I have a one year old cat I have had since he was weaned and he pees everywhere! I have seen other posts from people with similar problems but can't find how to fix it if the problem is behavioral. This is the first cat that I did not get from a shelter and he is the first who has had this problem. He was born on a farm and lived with a lot of other kitties in a barn until I took him so I had to teach him to use the litter box in the first place. He does go in there sometimes but not always so that is why I think it is bahavoiral. He poops sometimes only in one corner but pees on anything - piles of laundry I just took out of the dryer, on any rug or bath mat, in the dryer, towels etc. His behavoir has always been a little more agressive than my other cats (I have two others) like he may nip at you but nothing too bad. He gets along with the other cats ok. He wants to play all the time and they are not always interested but they don't hurt each other.
I have tried a few things like moving the food farther away from the litter boxes and taking the lid off one of the litter boxes (there are three). I took him to the vet when I first got him because he was pooping all over the place and it didn't look good. He was diagnosed with bacterial or parasite in his intestines. He got better and was fine when retested.
Please help me! We are at our wits end! Tonight was the 2nd night this week I realized once we were at someplace that one of my kids was wearing something that had been peed on. I can't live like this anymore. It's not sanitary for my kids and the house reeks.
Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
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ferthompson
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slvrwhispr
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Re: Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
First things first, have you taken him to the vet again to rule out urinary tract problems? This needs to be done immediately as crystals can form and be very painful and potentially even fatal.
Second, is he fixed? If he's not neutered, it might be spraying, not peeing. You could get him neutered, but it's very hard to stop this behavior once it starts.
Three, what about stress? You say this cat is more aggressive than the others. Does he feel safe and secure? Are there places he can go to feel relaxed? Is your home frequently loud or do you have lots of people coming and going? If there is a lot of instability in the home, then he might be reacting to that stress.
Keep us posted.
Second, is he fixed? If he's not neutered, it might be spraying, not peeing. You could get him neutered, but it's very hard to stop this behavior once it starts.
Three, what about stress? You say this cat is more aggressive than the others. Does he feel safe and secure? Are there places he can go to feel relaxed? Is your home frequently loud or do you have lots of people coming and going? If there is a lot of instability in the home, then he might be reacting to that stress.
Keep us posted.
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ferthompson
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Re: Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
Oh I forgot to say that yes he was neutered the day he was old enough. Our house is usually busy because I have three kids but I would not say he is stressed. Right now he is sleeping next to me on the couch. He seems like a pretty relaxed cat usually. I would call him mischievious before I would say stressed.
I kind of broke him from nipping at me by squirting him in the face when he started to bite. I really only had to squirt him once or twice and then just seeing the bottle made him stop so he has the ability to be trained.
I will call the vet tomorrow about gettng tested. I have been telling myself that it can't be a UTI because after a year wouldn't he be near death by now?
I kind of broke him from nipping at me by squirting him in the face when he started to bite. I really only had to squirt him once or twice and then just seeing the bottle made him stop so he has the ability to be trained.
I will call the vet tomorrow about gettng tested. I have been telling myself that it can't be a UTI because after a year wouldn't he be near death by now?
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slvrwhispr
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Re: Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
Maybe, maybe not. Could be small crystals that are still causing him pain. The best thing you can do for him is get him a vet appointment ASAP and tell them everything you told us. They'll give him a good work-up and hopefully give you some answers.
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ferthompson
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Re: Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
OK I'll see what they say. I'll post back with the results and if he is healthy perhaps you can help me retrain him! Thanks.
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slvrwhispr
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Re: Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
No problem. I'm sure someone here will have an idea that will help you if it's not an illness. But please do remember for the future, any time your cat is acting odd, especially for a prolonged period, the vet should be the first call you make. It's the safest option for your kitties.
Re: Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
Vet first, thorough exam and urinalysis.
Do NOT leave piles of clothes around, do NOT leave towels or bath mats lying around, these are prime items for any cat to urinate on, it is instinctual, it's their way of "marking" their territory. Instruct your kids to keep these things put away as well, it's a good way to teach your kids to keep clean rooms, their toys and clothes picked up and put away, etc.
