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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have 2 cats in a flat?

53 replies

catsbabyandchaos · 27/08/2014 21:27

I think I might be but my circumstances are pretty dire.

Had a baby in June. I'm alone and have no family. But complex circumstances mean I'm in a small flat with my 2 cats who I had before I moved I to the flat. It's awful! They keep peeing everywhere and they obviously have litter trays but don't use them. I'm paranoid it's smelly and I can't afford to replace carpets yet (I will do as soon as I can.)

I guess I am bu but does anybody have any advice please? :-(

OP posts:
LikeTheShoes · 27/08/2014 22:08

get a good enzyme cleaner, I am in a flat with 2 cats but we have access to a garden so they can come and go. Is that possible? even a cat ladder out the window (obviously not if you're 10 floors up or anything!)
if they were in a cattery they will be sort of used to not going out, they are probably stressed with all the changes.
Try a Felliway and if they're always peeing in the same place either move a litter tray there (after cleaning!) or if that's not possible maybe try feeding there as they don't like to pee and eat in the same place. is it spraying on walls? are they neutered?
do they have somewhere (ideally high up) to hide eg accessible box on top of bookshelf?

(not an expert, I just watch a lot of My cat from hell)

Original poster
catsbabyandchaos · 27/08/2014 22:11

Ladies, you are stars - thank you! Thank you thank you THANK you!

I think whoever said about them not liking to use a litter tray someone else has used is the source of the problem as I have noticed there will be a teeny tiny bit of wee in one corner but someone will have weed or pood elsewhere Hmm I think this is because I've been out a lot lately for a myriad of reasons. I have also noticed the wee is in the same place so the cleaning tips will MASSIVELY help too, by the way this is on a rug - which can be dey cleaned so I obviously wouldn't have a baby crawling on a wee soaked rug.

To be honest I hope I will have moved by the time she's mobile but in the meantime I'm doing my best! These cats are pains in the backside but I do love them [blush{

OP posts:
trufflesnout · 27/08/2014 22:12

6-12 months will be a doddle if you can get the pee thing sorted. They'll adapt. It was just rehoming should have been in your mind if you were going to be in this flat forever and they were hating it. TBH I wouldn't give up my cat over a situation that was going to change in potentially under a year either Smile

Original poster
catsbabyandchaos · 27/08/2014 22:19

To be honest truffles if it came to it I think I'd have had to sell this place and rent somewhere else ... I just couldn't live with rehoming them which is bonkers I know but I've lost so much ... cats have just been fab. I woke up one morning in late May and just couldn't stop crying and my stroppy boy lay next to my head and PURRED - his purr is gorgeous, like melted chocolate :) It soothed me
Until I stopped crying and I could face work.

I just couldn't stick them in a rescue centre stupid old mad cat woman

In 6 months I'll be back at work so can rent out this place and rent somewhere with a little garden, nicer for the baby and the cats :)

OP posts:
hoobypickypicky · 27/08/2014 22:21

I love that you describe your cats as "someone" and not "the cat" or "it". :)

You think like I do!

Brummiegirl15 · 27/08/2014 22:50

Hi OP I have an indoor cat who has reached the grand old age of 18.

The key thing is the litter tray. If you have 2 cats, you need 1 tray per cat. I have the hooded tray for my cat with the door taken off and it gives him privacy. You must also use the best cat litter you can afford, the best in my opinion is catsan. If you are use cheap rubbish cat litter, it will get soaked and your cat will not pee on wet litter.

I replace my cats litter every other day, plus use liners and antibacterial spray and it works absolutely fine.

With regards to areas they've peed, you need to break the enzymes down so they can't smell it. Vodka does this a treat. I suggest Tesco vodka dabbed neat on the area as opposed to Absolut or Grey Goose!!!!

You are a long way off from rehoming but you do need to ensure you are doing all your can - and this comes with a bit of effort.

Good luck! I love my cat dearly and he is part of my family so I understand how upset and frustrated you must be.

And before anyone flames me for having an indoor cat, he is an RSPCA rescue cat who used to live in a lorry drivers cab (and be fed McDonalds i kid you not) and has a fear of the outside. I've had him for 14 years so he isn't doing too badly!

KingJoffreysBloodshotEye · 27/08/2014 23:12

Can you borrow a steamer?

One of my cats puddled indoors when we moved and the steamer was good for getting it out of the carpet.

I second Feliway. Brilliant stuff.

Scrub litter tray. The plastic absorbs the smell.

If you haven't got any buy some plants. Big leafy ones can help absorb smell.

And put cotton wool balls soaked in scented oil (lavender is my favourite) into your hoover bag/drum. Smells lovely whenever you hoover.

