# Please help - anyone know about Cat Psychology/ behaviour?



## Rosie P (Nov 10, 2005)

Hi. Having a few problems with our cat of 11 years as she's started peeing on the carpet. She had a 'cat toilet' (one of those boxed litter trays for ages and was fine with it, but she needed a new one so we got her one a week or so ago. She seemed to be going in it fine, but we noticed the rug in the hallway smelling and discovered she'd peed on it. Anyway, we cleaned it and then she pooed on it. We cleaned it again and when I checked her litter tray she'd done a poop just inside the flap of it so thought that was the problem. Anyway, since then she's continued to keep peeing on the rug which we've now had to throw out, but she's now done it on the carpet where the rug was. I can't see what the problem with the litter tray is - she's pooing in there. I really don't know what to do as the more she pees on the carpet we won't be able to clean it out & I think once her smell is there she will just keep doing it - does anyone know if this is right?

I've taken the lid off the litter tray now in the hope she will do it in there but not sure this will work.   Any help from anyone who knows anything about it or who has had similar problems will be gratefully received. 

Thank you.

Rosie. xxx


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Once they do it once the smell does linger (even if you can't smell it) and it can be very hard to remove and to break the habit but not impossible. 

Firstly, if peeing outside her littler box is new behaviour, please take her to the vet to get any medical issues ruled out. Sometimes cats do start doing this when there is cystitis or something so it could be that. Although she is also pooing now, it may be just her following on becuase now it smells like her toilet there.  

Another reason cats can start doing this is stress. Has anything major in her environment changed recently? i.e. have you decorated, new people/animals in the house, changed the brand of litter you use or anything? It's possible that might be why she did it in the first place.

As for stopping her, it can be done but it's just a case of hard work, perseverance and diligence. Firstly you have to get rid of the smell completely. Normal odour eliminators often are not man enough so see your vet and ask them for something that will do the job. You could also get something from the vet called Feliway, which can help to calm a pet if it is stressed. Sprying that around the general environment might help.  
Once you've treated the area to remove the smell, try placing some tin foil or cling film over the area (tin foil is supposed to stop them stratching but may work for peeing too) for a period to stop her reoffending, until you are sure she has broken the habit. 



C~x


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## ❣Audrey (Aug 22, 2008)

We have a Feliway plug in for our Cat since she was attacked by another cat ( we have 4 in total but it was a strange cat that attacked her).  She started messing away from her litter tray and at first still did after we had cleaned it up.  I did some research and cleaning the area with white vinegar removes all trace of the smell so that she no longer uses the area and has returned to her litter tray.

xxx


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## Rosie P (Nov 10, 2005)

Hi. Thanks so much for your replies. We took her to the vets this morning and the vet didn't seemed to think she had cystitis but she couldn't absolutely rule it out without a urine sample which would be impossible for us to get at the moment with her not going in the tray and her bladder was empty, otherwise they could have taken one via needle directly from her bladder (ouch!). But she said in the absence of her seeming to be in pain and/ or blood we should try ruling out other things first.

We have recently changed the brand of litter as well as the litter tray, so thinking it could be that. We have gone back to the old brand and taken the lid off the litter box so we can see what she's doing. It looks a lot like althogh she's been pooing in there she hasn't had 1 wee in there. Last night I put newspaper down taped to the wall in the area she's been peeing in. She didn't wee on the floor and looks like she did go in the litter tray, so some success there. 

They also recommended cleaning the carpet with a biological carpet cleaner as it has enzymes in it that destroy the smell, whereas non biological carpet cleaner doesn't. And we got some feliway spray as although they said the plug-in was ok in pg, I'd rather err on the side of caution as I don't think you can ever know what effect even natural things can have on newborns, so will spray the carpet area with it one it's been cleaned and also the areas she tends to scratch as it's meant to be good for that.

Bee bee, not sure how white vinegar would work on carpet - we would then be left with the vinegar smell to try and get rid of. Did you use it on carpet? 

So thanks ladies, great advice and echoed by the vet too. I'll let you know how we get on. 

Rosie. xxx


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## Stalyvegas (Oct 14, 2007)

Most cleaners have amonia in them, which is in wee - so cleaning the area with a household cleaner can make it worse (not sure about the carpet cleaner)...  the vinegar tip, or lemon juice is much better as they are amonia free, the other good one is bicarb of soda, and that shouldnt leave too a smell behind that you again have to deal with.


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## scooter (Aug 8, 2005)

The best thing to use is biological washing powder solution (it must be powder).  The enzymes will break down the ammonia in the urine.  As far as I'm aware feliway is safe to use around pregnant women and newborns, we had one plugged in at our vet practice non-stop and never had any problems with our pregnant staff.


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

You could try cat attract cat litter its online


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## Rosie P (Nov 10, 2005)

Thanks so much for your replies. Well, quick update from us. I did the biological washing powder clean and as the carpet was very wet she just peed on it again! Also I could still smell the undertones of cat pee (I have a very sensitive nose) so if I could smell it there's no doubt Pushka could smell it also. However she was also peeing in the litter tray too, so some progress I suppose   So I bought a purpose made cleaner from the petshop to get rid of the smell and stains and it took days to dry (we put the cats out in the day and heating on constant) and covered it with foil at night when they came in. Now it's dry the smell seems to have completely gone and I've put the food where it was as they aren't meant to pee where they eat, so fingers crossed. She is going in the litter all the time now and the vet put her on medication for cystitis as a precaution as she couldn't get a urine sample from her. 

I suppose time will tell if she's ok. My worry is if she's stressed as I don't know what I can do for her then.  

Saila, thanks for the tip on the litter - flippin' expensive though isn't it?  

Anyway, thanks again for all your replies ladies. Will keep you posted on how we get on. Does anyone know if laminate floor is better for stopping them peeing on it? Am thinking it may be more practical for the hallway anyway and when they puke they always seem to stop in the hallway to do it.  

Rosie. xxx


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## scooter (Aug 8, 2005)

It sounds as if your cat is very sensitive to change so taking up the carpet to put laminate down might be the final straw for her!!!!!  Hopefully she'll carry on just using the tray - good luck!


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## Rosie P (Nov 10, 2005)

It's weird as she's always taken everything so well in her stride. Arrival of DD and not having access to certain rooms etc. - all fine with. Just not sure if she's picking up on me being pg and it's stressing her out? Giving her lots of extra cuddles and prawns at the moment and she seems to be enjoying those. Fingers crossed! 

Rosie. xxx


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