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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Please help

44 replies

MrsSchadenfreude · 24/07/2014 00:38

Tonight my cat has pissed on a tea towel which fell out of the dryer next to her food. I shouted at her and she ran off. And pissed on the sofa. Yesterday she pissed on a tablecloth near the washing machine that was waiting to be washed. She has also pissed on all of our beds (she will sleep at one end, stretch and walk up to the other end, piss on the pillows and go back to sleep where she was). She has also pissed on a bag of mine that was left on the dining table, clothes that the kids leave on the floor, she pulls towels off the rails in the bathroom to piss on. She is, and always has been, an indoor cat. We have another indoor cat, who has always been very clean. They get on well.

We have tried feliway and zylkene (for the past year). We have taken her to the vet, who said it is not an infection, but behavioural, and told us to carry on with the feliway and zylkene.

I am at the end of my tether. I love her, but see no way round this. Is it possible to rehome a cat who is "dirty" or would they put her to sleep? She might be better as a cat who could go outside (we live in a flat on a busy road - tonight, I have been very tempted to chuck her out there and say "get on with it"). I cannot stand it any longer. I also can't stand the thought of her being alone and frightened in a cage at a rescue. I feel I have failed.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 24/07/2014 07:09

It's a sign of stress or that something's not to her liking with the toileting provided.

Shouting has no effect.

What's your litter tray set up?

Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 24/07/2014 08:05

Two trays, cleaned completely every three days and turds tossed every time I see one in there. Always used the same litter.

This morning she has peed on the sofa, in the bath and shat on the front door mat. She also used her box when I was in the bathroom. Rather sweetly, the other cat took a piece of paper to cover up the turd. (I know it's not his; he is twice her size, as is his poo.)

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 24/07/2014 08:11

Helpful chap isn't he?.

Try three trays, what type of litter do they use?

Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 24/07/2014 08:21

They have the crystal type, and occasionally catsan if I can't get the crystal one. I'm not sure we have room for three trays.

She was fine until we moved house a year ago. She voiced her displeasure at the move by peeing on my daughter's bed and crapping on the front door mat a couple of times, and then settled down and was fine. I can't think of any reason or trigger which made her start pissing again. It started with our bed - I was having to get the duvet cleaned every week. She will curl up with DD2 on her bed and then piss on it, or on the floor.

I agree that it is stress or depression. I've bought her a huge new cat tree, which she loves, she has toys to chase and a large tabby to curl up with and wash. I'll see if I can take her to the vet tonight - hopefully we will see another one as the last one had no interest in the cats, only how much money he could screw out of me.

This morning she has been very sweet and loving. I don't want to have to rehome her.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 24/07/2014 12:55

I'd try the ultra clumping litters, they have small granules which are softer on the paws. outdoor cats paws are tougher than an indoors cat's. those crystals can be a bit pointy.

Try a third tray though. Even a small poundshop one.

dogfish22 · 24/07/2014 16:59

Cat-girl used to do this when she was younger. I locked her in the bathroom with 2 litter trays for 48 hours (no, she didn't like it, but it was cat vs. my clothes ...), at times watching her and putting her into the litter tray when she squatted anywhere else.
It can be an acquired habit post infection btw. so retraining would be in order if that was the case.

Lonecatwithkitten · 24/07/2014 17:15

Facilities is the key here you need three of everything for two cats food, water, litter trays and high sleeping places.

Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 24/07/2014 22:20

I'm going to get another tray tomorrow and try one tray with different litter. If no improvement by Monday (we had a nice fresh tiny turd to greet us and a sofa full of piss) I will take her to the vet. I've ordered more Feliway and have some Zylkene left, so will try that.

Neither cat is speaking to me tonight due to last night's shouting. Sad

OP posts:
RubbishMantra · 24/07/2014 23:58

How about seeking the services of a pet behaviourist?

BelleOfTheBorstal · 25/07/2014 00:04

Could it be related to the heat? Her way of saying 'oi superior being, sort out the temperature?'
It is soul destroying when you have a cat that does this, I hope you find a solution soon.

dogfish22 · 25/07/2014 15:37

I hope you find a solution for this.... she's clearly trying to tell you something, so I'd second the cat behaviourist.

