To rehome the elderly cat?

[Lazyginger]

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!

If she used to go outside, there will be a reason why she no longer feels comfortable doing that. And stress, possibly caused by the new baby as I said way upthread, is the most likely reason.

So she has had stress from moving and from a baby coming into the house.

You need to speak to the vet about stress. Let her have her own room if possible. Vinyl on the floor, 2 litter trays, warm and cosy beds.

When you take on that cute kitten or puppy you should be aware that they will get older and may have health problems, one of which may be weeing or pooing on the floor.

I took on a 13 year old cat some years ago that was spraying everywhere in his home. It was not easy or pleasant to start with but eventually he stopped and lived with me and DH until he was 19.

I had to have my 20 year old cat pts earlier this year as she had cancer. For almost a year beforehand she had been having accidents (poo and pee). Other than that she was fine, still playing like a kitten, eating and seeming happy.

Yes it gets frustrating cleaning up after them but it is part and parcel of being a responsible pet owner.

When your baby wets itself or misses the potty or has a dirty protest will you rehouse the baby.

"When your baby wets itself or misses the potty or has a dirty protest will you rehouse the baby."

Oh don't be stupid!!

Oh ffs. Do the people saying "you just have do deal with it" have any idea how much cats hate being unclean, and being in unclean places?? I dread to think how many utterly miserable and unwell cats are being kept alive for the sake of human projection.

I suspect the cat is stressed by the presence of 4-month-old baby. Was it pissing in the house before the baby arrived? If the two things coincide then there's your answer. Cats IME don't really like DC and find crying stressful.

YWBU to rehome the cat - no one is going to take a 15-year-old cat, particularly one that pisses all over the house. Sadly, this is quite normal for cats. My DM has had 7 or 8 cats and only one has never pissed in the house - all the others, bar none, have been filthy.

TBH, if you really can't cope with it any more (and you really, really should take it to the vets to get advice as your first port of call), then it would be kinder to have the cat PTS. At least then you're being honest with yourself and the situation, because that's what will happen if you dump this cat at a rehoming centre.

differenteverytime is your cat old? Has it only started howling recently, as this is a signnof dementia.

Is the cat neutered?
Do you have the litter trays far from each other?
If they're near she may not want to go its near the other two.
Its possible the other two are using her tray, so she cant use it.
If a dominant cat uses one tray, the other cat won't use it.

officer i don't think she should get rid of her cat but your posts aren't helping.

I don't like cats but I couldn't imagine rehoming my beautiful dog just because he got old. He's my best mate - just the thought of it makes me well up

I think the information in the second post by OP gave a much clearer idea of what had already been tried.

Having this thread in the litter tray section would be much better. AIBU is never going to lead to sensible advice

If she is used to weeing outside then you could try putting garden soil in an indoor litter tray to see if that will encourage her to use it?

I'm not sure why there are so many posts assuming she's senile and coming to the end of her life. She's 15 - she may well live for another good 10 years!

As I see it, she's had some MAJOR stressors in her life recently - new home and new baby. She needs to feel secure and contented.

Did you used to spend time with her on your lap? Has that ended? Did she have a 'age space' in the old home? Are there other cats coming into your garden? Cats are territorial and it sounds like she's been put in a new place where nothing is really hers! Cats wee to mark territory as well as a response to stress (and health issues - but sounds like they have been eliminated by the vets).

Make sure the environment is calm and she has a place she can retreat to - a warm bed in a utility room or a spare room that's not used by the baby. Use feliway in those rooms and give additional treats when she's in the rooms.

You need to completely eliminate the smell from where she has weed. Baking soda lifts the smell and vinegar can mask it so try that. If she can pick up any scent she will go in the same spot again.

Make sure you have multiple litter trays (one per cat + 1). Keep them clean. Make sure she has lots of water available and space away from the other cats (cats don't like to share food or water bowls and like to eat alone).

And give her plenty of attention. I know it's difficult with a small child but just spending 20 mins a day fussing the cat will make her feel better.

Nobody will rehome her, and she's not actually sick by the sounds of it so please don't put her to sleep. That's absolutely awful!

'Safe space'

No, but I would rehome you. Poor cat...

My old cat started pooing and peeing outside the litter box. She was 17 by this point and the vet said her kidneys were giving up. A change of food helped for a while, but in the end I took the horrible decision (she had been my childhood pet) to have her PTS.

I have 2 cats now who are going to be 15 this year. One of them throws up quite a lot. There is nothing to find, but I haven't put him through the stress of x-rays and scans. He is not in pain and the antacids have helped a bit. He is still enjoying life, but I have had the chat with the vet about the end when it comes. I keep a close eye on them both and am thankful that they have no problems with messing in the house. They are free to come and go as they please 24 hours a day and haven't had a litter tray in the house for years.

