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Original poster

Help - 1 of my cats is weeing on DS1's bed! And the sofa, and anywhere else!

42 replies

2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven · 31/01/2009 15:03

I will try to keep this brief but any guidance would be helpful as DH is ready to have the cat put down

We have 2 ginger tom cats which we got together from Battersea cats home about 7 years ago. The younger one (now about 8-9) recently (about 2 months ago) had a sore behind which the vet said was like having piles (ow!). That was the time he started going on DS1's bed (and the spare beds and the leather sofa in the front room). As it was painful to go this was somewhat understandable. However he is all better now and has been for a few weeks but the weeing has not stopped - and last week it escalated to a poo on DS1's pillow . We are very vigliant about keeping the relevant doors shut but if any are inadvertedly left open even for 10 mins he will whip in there to do his business. It seems like he's waiting for the opportunity on purpose! It's costing us a fortune in washing the duvets and bedding and it's a shame for DS1, who's only 3. And frankly it's a nuisance to have to strip the beds at least 3 times a week.

DH has seriously lost his patience and is talking about rehoming etc. The cat knows it is naughty as he hides under our bed as soon as he's done it. I don't really know anyone who would have him and I worry that at Battersea he's too old to get re-homed. Also the other cat (about 10) would seriously miss his mate. I have suggested that we take him to the vet but I think it's behavioural. We have 2 DSs (3.8 and 21 months) and I'm 14 weeks pg with no3. I don't think I will be able to cope with a dirty cat in a few months time.

TIA

OP posts:
coolj · 31/01/2009 18:01

Have you tried spraying around bed with Cat Repellent spray. I know they prevent the cat from scratching etc as they dont like the smell. Perhaps spray around room door, carpet etc. Might deter cat from going in. Sorry you are having trouble.

chloejessmeg · 31/01/2009 18:31

There are some essestial oils that repell cats from going in a certain room. Can't think off the top of my head but I am sure you would find it if you googled it.

Or you could try feliway?

Our cats have always wee'd on the bed if they are allowed in but we have just kept doors shut all the time, even if we are just going in for 2 mins. And it works for us.

Have you been back to the vets to check there is no other problems?

Original poster
2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven · 31/01/2009 19:50

Is Feliway the thing you plug in a bit like a difuser air freshner thing? I will google it anyway.

I also think DH should take him back to the vets next week just to double check that it's nothing physical. It's funny that he won't do it on our bed (lucky really as we have a silk filled duvet that cost a fortune!!). Both cats sleep on our bed during the day to get away from mad toddler boys I suppose.

Thanks for your suggestions.

OP posts:
LuLuBai · 02/02/2009 09:07

oh sympathies - I have an old rescue cat too (about 14) who has been with us for about 3.5 years. He's weeing and crapping in various innapropriate places at the moment too. Mostly DD's room, but last night next to our bed while we were asleep.

I'm really at my wits end.

My DH blames DD who does like to chase him around at bit. Plus we aren't living in our own home at the moment during building works.

The vets I've spoken to do swear that Feliway helps stressed out cats but doesn't seem to help ours much. Nevertheless, worth a try. I've also been sprinkling pepper wherever he's been to try and prevent him going there again, but he's currently snoozing in a corner I liberally sprinkled with pepper yesterday.

We are also trying to keep him out of bedrooms but not so easy with a toddler in the house as she just leaves them open again.

Am off to do some more research into this and will report back. In the meantime - do you recommend anything good for cleaning up the wee?

LuLuBai · 02/02/2009 14:56

Hi - I can't find a link to it, but I just found an article in the Saturday Times (since having children it takes me all week to read one newspaper) saying that (unlike dogs) cats are really solitary creatures and if kept in multiples one can sometimes develop issues. Is there any angst between your two cats? Would be odd considering they have been together so long, but perhaps worth keeping an eye on. One may be subtly dominant (e.g. eating the other's food, sleeping where he likes to sleep?).