Never keep food/water dishes near litterboxes, they should always be in seperate rooms. Also, don't keep litterboxes near heavy foot traffic, doors, noisy appliances, since cats prefer privacy in their litterboxes.
How many other cats do you have? What are their genders and how old are they?
How old are your kids? Are they taught to treat the cats gently and with respect?
Are all of the cats kept indoors only?
Use enzymatic cleaners to clean areas marked with urine. Most household cleaners don't do the job, and in fact will make matters worse, the cat may not like the scent of a household cleaner and continue marking the area. Enzymatic cleaners are best for pet stains/odors/etc. Something like Petastic, or a safe pet-friendly enzymatic cleaner (with NO citrus or essential oils, please, these are toxic to cats)
Be sure you have provided enough litterboxes for the cats, and in different areas (again, quiet, private areas). Rule of thumb is two per cat, but you could probably get away with one box per cat, as long as you keep them scooped daily, and thoroughly cleaned and rinsed once a week. Don't use ammonia or other strong cleaners to clean the box, use only dishsoap or a solution of diluted bleach and water and thoroughly rinse. Also observe kitty in the box and try to determine if he is unhappy with the litter. Is it scooped daily? Is it clumping or clay or pellet type? (most cats prefer clumping litter), is it too deep in the box? (don't fill the box completely full of litter, use only enough so they can "dig" and bury their waste). Is the litter scented? Most cats prefer unscented. Is the litter too dusty? If so, take a mist bottle and slightly mist the litter on top once or twice a day to keep dust to a minimum, or choose another litter that is less dusty.
UTI's or crystals can be disastrous and fatal if not detected and treated. Please search the forums for more information on UTI's, crystals, blockages, male cats are more susceptible to blockages but that doesn't mean females can't get them as well, they do. Familiarize yourself with common symptoms of a UTI and/or a blockage/crystals: straining in the litterbox, crying out (pain), squatting and trying to urinate, producing only drops at a time or unable to produce at all, producing blood, constant licking of genital region, painful abdomen, frequent trips to the litterbox, nervousness etc, all of which demand IMMEDIATE emergency veterinary attention.
Do you spend quality time with him and all of the cats? Do you encourage playtime sessions so all of them can play in the same space together? Do they have interactive toys? Do they have scratching posts, or a safe kitty tree, and a safe window or two to look out of? Committing to 10 or 15 minutes each day with a playtime session for them can help them to feel more secure around each other and encourage bonding between them.
Do NOT leave piles of clothes around, do NOT leave towels or bath mats lying around, these are prime items for any cat to urinate on, it is instinctual, it's their way of "marking" their territory. Instruct your kids to keep these things put away as well, it's a good way to teach your kids to keep clean rooms, their toys and clothes picked up and put away, etc.
Never keep food/water dishes near litterboxes, they should always be in seperate rooms. Also, don't keep litterboxes near heavy foot traffic, doors, noisy appliances, since cats prefer privacy in their litterboxes.
How many other cats do you have? What are their genders and how old are they?
How old are your kids? Are they taught to treat the cats gently and with respect?
Are all of the cats kept indoors only?
Use enzymatic cleaners to clean areas marked with urine. Most household cleaners don't do the job, and in fact will make matters worse, the cat may not like the scent of a household cleaner and continue marking the area. Enzymatic cleaners are best for pet stains/odors/etc. Something like Petastic, or a safe pet-friendly enzymatic cleaner (with NO citrus or essential oils, please, these are toxic to cats)
Be sure you have provided enough litterboxes for the cats, and in different areas (again, quiet, private areas). Rule of thumb is two per cat, but you could probably get away with one box per cat, as long as you keep them scooped daily, and thoroughly cleaned and rinsed once a week. Don't use ammonia or other strong cleaners to clean the box, use only dishsoap or a solution of diluted bleach and water and thoroughly rinse. Also observe kitty in the box and try to determine if he is unhappy with the litter. Is it scooped daily? Is it clumping or clay or pellet type? (most cats prefer clumping litter), is it too deep in the box? (don't fill the box completely full of litter, use only enough so they can "dig" and bury their waste). Is the litter scented? Most cats prefer unscented. Is the litter too dusty? If so, take a mist bottle and slightly mist the litter on top once or twice a day to keep dust to a minimum, or choose another litter that is less dusty.