All of the places you describe are soft, which would make me suspect a UTI, but as the vet has ruled this out already, maybe the UTI was already gone and she's gotten used to the soft surfaces.

My second bet would be that she's marking, she's picking places that smell of you, so she's trying to communicate that she's unhappy with something.

Even though your 2 cats are getting on well - is the other maybe guarding the litter boxes?

Btw. Cat-Boy used to wee into washing baskets.... plainly because he thought "plastic box = litter box". So we now turn washing baskets either on their side or put them into a closed room - solved the problem.

Cat-girl will still have a random wee when she's stressed, though she usually does it down the bathtub drain by now (rinse, urine off down it - done). She's also very precise doing this. Maybe she's a candidate for actual toilet training. Hmm

Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 25/07/2014 23:04

Thank you all for your help. Today seems to have been piss free. Will take her to the vet on Monday and see if he can refer her to a pussy therapist.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 30/07/2014 20:57

Well having been back to normal and had a piss free week, I thought it must have been a one off violent objection to something, but today she has pissed on the sofa again, the carpet, our bed, had a shit fest throughout the house (some runny, some normal), including the most massive turd on our bed, so she is off to the vet tomorrow morning, as I think this looks like a UTI or some other infection. I've shut her in the bathroom with a comfy bed for her to piss on, two clean litter trays with different sorts of litter in them and a large bowl of water. Just peeped in, and she is curled up on the bed in the bathroom. I feel very bad about shutting her in there, but it took forever to clean the flat tonight. Sad

OP posts:
BerylStreep · 30/07/2014 21:05

You poor thing. That sounds very draining.

'Cat Confidential' by Vicky Hall is a very good book. this is her website it has loads of information, and she also does telephone consultations and visits.

PolterGoose · 30/07/2014 21:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 30/07/2014 21:53

She's always been an indoor car, PolterGoose.

I hope the vet comes up with some ideas.

We are going to have to chuck out the sofa. It stinks.

OP posts:
PolterGoose · 30/07/2014 21:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Outsiderlookingin · 30/07/2014 21:56

Sorry to read all this - you have definitely put up with more than most would Thanks If the Vet rules out a physical problem, will you then consider rehoming her yourself? She sounds terribly unhappy as cats are normally such clean animals...

Wolfiefan · 30/07/2014 21:56

Not sure if it will help but we had a cat with a bowel issue. We got a green machine (handheld cleaner) from Bissell. It saved our chair!
(Throws on sofa with bin bags under was another style favourite!)
Have you tried changing diet?

PolterGoose · 30/07/2014 22:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 30/07/2014 22:06

I don't think it's the food. She has a small helping of Butcher's Classic in the morning, and can snack on a small mixed bowl of Purina and Encore dry food during the day. She is not wildly keen on Encore, so I have mixed it in with the last of the Purina and she has been eating this quite happily.

I wonder if she would be happier being an outdoor cat, but I am not sure anyone would rehome a dirty cat. I can't bear the thought of her ending up in a rehoming centre - she would be so confused and frightened. I also have my other cat to consider - he is a rescue cat, and according to the rescue, suffered mental trauma as he was separated from his "wife". So we thought DCat2 would be company for him. SHe is - they are great friends, sleep together, wash each other, play together. I am not sure I would want her to be removed from him, to cause him further upset.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 30/07/2014 22:06

Sad how has it been this week?

RandomMess · 30/07/2014 22:08

X-posts, such a tough situation

Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 30/07/2014 22:09

Thank you all for your help. I'll see what the vet says tomorrow and report back. She is still shut in the bathroom. Sad

OP posts:
tiggyhop · 30/07/2014 22:15

So sorry to hear this - we had the messing on the beds thing a while ago, so bad that I thought I was going to have to give up work to spend more time with my cat (joke). It was purely stress-related caused I think by us going away on holiday. I did end up spending lots of time with her and she eventually stopped (then escaped out and was, we think, eaten by coyotes so not a happy ending). Just wanted to say you have been so stoical about all this I hope it sorts itself out.