Posted on 06/16/2009 11:47:05 AM PDT by Huntress
Dear Freeper cat owners,
I'm having a problem with Norman the cat (see my homepage for a photo). He will not use the litterbox, and instead pees on my bedroom carpet. I have two cats and three litterboxes, which I scoop daily. I've been using the same type of litter for a long time. He has adequate facilities, he just won't use them.
Does anyone have any advice for me in this situation? I'm thinking of ripping up the carpet and putting down a hard surface floor. Please don't tell me to kill or get rid or Norman, as that is not an option. I've had him for nine years, and I'm very fond of him despite his faults.
Thanks.
Huntress
Exact same thing happened to my Mom’s cat. She had a urninary tract infection (cleared up with antibiotics in a few days)....and she associated the litter box with pain.
Mom had to put litter pan liners outside the box (basically diaper paper) to absorb the urine....took about a year for the cat to get over it and started to used the litter box again.
Just kidding about the urlap sack thing. We had this problem a while back. My wife is the cat perosn in the family, I go for dogs.
Anyway, here’s our story: We adopt two cats (brother and sister from the same litter) they were already full-grown, about 4 years old. They had been de-clawed before we adopted them, so they had to be indoor cats. The shelter said nothing to my wife about litter box problems.
We had the cats for a couple of years and everything was fine. I’m in the military and am gone frequently. We had a rash of crime in our area of Boston and I hated thinking about my wife home alone in the house when I was off training. So, we decided to get a large dog. We adopted a Greater Swiss mountain dog who grew quickly to 80 pounds. She was immediately very playful with the cats, never aggressive at all.
The cats seemed to tolerate the dog at first. Then about a year into the cats start to pee on our bedroom rug. We go through the typical responses - keep the litter box fresh all the time, take the cats to the vet, etc. The cats eventually go on anti-depressants. I tolerate all this in stride as my wife loves the cats (and loves the dog too). the cats get plenty of attention, they sleep in our bed every night etc.
But...the kitties up the anti and start peeing in our bed. I’m at the point where I can’t stand this. This is when I first mention getting rid of the cats (my wife cries hysterically). So...more ineffective vet visits. next the cats pee on my wife’s computer bag. She still won’t get rid of them. Finally, the cats pee in my wife’s purse. That was the last straw. She left for a business trip to China and told me to handle getting rid of the cats with her one caviot being I take them to a no-kill shelter.
I took them to a shelter and told them in exhausting detail about their pee issue. Not sure whatever happend to the cats. My wife got over it.
To summarize - if you can live with stinky cat pee all over your house, more power to you. But you can’t teach an old cat new tricks either.
Oh yeah...A dog will save your life. Cat’s will give the burglar a bored look and then pee on the rug again.
I’m with the urinary tract infection faction. Time for a trip to the vet. Take the cat with you.
If their older than six weeks, you might keep them in a cage that the whole floor is a litter box, for a period of a month or two.
Then move them into a small room on a anchored leash, like a laundry room, and keep them to where the litter box is within the reach of the leash, and the bed, and water/feed bowls are within reach, for about two months.
Then leave the litter box where it is, but release the cat for short periods of time, less than two hours. Then put the cat back on the anchored leash. Watch and see if the cat uses the litter box while not one the leash.
If the cat does use the litter box, while not on the leash, then let it be free while you're at home. But when you leave, put the cat back on the anchored leash in the laundry room (or small room).
What ever you do, don't move the litter box. Keep it clean, and the cheaper way to go is to use litter that clumps. Scoop out the clumps, and change all the litter about once a week.
If the cat doesn't take to using the litter box on it's own, then the cat will ALWAYS BE an outdoor cat.
Good luck.
Has he just started? He could be marking his terrortory or you might take him him to the vet as some cats get urinary infections.
Exactly what rednesss said.
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After you rip out the carpets and before you put the new flooring in; make sure seal the floors; so no odor will stay.
I’m reminded of the need for adequate training, and my late Dad’s experience with our Manchester Terrier ‘Duke’.
We got Duke when he was a puppy, and as puppies are prone to do, we came home one day to find that Duke had crapped on the carpet. So Dad took Duke by the nape of the neck, did NOT rub his nose/muzzle in the mess, but just got him close enough to get a good whiff and said “OUTSIDE Duke!”, and then took him to the back ground floor window at the end of the hall, and tossed Duke out into the back yard.
We came home the following week to find another Duke mess on the floor, and Dad repeated the process, with a firm “NO Duke, OUTSIDE Duke!”, and again: out the back window he went into the backyard.
The third time we came home, Duke was completely trained.
Duke saw Dad come through the front door, he ran to where he had crapped on the carpet, took a good whiff, then ran to the back window and leaped into the back yard.
Good Dog, Duke.
A couple products that helps some:
cats don’t pee where they sleep, so put a cage in the bedroom around the cat with the litter box in the cage.
Make sure there is only enough room to either sleep or pee.
This takes 2 weeks to train, but it is possible that the cat will pee on the carpet instead of the litter. That is when you have to result to chemical training. Spray no-pee on the carpet.
Once it is a habit, the cat will pee in the litter.
Beware one thing though, the issue may not be training. It could be health related or that the cat is mad at you.
I had a cat that used to go to where I lay my head on the bed and lay a little present there. I soon correlated that this happened every time I verbally scolded/punished the cat.
Bottom line, cats are smart.
Dang. I got nothin' then.
Have you had him checked for Feline Diabetes or Hyper Thyroid? both of those may cause them to not use the litterbos. JAT
You are in Branson? My son is getting married in Branson next month (Big Cedar Lodge).
I would first check with the vet. He may have a urinary problem. Cats are jealous. Did you being in a new pet i.e a dog and give it more attention? Is he being ‘bullied by the other cat(s)? Like I said check with the vet first. Good luck. Keep me posted if possible.
Before going to the expense of trashing the carpet you could try a product by Biokleen called BAC-OUT. You can find it at Whole Foods, Fred Meyer and other stores as well. It’s a stain and odor eliminator that is natural, non-toxic and biodegradable. It contains live enzyme cultures which basically “eat” the bacteria that are creating the odor. It also has lime peel extract for cleaning power. I’ve used it when my dog has had an accident when she was sick and I think it works well. No stains, no odor after I’ve used it.
“He might not want to go where others have gone.”
Sounds like the old Star Trek TV intro.
Dump cat. Get dog.
Wow! How mean. You shoould write for Letterman (Litterman?)
No no no, the cops will misidentify the cat as a dog and shoot the damned thing.
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