Need advice, desperately.

[user1471530109]

I've posted about this issue before but things have gotten worse.
We adopted two young cats (mum and older kitten) back in January. All wonderful, they settled in within hours. Very happy little cats and very friendly. All good.
But once the kitten got to about 1, she has started to wee outside the litter box. First it was in the bath. But now it's on the beds. Every bloody day.

I've followed advice on here and read up, but nothing is making a difference. She had a cat tree she loves, she is on medication-cystease, but she is still doing it. I've got waterproof covers on the mattresses and duvets but this morning, she weed so much it has soaked through and quite frankly I've had a-fucking-nough. Also vet says after an expensive run of tests, that there is nothing medically wrong with her. She also wees on any washing my preteen leaves on her bedroom floor.

I'm guessing it's a marking thing?

Any ideas? I've sprayed stuff over beds, made no difference. They have 3 litter trays. Mum is no problem at all. I have feliway plugged in...I should say they've ended up being house cats.

Help!
I'm off to work now, so I probably won't be able to check back until this evening. But I am hoping someone will have a magic solution

For my cat although she goes out we keep her litter tray for night time (she never uses it but I bet if we moved it she would want to) and we have always used wood pellet litter. She much preferred it as a kitten and young cat.

Is the World's Best you're currently using a clumping variety? I'd never heard of it so googled and they all look like clumping types, so trying a non-clumping Catsan might be a good idea as you want to try something different in texture and style. Different cats like different things, so keep experimenting. Make sure at least one tray has the litter your other cat is used to, to begin with, so as not to put them off too and then change it over gradually by mixing the two litters together when you find a litter the younger cat will use.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

World's Best is a clumping litter - it is small granules (maybe corn based)

Have you considered that this cat is very fussy about how clean the litter is? I had one cat previously that would pee/poo in fresh washing/in the corner if the litter wasn’t pristine snd my Bengal I have now will go in the fresh washing if she deems the litter to be unsatisfactory.

Sounds like stress. It's not easy for a cat, a young cat especially, to be kept inside. Cats need to be able to wander and choose their own activities. If they have been outdoor cats previously you are going to have big problems trying to persuade them to be indoor cats.

How far away is the busy road? Female cats don't tend to wander very far. I quite understand about your d being worried about them having an accident; I've worried about the same thing when one of mine hasn't been back for hours!

I adopted 2 young rescue cats, brothers, a couple of years ago and it has taken one of them especially, a long time to settle in. Still skittish and liable to be absent for a day or so. They definitely wanted to be out and about. One just escaped after a couple of weeks and then I let the other out too. I can't imagine how stressed they'd be if I made them stay inside.

Perhaps if you explained to your d about their need for a more interesting life ( instead of a prison ), she may agree to letting them out?
Explain to her that they are grown ups and need to lead their lives their own way.

@jeannie46 my dd get hysterical at the thought. With all her other issues it's not something I'm prepared to push. Since having the cats it's really helped sooth some of her anxieties and other mental health issues. Before the cats she was excluded from school and would regularly have meltdowns at home and school. Life is so much better. But the weeing on the beds is taking its toll.

They have lots of toys, massive cat tree, tunnel...anything else? I do agree that the issue could be related to being inside. During lockdown, we did let them.out in the garden a few times. But dd got very anxious and very upset.I need to try other things first for my dd's sake. I know that sounds melodramatic!
I don't think the cat displays any behaviour (apart from the peeing) that would suggest she is stressed. She seems happy and relaxed. Will often sit by me or the kids, likes a fuss, never scratches or snaps. Her mum is the more skitty one.

I will order ultraclumping and try the catsan in one of the trays over the weekend.

Would you consider taking the cat out on a harness and leash?

demented is that a thing?

Yes you can buy cat harnesses and leashes. Probably sell them in pets at home too

I can see it is! Who knew?!

I don't think the mum cat would tolerate it to be honest. She will allow me to fuss her but hates being picked up. She likes to choose when to snuggle up (she just has ) but if I try to put my arms round her she will panic.
The baby is as soft as....and will allow you to do anything. I think she would probably love it!

Oh. They also don't like dreamies! any other treats for non-dreamie cats?

I feel like your set up of the road being after the garden and allotment isn't dangerous at all. We have cats in an urban area have done for 11 years and they're fine. I think as it's a territory or anxiety thing it would be helped by going out.

Yes a leash or harness is a thing but you generally need to train them from kittens. Could you pay to see a cat behaviour specialist?

Webbox sticks, cosma snackies freeze dried treats (i get them from zooplus)

You can get interactive toys like flappy fish and laser tower, zooplus sell good toys too. My boy liked the YouTube cat videos of birds & mice and some of them are hours long if you feel comfortable leaving the tv on while your out.

It’s a good time to feed the birds too if you’ve got room for a feeder pole & bird bath.

My cats are house cats and go out on leads and a harness. They like chicken and cheese strips for dogs - in amazon and pets at home. They go mad for webbox sticks. But the love dreamies too.

We called those webbox chews swallows because they went down so fast.

@user1471530109 - is walking a cat on a harness a thing?

Oh yes. Twice a day. 😁

Here are two more.

We have had similar issues with one of our boys.
What has worked for us...4 litter trays around the house for 2 cats. 2 different cat litters for when they are fickle and change their likes. We also have a smaller 5th tray which contains a cut up fleece blanket which is used only by the cat who has the toileting issues. I just put this in the wash when used. I tried every litter out there, naturally issue cat likes the expensive Catsan that comes with the liner and absorbant pad. Issue cat came to use with poor toileting, he is prone to infections and currently has one now so is back to using his fleece tray. We have Feliway upstairs and downstairs which helps. He is also on special cat food which has helped...c/d or s/d food for urinary problems.

You could build a catio or cat proof your rear garden?

@dementedpixie another vote for Jackson Galaxy, he’s excellent. We used his advice for integrating a new cat with our 2 existing cats (they are mother and daughter as well)

Also, when rinsing out the tray, we find just using water or a tiny amount of fragrant free cleaner...the issue cat is particular about smells.
Keep trays as clean as possible, remove poo ASAP.
Catnip (neat) helps him relax.
Our issue boy came to live with us at 6 months of age; he had poor toileting habits then which we thought we could solve; 4 years later we are mostly in top of it, except when he gets an infection or we go on holiday and leave him (with a sitter) for a few days.

Plus I agree. But my 10yr old would shut down. It's been the first year we haven't had shutdowns (at all) and they were regular occurrences. Meltdowns were getting more dangerous as she got bigger. I can't push her on this and I have tried to broach it with her regularly.

I will purchase a harness! We have a big garden but it's open (fence is tiny and certainly not cat proof). Kids can walk her around if she lets them. I actually think she will be fine. She is such a laid back cat which is why the peeing is so frustrating. It's definitely her as she's done it right in front of me. But mum is the scardy cat.

We have laser pens (she is not that interested) and lots of toys. She likes the mice. Her favourite pass time is playing with hair bobbles and collecting them in an empty cat bowl. There were about 20 in there the other day. I think the kids deliberately put them round the house for her.

Thank you, everyone. I feel less overwhelmed and frustrated. This morning was a blow. Fingers crossed some of this makes a difference.

bucket that sounds really interesting. I wonder if she'd like a fleece in a tray? Since she likes to pee on clothing?

Professional Classic by Intersand from bitiba or zooplus is a good litter to try, www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_litter/clumping_litter/extreme_classic/178584

The general rule is N+1 for litter trays...two cats need 3 litter trays. I rotate a full change so there is always one with 100% fresh litter.