Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty
I have a problem.
My house smells like cat pee. My old cats, persnickety and defiant, have decided to pee and poop on the upstairs hall rug. Repeatedly.
Jeanine bought some smell remover, but it is not pet smell remover and while it makes everything fresh for a moment, the cats still smell the "sweet spot" and go back to do the deed again.
I should say, cat. Because I know which one it is. This information made everyone at dinner last night laugh hysterically. No, I did not do an anal measurement. One cat is very little and one is very fat. I clean the litter almost every day and let me tell you, one poops really big poops, and one little ones.
It's the little cat.
Jeanine, who has not been thrilled with the whole cat episode, only likes the little one. She's quite arrogant- the cat that is- and tends to usually have a look of disdain on her face.
Jeanine says she has personality. The other one- who loves to purr and have her belly rubbed- is boring.
Now I see what she loves me. I'm arrogant and usually have a look of disdain on my face, too. Although I will roll over in a heartbeat for a belly rub, too.
I don't know what to do to get the cat to stop peeing and pooping on the rug upstairs. But on a hot, humid day like today? I know I have to. Especially after Jeanine stepped in a pile yesterday- neither cat has much charm to her right now.
Any suggestions?
My house smells like cat pee. My old cats, persnickety and defiant, have decided to pee and poop on the upstairs hall rug. Repeatedly.
Jeanine bought some smell remover, but it is not pet smell remover and while it makes everything fresh for a moment, the cats still smell the "sweet spot" and go back to do the deed again.
I should say, cat. Because I know which one it is. This information made everyone at dinner last night laugh hysterically. No, I did not do an anal measurement. One cat is very little and one is very fat. I clean the litter almost every day and let me tell you, one poops really big poops, and one little ones.
It's the little cat.
Jeanine, who has not been thrilled with the whole cat episode, only likes the little one. She's quite arrogant- the cat that is- and tends to usually have a look of disdain on her face.
Jeanine says she has personality. The other one- who loves to purr and have her belly rubbed- is boring.
Now I see what she loves me. I'm arrogant and usually have a look of disdain on my face, too. Although I will roll over in a heartbeat for a belly rub, too.
I don't know what to do to get the cat to stop peeing and pooping on the rug upstairs. But on a hot, humid day like today? I know I have to. Especially after Jeanine stepped in a pile yesterday- neither cat has much charm to her right now.
Any suggestions?
Labels: cat adoption, cat pee, cat rescue, ick
posted by Sara at 9:35 AM
11 Comments:
The bigger cat is the dominant one. They don't have to fight or anything - yet the smaller cat can feel stressed and insecure that's why the marking of territory.
Things tried in a similar situation:
an electric gadget that released pheromones
- quite expensive, didn't work
various cleaning liquids to neutralise smells
- cat ignored these efforts too
giving extra attention to boost smaller ones ego
- it wasn't the cat's nature to enjoy these cuddles
An extra litter box worked the trick. There are now two litter boxes at their city home (it's a small two room flat) and THREE at the country home (a house, two litter boxes downstairs, one upstairs).
Also a change to a better clumping litter was welcomed by both cats.
To help the cat to forget those sweet smelling spots on a carpet or furniture you could try rinsing the litter boxes with a liquid chlorine bleach, 5 litres of water + 0,1 litres of bleach.
After that the boxes should smell very very faintly of chlorine. For some reason cats find that smell interesting and it encourages them to use the litter boxes.
If the smaller cat favours one of the boxes clean the poop daily and always leave a few little clumps with her pee there.
The smell of her own pee helps the cat feel in control of her territory and should further encourage the use of that litter box.
With this toilet training two siamese boys have been accident free for a year.
Best of luck!
Sara I sell a great book on my website called The Fastidious Feline
(www.janetasmith.com) it's in stock and I can send it out right away.
It will take one through the whole process of diagnosing the problem - does the little cat ever use the litter box?
If the answer is "yes" then it is usually something about kitty's bathroom that she doesn't like - generally that is a fairly easy fix.
-janet
I would agree with the others here that an extra litter box is certainly worth a try.
If the cat has just started doing this recently, it's probably not a dominance thing, since they've been together many years, right? She may be upset about something else -- a change of the furniture or change in schedule, or a change in food? Or she's not feeling well -- unlike dogs, cats seem to hide their illnesses very well.
As for the smell, having been through several foster kitty "issues," we've had luck with a carpet cleaner called "Captivate" that you can find at Sears.
Good luck ....
My friend says "you don't even have a cat."
Soooooo yup a dog person I am, but I do love kittys and I just wanna say I hope that prob gets solved.
I have the new kitty litter that I put upstairs. I will get captivate because they natures whatever Petco recommended hasn't really done much for the smell.
She started off using the litter all the time. It's been recent- started when the big cat was more willing to be upstairs. When they first got here, the fat one stayed in the basement most of the time.
where the litter is.
They are 15 years old. It could be something bothering her but it's ... uh... don't mean to be gross, but perfectly formed and not in any kind of distress.
I can't believe I just said that about cat poop.
It started when we went away for a day and a half and left them here.
alone. bad parents, I know.
and it has progressed from then. I think she got her scent up there and now thinks it's her toilet.
so the new box is right at the end of the hall, I used a little bleach, as recommended.
and janet? I'm going online to order the book.
And again, we're back to the poop.
It's like the cycle of life.
well, I do remember when the kids were little- but especially with the first baby- being obsessed with sleeping, eating and pooping.
me, them, didn't matter. it was crucial.
I just went thru the same thing.
I dont know if ripping the carpet up is an option for you - thats what I had to do in our spare bedroom where the litter boxes are.
No matter what we did, one cat decided she had a favorite spot - right NEXT to the litter box. And unfortunately once they find a spot they like its all over!
The smell was making me miserable!
I spent more money on carpet cleaners & odor removers than I care to admit.
Since I ripped up the carpet and restored the hardwoods she has been going back in the litter box!
I HATE the smell of cat pee.....now its gone!
Good Luck
Same problem here. Started four weeks ago. Imagine pee in your handbag... She seems to have it in for me, too. We called in our vet: recommended Feliway (didn't help), two litterboxes (she used both for both functions) and different litter. We have now switched back to one box, different litter. Maybe they changed something in the formula of the litter, who knows these things... I am so happy at the prospect of leaving her behind for three weeks...
Must. Not. Smile.
Try Feliway Pheromone Spray--it mimics the cats pheremone's and tricks it into thinking that it already marked that spot. I once had a feral cat spray my front screen door repeatedly and this stuff worked great.
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