Cat Pees on Rugs?

valery

July 11, 20080 found this helpful

My dog does that. I can't leave any throw rugs down. We paper trained her , those wee wee pads. Now she thinks anything like a pad is a wee wee pad. Other wise she is the best dog in the world. I wish I could help you, but as you see I have the same problem.

If you launder your rugs, make certain that you use something like oxyclean to try to truly get the scent out. Cats can smell much more than we can.

Make certain the liter box is clean and large. Scoop it daily if you have to, but at least twice a week.

Unhappy with the litter box is one of the first reason a cat will use a rug - almost as a warning. Ignorning a warning shot they will often move to the bed.

We find a liter box made from one of those under the bed totes tucked away in the closet under the stairs is best as it is much bigger and could go a day or two without cleaning.

You will need a litter box on every floor of your house if you have two stories. Make certain they are conveniently accessable. A tiny litter box tucked away in the far corner of the house can lead to soiled rugs pretty quickly.

If the litter box(es) are clean, consider trying a different litter. If you adopted this cat from elsewhere, find out what brand they used. Most cats are happy with the clay-based litter (like a tidycats small spaces), some will put up with more Eco-Freindly non-clay litter, but many cats will skip the box if you are using something atypical.

If they are finding the box for #2 but #1 on your bed or elsewhere, this could be a sign of stress or disaproval. Some cats can get 'mad' at their owners for not interacting with them enough, or are unhappy with their environment in other ways (other pets, or frightened).

Some pets 'punish' their owners for leaving them alone all day, or for going on vacation, or for pushing them out of the bed.

Hopefully a change in litter or better litterbox location will work for you. Every cat is different.

She needs to be litter box trained again. I would suggest keeping her in a bathroom with her litter box and no rugs down for her to do her business on. Once she gets the idea that the box is where she is supposed to go, start introducing her to other areas of the house for just short periods. Each time watching her and taking her back to her box to see if she needs to go.

My husbands' favorite cat pees on things when she is angry that there is another cat around or that we have left her with my son and his dogs to go on vacation. She even peed into a stove burner and does that stink when heated up. I have discovered that if I don't upset her or her routine, she is fine. My husband went camping for a few days and as long she had run of his room she has been good as gold and no spraying, She is even tolerating our other cat in his room.

ChloeA

July 11, 20080 found this helpful

The advice about litter boxes is good. Our home has three cats, two litter boxes, and they're scooped out morning and evening. It's not that much trouble, especially when compared to trying to get cat urine out of household fabrics. We provide a calm, low-stress environment, too, and we haven't had a litter box problem in many years.

Sounds like this cat has a problem, though. My first thought was that she hasn't adjusted to the move, but if she did the same thing in another home, perhaps she was never litter trained to start with. Most mother cats teach the kittens, but if the mother was an outdoor cat or this cat grew up outdoors, she may not really understand the importance of using the litter box. It never hurts when getting a kitten to do a little human reinforcement, putting the kitten in the box moments after they eat and providing positive reinforcement when they use the box. Probably too late for that with a two-year-old, though.

Or perhaps there's a medical reason; I'd have her checked by a vet if you really want to keep her.

I have this problem with several of my cats and I have 6. We have found that breaking a normal routine can do it such as traveling, switching food or litter. We have found to break the pattern, we kept switching litters and seeing which one they liked best and have stuck with it. We also have been good about cleaning up. Our one cat like to pee and poop in the shower and one that just likes to pee in the bath tub. We still have a problem once in a while with them and we do the best we can. Our outdoor cat is notorious for not using the litter box. She will actually go to the door like a dog to tell you she wants to go outside. Keep experimenting.

Take her to vet to make sure she is not trying to tell you she has a bladder infection or something else. I would try that first.

Amy

July 11, 20080 found this helpful

That is really good advice about keeping the cat confined in a space with the litter box. You could also try a large cage with the litter box, and food and water in the cage away from the litter box. Do the bathroom or the cage for at least a week and then try opening the door for periods of time while you are near, and just do that a little more each day until the cat is out full time. Eventually you can take the cage away and leave the litter box where the cage was. You also need to make sure you are cleaning the litter box everyday or twice a day. When cats urinate and the urine is allowed to collect on the bottom of the litter box, it will smell like ammonia, sometimes very strong, and the cats don't like it, they will not use a dirty litter box. Make sure your litter box is plenty big and has plenty of litter in it. If it's a big cat and it sprays outside of the litter box, get a plastic tote and use it as a litter box, they will jump in and out to use it. Good luck, I hope you have success so that you can keep him.

Cats will not use a dirty litter box. I have 6 cats, and 4 litter boxes, which I scoop at least 2 or 3 times a day, even thought they are out most of the night. Use clumping litter, as the plain ol' clay kind gets really nasty and smelly, and it is a pain in the butt to try to keep the litter box clean when you have plain clay litter. And they won't use plain clay litter if they have to stand in a wet mess.

Since getting clumping litter years ago, I have not had to clean the litter box at all. I keep at least 2 inches of litter in the lower 2 boxes, and 3 inches in the tall litter box. My house never smells, and I never have to mess with cleaning a nasty litter box. I like Scoop Away clumping litter and Arm & Hammer clumping litter the best.

Also, take the kitty to the vet to be sure she has not got a bladder infection. My oldest cat of 11 years had a bladder infection last year, and when I saw her pee in the bathroom sink and meow as she did it, I knew something was definitely wrong and took her to the vet, who put her on antibiotics for a short while. Good luck. Whatever you do, don't give the cat up because of this. She doesn't mean to do it, she just needs you to correct what is making her do it, and she has no way to tell you.

Malinda

July 12, 20080 found this helpful

The advise on keeping her confined in one room with her box is a good idea, but first take her to the vet. I have 8 cats and no one knows when they come into our house. We use scoop litter and clean the boxes out all the time. They don't get saturated with pee and don't smell. I had a kitty that started doing that and I did confine her in a room with her box and food and she finally did very well and not anymore trouble. I am glad that you are giving her a chance, because some cats take alot of patience.

It is important to have your kitty checked out by a vet. Many times these behaviors are just that -- behaviors. But sometimes they can be caused by a physical problem, such as a urinary tract infection. Good luck!