yoi! double yoi! what am I gonna do with this cat?

 

It will be a year in June since we first got our little 8 week old kittens. One Male (Snape) and one Female (Katie)

Almost from the get go it was trouble. They both had fleas, then Katie got worms, Snape had mites... then he had a yeast infection in his ears. It was a rocking beginning. After using "Revolution" to rid them of mites and fleas, a friend of mine helped me out with some medicine for the worms and infection.. at minimum cost to me. I mean I knew getting two cats at once would lead to double vet bills, I just wasn't prepared for so many problems all at once.

We made it through all those problems with minor expenses but soon it would be time to get them fixed. We hit a financial rough spot and after a $125 vet bill just getting ONE cat up to date with shots and such, didn't leave us with enough to get them taken care of. They were both still quite young, and always indoors, so we wern't too concerned just YET about getting them altered.

Well soon after that I noticed a terrible smell in the back of the hallway by our bedroom. One day I peeked down the hall to find Snape squatting an peeing on the carpet. I tried everything I've read online to get his to stop, citrus sents, vinegar. AT one point I put 2 baby gates on top of eachother at the beginning of the hall way, but my 5.5 foot wall was nothing they couldn't get over.  I tried punishing him, ignoring it, giving him extra lovings... nothing would make him stop. After reading some more, and speaking to my vet I was told they was almost a 100% chance he'd stop if I got him fixed right away.

It's been a few months now since I've had him fixed and it's STILL almost a daily thing for him to piss in practically the same spot every day . Granted with him being altered it doesn't smell nearly as bad, and it's not in the most high traffic area, but nothing suck worse then starting my day by stepping out of my room into a nice puddle in the carpet... or ever worse, not realizing it's there... leaving for the day only to find out i stepped in it and now my shoes have a nice "freshly pissed in" sent.

I'm tired of buying cleaners, I'm tired of scrubbing on my hands and knees daily, or spending a good 30 minutes or more setting up and using my rug scrubber only to have it undone before the day is out.

Here's the catch. I think my cat is a crazy stalker. He is the most lovable, affectionate cat.. he really is my lil sidekick. He's so patient with my 2 yr old and take crap from my 2 older boys. he really is the perfect cat EXCEPT for his puddles!

I seriously think it's some kind of obsession with me, or separation anxiety. I rarely catch him in the act anymore while i'm home during the day, but as soon as I leave for more that 10 minutes (he'll sit int he window and WATCH me to see if I'm leaving) Or when I go to bed at night and shut the door (wife has allergies so they can;t be in our room on the bed) or hell even if I close the door in my lil one's room to rock him for a nap... HE STRIKES!

He really likes the garage and goes out there during the day. So last night I put for and water and made him a bed out there, left him out there fo rthe night. Today, I took the lil one for a walk for an hour, so I put him out then also. Came home let him in. Lil one got cranky so I took him back for his nap... BAM came out to cat piss on the carpet.

Am I destined to have to deal with this forever? I don't really think I have it in me. I'm not sure I can afford to keep taking him to the vets for this, or keeping him medicated..... is it time to say "bye bye kitty?"

Thanks to everyone that read through this monstrosity of a post, and thank you in advance for your advice.

 

Mike

My suggestion is to get new carpet.  When we moved into our house, the people before us had a dog that peed all over the carpet right by the back door.  They apparently had cleaned it up so you couldn't see any stains, but it seeps down into the pad and the smell doesn't go away (at least to animals).  Our cats picked up on this and peed in the same spots.  We recently got new carpet, pad, the whole works, and don't have this problem anymore.  I think as much as you use cleaners, they can still smell it and that is why they come back to the same place.

Hope this helps a little.

Yanno I though of that. Because the last people here had a huge ass dog, and I thought that back hallway smelled a bit off when we moved in. I had forgotten all about that theory. The only problem with that is, 1. It's a rental and I really don't want to replace carpet in a house I don't own 2. I'd hate to replace (even tho I might be able to get away with just doing like half the hallway) only to have him continue and have to either replace it again when I move, or had it professionally cleaned when I move.

