How to stop cat pissing in DS’s playtent?

[lookingforthecorkscrew]

DS is 3 and has a playtent, which he adores. But unfortunately the cat has decided that it’s a toilet and pees all over it.

I gave the tent a really good scrub with disinfectant but how can I prevent the cat from spraying it?

He’s 11 years old and neutered and doesn’t spray usually!

Get DCat a covered litter tray, with the walk in thingy door on it, maybe he likes to do his business in private?

A few ideas:

Obvious one but have you tried moving the tent to a different location?

Citrus sprays are supposed to deter cats from scratching - you could try one (as long as your son doesn't mind a lemony smell).

Have you done anything inadvertently to put the cat off his litter tray - e.g. changed type of litter?

Is your cat stressed for any reason?

Is his bladder otherwise normal - has he had a check up lately.

Cat has a covered litter tray in the bathroom.

We’ve had the tent upstairs and downstairs, it’s upstairs ATM.

Unrelated to this, but still relevant, I am pregnant and cat despises me. He goes for my feet, legs, thighs pretty much every day. He doesn’t attack DH or DS.

I thought I might try a Feliway diffuser on the upstairs landing.

It does sound as though he might be stressed, so Feliway is a good plan. If he has suddenly become aggressive, this could point to an underlying health issue. Castrated males can be prone to bladder issues (I know this from experience) and if he is having difficulty peeing normally, this might cause inappropriate urination and discomfort (thus aggression). I would take him for a check up to be on the safe side.

He only pees on the tent though. When it’s put away he doesn’t spray at all. And we can go 6 maths without putting it up!

I'm at a loss to explain why he has chosen your son's tent, although I do know that once a cat has peed somewhere, unless all traces of scent are removed (usually needs specialist product) they are more likely to go again in the same place.

I have a spray tan tent, the cat waited months to finally pee in it.

They just like weeing in tents.

Some disinfectants don’t deal with the smell that attracts a cat back to somewhere they have previously peed. Vinegar or a biological cleaner might help.