Also found some spray cleaner designed to help clean up pet messes. It is by 'Bob Martin' and was in the pet section of Sainsburys. Haven't tried it yet, but have all fingers crossed that it works. I've been using bleach where possible and Dettol, Vanish or 2001 where I can't bleach but I can't seem to get rid of the distinctive 'cat' smell.

PinkFurryStripeyTiger · 02/02/2009 15:04

we used stuff called simple solution or something like that, from the pet shop. It's great at getting rid of the smell.

Sadly our cat got worse, weeing on the sofas, chairs, the carpets, children's beds on a daily basis. She had kidney issues, but it can be a behavioural thing.

LuLuBai · 02/02/2009 15:29

Sorry to hear about your cat PinkFurry. Found this article describing kidney failure (acute and chronic) in cats in case it is helpful to anyone. We've already tested for that, so I think ours is more likely to be psychological.

PinkTulips · 02/02/2009 15:34

we had a tom cat that used do this..... he pooed and peed in all the beds, often with us in them

we found the only solution was to rstrict him to the kitchen and living room as any time he escaped upstairs he'd do it again.

have you considered having him neutered? it's alot less drastic than having him put down and by the sounds of it it is a teritorial thing which would be resolved if he was neutered.

LuLuBai · 02/02/2009 16:27
  • while you were actually in the bed PinkTulips! I was offended enough at our cat peeing by the bed while we slept (you know you've got out of bed on the wrong side when your foot lands in cat piss - which ever side of the bed it is)

I've done some googling and come up with some other forums discussing this issue
here and here

newpup · 02/02/2009 16:44

My cat has just started peeing on the dining room carpet, we bought a new dining table a few weeks ago so it may be that she hates it !! We have an 8 month old puppy too but have had her since end of july and cat just started this so not sure it is the puppy.

Anyway best product for removing the smell is 'simple solution' from pets at home. It is american I think and is fab at removing that awful smell. It is completely harmless to humans and can be put in with washing so might help with the sheets.

Nothing wrong with my moggy physically so must be behavioural.

StudentMadwife · 02/02/2009 23:07

I had a hideous problem with my 2 cats and 2 kittens last yr, one wasnt well-upset tummy and after that they all started pooing and peeing everywhere including kids beds, we too were at our wits ends.

I took advice from a localish proffessional cat care company and consequently all 4 got shut downstairs in the porch overnight. i would feed them biscuits in the morning and then in the evening when they have wet food they wood get shut in the porch with their 4 litter trays. it was hard not to have them around, but we stuck with the advice and carried on with the rountine for 10 weeks, after which we reintroduced them to each room. 5 weeks on we have had no accidents!! hooray!

after they did poo/pee on carpet we scrubbed down carpet wih biological washing powder and then sprayed on surgical spirit.

hth gd luck

Original poster
2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven · 03/02/2009 10:53

Thanks for all the posts yesterday. It's reassuring to know I'm not alone.

The damn cat pooed on DS1's bed and wee'd on the leather sofa yesterday - the cold and snow probably has something to do with it as I'm sure he didn't want to go outside to do his business. We've never really had a litter tray (didn't like the idea plus then had babies!) so neither cat really knows what to do with them.

Luckily (!) we are not yet at the stage when he wees or poos whilst we are sleeping in the relevant bed. The cats are shut in the kitchen over night. Impossible to keep them locked in there during the day as the kids play in the kitchen and are constantly running in and out.

We don't have a porch or seperate area to lock them into unfortunately and both cats are already neutered.

I don't think they have an issue between them - they were given to Battersea cats home together so re-homed with us together. We have had odd occasions of stress before but that was always a "spray" type of wee, this is a "puddle" if that makes sense. I know our next door neighbour's have recently got a new cat but our naughty cat never goes round there anyway (it's our other cat's second home!).

