Help! Can't stop cat peeing on the rug :(

[Bowserlovesmojitos]

Long story short it's been a stressful few months including nightmare house purchase, temporary accommodation and i'm overdue with first baby.
Moved into our new house just over a week ago - things were good, litter trays used and no issues (pushchair got peed in but was in an exciting little corner smelling all fresh and was on day 2 of being here so I don't think it was marking?)
I mistakenly had the door closed for about 2 minutes to the bathroom with the trays in and smallcat peed downstairs on the rug 2 days ago - doesn't seem stress related but now despite the numerous odour neutralisers, carpet cleaners (pet ones), citronella spray, lime essential oil and tin foil he is determined to pee there.
Caught bigcat once peeing but he has gone back to litter tray now.
Smallcat knows he shouldn't pee there as I saw him squat, told him no and he ran off upstairs to pee in the tray instead.
Every night since though he has peed (and pooped) in different spots on the rug.
Any suggestions? Am going to try thoroughly cleansing the rug but it seems more habit than scent based?
Ps yes we have lots of feliway around to help.

[RTKangaMummy]

How about BIO washing liquid?

[RoastChickenDinner]

Worth taking him to the vet. My cat just started doing similar and the vet said likely cystitis.

[thecatneuterer]

I think I would try putting another tray downstairs as well, at least for a while.

[BluishSky]

I was coming on to say what roastchickendinner said. I would put money on it.

[sparkleglitterdaisy]

Very hard to get cat pee odour out of rugs even when we can't smell it they can . If it's a rug , not a carpet , can you roll it up at night ? And put a litter tray when the rug is - just overnight . Also try using a carpet washer machine , go over areas lots .

[sparkleglitterdaisy]

Also agree with going to the vet to check for bladder infection .

[Leopard12]

Agree with sparkleglitter as it's a rug could you remove it for a couple of days to try and break the habit or put a litter tray on top of it for a little bit. Even if it no longer smells it can become a habit, also possibly a trip to the vets just to check

[Bowserlovesmojitos]

Would it still be a bladder thing if he is also pooing there?
He has avoided the rug now as it's covered in tin foil and we've put a litter tray next to it but seems he now doesn't want to pee anywhere.
Going to thoroughly clean the rug and plan a trip to vet - new to the area so no idea where to go

[TopsyZZZ]

Sounds like the cat maybe a bit stressed. My cat was the same when we moved. Feliway helps but ultimately I found that rewarding him for using the litter worked a treat. Wait until he looks like he is going to pee somewhere then move him to litter tray, once he's been give him a treat.

[RTKangaMummy]

Do you have a local facebook group of your new area?

On my local one people ask all the time for recommendations for things like VETS, DOCTORS, & DENTISTS. etc

Or is there a MN local group in your group?

[RTKangaMummy]

• AREA

[OlennasWimple]

Feliway, a hormone collar and Cat Attract litter worked for BlackWimpleCat

[RoastChickenDinner]

I used the Pets at home odour eliminator yesterday and found it very good.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Feliway plug in, wash rug with biotex and spray with odour neutraliser ( I like freebreeze).

[blinkowl]

My friend's cat had similar only the cat was peeing on their bed. They got a cat psychologist in, in the end (her DH thought that was a crazy idea but changed his mind after as it was so sucessful).

There were 2 issues. Firstly the cat had cystitis and with cat cystitis they can't go till they feel relaxed. The cat was relaxed on the bed, so was weeing then.

Crucially, the other issue was that the cat didn't feel safe in her litter box. A local Tom had come through the cat flap and now she felt unsafe in the house. Her litter tray was hidden away, that made her feel unsafe as she couldn't see any threats approaching. People like to hide to use the toilet, the opposite is true for cats. They need to see who might be sneaking up on them.

The solution in the end was to put some pot plants outside the cat flap so she had some cover when she went out, allowing her to check whether the Tom was about, have a few litter trays in places she could see clearly what was going on.

I guess they took her to the vet for the cystitis also.

[Bowserlovesmojitos]

Ok, we cleaned the rug thoroughly last night then covered in a dust sheet and tinfoil. Kitten peed in the tray which we have placed next to the rug so at least he isn't searching out elsewhere.
I am grateful for all the advice, we are just searching for good vets locally but as he is going in the tray next to the rug and there has been so much upheaval recently we're leaning towards it being stress/behavioural not physical.
Any tips how to gradually get the tray moved from where it is now to somewhere a little less there?