My cat keeps peeing on things!

[RoJoHen]

My cat has been making a habit of peeing on my clothes. Now, part of it is my own fault because I leave piles of dirty clothes laying around. I am on my way to Walmart to buy a couple more laundry baskets or hampers or something so I keep my clothes off the floor, which I hope will help. But she also peed in my large papazan chair.

I keep her litter box clean, and she still uses it most of the time, but every once in a while I find my clothes smelling like pee, and I know that I'm not the one doing it. Do any of you have any advice?

 

[Crusher Disciple]

Is she acting nervous?

Other than taking her to the vet, I've got nothing. If it was a male (glares at Owen), I'd say it was territory marking.

 

[RoJoHen]

Nah, she acts normal. And I've never actually seen it happen, which makes me think she does it when I'm not home. It's always targeted at big soft things like my chair and piles of clothes. I'm thinking maybe she just doesn't know that it's wrong.

 

[JimCasy]

One of my former coworker's cats started peeing all over when she switched brands of litter...

 

[CookieMonster]

maybe shes mad at you for being gone?

 

[roguephoenix]

maybe shes mad at you for being gone?

yep. she's acting out cause she feels neglected. it might not even be your fault. it's like a kid throwing a tantrum. some cats are just more needy than others. she's doing it cause she's upset about something. more than likely it's a psychological thing rather than a physical problem.

 

[Philo]

^ That's very likely the case.

However, once a cat has peed on something, it can become a habit for them. This is because, although you may be able to wash your clothes to a point where you're satisfied there isn't any odor remaining, the cat will always smell it. That's why it's extra important to get some of that pet odor remover and wash your clothes with it. That stuff has an enzyme in it (look for any mention of enzyme on the bottle to be sure it's legit) that chemically breaks down what causes the smell. Sounds like snake oil, I know, but it really works.

 

[Fel]

Cat pee is terrible! I'd when you are not home, put her in the bathroom with her box and some water.

 

[RoJoHen]

Cat pee is terrible! I'd when you are not home, put her in the bathroom with her box and some water.

I have no intention of leaving my cat locked in the bathroom for 8-10 hours at a time.

I figured she's angry that I'm not home, and thanks Philo for the odor remover advice. I'll have to do that on my laundry the next time around.

For now, I will settle for extra tall laundry hampers that she will not be able to jump in.

 

[Bears Discover Fire]

I've been through this myself, so I've done a lot of research on the subject. Cat pee stench is horrid. I'm sorry you have to deal with it.

A cat who has only recently started eliminating outside of its litter box is likely suffering from a bladder infection or anxiety. I cannot emphasize this enough: It's very important to take your kitty to the vet asap and make sure he/she doesn't have a bladder infection - they are often fatal, especially in male cats.

Anxiety-based peeing is not fatal, unless you count your desire to kill the cat every time it pees. Cats are creatures of habit, and if there's been a disruption in his/her routine or environment, he/she may be peeing on your things out of stress. The disruption could be a new litter box/litter, a different type of food, a new smell, an old smell left by another animal, a rearranged living room, the arrival of another cat within smelling/visual/auditory distance, a change in your own schedule that puts you home more or less etc etc. It can be maddening to isolate the source of your cat's anxiety because it can come from just about anywhere.

Also, have you noticed a change in his/her clawing habits? Is he/she clawing a lot more furniture, carpet, YOU, etc? Compulsive clawing often accompanies inappropriate elimination as a sign of an anxiety disorder.

Cats also like small spaces. They have an urge to stake their claim on their 'territory' and then patrol it. A kitty who is peeing outside the box may have too much 'territory' to cover and is once again, stressed and scrambling to keep their overwhelmingly big territory. I know you are adverse to keeping your cat in the bathroom while you're away, but it might be a stress relieving on the cat to shrink his environment a bit.

And finally, some cats develop a generalized anxiety disorder not unlike that found in humans. That was ultimately the case with my kitty, and medication was the only thing that helped. Medicating the cat with anti-anxiety meds (like the colompramine I give my cat every other day) will in most cases greatly reduce or completely eliminate his/her urge to pee outside the box.

Once a cat starts peeing, though, they will remain attracted to that scent and it will be difficult to get them to stop, even with every measure taken. I moved from an apartment with lots of animal smells from previous tenants into an apartment with no animal smell, and it's been further calming for my cat. I've had no peeing incidents since I moved.

 

[Philo]

And finally, some cats develop a generalized anxiety disorder not unlike that found in humans. That was ultimately the case with my kitty, and medication was the only thing that helped. Medicating the cat with anti-anxiety meds (like the colompramine I give my cat every other day) will in most cases greatly reduce or completely eliminate his/her urge to pee outside the box.

"One for you, one for me."

Seriously, though, those are all very salient points. Again, I stress the use of the odour remover stuff to eliminate certain possible causes and aggravators. It's a good idea to use it not only on any clothes but also any spaces she's used (like the floor under your laundry hamper).

 

[Bears Discover Fire]

"One for you, one for me."

I must laugh to keep from crying!

One for me, one for my homies.

 

[Philo]

There's a song lyric in there somewhere.

 

[RoJoHen]

Given the pattern of her peeing on piles of dirty laundry (which is always in the same place on the floor), I am leaning towards a more psychological thing. She still uses her box most of the time, and she even used her box this past weekend when I brought her to my parents' house (a rather dramatic experience for her, but she's fine). The piles of clothes are kind of like a giant bed to her, and I think she's trying to mark them as her own. It's been going on for a month or two, but she only does it when the laundry piles get kind of large.

The one time she did it in the chair was because there was a pile of clothes on it.

I really need to put my clothes away.

 

[auntiehill]

^Have you thought about getting a little pet bed for her? Er..a washable one. And definitely find a way to make the laundry inaccessible.

But I would still take her to the vet, just in case.

 

[RoJoHen]

I bought her a bed 3 months ago.

She's terrified of the thing. Won't go near it.

 

[Philo]

Cats! I love 'em!

 

[auntiehill]

I bought her a bed 3 months ago.

She's terrified of the thing. Won't go near it.

Of course not. If you spend money on something, the cat won't touch it. However, the plastic ring off the milk jug or the tape on an old box is the BEST. TOY. EVER.

Man, I miss having a cat.

 

[Captain Intrepid]

Ducttape a sponge to her pisser.

 

[RoJoHen]

the plastic ring off the milk jug

Ah yes, the classic cat toy.

God, cats are idiots.