It is a horrible dilemma, but I honestly don't think re-homing the cat at age 15 is the answer.

Can people just stop with the '15 is hardly ANY age for a cat' bollocks!

Yes it IS! If said cat was a human, they would about 100!

'Oooh my cat lived til 29 years old, my nana's cat lived til 27.'

Come off it! Most cats don't live to that age. Every last cat I have ever known (who has died naturally,) has lived to between 14 and 18 years old. Only one cat I have ever known of has lived longer, and that was my aunt's cat who lived to 21. THAT lifespan is a lot less likely than 14-18.

15 is OLD for a cat, and it's not uncommon for them to go downhill quickly after that age, so people need to stop pretending the cat is only middle aged, and has many years to go.

Look this up ANYwhere. the average lifespan of a pet cat is 15-20 years. 15 is certainly not young for a cat.

@Lazyginger, I am glad you're getting the issue sorted, and ignore any nasty comments from people trying to make you feel lousy, purely for being super-frustrated

Can't wait for your potty training posts!

It is a difficult situation and I feel sympathy for you OP and for the cat. It must be very difficult to live with your house reeking and constantly cleaning up after the cat and I would also worry about the hygiene aspect with the baby crawling around. I don't think you will be able to re-home such an old cat. I can understand why you are at your wits end over this. Nobody's fault, just an unfortunate situation.

Not the same but when one of my parent's dogs was on her period years ago they bought her a little pair of pants with a little (regularly changed) sanitary towel and she didn't seem to mind it, wasn't bothered by it at all as she was a chilled out little pug and it did do the trick (as mad as it looked). I'm not convinced an elderly cat cat would feel the same way though.

I feel I need to make myself clear, I don't Want to rehome her, I don't Want to pts. I just want her to stop pissing

She has lots of nice snuggles and often sleeps in the bed between dh and I much to his delight!

She's always been a bit of a moody cow though tbh. But I don't think she's doing it by spite.

Thinking about it a lot today, about a week after we moved in to the new house she came home with a bitten ear... I wonder if the bity thing bit her when she was trying to toilet? That could very well be the cause.

Earth in the tray is a great idea! I'm going to try the tray again.

I have almost the same situation, my cat is 17 and in the last 6 months has stopped using the litter tray so I have to clean up wee and poo twice a day. She picked a few spots to use, quite near the litter tray and will only use the tray for a wee if I put her in it. I'm pregnant so all my family are telling me to rehome her or take her to the vet to pts because i shouldn't be cleaning up faeces and my partner works along hours so I have to do it when I get in from work. I've taken her to the vet and there is nothing wrong so they won't do that now. I've changed litter trays and litter type and tried new diets and also used feliway but none of that made any difference. She doesn't have a problem getting in the tray because she's quite happy jumping onto the sofa and bed still so she doesn't have any mobility problems and she's not got a problem not getting to the tray quickly enough because she walks past it to go to her preferred spots. I've even put the tray in the spots where she does go and she just goes next to it instead. I don't want to rehome her but I can see why my family want me to, and the smell is making me wretch badly.
To those who say no one will take an old cat, that's rubbish, I've adopted 2 old cats (+15yrs) in the past, both with health problems and I know plenty of others who have done the same. I got them from smaller sanctuaries who make sure they get rehomed rather than the main centres. I'm going to contact the same sanctuary to see if they can take my one and foster it just whilst I'm pregnant and I'll pay for her care.

OP Washing with bicarb, vinegar and lemon juice helps remove the smell, just don't use any ammonia based products because it smells just like urine to them.

"She's 15 - she may well live for another good 10 years!"

Bollocks.

I cannot believe that you would even think of. There will come a time when you are a pissy arse if you live long enough. Maybe you will be abandoned at a rescue centre for old women. karma is a wonderfully strange thing.

Do they have places for elderly humans who may be incontinent and unable to look after themselves? Oh yes...! Nursing homes!

Karma will have to be an amazing thing, as it will first have to invent rescue centres for old women.

You sound like a loving cat owner who is trying her best to find a solution, OP. I hope you find something that works. It is very hard to have to make the decision to say goodbye to a much loved pet.

kali, yes, our cat is 15. Vet thinks she's uncomfortable with her teeth and she's going for a dental pretty soon, which may help her feel better. But yes, I know that they can lose their marbles at this age. She shows no other signs, except that she is now affectionate where she never was in the past (ex feral). Jumps onto my lap several times a day.

BertrandRussell she may well live for atleast another 5 years.

Make sure they each have their own litter tray.
Make sure there is some where in the house she can go to hide from the other cats, baby.
Try feliway spray, spray where she has been weeing.
Try some calming things you put in her food.