Peeing by the door

[MagpieCursedTea]

I had a thread recently about one of my girls peeing/pooing in the house but not in the litter tray.

The thread is here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_litter_tray/2350165-Cat-has-unhousetrained-herself

It was suggested that maybe it was arthritis but since my post, the girls spent a week at my parents whilst we were on holiday and had no issues using the trays.

Since returning home, she's started doing it again. Almost always by the front door. We've put plastic sheeting down by the door and she wees on that but also I think in other parts of the hall. The whole hallway and a lot of the house smells of cat wee and it's just awful.

I'm thinking it's probably territory related, any tips on how to get her to use the trays again, or even better start peeing outside like she used to?

Is there a cat flap in the front door?.

No the cat flap is at the back door. I was wondering if this was the issue but it's never been a problem before. At our old house she used to go out the cat flap at the back then yell to be let in at the front but no peeing issues.

I have exactly the same problem with one of my cats. I've placed a litter tray behind front door too and she just messes next to it! Argh
Fed up of having smelly hallway so I know how you feel.

Yeah we tried putting a litter tray there too. Frustrating isn't it?
Considering putting her in one of DS's nappies...

Are there any neighbouring cats that hang around your front door? If there is then she could be trying to warn them off.

There are quite a few cats in the street and she seems to have on going feuds with at least 3 of them. She's always been like that. I think that's probably part of the issue though, she's used to being Queen Bee but the cats around here seem a bit tougher than in our old neighbourhood.

Perhaps try and keep the other cats away from your front door so she can't smell them? Maybe try Jeyes fluid or something else they don't like the smell of? Then she might not feel the need to mark territory as much.

Did she use different cat litter at your parents? Our cats didn't like one of the litters we used and when we switched to a cheaper one they used the trays again.

It was the same litter Trizelda, she does use the tray sometimes as well.

Good idea Grinning, will give that a go, thanks.

I've tried shutting mine in the utility room with back door wide open all day then she comes in at night and uses hall floor!
No other cats around other than my own. Do they make cat nappies? ;-)

OK, the second part of this might be really unhelpful.

If it's ONLY by the front door, then it's not that she can't use the tray, it's that something's telling her she needs to wee there. And my money is on a smell.
I don't suppose you store outdoor coats and shoes there? A doormat? Something that would smell of 'unfamiliar' that she would need to 'familiarise'?

Otherwise (this is the unhelpful part) - is it possible that she's doing some kind of separation anxiety thing? You all leave through the front door, she sees you go, she's upset about it, she thinks (well, she is a cat) a nice wee will stop you going?

You can buy cat nappies.

I wouldn't clean with jeyes fluid, aside from being tested on animals, it's toxic to cats.

Something's telling her to wee there. It's not a gaurding thing because the flap isn't there.

That leaves stress or smell. I'd buy a cleaning fluid from pets at home and clean inside and out with it. You can get spray feliway to spray on the walls to try and discourage her from that area.

You can buy zylkene to mix with her food to reduce any stress. It really calms them down.

We had exactly the same problem - by the front door as well. You will need to get rid of the smell or else she will just keep returning to the same spot. Please don't use jeye's fluid, disinfectant, bleach etc as they are poisonous for cats. A strong solution of biological washing powder is good, also spraying white vinegar on the area, and hydrogen peroxide is excellent for getting rid of urine smells. I also bought a Feliway plugin and put it in a socket in the hall. In the end we did more or less resolve the problem but we had to cut away quite a large section of the carpet underlay because we were able to get the smell out of the carpet but not the underlay. When we get round to redoing the hall flooring it will be hard floors all the way

When you wash the inside wash the outside as well. Another cat is probably marking around your door.

Thanks everyone!
We did have coats and shoes there but have moved the shoes to stop them getting peed on. Will do a thorough scrubbing again (inside and out).
She's had zylkene before (she's been through periods of over grooming when stressed) and it didn't seem to help. We've just got some feliway spray so will try that as well.

Hi Magpie. I put a puppy pad down last night and she used it!!!! So I'm gonna try and retrain her!
Mine is the most laid back cat ever so it's not stress and I've used feliway before which didn't work.
Fingers crossed the pads will work. Good luck with yours

It sounds as if this is a classic anxiety response given her history. Cats need a stable scent profile. Areas where the smell of the home is constantly disturbed e.g dirt ways, areas that are redecorated or cleaned with scented products, can be highly disturbing for cats.

Clean with a biological washing powder solution only (it breaks up the smells) try and limit traffic in the area, spray the area with feliway spray or plug in a Feliway diffuser (for a nervous cat I would maintain feliway constantly)
This link has done helpful info
www.icatcare.org/advice/problem-behaviour/soiling-indoors

Doorways not dirt ways!

So the smell was so awful we've taken up the carpet. I've scrubbed the floorboards underneath with a washing powder solution and we've bought laminate flooring to put down. I also scrubbed the step and around the front door. At least if she pees on the new flooring it'll be easier to clean!

Can you silicone seal around the edges of the floor? That way we can't run under the laminate. You can get clear silicones.

It stops spiders coming through too, so I've heard.

Thanks for the tip, will look into it!

She likely will per on the new floor - it will smell foreign and unfamiar. You need to address her anxiety (zylkene again may help) in conjunction with Delilah and lots of reassurance. Definitely don't punish her for this. It's not deliberate though it must be incredibly frustrating!

I've never said I would punish her I love my cats very much and always care for them very well. What an awful thing to suggest.

Sorry Magpie it's not personal, it's general advice. I'm afraid I have no information on how you deal with these issues and sadly it's surprisingly common for people in this situation to get frustrated and resort to shouting, water sprays etc. it's general advice, like everything else I've said.

And sorry post above should say Feliway not Delilah! Bloomin autocorrect!