Help with cat peeing indoors

[emmab]

Our Grany has been peeing indoors. I noticed a mark on the carpet under the stairs but didn't think it was this and has been there weeks. We noted it today to be Grany peeing there and want to know how we can stop this. I can shut him out of that area which is fine, and have washed it with washing powder and used a surgical spirit to help. I appreciate that it can be for a variety of reasons but are there any foolproof techniques to help prevent this...ie orange peel etc in these areas? We are also making sure we have dug over a good area of the garden to ensure he can dig OK.

[Joaobeneditosimoes]

Try to buy urine off, it helped for me and my cat.
Also try to put a litter box near that place. Cats are territorial animals and could possibly be the case.
My cat was peeing in all divisions including carpets, walls, curtains, kitchen walls etc.
We bought urineoff spray and it was a surprise. First of all it removes the odour and prevents them to pee again because of the smell of citrus. It smells nicely.
Try to understand why is he doing that.
Our cat did it because our front neighbour has two cats, male and female, i believe he did to mark territory.
A month after, he was spayed, and never happened anything else. Also sugest to buy a uv flashlight so igts a lot easier to check if he's been doing elsewhere.

[emmab]

Try to buy urine off, it helped for me and my cat.
Also try to put a litter box near that place. Cats are territorial animals and could possibly be the case.
My cat was peeing in all divisions including carpets, walls, curtains, kitchen walls etc.
We bought urineoff spray and it was a surprise. First of all it removes the odour and prevents them to pee again because of the smell of citrus. It smells nicely.
Try to understand why is he doing that.
Our cat did it because our front neighbour has two cats, male and female, i believe he did to mark territory.
A month after, he was spayed, and never happened anything else. Also sugest to buy a uv flashlight so igts a lot easier to check if he's been doing elsewhere.

Cannot believe this website crashes now and then and loses my reply...grrrrr! I have bought some now and thanks for the advice. He has been with us for a few weeks after adoption but it has been unsettling for him as he has had many trips to the vets with a suspected illness. He is going out but had noted this mark for a few weeks so either has an illness, feels threatened outside or lazy!!!! He has been reliant on litter trays in the refuge and here for 2 or 3 weeks so understand. I am reluctant to put a tray back down as he is quite lazy and will get into the habit of using that. I may see if the spray is also good elsewhere on rugs etc as this may prevent him weeing anywhere else.

[Joaobeneditosimoes]

If he is in a new environment for him, i think he might be marking is new territory.
Cats ate very clean animals, they wont pee here or there just because...
How old is he?
Is he spayed?
Have you tried different litter? My cats are very weird about that...

[emmab]

Well I am confused because a lot of websites say it could be due cat litter etc, well he doesn't have a litter tray indoors...should he as Gemo the other cat doesn't? They both normally go outside. Grany is 2 years old and spayed but does have health issues and is under the vet for check ups but we don't know what. I do think our days with him are limited. Should he have a litter tray indoors as we feel this is making him lazy and may be difficult to break the habit if he relies on it too much. It is not spraying as I today think I saw him sitting an weeing although at first it wasn't obvious.

[Joaobeneditosimoes]

You should have at least one indoor litterbox. At least give it a try. My cat broke both back legs and when came home we tried to put another tray with different litter because he couldn't move much... poor dear. He didn't do a bit. He was used to do in ''his'' litterbox with his litter... and so, only next day i tried his litter and when he saw the box and smelled his litter... he jumped right into it and did the job for about 15 sec or so. He was about to explode.
Cats are weird with their routines.
Try an indor litterbox, i believe it will help.

[emmab]

You should have at least one indoor litterbox. At least give it a try. My cat broke both back legs and when came home we tried to put another tray with different litter because he couldn't move much... poor dear. He didn't do a bit. He was used to do in ''his'' litterbox with his litter... and so, only next day i tried his litter and when he saw the box and smelled his litter... he jumped right into it and did the job for about 15 sec or so. He was about to explode.
Cats are weird with their routines.
Try an indor litterbox, i believe it will help.

