Behavioral issue - peeing outside of litter tray

[Enolaalone]

Hi there

Thanks in advance for your help!

My castrated 3 year old male cat has started peeing outside of the litter tray. This started for the first time about 4 months ago when he started pooing outside of the tray. The cause of this turned out to be a dietary problem which a change in food rectified. He stopped. Then afterwards on occasion he would pee in the same spot, now hes doing it daily. It's always when I'm home but not in the same room, I spend a lot of time in my bedroom where my cats don't go and he gets particularly upset when I'm in there. He rarely does it when I'm out.

He still uses the litter tray for both peeing and pooing so not a problem with the tray.
He is castrated, no health issues (had blood test over dietary problem). He just seems to be distressed when I'm home and he can't be with me. His two sisters and another cat (his best feline friend) also live with me, so he's never completely alone. Also he knows he shouldn't be doing it as he runs away if I catch him peeing there.

I'm at my wits end, please help! Apologies for any typo's, on my phone! Thanks

[Lilith]

Hi and welcome.

I think you've answered your own question here. He wees on the floor when you're in your bedroom and he can't be with you.

I know there's a school of thought that believes that cats shouldn't train us and I know not everyone wants cat hairs on the duvet or to have to squeeze into a sliver of bed graciously allowed by occupying cats, but...could you change your routine to either spending more time with him, or simply allowing him into your bedroom? It could well be that once the initial novelty wears off and he's allowed to wander at will in and out of the bedroom, he will go back to his old places in the house, but I'll bet anything that he stops this weeing out of the tray habit. It's a situation where I, personally, would give in to the cat. He loves you and wants to be with you and that has to be good.

Anyway, what's wrong with cat hairs on the duvet etc etc? Personally I feel that every bedroom is improved by a cat. Or two. Or three...

[Enolaalone]

Hi, thanks.

I did previously have the cats in the bedroom but never slept. Might try again.
Anyone have any experience of Feliway? Would it be helpful?
Thanks.

[Lilith]

Ah I know what you mean, they can be a bit exuberant lol, but definitely worth trying again; they might be more sedate by now.

I've tried Feliway as my youngest was rather a 'mixed-up-kid' and went through a phase of weeing in the corner when I was on the phone (attention-seeking again) among other problems, but in our case it didn't work, although I've read really good reports of it. I think she grew out of her problems - also I'd praise her lavishly when she used her tray - another idea, make a big fuss of him when he uses the tray properly and tell him he's a good boy.

Good luck, you'll get there

[Enolaalone]

Thanks for the advice, will try having them in the bedroom and see what happens and also try praising him. Thanks!

[meriad]

I spend a lot of time in my bedroom where my cats don't go and he gets particularly upset when I'm in there. He rarely does it when I'm out.

how much is a lot of time? I can understand if people don't want their cats in their bedrooms when sleeping, but if you're spending loads more time in your bedroom because that's where you go to relax / chill out etc then is there a reason they cannot be in there with you then? That may help the situation? But come night time you do keep them out so you can sleep (although personally I love nothing more than having one or two (or more) of mine cuddled up on the bed with me - I love having them so close)

[Enolaalone]

I don't spend hours in there, as mostly out at work but the worst time for him peeing is first thing in the morning (he's outside most of the day, so sleeps when I first go to bed). At first it was 7am, about the time when I get up and they want breakfast, now he cries outside as early as 5am, and pees if I don't respond quick enough.

Theres no real reason for keeping them out, just nice to have a cat hair free room. Guess it doesn't hurt to try again!

[Euros Mummy]

We're having trouble with our 2 months old kitten. She's very centred on using a section of our settee as a toilet. We've never had this issue with any previous cat. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Crewella]

Does she use the tray at all? The first thing to do is wash the area of the sofa with an enzyme cleaner (or biological washing powder/liquid) to remove any trace of the smell from the sofa, but have a read of that link I posted as it may help.

[Euros Mummy]

Thank you Crewella for your reply. Euro kept going back to the spot on the settee even with my husband sat there. He has successfully managed to get her to use the litter box for a poo just a few minutes ago. She's eating and sleeping and playing normally. I went ott cleaning the section of the settee she was weeing.

[Euros Mummy]

Is Euro stressed? We've had her 48 hours. She was previously living with her mum and 4 siblings in Barnsley animal rescue and I wonder if she's doing this as a result of adjusting to her new environment?

[Crewella]

Oh gosh yes, she will be. Her whole world has been turned upside down and she will be wondering where her mum is, and her brothers and sisters. Give her lots of fuss and rewards for using the tray correctly every time she does it.

ADDED: I just wanted to stress that any praise/rewards or admonitions/NOs need to be done almost at the instant of the behaviour, so praise her almost as she comes off the tray. If you do it five minutes later she will have no idea why she's such a good girl! Good luck!

[Euros Mummy]

Thank you for your help Crewella. We've just never encountered this issue before. Even my mum couldn't help and she's got the world's most insane male kitten lmao.

[pameladiane]

help please.

sooty is a female , l7 yr old cat. she has started to "poo" around the house. She is left in kitchen at night (always has been) clean dirt try left in sight. she has a catflap only she can enter. admittedly, she uses this more to gain access INTO house.

any help as to why she should poo outside cat tray ? the tray is always washed and rinsed thorooughly

thanks

[Lilith]

Hi and welcome, Pameladiane

Sounds like Sooty's an old lady and she's getting a bit absent-minded - I had an old tomcat like this. On the other hand, he was also arthritic, and cats with arthritis can find getting into a tray, squatting on slippery litter, and staying there till the job's done, just too uncomfortable or painful. (He WAS on Metacam but still he wasn't as agile as he was.) Often my lad would dig his hole, squat, and then come out of the tray on to the more hospitable front room carpet. Sometimes he would just not get there in time but squat where he was.

Sometimes an open tray (no hood) is more older-cat friendly as they don't feel so claustrophobic. I certainly wouldn't recommend those 'catflap' doors on a hooded tray - I don't even bother fitting them, neat as they are.

I'd also suggest, and I know this will be a faff, I'd hate having to do it myself, extra trays round the house, just to see if you can tempt her into good behaviour. Eventually you might be able to limit this to, say, a bathroom tray, if she's caught short and can't reach the kitchen in time.

Lastly, has anything changed in her life, anything that might stress or confuse her? Has she been using outdoors as a loo and could there be anything preventing or frightening her from her routine? Or a change in health, such as diminishing eyesight that causes her to have to re-learn her surroundings?

Just a few ideas off the top of my head; other people on here will have more. Hope you and she resolve the problem, good luck and give her a love from me.

[Crewella]

I can't really add to what Lilith has said, but it's definitely worth trying a shallower tray that might be easier for an older cat to access. Good luck.

(And I agree on the catflap covered trays - I have several and always take the doors off).

[Crewella]

I spotted this today, and it just reminded me of this thread!

Zen-Cat-Box-Organic-T-Shirt-(1834).jpg (13.14 KiB) Viewed 3982 times

[Lilith]

Lol! Love it!

Yeah, those catflaps and filters on trays, I feel that they're 'features' to attract the owner more than the cat, I never bother with them