Problems with cat weeing in the house

[32lindylou]

Hi - I really hope someone can help.

I have two male cats who are brothers and are 4 years old. One of them has always urinated around the house. It started on the beds so I have stopped him going in the bedrooms. He has now started doing it on the skirting boards, settee and kitchen worktop.

I've had him to the vets and have ruled out any health problems. I was given some medication which didn't work and have tried feliway. He is ok for a few days then just does it - the other day he stood in the hallway in front of me and urinated up the wall. (They have both been neutered - this is a full on emptying of his bladder and not spraying)

I have a cat flap that works with the micro chips so no other cats can get in and he gets on well with his brother (they do have spats - rather like children falling out but are predominately very loving to one another)

I am basically at the end of my tether with him. He is lovely and I don't want to get rid of him but I can't have him urinating everywhere - especially on the worktop.

I have several litter trays around the house and he does use them

Has anyone else come across this before and how did you resolve it?

Failing that does anyone know if re-homing him would work (I don't want to pass the problem on) or should I be thinking of having him put to sleep (this is my last resort).

Any help would be really appreciated!

[Crewella]

It does sound as though there's something that's causing him stress - the Cat Chat info pages give a good overview and you might find it useful:

http://www.catchat.org/urination.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Sue Goddard]

This rang such bells with me...
My previous pair of Siamese..brother & sister, Abby & Bailey sprayed in the house and ruined much furniture and carpets.. as well as peeing on electrical sockets..(I'm surprised they didn't electrocute themselves..!!) they weed on the fridge, microwave etc. I began to realise early on that Abby, although smaller than Bailey, was the bully. We were advised by a cat psycologist to rehome Abby, but we couldn't do that to her..It wasn't in our nature, besides we loved her too much.
Anyway when she died in 2009 aged 7.5, Bailey became a different cat. He NEVER sprayed again and became so loving. (sadly he went missing whilst we were on holiday last Nov and we never found him) so Abby was the problem.
I gather spraying can be a problem in multi cat households..

We now have two rescued Blue point Siamese...2 neutered brothers aged about 3.5years (well I have my doubts as to whether they are related and even their ages but that's another story.) Mouse and Thomas..
The first few weeks were OK as they were getting to know us..
The weeing started in our bedroom then spraying the front door..and weeing on the front door mat..and yes Thomas would squat down in eyesight and wee whilst looking at us..in defiance? I don't know. (and yes he could wee for England too..!!!)
We took him to the vet as he was also creating a problem during the night.Toing and froing across the bed meiowing..obviously troubled.
We came to the conclusion that he has stress related FLUTD. (Feline lower urinery tract disease ) He was given Cystophan 2 tablets a day..It was miraculous the change in him. He got much calmer and now sleeps though most of the night (well 5.30am is better than 3.30am.. in my book ) He is better during the day too, lot less on edge. He is now down to 1 tablet a day. I also have Zylkene for very stressy days..I expect Bonfire night will cause problems.

He gets on well with his brother and they seem equally matched when play bundleing..They can both initiate a tussle so don't see one as dominant..even if Mouse is a bit of a delicate "pretty boy"..(he should have been a girl he is so beautiful..) They both sleep together with no problems.

We do have a problem with next doors 2 cats coming into the garden, but they cause just temporary blips now.
Neither Thomas or Mouse have any clue about our catflap, one that reads the microchip..I expect they have never had one before and don't seem to want to learn about it either.! they have been posted through it enough times now and still have'nt twigged..such a pain.
Mouse isn't really a problem but I think he does the occassional anointing of the front door and a plastic box in our bedroom..I must admit that our bedroom floor is festooned with puppy pads and we are accutely aware of any rustling noise during the night and are wide awake in seconds.....
We've tried to shut the bedroom door at night but got fed up with them tearing the carpet up to get in..

Sorry this is a bit of a saga but it might be worth trying Csytophan or Zlykene with the advise of your vet..I know that FLUTD can be very distressing for cats and this can contribute to bizarre behaviour like spraying etc.. It can be painful which leads to stress so it's a vicious cycle...Hopefully Thomas will grow out of it..we've only had them 7 months but OH is already saying Thomas will have to go if he doesn't improve but I know he would never go thru with it..he loves Thomas too much but sadly Thomas can be a bit standoffish at times, maybe he will settle in time.

Phew that WAS a saga.....

Anyway hope my experiences may be of some use...
I wouldn't rule out FLUTD as the vet said they were fine...It's a very insidious problem that isn't apparent sometimes. What did the vet give you as medicine?. Feliway doesn't work for my lot. It's interesting that you said you didn't want to export the problem with rehoming ..I firmly believe that Abby and Bailey were given up for adoption at 2 years old because of spraying..except no one told us..!! We wouldn't have seperated them anyway.

btw: Has anyone had a cat on Cystophan long term and how long should they be on it for..(last lot bought on line as vets too expensive) Thomas has been on them for about 4 weeks now. (vets course was only 3 weeks )
Only one a day now..if he gets really bonkers he gets 2.

Thanks for listening

Sue
Thomas and Mouse
xxx

[Crewella]

Daz has been on Cystophan for about two and a half years. It's now been two years (hurrah!) since the last of his many cystitis bouts and urinary blockages, so I've cut his maintenance dose down even further to one every other day but I always up it again if I know a stressful situation might be heading our way, just in case. I believe they can stay on it indefinitely.

[Kay]

Tiffany has been on one variety or another of these supplements for many years now - I finally settled on Vet UK's Bladder Nutriment simply because the capsules are the easiest to open - and she's a very healthy cat as far as I can see

I used to give her one every other day too, Helen, until her last recurrence about a year ago, when I reread the instructions and found the dose is weight related and Tiffany, being particularly generously upholstered, needs one a day

[32lindylou]

Thank you all so much!

It gives me hope that the problem can be resolved - I really don't want to get rid of him.

Surprisely I forgot to mention they are Siamese - perhaps it's something in the genetics of the breed?

I will phone the vets tomorrow and get an appt.

[Sue Goddard]

Oh, Siamese..in that case we want some photos..!!

Love 'em to bits ...They're such darlings . We've had 3 sets of Siamese now and wouldn't want any other breed now.
1st pair.brother and sister..3 legged Havana called Trio and Chocolate point boy called Sonny ( pedigree name "moonlight Sonata" )
2nd brother and sister. Abby and Bailey both Seal point (names " Ha Biba" & "Sweet Talking Guy" )
now we have 2 boys both Blue points. (no idea of their pedigree names as we have no info as to their past life )

S

[Lilith]

Ohhhh lol yes! Siamese!

I used to breed the little darlings in the '80s and unless you've lived with Siamese, you haven't lived!

(Errm well, put it this way, it's definitely an experience!)

Though at present my youngest cat (possibly a Burmese cross) is WORSE

I'm afraid Siamese are a bit prone to piddling; my calling queens used to spray the curtains and I acquired 2 three-quarter Siamese from a friend...the boy was an absolute gentleman but that girl! Her nickname was The Leopard and despite neutering and despite being boss cat, she sprayed. The Leopard never changed her spots! (No, and she kept finding new ones!) For 15 years.

So although I know all about serial piddlers I can't suggest any solutions - but there again, this was decades ago and there wasn't the insight and veterinary remedies there are today. Perhaps with the aid of Zylkene and Cystophan etc I might have been able to tame that Leopard...

I do wish you all the very best with your boy, give them both a love from me x