I have just put one down until we see the vet on Tuesday but won't this make him lazy going outside? When and if we go away a litter tray adds to the issues with neighbours looking after them? We live in a very quiet area with no traffic so really he should be OK going out unless it is stress, another cat and territory or an illness. Also if we leave the tray there for a while then move it away to encourage him to go out, surely he will still want to use that area for peeing?

[Joaobeneditosimoes]

Don't worry about him going outside, it will take time for a cat to adjust to new environment. Every cat loves to go outside.
One of ny cats loves to go outside the other not so much... at least that's what i thought... he didn't like to go outside with a leash and he was a bit affraid in the beginning.
Give it some time and love he will reward you for sure.
How is he with other cats?

[Janey]

I would definitely have a litter tray indoors, even if he goes out. My cat uses her tray when she's indoors but if she’s out goes outside. There’s lots of reasons why it’s good to have a tray indoors. For example, your cat will have a safe place to go they don’t want to go outside, also if ever you have to keep your cat indoors they are used to using a litter tray indoors so they will be less stressed. Also you can keep a check on your cat’s health. That’s some of the reasons. Has it just started doing this and how is he with your other cat, I was just wondering when you said on the other thread that your other cat was eating Grany’s food and Joaobeneditosimoes is probably right with the territory thing. I hope you manage to sort it out it is a pain! but there will be a reason.

[Ruth B]

When we first had Blue, our Ragdoll, he was a 3 year old rescue who had always lived indoors. As all my cats have access to outside, I decided he would as well. We adopted him in January, by the Spring he was happily coming and going through the catflap, and by the Summer the litter tray was sitting unused for days, so I took it up, cleaned and put it in storage. Then in the October the fireworks started. I saw it once that he had just dug his hole and sat down, when one went off straight over head. He shot in and was obviously looking for somewhere safe he could go inside. Needless to say the litter tray came out again and has never been put away since.

If something has scared yours while they were trying to go, it is only natural that they don't want to risk going outside again straight away. Give them an indoor tray where they know they can go safely and hopefully it will sort itself out. If you get the litter tray liners and he will use a cheap litter, then all your neighbour would have to do is pick and tie the bag off and replace the bag and litter in the tray. I wouldn't recommend this for long term but for a couple of weeks to make things easier on the neighbour it would work.

Afterwards Blue would happily use the garden in the Summer months, but prefered the indoor tray from when the fireworks started to about March or April. The way I always look at it is, if I had a choice between an outdoor privy and a heated bathroom, which would I chose on a frosty morning.

[emmab]

Thankyou for the replies, I put one down last night and he has used it loads for peeing, not for poo and my hubbie said he did go outside late last night, so can do so. The food situation was a problem but we bought a Sureflap microchip feeder and has changed things dramatically so Gemo cannot get any food now. It will be a problem during holidays though. Grany has to be fed wet food morning and night as well as some chicken etc to help wi his weight and now a litter tray. Just trying to keep the workload down if our neighbours comes in for our holiday next year as they also have chickens to look afterr too. He clearly goes out but is out and in, even with a litter tray. I know Gemo was a little dominant with him. Is very hard atm to work out whether his manner is just his way from previous history or whether it is because he is unwell. One thing is for sure he is adorable.

[Janey]

Glad that he used the tray. I bet if that was the problem he will be much happier for that. Unfortunately as cat’s can’t tell us what they want, we have to read their signals and sometimes it’s not easy to fathom them out lol! Paws crossed it continues

[emmab]

Glad that he used the tray. I bet if that was the problem he will be much happier for that. Unfortunately as cat’s can’t tell us what they want, we have to read their signals and sometimes it’s not easy to fathom them out lol! Paws crossed it continues

Bit like men then

[Janey]

Glad that he used the tray. I bet if that was the problem he will be much happier for that. Unfortunately as cat’s can’t tell us what they want, we have to read their signals and sometimes it’s not easy to fathom them out lol! Paws crossed it continues

Bit like men then

Yup, hopefully no spraying

[emmab]

Glad that he used the tray. I bet if that was the problem he will be much happier for that. Unfortunately as cat’s can’t tell us what they want, we have to read their signals and sometimes it’s not easy to fathom them out lol! Paws crossed it continues

Bit like men then

Yup, hopefully no spraying