my cats are ruining my home

[thetallfairy]

Hello all

I love my pets so much

I have a new house and I have set up lots of beautiful areas for my cats.
they have clean litter trays all over the house, they get to come in and out we have cat flaps (we are on a farm)

A stray came a few months ago, we love him and he has fitted in well.
there are no issues with the other cats and all seems ok

however

two of the cats will not stop peeing each day in areas in the house.
it is every day and I dont know what to do any longer

they have clean cat trays and free access to go outdoors

they pee on my shoes, on my clothes
one will spray over the kitchen worktops

we got those plug ins from amazon but it has not made a difference

each day I am up at 6am and it takes an hour at least to clean all the pee and to have the worktops in decent condition before the kids awake at 7

go easy on me

I dont know what may help

I hate to say it but `I may have to set up a cat shed with blanket and put them in there each night

they pee mostly at night

any help please

thanks in advance

It’s likely due to the fact they are unsettled.

Firstly, you want better than the cheap Amazon plug ins, try Feliway if you haven’t already.

Second, cats tend to use the same area over and over as it holds smell for them (even if you can’t smell it) you need to use something that completely destroys the odor. We have an odor neutralising spray that works great, I will see if I can find a link to where we purchase from.

Do they definitely know where the trays are and do they use them at all? If they aren’t using the trays at all then I’d wonder if that was part of the issue. Granted our cat was a kitten when we did this, but we popped him in his tray and moved the litter with his paw, after we did this he did a big wee and was fine.

Can you try shutting them just in the kitchen overnight? Somewhere that’s easier to clean if they do make a mess? Shutting them outside feels unfair to me, there’s a reason they’re doing it, just need to figure out what it is!

Do they show any other signs of stress? Any recent health issues that could be causing it? Do your children give them enough personal space?

When we got our second cat, we found our first was jumping on her coming out of the litter tray! So she got quite nervous about going in and had a couple of accidents, this stopped when we stopped him harassing her.

The fact you mention spraying implies at least one cat isn’t neutered? If so, that will 100% be tied into it and be a big issue!

Good luck OP

super ideas

will look into felliway

they are all neutered

all up to date vet checks

I cant ever imagine leaving them outside
it came into my head this morning so I decided to post to look for all the good ideas on here

I may set the utility room up better for them with more beds and blankets and try them all in there at night time.

thank you!!!!!!

the new cat has unsettled them

he is peeing so much too

the worktops is putting me over the edge

I cant wake up one more morning to pee all over the worktops it is just so vile
there is so much of it too

the other day it seeped into the drawers
I cried all morning

Cover your work tops in tin foil. It will at least keep them off them

This is a fairy standard issue when you have several cats. How many do you actually have, I can work out 3 from your post but what is the total?

Oh bless you, that’s so hard. Also try putting things they won’t like in areas you don’t want them to go. My cats have never been phased by tin foil, but I’ve seen online that if you line your side with it then they won’t jump up. Perhaps give that a try? If nothing else it would add a layer of protection! Or try some kind of citrus scented spray in that area as they hate that!

Definitely sounds like a teething issue where they’re all just a bit stressed out, it’s so hard when it feels like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.

Not the same issue but when we got our second cat, the two hated each other for months and months. We were living in what felt like two houses and had to keep doors shut all the time etc. one day they just decided to get on and have been best buds ever since!! So it does get better I promise!

One of our cats has a condition that is brought on by stress, we do loads to try and help avoid it. Feliway definitely seems to do something, the other is having one extra litter tray than the number of cats you have (e.g. if you have 3 cats then 4 trays). Then there’s the usual of keeping food, water & toilet separate. Also a running water fountain as an option if possible. We also put film on one of our windows as he was seemingly getting stressed seeing seagulls and that seemed to help too!

Theres so many things to try and do, please don’t give up and feel helpless (I know how hard it is!). Cats are such unique creatures that you do just have to keep trying different things until you crack them.