UTI's or crystals can be disastrous and fatal if not detected and treated. Please search the forums for more information on UTI's, crystals, blockages, male cats are more susceptible to blockages but that doesn't mean females can't get them as well, they do. Familiarize yourself with common symptoms of a UTI and/or a blockage/crystals: straining in the litterbox, crying out (pain), squatting and trying to urinate, producing only drops at a time or unable to produce at all, producing blood, constant licking of genital region, painful abdomen, frequent trips to the litterbox, nervousness etc, all of which demand IMMEDIATE emergency veterinary attention.
Do you spend quality time with him and all of the cats? Do you encourage playtime sessions so all of them can play in the same space together? Do they have interactive toys? Do they have scratching posts, or a safe kitty tree, and a safe window or two to look out of? Committing to 10 or 15 minutes each day with a playtime session for them can help them to feel more secure around each other and encourage bonding between them.
..........Traci
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ferthompson
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:18 am
Re: Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
The part about not leaving piles of clothes around is a big issue. We are not such a neat family and I do what I can but it still happens.
I did move the food farther away from the litter boxes and that didn't work. I have the little boxes in the corner of the laundry room so it doesn't get a lot of traffic. I have three boxes for three kitties. One with no lid. I was usng regular Tidy cat but swiitched to Fresh Step clumping thinkng maybe he didn't like the other kind. I am not great about scooping every day. I usually do it every 2-3 days but I don't notice his problem any more on clean litter box days than not.
I have three cats total: PigPen (the problem cat) is a boy who was 1 in June, I have Lucy, a girl, who was 1 in Oct and Schroeder, a boy cat who is 8. I think my kids are good with the cats. There has never been a time their lives where we didn't have cats. I have always been good about making sure they don't love them too much. That's about the only thing they would be guilty of. Lucy is the first girl cat I have ever had so up to now I have never had a cat that had this problem. They are all strictly indoor cats. The kids do more of the playing with the kitties. They get the mouse pole out or plastic Easter eggs and Pigpen is the one who loves those the most. Schroeder stays out of the play time but Lucy and Pigpen like it. My ritual is that he sleeps next to me on the couch every evening and I pet him. They have two scratching posts that they don't always use. They have a lot of windows to look at. Everyone has their spot at certain windows that they look out.
I think I answered all your questions.
I did move the food farther away from the litter boxes and that didn't work. I have the little boxes in the corner of the laundry room so it doesn't get a lot of traffic. I have three boxes for three kitties. One with no lid. I was usng regular Tidy cat but swiitched to Fresh Step clumping thinkng maybe he didn't like the other kind. I am not great about scooping every day. I usually do it every 2-3 days but I don't notice his problem any more on clean litter box days than not.
I have three cats total: PigPen (the problem cat) is a boy who was 1 in June, I have Lucy, a girl, who was 1 in Oct and Schroeder, a boy cat who is 8. I think my kids are good with the cats. There has never been a time their lives where we didn't have cats. I have always been good about making sure they don't love them too much. That's about the only thing they would be guilty of. Lucy is the first girl cat I have ever had so up to now I have never had a cat that had this problem. They are all strictly indoor cats. The kids do more of the playing with the kitties. They get the mouse pole out or plastic Easter eggs and Pigpen is the one who loves those the most. Schroeder stays out of the play time but Lucy and Pigpen like it. My ritual is that he sleeps next to me on the couch every evening and I pet him. They have two scratching posts that they don't always use. They have a lot of windows to look at. Everyone has their spot at certain windows that they look out.
I think I answered all your questions.
