Thomas & Mouse doing well..but...

[Sue Goddard]

Hello all, Hope someone can help. Thomas & Mouse have settled remarkably well in just 4 weeks Sunday. But....Thomas wee'd in the laundry basket in our bedroom today..and I suspect on the carpet too, but didn't catch anyone in the act as we did with the laundry basket.
He seemed to be quite distressed before hand..he came and plonked down on my neck/chest and purred like a train but know that they can purr with pain sometimes...he was running around as if looking for somewhere to pee.The litter tray down stairs was unemptied from last night, so did have some overnight pee in...could it be that he thought it too dirty?
I'm quite fussy about cleaning the tray regularly as it's in the conservatory which we use as second lounge.. ( air con your see ) so don't want any nasty niffs...
Could it be a bit of Cystitis? or just fussy toilet habits..At the moment he is fine and dosing in a sunbeam beside my chair.
Attched pic of both in new basket..

[Crewella]

Gorgeous!

I'd keep a very watchful eye, but cystitis usually shows as repeated attempts to pee with very little produced so it sounds like it's probably not.

I guess it could be fussiness, or for some reason he's become wary ...... it might be worth trying another litter tray upstairs?

I hope he's OK, just keep a close eye on his peeing for a few days.

[greenkitty]

I'd definitely introduce another tray somewhere, some cats are really particular about litter tray cleanliness and won't go if there's waste in there already. Whilst it sounds like he was just distressed about the fact the tray wasn't clean you don't want this to escalate into Cystitis.

[Lilith]

They are so gorgeous...

Have you read the Doreen Tovey books? They were written decades ago and so are a bit old fashioned re cat 'training' and so on, but they are centred round her Siamese and they will make you laugh and make you cry (buckets!) One of her boys had an obsession with lambswool jumpers and would go to any lengths to raid the wardrobes and capture them. Whereupon he'd drag the sweater out...and wee on it.

When I was married my boy cats used to get obsessed with my husband's sweaty squash gear and the armpits of his shirts (he does wash and change every day I might add lol.) Someone did wee in the laundry basket too...could just be a matter of pheromones?

Hope that, whatever the cause, it's just a one-off, yeah, as has been said, cats with cystitis keep on going!

Meanwhile - lock up your laundry!

[Baggypants]

Just a thought - you say the tray is in the Conservatory - do you have blinds up in there or could Thomas have been startled by something (another cat perhaps or his own reflection?) through the window and now not feel too secure toileting there?

[Sue Goddard]

Thanks for all your replies, will digest them...
The tray is in the conservatory but behind a chair and in front of a large chinese sideboard..the one they hid under when they first arrived..!! so they can't see out. (conservatory built with low wall before windows start )
Judging by the wee in the tray..someone wee's a lot, if that makes sense.
will try another tray in the bathroom..We had this arrangement for our beloved Bailey but we were glad to dispense with it as I twice stepped back and put my foot in it and tipped it up....It's amazing where cat litter can get when spilt..ha ha.
One problem is that we close a connecting door when we are not in our at night so they can't get to lounge or bathroom (lounge, as there is a white leather suit and I don't trust them to keep their claws to themselves..despite a scratching post..!!!)
Anyway Thomas seems OK this afternoon..have been out this lunchtime and they have been chasing each other all over the house after I got back...so both full of beans..

[Mrs Kane]

Perhaps another litter tray might work. As you said.

2 cats could build up more mess and perhaps if Thomas is a fussy cat he might not want to go near a litter box he feels is too messed.

If he's wee'd in your laundry it might be that he was feeling a little out of sorts or just wanted attention perhaps... I've known other cats that make all kinds of mischief when they feel left alone too long. From weeing in slippers to knocking down all the books off a shelf.

Have you considered getting an enclosed litter tray in the bathroom? (IE one like this: http://pookinuk.com.au/media/catalog/pr ... ray-lg.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) They cost a little more but they are a godsend in the end and they contain the smell much better. Our cat loves to dig in her tray (sometimes for fun we discovered, like: "Yay you replaced the litter tray, Imma throw it everywhere in my undying happiness for you!") so we got one to stop the spare bathroom from looking like a crystal ball pit.
You wouldn't have to worry about stepping on the tray anymore then .