How to stop kitten peeing/pooing behind the tv

[OpheliaBumps]

We have a 12 week kitten, adopted from a cat charity. She is litter trained, but she keeps peeing and pooing in the corner behind the tv, on all the cables that's vom not envy by the way.

When we catch her we carry her to her tray, I've put down tinfoil and spray it with repellent spray, but none of it makes a difference. Her tray is kept spotless, and she happily uses it when she's placed into it, or if she's already in the kitchen/utility when she needs to go.

Any ideas for what we can try next please

How long has she been with you and what's the set up? It can be best to give a new cat a small part of the house to settle in to first, to allow them time to become familiar with noises and smells, and to easily find their tray and establish good habits off the bat.

As she is only a baby, it is best if you have multiple litter boxes around the house so she can always find one at a dash.

I would personally not allow her in the TV room for the time being, in order to break the behind the TV toileting habit. You also need to use a cleaner that breaks down urine enzymes, otherwise the smell of urine will tempt her to go there again.

I would put a litter tray behind the tv. Or at least as close as possible.

You could sprinkle pepper there... I read once that cats won't pee then as they hate the smell of pepper. It seemed to work for me when I tried it.

I actually keep balloons behind my TV cabinet as my cat used to go there too - but he is scared of balloons so stays well clear now.

You need to break the pattern.

1. keep her out of that room for a minimum of a week.
2. move the furniture before she comes back in, so there is something over the area she has been using (doesn't need to stay changed for the long-term ...usually a couple of weeks will do it). If you can't move furniture then use books/boxes/or whatever comes to hand ...to block access to the spot.

The problem is that because she has 'been' in the spot, in her little kitten brain that means its the 'right' spot to go back to, and because the noses are so sensitive she can smell that it is where she ought to go.
The above usually works, because fortunately their instincts on where to go can be very easily over ridden at this age. Much harder with older cats.

Good luck!

Thanks all. Muffins she's been with us for 2 weeks, we started her off in one room, but she's v confident and soon wanted to explore, so has had the run of the house ever since.

Today I have been removing her from the room when we are not using it, but not doing an outright ban. i think I might have to ban her though, I've caught her twice this afternoon sneaking behind the tv and popped her quickly into her tray. I think the idea of putting something behind there longer term is also a good idea. The shape of the room means the tv can't really go anywhere else, the aerial point is between a fire place big patio doors, so nowhere else for it to go, but I can pull it out a bit and put the kids toybox and some balloons behind it, so when we allow her back in that 'space' will no longer exist.

Bless her, in spite of the misuse of my living room she's v adorable, my last cat was 19 when he died, and I'd forgotten how much fun kittens are

Sigh, I need more help , we broke the peeing behind the TV habit, she has been happily using her litter tray for a good few days now.

Until today. She has now started peeing by the front door. I caught her twice earlier squatting there, and moved her quickly to her tray, which she happily used. I cleaned her tray about 30 minutes ago, 20 minutes later DH caught her mid pee by the front door. Tray was spotless, and she knows where it is (the kitchen/utility is next to the front door).

I can't shut her out of the hall, as it's the access to the rest of the house. All I've got left as an option is to leave her in the kitchen/utility all the time, which is just so harsh.

Please, has anyone got any good ideas?

Has she got enough trays? Maybe shed like two, one for wee and one for poos?

Or she has a water infection and needs to empty her bladder quickly.

Hmm you might be onto something with the separate wee and poo trays. She isn't weeing more than usual so I don't think it's an infection, but she has had really stinky farts and poos today (tried a new kitten food - this was not wise!) so I'll try a second tray.

Thanks so much, am at my wits end with cleaning stinky carpets just now.