Stuck between a wet rug and a hard choice
By TheRealDawn
@dawnald (85146)
Shingle Springs, California
July 10, 2012 1:05am CST
This has been an ongoing problem since we moved up here. I moved up here with two cats, Tiger and Sunny. Few months after the move, the peeing began. I never knew which cat it was. After we tossed the loveseat, covered the sofa and chair, and cleaned up the rug, it stopped for a while.
Then Oreo adopted us. Before we got him fixed, lots of male cat smell, and the peeing started again. Some expensive pheromones and an expensive device to keep them out of the living room later, and it mostly stopped.
Then I started fostering kittens, and Sunny disappeared on us, and it started again really bad. $100 worth of cleaning stuff from Planet Urine, and keeping Tiger confined to the master bedroom and putting out more litter boxes, and it mostly stopped.
I got him a calming collar and tree that he could sit on and look out, and I started letting him out of the master. Other than one puddle, no peeing for weeks. Then suddenly it was everywhere.
R has wanted to euthanize the cat for years. Can't do it. 1) we at least partly created the problem by declawing him and 2) he's a sweetie, and mostly healthy.
But now I'm moving to a new house with new carpet, and I just don't want to have to deal with pee spots on the carpet. The occasional poo isn't so bad, can just be scooped up, but pee is nasty.
Seems he does better in enclosed places, so I'm thinking of sticking him in the master again. Only I don't want to always have the door closed, so I'm thinking of getting a crate to put him in when the master is open. I hate to do it, really I do, but I just don't want to deal with the peeing any more.
When I win the lottery, I'll enclose the patio and put him out there. lol But for now, I'm at my wits end.
Ideas that I haven't tried?
5 people like this
14 responses
@celticeagle (168126)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Jul 12
Sounds like you have been doing about all you can do for this cat. Does he have his own litter box? Has his routine changed recently? Are you cleaning it out every day or....? Sometimes each cat needs their own litter box. Even one extra one. Place one maybe where the cat urinates most often. Have you seen what you feel might be problems with another can in your household? This could be why the behaviour starts up again.
3 people like this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
10 Jul 12
I have 4 cats and 6litter boxes. His routine kind of changed, yeah. I let him out of the master bedroom and into the rest of the house. If I place one where he's going, it will be smack in the middle of my living room. He mostly gets along with the other cats, but once in a while there are tussles. And they usually get cleaned out every other day.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
10 Jul 12
Personally I think it is psychological problems with R, not the other cats.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (168126)
• Boise, Idaho
13 Jul 12
Where's Toby or whatever his name is when you need him? That guy on dog guru show on 6. Where did I leave my brain? Can't think of the name and I just watched it lastnight.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
10 Jul 12
I don't have any answers but you might message CatsandDogs. She adopted my Sassy a dew years ago. Sassy had issues with going out of the pan. Somehow she stopped that. She was really patient with Sassy. She might help you with ideas. You might also ask Pyewacket. She and I don't talk anymore but she was always helpful to me and was very helpful when I had to give Sassy up. I think if anyone could help, they could.
3 people like this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
10 Jul 12
Hi Dawn
I had to get Buttons neutered in the end as I was not able to handle it he was not to bad and I think I got him done in time because I believe he would have got worse, as he is an Indoor Cat I did not want to put up with it
I think that would be your only option really to stop it
@BarBaraPrz (47611)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
10 Jul 12
Well, it does sound behavioral (maybe you should ask him what's his problem?)
but are you sure it's not physical?
I know they make doggie diapers, but don't know if they have them for cats...
I just had a psychic commune with Tiger... he misses Sunny but doesn't want any other cats around.
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (47611)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
10 Jul 12
Then he's telling you "No more strange babies". You don't put the fosterings in the bedroom, so he feels more secure there.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
10 Jul 12
Do you think that maybe when R's out of the picture the peeing would stop? That man is enough to stress anyone out, even the cutest of cats!
or it could be R doing it himself? I kid, but I've heard vinegar and areas you don't want them wee weeing in.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
10 Jul 12
hahahahahahahaha
I don't think vinegar's very effective. Did some reading on it...
