My cat has stopped using his litter box for peeing. He still uses it to poo but not pee. We got him about 2 weeks ago from the humane society and they said he is about a year old. The first day we got him, he did use the litter box for pee and poop, but then starting peeing by the front door when we are not home and at night. He also pees in the bathtub, the kitchen sink and the dish drainer. Is he mistaking these places for a litter box? They kind of resemble a litter box. If so, how do I teach him that they are not a litter box.
His pee has a very stong smell and we are afraid that we smell like cat pee when we are out. Also, he gets pee all over his paws and gets all over everything he walks on.
He lived at the humane society for over two weeks and they had no problems with him, he always went to the litter box and was in a room with four other males.
We just got him neutered yesterday, hopefully this will help. I read all the other posts and I realize I need to get him checked for a UTI. I will bring him to the vet ASAP.
Are there any products we can use to help get the smell out of the carpet couch etc. Any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Leona
Peeing in strange places.
You are correct, hopefully the neutering will curb the spraying behavior.
However, now you must focus on cleaning and neutralizing the scents in places he has marked. Most of us use Nature's Miracle, there is also a new Woolite product out called Oxy Deep, good for stains on carpet. Enzymatic cleaners like Nature's Miracle or Simple Green will help neutralize the scent and will help prevent kitty from marking in the same areas again.
I would also suggest providing another small litterbox in another location, this will help entice him to use the box. Some kitties prefer two boxes anyway, one for urine, one for feces.
It is probably the stress of confinement (two weeks at humane society)and the introduction into a new home that is causing him to spray and mark. Since he wasn't nuetered, that probably played a part in it as well, since intact males like to mark their territory constantly.
He didn't have spraying/marking behavior at the humane society because he was confined in a small area with only a food/water dish and small litterbox....cats in an environment like that will rarely have accidents, they need close quarters clean on a constant basis. Now that he no longer is confined to a small area, he feels free to spray and mark, but the neutering should in fact, help curb that behavior now. (as well as special attention paid to cleaning)
If by chance the spraying continues once you've added another litterbox and even if he's accustomed to his new home, you will want to get him evaluated by your vet to ensure that a urinary tract infection or obstruction is not a health issue. Signs to watch for include straining in the litterbox or squatting in unusual places, only able to produce tiny amounts of urine at a time, crying out, painful abdomen, fever, lethargy,......in which case, see an ER vet immediately.
However, now you must focus on cleaning and neutralizing the scents in places he has marked. Most of us use Nature's Miracle, there is also a new Woolite product out called Oxy Deep, good for stains on carpet. Enzymatic cleaners like Nature's Miracle or Simple Green will help neutralize the scent and will help prevent kitty from marking in the same areas again.
I would also suggest providing another small litterbox in another location, this will help entice him to use the box. Some kitties prefer two boxes anyway, one for urine, one for feces.
It is probably the stress of confinement (two weeks at humane society)and the introduction into a new home that is causing him to spray and mark. Since he wasn't nuetered, that probably played a part in it as well, since intact males like to mark their territory constantly.
He didn't have spraying/marking behavior at the humane society because he was confined in a small area with only a food/water dish and small litterbox....cats in an environment like that will rarely have accidents, they need close quarters clean on a constant basis. Now that he no longer is confined to a small area, he feels free to spray and mark, but the neutering should in fact, help curb that behavior now. (as well as special attention paid to cleaning)
If by chance the spraying continues once you've added another litterbox and even if he's accustomed to his new home, you will want to get him evaluated by your vet to ensure that a urinary tract infection or obstruction is not a health issue. Signs to watch for include straining in the litterbox or squatting in unusual places, only able to produce tiny amounts of urine at a time, crying out, painful abdomen, fever, lethargy,......in which case, see an ER vet immediately.
..........Traci
Re: Peeing in strange places.
I put a new litter box close to the kitchen and it seems to be working! He uses both but the new litter box is closer to where he spends most of his time.
Thanks for your help,
Leona
Thanks for your help,
Leona