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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / September 2004Cats vs. new furniture
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can have a new couch and of course keep my kitty who has a leaky bladder. Little guy was in an accident a few years back and has lost complete control of his bladder. He goes in his litter box but also goes wherever. He will piddle wherever he may be sitting, including sofa. I had to get rid of one soft even though I 'tried' to cover it with plastic covers. I hate the look of plastic on the furniture but I suppose there really is no other alternative. I'm not interested in diapering him. I doubt I can train him not to go on the sofa. Even if I go out and buy a used sofa again, I don't want that one to get ruined like the last one. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks. > Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can have a new couch and of course > keep my kitty who has a leaky bladder. Little guy was in an accident a few [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > sofa again, I don't want that one to get ruined like the last one. Any > suggestions would be welcome. Thanks. If you won't diaper him and you don't think you can train him not to go on the sofa, your only alternative is to slipcover the sofa. I persoanlly would diaper him. Honestly, is this the only place you don't want cat pee? >> Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can have a new couch and of >course [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >would >diaper him. Honestly, is this the only place you don't want cat pee? if that's the only place that the poster doesn't want the kitty to pee, will Feliway help? how about citrus scented air-freshners and things like carpet sprays? is that something a vet can help with? -L Of course I don't like my kitty peeing anywhere other than in his litter box but unfortunately I don't have that luxury since his accident. Most other areas that he loses control can easily be cleaned up but the sofa can be a large, costly item that absorbs urine and is harder to get out than other things. I thought of a leather sofa but then the other cat has claws and I don't believe in declawing. > Of course I don't like my kitty peeing anywhere other than in his litter box > but unfortunately I don't have that luxury since his accident. Most other > areas that he loses control can easily be cleaned up but the sofa can be a > large, costly item that absorbs urine and is harder to get out than other > things. I thought of a leather sofa but then the other cat has claws and I > don't believe in declawing. I have heard others say they have leather upholstery and their cats don't bother it. If you have a good scratching post or something your cat likes to scratch I don't think the leather should be irresistible. W >> Of course I don't like my kitty peeing anywhere other than in his litter > box [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > W i have leather furniture and it doesn't matter if the cat doesn't claw at it (mine dont). they launch themselves off of it and jump up onto it and over the years while their claws haven't pierced the leather, it has certainly covered almost every area with scratches. "Rob" <rob@nospam.com> wrote : > i have leather furniture and it doesn't matter if the cat doesn't claw at it > (mine dont). they launch themselves off of it and jump up onto it > and over the years while their claws haven't pierced the leather, it has > certainly covered almost every area with scratches. That "distressed" look is all the rage! > i have leather furniture and it doesn't matter if the cat doesn't claw at it > (mine dont). they launch themselves off of it and jump up onto it > and over the years while their claws haven't pierced the leather, it has > certainly covered almost every area with scratches. Same here. Mingy doesn't deliberately claw the leather furniture, but it is pretty scratched. I just figure he's more important than the furniture.  SignatureJean B. >i have leather furniture and it doesn't matter if the cat doesn't claw at it >(mine dont). they launch themselves off of it and jump up onto it >and over the years while their claws haven't pierced the leather, it has >certainly covered almost every area with scratches. You could get it re-dyed, maybe even do it yourself. I used to restore old sports cars as a hobby and I brought back some pretty bad seats that way. -mhd > >> Of course I don't like my kitty peeing anywhere other than in his litter > > box [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > and over the years while their claws haven't pierced the leather, it has > certainly covered almost every area with scratches. I would think clipping the hind claws or using softpaws could go along way to preserving the leather. W > I would think clipping the hind claws or using softpaws could go along way > to preserving the leather. > > W not as far as you might think. with 3 monsters (4 after this evening when we pick up a 12 week old) over the years, you can do whatever you want, unless you want to declaw them front and back or ban them from the room, forget the leather furniture. redying would probably help but I don't know that it would make it look unscratched. we keep all of their claws trimmed (they like to launch off laps too). Hey guys, The original poster isn't worrying about a few claw marks. His cat is peeing up the furniture! I suggested outdoor furniture. Some of it is pretty homey looking. -- Barb Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time. > Hey guys, > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Of course I don't look busy, > I did it right the first time. yeah, we know, we just got side tracked :). your idea is probably the best so far. >The original poster isn't worrying about a few claw marks. His cat is >peeing up the furniture! I suggested outdoor furniture. Some of it is >pretty homey looking. > >-- >Barb They're making furniture slipcovers lots nicer look than they used to, also. That might