@riempie9 (1021)
• South Africa
10 Jul 12
I think it's hard to have dogs in the winter months because you can't leave them outside, you don't want to tie them up, you don't want to cage them because you should not have animals if you can't house them during the cold days and winter nights. When I lived in Canada I had a huge Alaskan Malamute. When I returned to South Africa we got a massive boerbul (South African breed) and an Alsatian. They have the whole front yard and garden to run and play in, and they have a specially built house made from wood which can house 3 dogs for the winter. They also have my front sun room to be out of the shade. Muslims don't have dogs in their house because when we pray the floor cannot be stained with bacteria. My dogs are thoroughly spoiled. My son gives them the best care and food. I do too and also pick up the pool
2 people like this
@riempie9 (1021)
• South Africa
10 Jul 12
Sorry to hear about your dog. This is why I like this country. The weather is great for me even though it is raining. I love the rainy season when I can cuddle up with the hot water bottle and my laptop. I'm writing for iWriter now too and let me just say that they are VERY strict about plagiarizing. If you have just three words like hair loss shampoo and this is your keyword and you are penalized for doing what the client wants, it is not fair. Still, they were quick on follow up and I have three articles posted, one of which was rejected. Hope you are doing well. Ciao for now.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
11 Jul 12
I ended up making our cat an outside cat. He was good for a while, then took to peeing in my bathroom and behind a chair in the living room. I tried many things to get him to quit, and nothing worked. I started letting him outside, and pretty soon, he did not even want back in. We live on a busy street, and when I friend came over she offered to take him out to her farm. He is happy there.
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
10 Jul 12
You have actually done more than I have. I have a current cat problem that is relatively healthy for his age. I have not figured out what his problem is and his is mostly poo, but also can be pee.It may also go with the name as my current problem is Tiger, and I had a previous problem that was Tiger. Current Tiger is not declawed. Previous Tiger was. She began peeing and pooing on my bed when my first husband was ill. He said to "just have her killed" and I told him I do not have sick friends killed...it was a psychological thing for him as well as her. When he went into a nursing home, she quit this behavior. . . until my current hubby moved here. She started pooing on my bed again. Not on his bed. . . the spare bed. When we got married and were sleeping together, she quit messing on our bed. So my current problem is definitely physical, my previous one was psychological for the cat. . . maybe when you move away from R, Tiger will behave differently. I would probably start with the crating, though, to prevent the cat from making any smelly spots to return to.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
11 Jul 12
Maybe he just feels more secure in the smaller space (just the master bedroom) idk
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
13 Jul 12
I wish I had an answer for you.
Have you tried looking for a new home for him? Someone who would adopt him and put up with the peeing problem?
Maybe a kitty diaper?
MP
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
11 Jul 12
I wish I knew! Have never had a cat as a pet. I know the pee is awful! I have heard of other males spraying after being fixed. Two ended up at the stabl wheree I work at! I know this is not an opinion for you! I hope someone has something that can work! I wish you luck!
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
10 Jul 12
Well, I was going to ask if you had him checked out by the Vet, because it could be physical rather than behavioral, but I read that you did and he got a clean bill of health. The reason that I ask if it could be physical, though, is that our cat did something similar. The ex and his housemates insisted that it was behavioral, especially since he tended to pee on a certain person's belongings more than others.
In reality, it was due to his diet. He could not have anything with fish in it, because some cats, especially males, develop problems (I think it might be kidney stones but I am not sure). He had to be on a special kind of cat food, which was more expensive, and the ex did not want to pay the extra money, but every time he was off the special food the peeing began again.
In reality, it was due to his diet. He could not have anything with fish in it, because some cats, especially males, develop problems (I think it might be kidney stones but I am not sure). He had to be on a special kind of cat food, which was more expensive, and the ex did not want to pay the extra money, but every time he was off the special food the peeing began again.1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
10 Jul 12
Our cat has to be on a mixture of dry and wet food. If she eats too much dry food she gets cystitis and if she has too much wet food she gets the furballs! The dry food is the more expensive of the two but has the best ingredients in it, so I'm glad in a way we can give her both.
We do have one of those Feliway diffusers that mimics a cat's pheromones if she gets really stressed!
We do have one of those Feliway diffusers that mimics a cat's pheromones if she gets really stressed!2 people like this
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
14 Jul 12
I know what my father do to get rid of the cats peeing at corners of our log cabin up in the wood, he pees at corners himself. I don't think that will work inside though ...
My mother used spices outside, she used pepper or strong paprica powder, but then you don't want your living room to smell of paprica and pepper I suppose.
How about a big outdoor cage at the patio? Or maybe that out there somewhere in the internet there's peeproof carpets? Someone gave me a stainproof tablecloth, surely there must be carpet equivalent? :-)
@sswallace21 (1824)
• United States
11 Jul 12
Wish I had a good solution for this. However, we have the same problem at times. I get so attached to the babies I just can't put them to sleep. We started putting the dog in a pet carrier when we're not home and the cat goes downstairs where here litter box is. Seems to help the issues.
