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Original poster

Only looking for things that actually worked in stopping cat wee

118 replies

Coffeetree · 30/11/2021 08:13

I've turned the Internet upside down and have found loads of suggestions but no actual stories of "I did X and it stopped my cat from stress-weeing outside her box" .

My indoor cat had been absolutely fine with using her box, and then after lockdown I went from being home all day to working outside the house for 12 hours a day. I had her before lockdown but she was fine with my long hours then.

I've got a new remote-only job beginning in Jan, but she now has the bad habits. She pees on my bed and bathmat and when discouraged from that she started on the couch. She's now confined to spare room with litter box and I sleep in there with her (with foil on bed to keep her off).

Checked at vet, no med issues. I'm not even going to list all the things I've tried because I've tried everything possible that can be found on the Internet. So please don't ask have I tried x, the answer is yes.

I'm beginning to suspect that nothing really works and that people just end up living in urine-soaked homes or giving away their cats, and that's why in the hundreds of blogs and threads all over the Internet you never have the OP returning to say, "Thanks for the advice, problem solved!"

Anyone actually resolve the issue?

OP posts:

Trinacham · 02/12/2021 21:36

@Coffeetree

Can you have a litter ox in the bathroom?

No, we have a tiny bathroom! We would have to step in the tray to use the bathroom! We don't mind him going into the tub though

Rainingagaininseattle · 02/12/2021 21:50

The only thing that got rid of the smell was ripping up the carpets and sanding the floor boards, the only thing that got rid of the habit was finding and changing the cause of distress - another cat tormenting him. We kept him indoors. He was happy again until we moved, now he's happy to go outside again. But it's a drastic solution as cats should be going outside and we were lucky that we were about to move.

1forAll74 · 03/12/2021 01:11

My three cats have never done a wee or a poo in my house at all.

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Cats

Trinacham · 03/12/2021 06:34

@1forAll74

My three cats have never done a wee or a poo in my house at all.

Umm.. congrats?

Trinacham · 03/12/2021 06:36

@1forAll74 neither has one of my two cats. The other one has (after he suffered a urinary infection). Not really sure why you commented this?

Lavenderosemary · 03/12/2021 19:25

I bought waterproof fleeces from amazon to cover the beds. One cost £25, the first £70. They're useful as I can relax a bit. I've also put electric blankets under the waterproof throw so now the cats want to sleep on the bed and not pee on it 😁

IDontThinkSoNo · 03/12/2021 19:37

@Lostgirl78

She's pissing everywhere because you're giving off bad vibes. She can tell you're a piece of work and wants out. If you spoke to me like you've spoken to some of the people on this thread, I'd probably wazz on your bed.

This!

Meruem · 03/12/2021 21:04

Feliway didn’t do sod all for my cat. Utter waste of time. I have tried literally everything. Mine started with the bed and sofa, which was an utter nightmare. Finally she has seemed to confine herself to peeing and pooping on one particular rug, for the most part. I have decided to live with it. I love her too much to re home her. At least while she sticks to that rug, it’s just one thing that needs regular cleaning. You’re right in that you discourage them from one spot and they find a new one. So in the end I have just accepted the rug as being that spot. I tried putting a litter tray there but she’s not interested. So that’s where we are.

I’m sorry I have no helpful suggestions, I’m really just posting out of solidarity. It is such a difficult situation. I tried all the internet ideas. Got me nowhere. I feel your pain. I have wfh ever since I got her. We spend every minute of every day together. So she isn’t lacking in attention. I don’t know what it is. I think it’s just the way with some cats.

Original poster

Coffeetree · 04/12/2021 05:56

@Lavenderosemary

Thank you. Is there a link for what you use?

I got a waterproof mattress protector and it was not at all waterproof.

OP posts:

Original poster

Coffeetree · 04/12/2021 05:58

@Meruem

Thank you. Poor you. Yes I might just resign myself to having to clean the bath mat every day. If I try to hang it up she goes in search of another target.

OP posts:

icedcoffees · 04/12/2021 07:59

Real life person with real cats here

Has your cat had a urine sample taken by the vet and sent off for analysis?

Original poster

Coffeetree · 04/12/2021 11:23

Yes we did that and no infection.

OP posts:

icedcoffees · 04/12/2021 11:27

@Coffeetree

Yes we did that and no infection.

I assume they did a check for urinary crystals as well?

Ours had issues with urinating outside his litter box and he got a diagnosis of crystals. We switched him to a urinary food (we use a brand called Smilla as it was 1/4 of the price of brands like Hills or Royal Canin) and he also gets two cystease capsules per day. You can add to food or just give them whole.

We've never ever had an issue since.

Original poster

Coffeetree · 04/12/2021 11:42

Okay, good advice thanks!

OP posts:

Original poster

Coffeetree · 05/12/2021 19:33

It's only been a week but we've had significant success,thanks to the suggestions here.

The confinement technique worked really well as an emergency measure, to get her peeing in the box again. She was confined to the guest room with foil on bed for about four days. She was confined whenever I left the house and when I went to bed. After four days the confinement area extended to bathroom. When I'm home and awake she has the run of the place

Beaphor treats with valium really really helped. Noticeably calmer, huge difference. So much so that she's had absolutely no interest in peeing on bathmat. PLUS unbeknownst to me, she'd worked out that the foil on the guest bed could be moved aside to reveal a soft duvet, so she's been chilling on the bed with no accidents.

At least hour of play time every day, with catnip and new exciting toys.

So I'll give it a few more days and see how we get on. Next step is end confinement and institute new second box.

OP posts:

DisplayPurposesOnly · 06/12/2021 15:17

Excellent news. Glad to to hear your cat is happier.

Da1sycha1n · 06/12/2021 15:28

One of my house cats started doing this during the first lockdown. Like you I tried EVERYTHING!

Fortunately (?) it was only in the lounge.

Finally seemed to stop after I threw away the professionally cleaned rug (it still had a lingering smell), washed all the soft furnishings and ripped up the carpet (again, I'd had it professionally cleaned). There wasn't any underlay and I could see staining and damp patches where she'd favoured, so I sanded these down and bleached/scrubbed the whole floor. Was so lucky to have a really nice wooden floor underneath, as it was a pretty drastic solution.

She's using the litter tray again absolutely fine and has been since I did the above. They're attracted to the tiniest amount of odour, so although drastic, it was necessary.

Original poster

Coffeetree · 06/12/2021 18:52

@Da1sycha1n nightmare!!! Thank goodness it stopped.

OP posts:

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Only looking for things that *actually worked* in stopping cat wee

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Only looking for things that actually worked in stopping cat wee