If you can organise your cats a cosy, dark corner where they're 'safe' and quiet. I expect they're just out of sorts due to the move.

shaska · 27/08/2014 23:36

We've got two cats in a flat, and it's ok - one day we'll have a garden for them, but for now we figured better in a flat than in a shelter.

Two trays really does work, and very regular scooping. Get the litter right - something that works for you and them. You don't have to do a complete litter change that often if you get clumping litter and scoop regularly. We do around three scooping sessions a day and roughly once a week full change. It is a pain, but it's less of a pain than one cat weeing on the bed, which is what was happening before...

Litterwise we use OkoPlus and you can order huge sacks online which saves faffing back from the supermarket all the time. And the poops and 'wee balls' are flushable which is nice and easy. But whatever works for you.

Good luck!

Leela5 · 28/08/2014 07:36

They are seeing because something is upsetting them. Could be because they're indoors or also new baby. How many litter trays and where? Cats are fussy about privacy and cleanliness. They will also spray where spray has happened already if you don't get rid of the smell.

Visit international cat care website for some cat behaviour advice to help you. It shouldn't be a list cause you just need to get to the root of the problem.

Leela5 · 28/08/2014 07:36

*weeing

Dropdeadfred2 · 28/08/2014 07:44

where do they crap??

PumpkinBones · 28/08/2014 07:51

I have a cat in a flat, but he is an indoor cat, so a different situation - however it might be worth having them checked out if you haven't already, my previous cat in iur old flat started peeing places all the time, absolutely stank, we put it down to stress because DH changed jobs and was home less and I was pregnant - turned out he had a bladder problem and needed surgery. Hopefully that is not the case for you, but I certainly assumed peeing was behavioural until this happened.

Original poster
catsbabyandchaos · 28/08/2014 07:53

They do use the litter tray to poo in and they wee in it but as someone has said I think the issue is they won't wee twice in the tray!

OP posts:
eltsihT · 28/08/2014 07:55

My parents cat stopped going outdoors (due to age and an aggressive tom) and would not use the litter tray. My parents put a tray of soil out for her and she started to use that, have you tried different cat litters,

I second putting the tray where they are peeing and slowly moving it to where you want it.

Original poster
catsbabyandchaos · 28/08/2014 07:58

Well - they are currently trying to pee on the rug in the lounge and I definitely don't want a litter tray in there!

Truffles and hooby hit on the problem I think which is that they can 'smell' their wee on a rug and also that they don't like weeing in the tray if someone's already wee'd in there. Poo is fine.

OP posts:
APotNoodleandaTommy · 28/08/2014 08:01

We have an anxious cat and have been giving him cat calmex, injected twice a day into his mouth or food. It's completely changed him.

APotNoodleandaTommy · 28/08/2014 08:01

For the better, that should say!!

wantacatplease · 28/08/2014 08:02

Can you build shelves for the cats to climb on? I'm a big Jackson Galaxy fan and watch "My Cat From Hell" and he always is suggesting that scared/distressed cats might like somewhere high to "escape" and look down on everything and feel safe. You can watch some of the clips on Youtube. He's from the US where it is v. common to have indoor cats in smaller dwellings, but they need new places to explore and sit to stay happy. Smile

Fluffycloudland77 · 28/08/2014 08:04

For two cats you need three trays. It's a chore but less so than cleaning up rugs.

Lonecatwithkitten · 28/08/2014 08:05

Rather than create a massive post with all the so and don'ts of cats urinating in the house here is the international cat care page.
As well as Feliway it way be worth using zylkene as well to reduce their stress levels as there is lots of evidence that zylkene and Feliway work synergistically.

waithorse · 28/08/2014 08:08

OP, you sound lovely. Good luck. Hope thing's work out and you're able to move soon.

Original poster
catsbabyandchaos · 28/08/2014 08:16

Thanks :)

Cats have already mastered climbing the wardrobe haha Grin

OP posts:
MrsSchadenfreude · 28/08/2014 08:20

Feliway, Zylkene and three litter trays has worked for us. Are they both peeing or is it just one? We had a rug pisser, who was also a clothes pisser, bed pisser/anything soft pisser. It turned out that she had a UTI and has been much better since she had antibiotics (touch wood).

MrsSchadenfreude · 28/08/2014 08:21

We also have a huge cat tree, which they loved when we got it and now ignore, in preference to climbing on the wardrobe/chest of drawers/boxes...

Original poster
catsbabyandchaos · 28/08/2014 08:30

Yes, it's just the male cat who wees (he is neutered) - will buy another litter tray today!

OP posts:
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