Cat pee problem - at my wits' end!

squidsin

squidsin

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Feb 16, 2013
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I inherited my sister's cat when she divorced - her new landlord didn't let her have pets and three years on I still have the cat! She's slways been a bit weird with weeing on plastic bags - you can't leave them anywhere or she'll pee on them - but now she's stepped it up and pees everywhere. On the beds, on the carpets - anywhere soft. It's a nightmare! My bedroom still smells even though she is now banned from here and I've shampooed the carpet three times! She's got worse since we got the new puppy six weeks ago, as she won't go downstairs - she's got a dirtbox upstairs but only uses it for poos. Wees she just does anywhere! I'm increasingly thinking I'm going to have to re-home her as she's driving my husband mad - me too actually. But I hate giving up on a per and who'd want a piss cat anyway! My sister doesn't want her back - was glad to see the back of her really! Anyone has this before and - short of getting rid of new dog - how can I stop her weeing all over the damn place? She's literally just pissed on my son's pillow. Arrrrgh!
 
Has she been spayed?
Could also be stress, leaving your sister and then the new puppy arriving.
Cats hate anything citrusy so try lemon/ orange room spray everywhere EXCEPT where her litter tray is.
 
Is she spayed? Could be scent marking if not. Did she used to do this at your sisters place? I'd probably start off by taking her for a check at the vet in case there's something wrong.

Then perhaps try keeping her in a confined area with her litter tray and remove soft furnishings/ plastic bags. Maybe in the bathroom? Put a plastic bag or something soft in her litter box, which I know sounds disgusting but it might encourage her to go in there.

Maybe over time she will get used to using the litter tray. Or think about installing a cat flap so she can go outside freely and go to toilet out there.
 
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She has a cat flap! She goes out but still pees in the house! I'll take her to the vet to be sure but I suspect this is a behavioural not a physical issue - she just had her annual checkup and I didn't think to mention this! Argh again!
 
First port of call is the vet for a quick check up as you've already said, if she's ok physically you could try @Ale suggestion, try felliway plug in and spray too, if it's stress related they are really good at calming them down. They also hate anything menthol smelling so you could put eucalyptus oil on anything you don't want her to pee on, downside there is she might feel even more stressed and not come in the house at all. Poor puss cat.
 
No idea on stopping her but vinegar breaks down the enzymes that cause the smell and are so hard to wash out, I found a liberal application of white vinegar left to soak for a few hours and then washed out and dried with a towel and heavy weight on top lifted stink patches from carpet which several steam cleans hadn't touched.
 
Poor you that sounds like a nightmare, the Felway plug ins are good for stressed cats. How old is she? Other options, rehome her as a farm cat that way she's outdoor she's the seeing wouldn't be a issue xx
 
She is 8 and she is very much an indoor cat. Both my cats are, through their own choice! I'll try the Feliway. I've done a bit of research and it seems that dry cat food can cause urinary problems - I switched to dry food a couple of months ago as (annoyingly!) my other cat is intolerant of wet food! And since then Tilly (piss cat!) has been drinking loads more and weeing everywhere. So it could be that. I'm going to head into Pets R Us and get a Feliway and some special food for cats with urinary issues.
 
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Oh bless you, hopefully it will be resolved soon, our old cat will only use the cat litter that looks with hailstone, maybe worth a try . Good luck. xx
 
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No advice, just sympathy for the wee part! I will ask my mum if she has any ideas - she's had many problem / interesting cats over the years so she might be able to offer advice.
 
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oh i sympathise, when we moved here we inherited a lovely cat but similar issues. Im just couldnt put up with that so he lives outside now - he has access to all the outbuildings including my tack room. Our own cat that we brought with us has always been a stables cat. It took about 6 weeks but they made friends and have settled. He has a cosy spot with his bed. We’ll keep an eye in winter if its really cold they’ll get access into the utility room but they aint coming in the house.
 
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ps we did 2 lots of steamcleaning, carpet shampooers etc and couldnt get rid of the smell. We ended up having to ditch our bedroom carpet and spraying the floors with a mix of bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar. Ive heard something called Urinoff (sp?) is good, you can get it on amazon)
 
CharliesAngel said:
ps we did 2 lots of steamcleaning, carpet shampooers etc and couldnt get rid of the smell. We ended up having to ditch our bedroom carpet and spraying the floors with a mix of bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar. Ive heard something called Urinoff (sp?) is good, you can get it on amazon)
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Oh THANK YOU! The most depressing thing is having to sleep in a room that smells faintly of cat piss! Washing/shampooing the carpet just seems to activate the smell even more!
 
squidsin said:
Oh THANK YOU! The most depressing thing is having to sleep in a room that smells faintly of cat piss! Washing/shampooing the carpet just seems to activate the smell even more!
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my husband was refusing to sleep in a stinky bedroom anymore, he was threatening Travel Lodge so up the carpet came. It was ingrained in the floor boards too and yuk yuk the underlay was gross.
 
I have a similar problem with a house cat,taken on as a nervous rescue and totally agrophobic. She uses litter tray normally but in panic poos anywhere. I use a Bexbissel shampooer with their animal shampoo plus an anticat spray from Pets at Home. Some areas she commonly has accidents in I now put down washable mats on top of the carpet so they can be thrown in the washing machine.
 
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Being honest she would be an outdoor cat with me. My cat started doing this, was fine up until he was about 9, though he had a UTi nope nothing clean bill of health so I'm afraid between this and trying to kill the leather sofa and the hard wood interiors is was either or in the shed with a 12 hr heat pad in winter or the jag.

Dad made a little cat house for them in the shed and it had two beds ( one cat was basically an outdoor cat except to sleep) was insulated and had a rubber front door and they had a cat door on the shed. Were out there for years before he passed.
 
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