help with a rubber sheet (the kind for kids that pee in the bed) underneath. Just a temporary fix. I get a catalogue from a company called "Slipcovers by Mail" Sherry >Of course I don't like my kitty peeing anywhere other than in his litter box >but unfortunately I don't have that luxury since his accident. Most other >areas that he loses control can easily be cleaned up but the sofa can be a >large, costly item that absorbs urine and is harder to get out than other >things. I thought of a leather sofa but then the other cat has claws and I >don't believe in declawing. I was shopping for a couch and one of the salesmen (a cat owner it turns out) says that leather and micro fiber (imitation leather by what I can tell) are two of the best couches to have with cats. Not only are they much tougher than other materials, they are reasonably easy to fix if there are significant scratches. Also, cats seem to avoid scratching them. So, I have no first hand knowledge of this, but I do know that my cats have savaged one old cloth chair beyond any hope of recovery. Or, perhaps only re-covering will fix it. I never really cared because it is old and upstairs in the computer room anyway and mostly serves to hold books and cats. Does anyone have experience for or against leather furniture? I thought about getting an outdoor type of wicker sofa but of course then the worry of kitty peeing on the fabric cushions and one of my cats love to dig her claws into my other wicker stuff.. Oh well...the joys and woes of cat ownership, eh? The leather might be the best route although when kitty sits on top of sofa back or on cushion urine will probably seep down under the cushions which is usually almost always fabric. I suppose no matter what way I choose to go there will be accidents since the little guy has this loss of control problem. I can live with it. I just prefer having a smelly-free, stain-free sofa in my living environment, but of course kitty is very important to me. Thanks for the input. <snip worries about protecting furniture from cat pee> Why don't you go to Walmart and buy a couple of waterproof mattress covers (different from the fitted pads and are just one flat piece.) They sell them where the pillow covers are. They are twin size, washable, can be cut into smaller pieces if necessary, and are made of plastic on one side attached to a soft felt-like fabric. I think they cost around $8. You could buy some inexpensive cotton fabric and make covers for them that go with the furniture, place them over the areas you want to protect, then just throw one in the wash when it gets soiled and put a clean one on. If you want a more cushy pad just buy a king-size waterproof mattress pad and cut it into the size pieces you need. If this works to protect your old furniture, you should be able to feel confident that it will work for any new items. Megan Signature"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray ... I suppose no matter what way I choose > to go there will be accidents since the little guy has this loss of control > problem. I can live with it. I just prefer having a smelly-free, stain-free > sofa in my living environment, but of course kitty is very important to me. > Thanks for the input. Try an Internet search for piddlepants or piddle pants. They are for animals with no control of their urination. They were reviewed a couple of years ago in "Catnip," a publication of Tufts University Vet School. Annie In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.health+behav", "Annie Wxill" <Annie_Wxill@hotmail.com> artfully composed this message within <news:ch5d3l$vc8$1@newsreader.mailgate.org> on 01 Sep 2004: > Try an Internet search for piddlepants or piddle pants. I just saw those in a catalog and it was a new one on me! This company sells them, and I like dealing with this place due to a return I made and they even refunded my shipping charge, and the return was due to Shadow passing away and it was something for him. They even sent me a nice sympathy card. www.carealotpets.com SignatureCheryl > Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can have a new couch and of course > keep my kitty who has a leaky bladder. Little guy was in an accident a few [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > sofa again, I don't want that one to get ruined like the last one. Any > suggestions would be welcome. Thanks. I would suggest that you get some of the washable waterproof pads used for people who are incontinent. I bought some for my mother when I was her caretaker and would place them on the bed under her sheets. In your case, you could spread themon your sofa and then place a nice afghan or blanket on top of the pads. MaryL >Any >suggestions would be welcome. I get paralyzed squirrels. They have no bladder or bowel control. I express their bladder three times a day onto paper towels generally right after meals. I also express their bowels with massage and stimulation, not digital manipulation. They regain control eventually. I don't want you to think I make squirrels live this way. How about expressing his bladder before you let him up on the couch at night? Press gently but firmly above the bladder in downward strokes. They will pee. Your vet can show you. >>Any >>suggestions would be welcome. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >on the couch at night? Press gently but firmly above the bladder in downward >strokes. They will pee. Your vet can show you. That is a really good suggestion. But I'm curious. How many paralyzed squirrels are there? How do they get paralyzed? You seem like a wonderful person, my kind, actually. This situation calls for an extraordinary measure, not the plushest maybe, but one which should work. How about going to Harrows or one of the other outdoor furniture stores. They sell beautiful stuff and some of the sofas actually look like indoor furniture. A regular sofa will have some urine seeping under the cushions and you don't want that. -- Barb Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time. |
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