It might come to replacement tho, thanks for re-triggering that idea.

Have you tried laying foil down in that spot?

We have a cat and used to have a carpetted apartment that didn't agree with eachother.  The only thing that kept her from going potty in one corner of the carpet all the time was keeping her litter box in perfect condition (she's an obnoxious little princess that I'm waiting to die so she's no longer a problem, yes I know that's mean) and to keep foil on the floor in that corner.

We tried going to pet stores to get carpet cleaning things, and Natures Miracle did a great job at getting the smell out, but she'd still go to the bathroom in that one corner.

Try putting cut open garbage sack over the spot. Perhaps if it doesn't feel right under his feet, or he gets pee on his toes, he won't be so prone to peeing there. Perhaps you can break his habit that way? I dunno, it's not like cats to suffer from separation anxiety in my experience, although it is entirely possible that I might be wrong. Good luck to you.

If your house is a big large, the litter box might be too far away.  Or maybe it's just "out of sight, out of mind".  Get a second box.

We had this problem.  Unfortunately I didn't discover it for a couple of weeks.  I kept walking past an area that had a faint, odd odor, but I couldn't pinpoint its location.  Then I stuck my head into the TV cubby area, and WHAM!  The smell just about knocked me out.  There was at least a couple of weeks worth of, well, everything. 

We got a second litter box, and the problem stopped immediately.

I've heard the foil works. I have to put foil around a couple of my big potted plants or one of the cats will get in there and do his business. Cats don't like the look, feel or sound of foil.

I've also heard that cayenne pepper works. You might try sprinkling the cayenne pepper generously over his favorite spots. Supposedly the cat or dog sniffs the area, gets the pepper smell in his nose and doesn't like it.

Also do some internet searches for pet behavior problems. There are probably many good ideas out there.

Good Luck!

Personally, I love kitties.  But, if I cannot get one to quit pottying in the wrong places I would have to get rid of it.  The smell of cat pee makes me nauseous.  As a matter of fact, the bastards that live outside my office decided to pee around it so now my office smells like kitty pee.  I don't think I have ever used so much febreze and Lysol in my entire life.  The only cat I ever had that had another spot other than his litter box, peed in the bathtub.  That, I can deal with.  Just turn the shower on and voila! its gone!  But, it sounds like your problem is much more cumbersome.  Sorry I have no wham! bam! and its fixed ideas.  I hope you find something.

i have three cats and one of them (female) loved peeing AND pooping in the stairwell. after getting the carpet cleaned and "treated" professionally at least three times (and using all of those repellants people talk about) we finally replaced the carpet/pad and covered the whole landing area with plastic mats. we also added more litter boxes...you need at least one per cat.

since then we haven't had any problems....that is to say no problems other than them destroying our furniture, barfing hairballs everywhere, and breaking all dishes in sight.

the joys!

I came, drawn by the Myron Cope, and stayed to agree with the people suggesting a second litter box.  I'd probably end up putting a litter box over the spot where Kitty seems wont to go anyway.

Good luck - cats can be tough when they get ornery.  I had a heckuva time getting one of mine to stop eating so much plastic :(

Thanks for everyone replying!

I never heard of the foil idea. I have thought of a second litter box. In fact I thought maybe the hooded box I had was getting a bit cramped for Snape, who is now twice the size of Katie. I bought a huge box, and he does still do his busines sin there usually. My house is pretty small and all one level, where he pees is maybe 20 feet from his box.

I've found quite a few products that do get the smell out, but they don't stop him from doing it again. Even the cheaper stuff that works is still runnign about 6 bucks a bottle and I go thru about one a week.

I Don't know if I can do the foil, or the pepper.. or really anything else on the floor there with a 2 year old running around the house all day. I did once however layer a bunch of old throw rugs in his spot thinking at least I could just throw them in the washer and not have to scrub carpet. Lil prick just worked n worked n either turned over or pulled them all away and did his business.