Re: Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
Well, let me point out what you said yourself:
Picking up towels, bath rugs, piles of clothes and keeping them out of sight, out of reach to the cats is easy to do. You just do it, and you ask your kids to just do it, if you and they want clean items, then you just do it. You make it routine, just as much as when you flush the toilet, since you know that flusing the toilet is sanitary. If the kids are at least 6 years old, then they're old enough to do this and be responsible, just as they are old enough and responsible for keeping their beds made, their rooms clean, etc. Not trying to tell you how to be a parent, but if you want the marking problem resolved, you have to commit to the solution. And you have to be consistent with the task.
The same applies to the litterboxes and keeping them clean. Cats appreciate a clean litterbox as much as or even moreso than you prefer a clean toilet. If you're going to own cats, you MUST make it a routine to scoop DAILY, and to thoroughly clean and rinse the boxes WEEKLY. Urine turns into ammonia fast, and the cats truly do not like using an unclean litterbox, therefore they WILL let you know, by urinating/marking personal items or those they know you use (the towels, the rugs, the piles of clothes). Keeping the litterboxes scooped daily, free from waste and urine ammonia, and being consistent about it will hopefully encourage them to use the boxes faithfully.
Again, by keeping the litterboxes by heavy, noisy appliances, it is not helping the matter. Litterboxes must be in quiet, private areas, or most cats will avoid them, and WILL, just as stated above, get your attention to their dismay be marking or inappropriate elimination.
Just these three issues alone are enough for any cat to exhibit inappropriate elimination, but there could be undue other stresses in the environment as well. Such a busy household for example, can be stressful for a cat, and cats cannot handle stress like humans can, they need us to be observant to their needs and to be consistent in providing for their comfort and security and happiness. Again, devoting special playtime sessions with them, equal love and attention, making them feel part of the family (not just the kids, but YOUR involvement too) helps them to feel more happy, adjusted and secure in their environment.
It's not sanitary for him or your other cats either.ferthompson wrote:I can't live like this anymore. It's not sanitary for my kids and the house reeks.
Picking up towels, bath rugs, piles of clothes and keeping them out of sight, out of reach to the cats is easy to do. You just do it, and you ask your kids to just do it, if you and they want clean items, then you just do it. You make it routine, just as much as when you flush the toilet, since you know that flusing the toilet is sanitary. If the kids are at least 6 years old, then they're old enough to do this and be responsible, just as they are old enough and responsible for keeping their beds made, their rooms clean, etc. Not trying to tell you how to be a parent, but if you want the marking problem resolved, you have to commit to the solution. And you have to be consistent with the task.
The same applies to the litterboxes and keeping them clean. Cats appreciate a clean litterbox as much as or even moreso than you prefer a clean toilet. If you're going to own cats, you MUST make it a routine to scoop DAILY, and to thoroughly clean and rinse the boxes WEEKLY. Urine turns into ammonia fast, and the cats truly do not like using an unclean litterbox, therefore they WILL let you know, by urinating/marking personal items or those they know you use (the towels, the rugs, the piles of clothes). Keeping the litterboxes scooped daily, free from waste and urine ammonia, and being consistent about it will hopefully encourage them to use the boxes faithfully.
Again, by keeping the litterboxes by heavy, noisy appliances, it is not helping the matter. Litterboxes must be in quiet, private areas, or most cats will avoid them, and WILL, just as stated above, get your attention to their dismay be marking or inappropriate elimination.
Just these three issues alone are enough for any cat to exhibit inappropriate elimination, but there could be undue other stresses in the environment as well. Such a busy household for example, can be stressful for a cat, and cats cannot handle stress like humans can, they need us to be observant to their needs and to be consistent in providing for their comfort and security and happiness. Again, devoting special playtime sessions with them, equal love and attention, making them feel part of the family (not just the kids, but YOUR involvement too) helps them to feel more happy, adjusted and secure in their environment.
..........Traci
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ferthompson
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:18 am
Re: Cat Peeing everywhere!! how to fix behavior
I appreciate your suggestions but maybe you should steer clear of giving people parenting advice. My kids are not over the age of 6 and whether they can make their bed is not even relevant. I asked for advice not judgement so maybe you should get off your high horse. While I was looking for support from this community I obviously came to the wrong place. I will not be back for any more "advice".