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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To rehome the elderly cat?

275 replies

Lazyginger · 09/08/2017 23:10

The elderly cat (15) keeps pissing in the house. The house stinks.
I have tried everything! I've taken it to the vets (several times) for expensive tests - apparently there's nothing wrong.
I've thrown out countless carpet and door mat.
I've tried everything Google suggests. Tin foil. Orange peel. Aversion therapy.
Locking her out works whilst she's out! But as soon as I let her in again she pisses somewhere! Soon it will be winter again and I didnt really want to lock her out.
Thing is, apart from making the house stink, I've got a 4 month old ds who will soon be crawling and the last thing I want is for him to find a lake of cat piss.
I'm at the end of the road and considering taking her back to the cats protection as awful as it makes me feel. Is this unreasonable? Im at my wits end!

OP posts:
SuburbanRhonda · 10/08/2017 10:21

Several times whilst pregnant I've dealt with poo too (which you're not supposed to apparently)

Your DP - if you have one - should have done this.

reallyanotherone · 10/08/2017 10:27

I got my pissy cat antidepressants. Worked brilliantly.

Pissy cats do tend to need to have their own space with absolutely no other cats.

MargaretCavendish · 10/08/2017 10:32

I don't know whether the people who are still directly attacking the OP, like OfficerVanHalen have read the thread or not, but I think it's pretty nasty after her update, which made it clear that she really has been trying hard to resolve this long-standing problem.

Original poster
Lazyginger · 10/08/2017 10:35

'Skipping off'

If only life was so easy!

OP posts:
Montsti · 10/08/2017 10:37

Yabvvvu...

Poor cat...all I seem to see at the moment are people wanting to rehome their pets for various reasons...

The cat will be put down if you try to rehome her as nobody is looking for such an old cat...so so sad....

dailydance · 10/08/2017 10:37

Have you tried different types of cat litter? Try diluted Milton to get rid of the smell. It's not as damaging as bleach but does work for getting of the smell. That should discourage her from peeing in "her spots".

One of mine started out as an outdoor cat, until she decided to move in with me. She is hit and miss with the trays (2 years now), but slowly getting there. It is difficult to house train outdoors cats so I completely understand where your frustration is coming from. As she is an outdoors cat, but getting old so really does need some home comforts; would you have a shed that you can put a cat flap in so that she has shelter? Lots of blankets for warmth etc and also a litter tray in there to see if by any chance she puts 2+2 together?

Woobeedoo · 10/08/2017 10:45

I've had to skim read the thread as I supposed to be working, so not sure if this has been mentioned, but - when our cats were kittens they'd forget where the litter tray was and pee on the carpet. What made them stop was scrubbing the carpet clean and then putting a sheet on cooking foil over the area they'd pee'd on. Use a little double sided tape to hold it in place. It sounds weird but cats don't like walking on unusual surfaces and this actually worked for us so maybe give it a whirl and see if it works for yours.

Also if a litter tray is too clean my two wouldn't use it, I always had to save a small bit of pee'd on cat litter and put it in with the fresh. Cats. They're weird but adorable in their fluffy odd ways.

ghostyslovesheets · 10/08/2017 10:45

if she has usual places put a litter tray in them all!

I have a litter tray in my living room behind the TV because it's the only bloody place stupid kitten boy would piss!

I do sympathise OP my old cat is 15 but it's runny poo we have to deal with - and she goes near the tray never in it (and up the wall etc etc) - I just have to clean it up and suck it up - she's my cat and I took her on knowing she'd get older

She has thyroid problems which make her tummy bad - she's not being malicious - neither is your puss

RandomlyGenerated · 10/08/2017 10:48

We had this too (eventually turned out to be kidney disease / tumour), but in the meantime we used Zylkene and Cyst-ease to ease the symptoms and help with stress.

Try diluting 1 part bio washing liquid in 10 parts water and use in a spray bottle - the bio wash will break down the enzymes in the pissy carpets etc.

thecatneuterer · 10/08/2017 11:05

So I think the problem started because she didn't have trays indoors. It's often the case that as cats get older they find it more difficult to go outside to toilet - may be because it's cold, or raining, or the ground is hard or some such. Then the smell of piss has got into various places in your house so she keeps returning to them.

There is probably some added stress to the mix too.

I think if you can really clear the smell of where she has peed before (new carpets? Have you considered vinyl? Or at the very least cleaning everything thoroughly with bio washing stuff), then put down trays in a few places, plus use Feliway, you might be able to solve the problem.