I've heard of the behavior problems before, and that sometimes the cat is put on a "kitty prozac" to help them from stressing. I just don't think it's worth it really ..

i've read that you should have one more litterbox than the number of cats you have.  try adding at least a second litterbox and i agree with the poster who said to put it in the spot kitty likes to go anyway.  i had to retrain a kitten to use the litterbox by watching for him sniffing around and then scooping him up and putting him in the bathroom with his litterbox and closing the door (with me inside with him) until he used the litterbox.  then a treat or two and a "good kitty!!" and lots of petting and i would let him out.  he eventually realized that going in the box got him better treatment than going on the floor!

if he's home alone during the day, you may have to confine him to one room with a litterbox in one corner, food and water in the other.  he will learn but it does take some time and patience.  and big positive reinforcements to kitty for even the smallest step in the right direction!  good luck!

R.I.P Myron Cope ;O(

 

I still have the old hooded box, maybe I could try putting it at the end of the hallway where he goes. Being that it is hooded It might keep little one out of it. My thought it tho, would the box have to be in the EXACT spot where he goes? SOme times its closer to the back of the corner of the hall, most times it a foot further up... smack dab in the entrance to my bedroom.

He also seems to like to use the box I have in the garage for him, and I try to let him out there as much as possible.

Some things to consider ....

• New carpeting for that area (or tile or wood floors)
• Have the carpets steam cleaned, then put a rug over the spot.
• Foil. Also, mothballs secured in a cat-proof bag. (where he can't eat them)
• When you do clean the spot, use an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle. Get a black light to make sure you get it all.
• From the pet store (or online from Drs. Foster/Smith) buy "Feliway" ... it's a plug-in, cat-calming scent thingamabob.
• Brand new cats boxes, kept as clean as possible. Bigger if necessary. More if necessary.
• You might also (as weird as it sounds) putting a rug and then a cat box over "the" spot he keeps peeing in.
• (less desirable) keeping cat in just one room unless supervised
• (less desirable) keeping cat in garage unless supervised
• (last resort) making him an outside/garage kitty cat

NOTE:  Before a behavioral diagnosis is made, the regular veterinarian must rule out possible medical problems that might be causing the cat’s spraying behavior, such as urinary tract and metabolic diseases. Blood tests, a urinalysis, and other diagnostic procedures may be ordered.  Castration stops or greatly reduces urine marking in 87 percent of intact males that spray. Generally, cats will cease spraying within two weeks after undergoing this procedure; however, improvement may not occur for up to six months in some cats. The use of medication such as Valium or Buspar along with environmental and behavioral controls results in a 75 percent reduction of spraying in most cats.

MOLLY

I was also thinking that replacing the carpet would be your best bet, though I see that may be a challenge for you being in an apartment and all.

As a male he's going by scent, and its likely that nothing you try to clean with will get rid of his scent - to him.  And he'll keep spraying there because he's marked it as HIS spot!

What about one of those plastic hallway runners that have the nubby things on the underside so they stay in place?  I heard you can put it nubby-side-up to keep cats off of surfaces, but since you have a baby at home, that's prob. not a good idea.  But you can cut a piece to fit the entire area where he pees, put it nubby-side-down, and it would have the same effect as the foil idea as far as he would get pee on himself cause it won't soak into the carpet.  Plus easier for you to clean!

Thank you all so much for responding. After "crazytime" (dinner, homework and baths for the kids) I'm going to sit down and read thru these again and start trying some new ideas.

 

Mike

Um, place the litterbox over the spot seems logical.

that smell will never go away. Replace the carpet and fix the cat!

If he always goes on the same spot, try putting a nice big litterbox exactly in  THAT SPOT. That way when he does his business it won't be on the carpet. If an animal is convinced that a particular spot is their bathroom, it's almost impossible to unconvince them...