If all else fails I would recommend trying to find a pet behaviourist who may be able to assist more. Obviously it’s an expense but I know lots of people who have had good experiences with them before and they’re well trained to try and work out exactly what the issue may be.

very true !!!!

this is so helpful

thank you

100 per cent looking up a cat behaviourist now

could do no harm

I love them all

I spend so much on them
it just upset me so much

my lovely kitchen too

I really hope it works out OP! I know how hard it is. When our two hated each other we seriously considered sending our new cat back as it was too hard and the idea broke my heart. I’ve always been a ‘pet is for life’ person so the idea that you’re not right for them is so tricky.

I hope that you will come back in a few weeks and share a lovely success story of how you managed to work it all out!

Unpopular opinion but I would get rid of the cats. Now the scent is there they'll Just keep doing it. You can't live like that.

So you need to use a proper cat pee cleaning product. I use Sinple solution odour remover. This is key as it stops the area smelling of pee to the cat whose sense of smell is far superior to ours.
Then place litter trays over the areas they are peeing in if ypu can.
For worktops I would recommend using the industrial workman sticky film. Ypu can buy on a massively roll and cover your worktops at night. This is basically like double sided sticky tape and they will not like jumping up onto it as they dislike the sticky feeling on their paws.
I would second rhe Feliway options there's a specific Feliway friends for multiple cat households.
You may need to Separate them at night if that's when it is happening, shut the old cats in the kitchen and the stray somewhere else.
Good luck !

Honestly, as you’re on a farm, I’d set them up with somewhere warm outside.

all of this OP, one of mine used to do this (peeing in the same place) and I went to Pets at home - they stock this type of product. And stop using bleach based products to clean it up too - I read somewhere this is a similar 'smell' to a cat.

We had this with our adopted cat. We did the cat shed thing with our vet's blessing, she said most people would have them put down.

If you're going to do it it would need to be now before it gets any colder, or leave it until April or so. They need to acclimatise when the weather is not too cold.

I would definitely confine them to one room at night (ideally your utility) with one litter tray if they can't get outside from there. I would remove all other litter trays from around the house in order to remove the odours that attract them to pee indoors. If they have access to outdoors so they shouldn't be peeing indoors at all really.

You'll need a very good neutraliser to combat the odours they've left in places where they've previously peed. www.amazon.co.uk/Simple-Solution-Stain-Odour-Remover/dp/B004GBTK28?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1 You might need to buy the larger 4L bottle.

I would restrict their access to all rooms with carpets/rugs until you've solved the issue. Make sure you treat the carpeted areas where they previously peed. For all textiles, a good quality Bio detergent will get rid of the smell.

Good luck!

It sounds as if your third cat has pushed the other two cats over the edge and everyone is now peeing for stress-related reasons. You may need to consider re-homing the third cat or, if you won't consider that, making him an outdoor cat? If your catflap isn't a microchip one, then switch to one of those and basically just programme it for your two original cats - they therefore will be able to come in and he won't. It might take a bit of time for them to feel safe again, though.

I think you may need to re-home the third cat. Assuming your first two never did this before, the third is the problem. Most cats don't like other cats, they can tolerate one another, but unless siblings or really chill, they don't like newcomers.

Your only other option is to lock them all out. Or ..... If you can manage, set up the newcomer in a shed, and fit a digital cat flap which only allows your original cats in.

that's a great idea

@thetallfairy I have one that does this. She is a vety anxious cat. Fluoxetine has worked a treat. She maybe pees in the kotchen once very 7/10 days now.

OK I have 6 cats.. and I've had a lot of cats over the years. up to 12 at one point. Anyway, I have had this too and this is what I would do.

You need to break the cycle and get them doing it all out side. So tough love - boot them all out and don't have litter boxes in the house. It's confusing. They don't need them if there's a catflap. It's cold so they must have shelter and somewhere warm to go. While they are out - a week or so will be enough, give your house a good clean. Hopefully that will break it. Good luck.

super helpful all

thank you

honestly was so low earlier due to it all
felt relentless

4

one is 9
one is 6
second youngest 5

and the new little guy in one

How old was the stray when you got him, and was he already neutered or did you have him done?

Were they living in harmony before you got the stray as he's maybe upset the balance.