Anyway - we are going to try the Feliway stuff and get him looked over by the vet. But sadly the poor cat is using up all his "lives" at the moment! Thanks for the tips re cleaning stuff. The bedding has been coming out of the wash clean and not smelly. The leather sofa is much more difficult! I've been using Fairy liquid as I've been told that bleach etc cleaning stuff smells like a "toilet" area to cats.

OP posts:
kitkatsfortea · 03/02/2009 11:18

Poor cat - it has no litter tray but is 'using up all its lives' for peeing and pooing elsewhere?

If you were in a house with no toilet what would you do?

Original poster
2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven · 03/02/2009 11:29

We have never had a litter tray, neither cat knows how to use them and for 8 years they have been perfectly happy using an outside toilet.

What would you do to solve the problem we are currently facing? Do you think it's ok for the cat to do this??

OP posts:
kitkatsfortea · 03/02/2009 11:30

You allowed the cat to do it while it was ill and now you have changed the rules - no wonder the cat is confused.

LuLuBai · 03/02/2009 11:43

It might be worth trying a litter tray. I do understand you not wanting one around children, but better a litter tray than the alternative....

My cat was apparently always in a flat, so I never had any choice in the matter as in theory that is the only place he knows to go (but give him the opportunity and he will get creative - the latest was in my bikini bottoms which were left on the floor!)

Would try a covered litter tray to give him privacy and to try to keep the children out of it.

You will also need to keep it scrupulously clean. I fully change mine at least once a day as the blimmin cat will definitely go somewhere else if the tray is dirty and I don't want to give him any encouragement or excuses.

I do know the angst you are going through. I'm heavily pregnant myself and feel really aggrieved that he is doing this to me (I take it very personally!) and I have muttered darkly about the big needle but I honestly couldn't do it. Grumpy and morose and difficult as my cat is, he is part of our family and we just have to find a way to get through this.

bella29 · 03/02/2009 11:47

Agree you will probably need to have a litter tray, and that your cat has come to think of beds and sofas as acceptable places to go.

mrsjammi · 03/02/2009 11:49

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mrsjammi · 03/02/2009 11:49

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LuLuBai · 03/02/2009 11:53

Oh for sofas - I realise they are difficult to keep a cat away from but I chuck a throw over mine and pile some furniture on top of it at night to try and prevent the cat from getting on it (in our case he probably wouldn't pee on the sofa but he does cough up furrballs all over the place and he might well sharpen his claws on it). He pretty much trashed our old sofa that way.

bella29 · 03/02/2009 11:54

Mrsjammi - are you saying you'd have your cat put down rather than have a litter tray?

mrsjammi · 03/02/2009 11:55

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Message withdrawn

Original poster
2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven · 03/02/2009 11:56

We didn't "allow" him to go on the beds when he was ill, more we excused it and were very careful about shutting doors etc. I'm finding difficult to keep excusing it. We do push the cat's nose into the mess and tell him off (tap on the nose and put outside for a few minutes). The cat does know it's naughty.

My DH has lost patience entirely. The timing for the cat to start being such a nuisance is bad - DH lost his job a couple of weeks ago, his mother found out that his father has been having an affiar and DS1 had to have an operation to repair a hernia. January has not been a good month!! I know none of that is the cat's fault but it doesn't help. I totally feel that whilst it's an awful thing to have to deal with almost everyday, the cat is part of the family and I want to find a solution that works for everyone.

Will try the litter tray route - it is tricky though with an active and curious 20 month old.

OP posts:
Original poster
2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven · 03/02/2009 11:57

x-post mrsJammi. Sorry you are going through this too. Let me know how you get on. Good luck!

OP posts:
robinia · 03/02/2009 12:01

I would say 90% certain the new cat next door is the problem meaning your cat doesn't want to use outside. Litter tray is the only solution imo plus using products suggested to deter your cat from the places he is currently using. Not really supposed to use bleach or disinfectant in areas the cat uses as they are dangerous to them apparently.