AIBU wasn't the right place to post this - you should have posted in The Litter Tray for more useful responses.

BlueKarou · 10/08/2017 11:11

Several times whilst pregnant I've dealt with poo too (which you're not supposed to apparently)

Your DP - if you have one - should have done this.

When I was pregnant, no DP, I just made sure I had gloves on when dealing with cat poo (mine go outside, but in my own garden, and so my delightful dog occasionally brings it in) - gloves off as soon as you're done, and wash your hands with a good antibacterial soap. It's perfectly safe as long as you keep good hygiene.

BertrandRussell · 10/08/2017 11:11

"The cat will be put down if you try to rehome her as nobody is looking for such an old cat...so so sad...."

Why is it sad that an elderly, incontinent cat is pts? Cats like to be clean- they are miserable if they aren't.

It's sad for the humans. Not for the animal. Animals don't understand why they are unhappy, just that they are.

Original poster
Lazyginger · 10/08/2017 11:12

Thanks for advice from those with similar issues.

I've got rid of the carpet and mat so she pissed on the floorboards and concrete door step both of which seem to suck up the smell. I've tried and tried to get the smell out as I realise that probably why she's doing it.

She sits outside sunbathing (Not today !) Then comes inside to piss Confused

I will double my attempts at getting the smell out.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lazyginger · 10/08/2017 11:15

I don't think she's incontinent, she doesn't dribble it everywhere. If she was I wouldn't hesitate in doing the right thing as sad as it is as it's no life for a cat being unclean.

She just doesn't like pissing outside ?

OP posts:
WetDayInAugust · 10/08/2017 11:16

A pet is for life. You should not rehome her for this. I lived with an incontinent cat after a RTA for 7 years. I would recommend the spray from the vet to eliminate any smell

GinaFordCortina · 10/08/2017 11:20

I think there are many adults who would choose to be "pts" over left to deteriorate to the point they had no dignity left.

hopeful31yrs · 10/08/2017 11:22

Agree with the others I'm afraid - it's part and parcel of being a pet owner - you deal with with shit (pun intended) along with the good.

Just lost our Russian blue who was an absolutely beautiful cat. We adored her and the final year of her life was the same with her going in the wrong places - we think she was just a bit senile. We took up carpet and replaced with disposable carpet tiles and just threw these when soiled. We had tried all the usual tricks but she continued to wet/poo in the wrong places. We have a baby and a 3 yr old and they were kept away from those areas. As annoying as it was it's something we had to put up with.

BertrandRussell · 10/08/2017 11:24

"As annoying as it was it's something we had to put up with."

No. it was something the poor cat had to put up with.

UtterlyFcked · 10/08/2017 11:24

Sounds like stress and old age to me. New baby is never going to make an elderly cat happy. Have you considered getting rid of the baby?

thecatneuterer · 10/08/2017 11:32

Yes she just doesn't like pissing outside. It's very common for cats to decide this as they get older. Make sure you have trays inside.

And I really would recommend vinyl flooring. It's cheap and impervious to cat wee.

thecatneuterer · 10/08/2017 11:33

And you're right OP - this isn't incontinence. If it were incontinence then PTS would be the only option - for the sake of the cat and everyone else. But this isn't that.

GinaFordCortina · 10/08/2017 11:35

Ok so if it's not incontinence, it's a miserable old cat. Yes, op keep it for as long as you can, that's the kind thing to do Confused

Mittens1969 · 10/08/2017 11:36

Vicky Halls 'Cat Detective' is a very good book, plus her book 'Cat Confidential'. She's a cat behavioural therapist and has a lot of useful advice on soiling in the house.

Now you've mentioned that you have 3 cats, it's possible that the elderly one is being bullied by the other cats, they might be guarding the tray and not letting her use it. What Vicky Halls would say is you need 1 tray per cat plus 1, in your case 4 trays.

It's worth looking into.

Allwashedup · 10/08/2017 11:38

My elderly cat did exactly the same thing and was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

It would be very cruel and unkind to rehome her at this stage of her life. Poor thing

Are you sure there is nothing stressing her in the home or other cats outside?

thecatneuterer · 10/08/2017 11:40

Ok so if it's not incontinence, it's a miserable old cat

Not necessarily. It could just be a cat that doesn't have the right sort of litter tray set up.