My cat keeps weeing on electrics??

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eljay
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My cat keeps weeing on electrics??

Post by eljay »

Hi, my male cat is about 8 years old .. and neutered .. over the last year he has started to wee on electric sockets and now he has started to wee on the oven, toaster, kettle and microwave. I have tried putting different smelling things there that cats aren't supposed to like .. tried putting his food where he had urinated and I've put holly leaves on the worktop .. All of these things were suggested to me to make him stop .. but he just finds somewhere new to wee ...

I need to get him to stop ASAP .. As it is costs me a fortune, my kitchen keeps smelling bad and he is a nervous cat that can't be rehomed so if he doesn't stop he will need to be put down and I really don't want that to happen
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Lyn from Australia
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Re: My cat keeps weeing on electrics??

Post by Lyn from Australia »

Hi, it does sound like it is a behavioural issue. Is your boy an inside or outside cat? If he's an inside cat he may be being disturbed by something which he can see (or smell) outside - other cats in the garden that are spraying for example. Even if he has outdoor time as well, this type of thing could still be disturbing him. Working out what is upsetting him may take some time, but in the meantime you might be wise to take him to the vet for a thorough checkup and perhaps blood and urine tests too. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that he has some sort of urinary tract infection or renal issues.

As to his preference for peeing on electricals, I can't say that there is some specific reason for that, but if you find out why I'd certainly be interested in hearing the explanation. If anything it is probably that he keeps going back to the same places because he's attracted to residual odour. What products are you using to clean up? - certain products attract cats rather than deter them.

Best of luck with your old boy and please let me know how you get on at the vet.
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Jacks
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Re: My cat keeps weeing on electrics??

Post by Jacks »

Well now, I've been doing some googling on this one - and apparently electricity and electric outlets smell - and this is particularly noticeable to cats!! Plastic also smells. I've read a suggestion (which makes sense to me) that your cat has taken a dislike to the smell and is 'marking' to hide it. Here is the post, with a suggestion:

Ooh, this could be bad if the outlet/appliance is live/hot, and current travels up kitty's urine to the body.

OK, I'm guessing either kitty doesn't like the smell of electricity (yes, it does have a smell), or more likely, the smell of plastic.

Try replacing outlet covers, toaster and anything else with metal or wood. Not only will it not absorb the odors, but won't have that plastic smell. If this isn't possible, scrub everything with an enzyme cleaner (turn power off to scrub outlets), and then sprinkle red pepper on the floor by the outlets. This smell should overwhelm the plastic. Make sure all kitty boxes are clean, and better yet, put covered boxes in front of the outlets, if you can.

As for peeing on every corner of the house, this is very much a marking behavior, and he is claiming the house as his.

Finally, maybe you should check with your vet to double check the UTI and talk about these issues. Is kitty fixed? He may recommend something to calm him, like prozac
Yours is not the only cat that has done this - and the suggestion is that he's trying to hide the smell with his scent. I like the idea of the wood, as being an acceptable smell. Perhaps you could make a cardboard or wooden 'cover' for your toaster, etc.? This and some additional litter trays (they don't need to be big ones) with some oxygen-power litter grains (smell absorbing) might just start to turn the corner... It's worth a try!
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Jacks
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Re: My cat keeps weeing on electrics??

Post by Jacks »

One more thought - have you had your electrics checked? This may be a random thought, but the electric smell would be stronger if there was a smouldering fault somewhere. We've all heard of cats alerting their owners to potential problems...

Very random, so feel free to ignore... but please keep us updated! x
Catweezle
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Re: My cat keeps weeing on electrics??

Post by Catweezle »

Hi.
One of my cats does the same. He has tripped the house electrics several times. He destroyed 2 TV’s, 1 microwave oven, 4 outlet sockets to name a few.
I have not been able to stop him. Wiping 3 in 1 oil on things has had some success but nothing else has worked.
It may be as some people suggested that electricity has a smell ?
It is also said that ghosts/spirits use electricity and my cats eyes sometimes go completely black which makes me wonder if it is something to do with that ? Sounds bizarre I know but my other 5 cats don’t do it and their eyes don’t go black. He isn’t aggressive at all but he is nervous and was fully litter trained but suddenly stopped using a tray to poop in too. One other cat used to watch something on the ceiling very often yet nothing was visible at all. That cat got FIV and died. I miss that cat every day.
Try 3 in 1 oil. Asda sell it. It might help. I am going to try spiritual help.
Like you said, it may not be possible to re-home them and don’t want to put them down !!
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