of you for trying so hard to solve it before you really consider giving her up. Ask Phil P. what medications in very low dosages might help her over this behavioral hump. If her tests are really negative, then what? I think he mentioned Elavil for interstitial urinary problems. It's not quite what you are talking about but Elavil is an old, old antidepressant and who knows. Why did the vet not suggest something to kind of work gently on her moods? These old drugs are well known and it seems that given the alternatives, which would probably be awful for a cat that urinates everywhere, it's something to give serious thought to. You might also consider a second vet opinion if you can afford it. > Hi there, ....have to replace those too. Please if anyone can help, I > would hate to give her up! > > Thanks, > > G. Maybe the carpets smell like some old Tom who lived there before your cats did. Maybe the former Tom tenant sprayed everywhere. NEUTRALIZE or...rip the carpets out!..carpet is cheap anyway don't get rid of the cat yule be on here feeling real bad How many cats do you have ? how many litter box? Add litter boxes.. that's always a good place to start.. You also have to get rid of the smell, not only for the cat, but who wants to live in a place (or visit one) that smells like cat pee? Get rid fo the carpet and the couch if you need to.. but.. I would give the cat some medication to relax it. Confining it to one room is also an option.. but not a long term solution.. giving her away isn't really a solution, if one move traumatized her hat much.. another one will only make it worst for her. Good luck !!  SignatureWill~ "... so that's how liberty ends, in a round of applause." Queen Amidala, The revenge of the Syth. > Hi there, > [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > G. Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for all your input! I have two cats right now and three litter boxes. Since the last time I posted, my little one has urinated twice in the same spot. So I presume she must be returning to the smell. Right now I am trying to get rid of the smell using one of the enzymatic solutions. But that usually doesn't eliminate the smell. Well we moved into this brand new house 7 months ago, so the carpet was brand new and absoutely no animals were here prior to us. The urinating problem started only 4 months ago, so I am sure it is not associated with the move. I am really lost on how to approach this problem. Although I think it cruel to confine my cat, I have decided to try that, because of all your great suggestions that is the only one I haven't tried. I have her in a bedroom on the third floor, with a window, her own litterbox, food & water. So in the meantime I am going to try to get rid of the smell, so she won't remember to go back to it when i bring her out. Thanks again everyone! If there are any more suggestions, i am willing to try anything! Gurpreet http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/misc.shtml#removing_urine_odor www.urinegone.com haven't tried it but heard it is ok > Hi Everyone! > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Gurpreet > Hi Everyone! > > Thank you so much for all your input! I have two cats right now and > three litter boxes. Very smart. >Since the last time I posted, my little one has > urinated twice in the same spot. So I presume she must be returning to > the smell. Right now I am trying to get rid of the smell using one of > the enzymatic solutions. But that usually doesn't eliminate the smell. Is this the spot on the couch? The million dollar question is, what made her do it in the first place, if this was a couch she was used to being around before you moved. > Well we moved into this brand new house 7 months ago, so the carpet was > brand new and absoutely no animals were here prior to us. The urinating > problem started only 4 months ago, so I am sure it is not associated > with the move. I am really lost on how to approach this problem. Okay, let's think then. If it is not a medical problem, and not the stress of the move (for the moment let's imagine she did not have a "delayed reaction" to the move) then what else changed that might have stressed her out or upset her? What new smells (objects, people, other cat to the vet, other animals, etc) happened just before she began the behavior? > Although I think it cruel to confine my cat, I have decided to try > that, because of all your great suggestions that is the only one I > haven't tried. I have her in a bedroom on the third floor, with a > window, her own litterbox, food & water. So in the meantime I am going > to try to get rid of the smell, so she won't remember to go back to it > when i bring her out. I think this is wise because it will give you a break from the accumulating filth and let you address the stinkiness etc. and feel you are effectively treating it without kitty taking you two steps backward every day. Once the stress of that is off of YOU, you might find that you can recall what it was that happened that changed her world. There isn't anyone there in the house who does not like her, is there? Could there be a cat she sees through the window who makes her want to mark her territory? Any change in the way she is interacting with your older cat? > Thanks again everyone! If there are any more suggestions, i am willing > to try anything! You're a good cat person, and I know how hard this can be. When I had to confine my cat for the same reason, I went to see her a lot and even brought her out to be with me in the living room when I could watch her. But the instant I was not vigilant and left the room, she peed in the old spot. She has not for a while but we still do not allow her in that one room alone, because I am afraid she might. We used Nature's Miracle, vinegar, and Febreze on our rug, after getting as much urine out as possible. Then we rented a steam cleaner from the grocery store, steam cleaned over and over again until the water ran crystal clear, and re-applied the enzyme cleaner (Nature's Miracle) and added Febreze. I can't smell urine any more. > Thank you so much for all your input! I have two cats right now and > three litter boxes Perhaps the cats need more litter boxes in a large house. I once tried to move all the litter boxes down to the basement. Boy, was that a dumb thing to do! The cats got pretty lazy about going downstairs and found other spots to use instead, mostly on various throw rugs. Now I have 5 boxes upstairs and 2 down in the basement and everybody's much happier. Other than that, I think you're on the right track to confine the one cat and get things cleaned up and calmed down. Hello Everyone again! To answer some of your earlier questions....I am really not to sure why she picked those leather sofas. We have other couches in the house? We did go away in July, and we left my cats at my in-laws while we were away....I noticed the urinating shortly after we returned. Perhaps, that is what initiated it all??? So I have my little one confined to a comfortable bedroom. It has been really difficult for all of us, including her, my older cat, and both my husband and I. I have spent much of the day up in the room with her. She seems to be calming down and getting used to the room only now. I have some Feliway sprayed in the room to keep her less anxious. Well, just to report....so far no pee spots on the carpet! There is no real furniture in this room for her to pee on, except a chair that she is sleeping on. And guess what?? She has been peeing in her box! This is great. I am so proud of her! I hope she keeps it up. Gurpreet > Hello Everyone again! > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Gurpreet Make sure you praise her when she uses her litter box. Next time you go away get a pet sitter. It will be less stressful for someone to come in to feed, water, and spend some time with the cats than them having to leave their home while you are away. Taking them to your in-laws may not have anything to do with the present problem but the kitties will be less stressed if they are in familiar surroundings. W > Hello Everyone again! > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > away....I noticed the urinating shortly after we returned. Perhaps, > that is what initiated it all??? It sure might be. How long were you gone? It is really disruptive for cats to be uprooted from their home, especially if their customary humans are absent. > So I have my little one confined to a comfortable bedroom. It has been > really difficult for all of us, including her, my older cat, and both > my husband and I. I have spent much of the day up in the room with her. > She seems to be calming down and getting used to the room only now. I > have some Feliway sprayed in the room to keep her less anxious. Excellent. Just little steps. Gentle down, give yourself some time. She is okay in there. And it is okay not to want to live in filth. I know that sometimes it seems like it is either that or do without the cat, but you are bright and resourceful and have a loving heart, I can tell. You can retrain her. She's a lucky girl. Well, > just to report....so far no pee spots on the carpet! There is no real > furniture in this room for her to pee on, except a chair that she is > sleeping on. And guess what?? She has been peeing in her box! This is > great. I am so proud of her! I hope she keeps it up. This is GREAT! One thing you can count on: they are creatures of habit. Just like us, habit comforts them. So one thing about confining her is that you are retraining her. Reforming the good habits, if you will, while you get the pee out of the couch and rugs. It is a good thing. |
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