don't poo on your own doorstep...

[LaLoose]

... but he is. And the problem is getting worse. The front door is the end of his territory (yes he is neutered and was from a kitten - he's eight now). He does not go out the front door as it is directly on the street and he has LOTS of space at the back of the house to play outside. (He doesn't use it much, as he prefers to be in.)

But - I guess because it's the edge of his territory and because people walk their dogs on the pavement directly outside the door - he is now peeing and pooing on the door mat, and has done for about a year, off and on, but it's getting much more frequent. The door mat itself is a huge 2 x 2 metre coarse horsehair (it preceded us being in the house) which probably doesn't help, due to the texture.

I've tried catnip in bags along the door, sliced lemons and some kind of 'cat don't pee here' stuff I bought from over t' internet. Lemons work for the first day or two, I think, but not after that.

Came downstairs this morning to a huge poo right in front of the front door and feel the need now to ask for help. Did anyone ever find anything that worked?

He has access to 2 other litter trays which are always kept clean, so I think it's behavioural (ie a natural instinct). He is very loved and gets lots of attention.

I haven't tried putting a litter tray there, because it would be directly in front of the door and would have to be moved to open the door, but I guess that's the only remaining path open, unless anyone has any bright ideas.

Help?

Just to add when I write 'door mat' I mean it is affixed to the floor like a carpet in front of the entrance area, so not move-able without hassle.

How have you cleaned it? It sounds like it's very tricky to clear the poo and then that means he doesn't understand it's not a litter tray. There is a spray you can use to totally remove odour which may help.
Can you put clingfilm over the area? Or anything that is flat but is a texture the cat won't like ?

Have you told him not to ?

I scrub the whole area with a hard bristle brush saturated in very hot soapy water with Dettol in it, usually twice, then wait for it to dry. If I can still smell it, I repeat.

Yes I've told him not to!

Can you stop access when your not about to monitor him for a few days. You need try to get rid of the built up scent. Can you put different Sent outside the front door so when door opens it blows in. Also check out the front as another animal might be scenting from outside.

Not really as if I'm not about then someone needs to be coming in to look after him and the other two cats (who don't do this and are female).

I'm in central London in a house that opens on to the pavement. There's all sorts at the front of the house! But no other cats - owners don't tend to let them out the front doors due to the traffic - there's lots in the enclosed terraced gardens at the rear.

What do you mean about putting different scent outside the door, please? In fact, directly outside there is a large rose-scented geranium which does blow its scent in when the door is opened.

I think I'd try and treat the stress. You could try zylkene or feliway.

Also clean the area with specific pet cleaner which should remove the odour.

Ideally you'd want to throw the mat away but as you said, it's not easy to do. You could put another mat on top if it doesn't stop the door opening.

Even though it's a PITA I would personally figure out how to remove the mat completely - those things are literally designed to absorb muck and smell and I doubt it will be possible for you to clean it properly, no matter how much you scrub!

Also you say you have two other cats. So you need 4 litter trays. One per cat and one extra.

Yes I've tried Feliway but I'll try again.

And yes, I think the mat will have to go.

Trouble is, when I've been contemplating this, I've been asking myself if - now that he's accustomed to doing this - won't he just continue on whatever floor covering comes next in the same position?

Maybe you could make a kind of tray to put over the step and keep it filled with water

I had that with my last girl and it turned out to be urinary problems, but that was just wee. She only ever pooed outside her tray twice, once she was ill and another time she was unhappy about the state of her tray.

Can you put a layer of something over the mat? Maybe tape some of those heavy duty rubble sacks over it?

If it's outside surely you don't need to put anything there though? Just have an indoor mat for wiping feet.

Oops sorry I misread and thought it was outside 🙈

Still I would get rid of it because I don't think you can ever clean the smell from those things - and then put down something waterproof and washable - a rubber mat maybe?

It is not enough. They can smell way better than we can. You need the specialist products that elimate odour completely, I can't remember the name but I am sure you can google it.

I've just ordered some odour elimination stuff - thank you - and I'm off to research rubber mats as well. Thanks all! Wish me luck.

Most cleaning products ie dettol ect won’t work for getting rid of scent of toilet accidents to dogs and cats only for us you need one that breaks down the enzymes in it that make it smell altho I’ve heard bio washing liquid does the same job altho never tried it as the spray is cheap enough on Amazon to not need to so maybe give that a go. So sorry you’re having this issue mine decided under the sofa was his litter tray a few weeks ago much to my dismay

OK I've ordered a roll of rubber flooring and will cut it to size to cover the horsehair. Brilliant idea! Even if it doesn't put him off it will be easier to clean. I will put it over the horsehair as a temporary measure and as an experiment and we'll go from there. Thank you! Wonderful to pick other people/s brains. I'm very grateful.

Biological washing powder is the only thing that stops cats being attracted to the odour of where they have previously weed.

Dettol will only reinvigorate the scent, same with bleach

You're going to need to replace the bit of carpet, you'll never really get the scent out of something like coir, it will have sunk to the bottom where you cant rinse it out. You need to replace that one and then put another one on top that you can clean easily for when he does it

x posted hope it works!

Wash front door, steps, wall with a eliminated product, cheap biological washing powder will do then put your citrus smell out their, just in case it's a smell.from outside, could even be a dog/rodent peeing outside your gate, garden, step