Girl cat peeing on bags, thoughts as to why?

[Deargodletitgo]

We have two cats and had found that random bags have been weed on previously, but not seen the culprit until my girl cat did it almost right in front of me on my daughter's school bag. She wasn't long in from being outside and usually settled upstairs but Tonight did this.

For context she's a rescue, nervous and wary, lives in a house with another rescue who is dominant and who she doesn't really get on with at all as he's a twat.

I'm here all the time, two kids half the week and my partner around the other half (she loves him but his bag and shoes have come in for the wee treatment). White cushions have also suffered, and a leather bag of mine. Always down stairs.

She is allowed out during the day, does have a litter tray but can be quite fussy about it so will change the litter.

This is irregular, so I would think behavioural. Any advice?

For the cat tax

Sounds like she must be very anxious. How is the other cat? Is he weeing in the right places? You say he's "dominant" - which isn't really how cats work, is he a bully towards her?

How long have you had her?

Are they both neutered?

It's not just bags but shoes, cushions, things that probably smell of you and might be a safe place for her. She's not targeting anyone in doing it. It really sounds like she's unhappy. What have you done to help her and the other cat get along? Sometimes a product like Feliway might help, or making sure she has her own safe space that she can get to away from him, which isn't always the easiest thing.

If you're sure this isn't a medical issue - ie have taken to the vet to rule out a UTI - you might consider that perhaps living with this other cat isn't a good situation for your lovely girl.

If you have two cats you need a minimum of 3 seperated litter trays. My lady demands two to herself.

Is there any sign of blood in her urine? Mine usually does this when she has a UTI?

No, none and it doesn't smell strong.

I had her from an overseas rescue for about 6 months who convinced me she'd like a friend, but got a boy kitten of 7 months who had survived as a street cat from birth and while dominant may not be the right term, he's very much always top cat, goes to pounce on her to such a point that she growls when she sees him or they exist in an uneasy peace. She has places upstairs she hides, often in my daughter's room when she's home. She seemed most happy when he went missing for 5 days.

They tend to do all their business outside.

I do want her to be happy, but I adore them both, so the idea of rehoming her makes me so sad. She's a great little cat, affectionate in her own low key way.

How can I make this work?

Yes, both neutered.

Getting her to a vet would be a big struggle, she's so so so timid and wary of any attempt to pick her up.

My cat is the same. She moved around a lot and anxiety was definitely partly to blame. You can get pills from the vet / kinds of pet Valium. Ours doesn't really go on my stuff so much (used to target my bags /shoes /coats) but now when it's hot she pisses on our bed. This summer has been quite cool and she's not been as bad. I think it's the smell of her box gets stronger. We clear it all the time but when it gets hot she just finds somewhere else to go. Think we have funded our local laundrettes retirement..

Please don’t rehome her. That will only make her anxiety worse. Does she have her own litter tray? I feel she is trying to mark her territory, probably because of the other cat. Feliway plugs are good but don’t always work. Just make sure you don’t leave anything on the floor that she can wee on, everything goes away into a cupboard or such like. Next step is to consult a vet to see if they could maybe come out to see her if you feel you can’t take her there? You may find she settles down in time once the other cat settles down too. I would say again though, get her her own litter tray if you haven’t done so already and try to stop the other cat from using it (easier said than done!). Good luck!!

How did you introduce the two cats? Sounds like she came first?

She clearly needs her own space. It sounds like she's so timid that anything new will be stressful for her. If she was first in the home, I do have to wonder why you got another cat, and a teenage boy at that? With an overseas rescue when you have no idea of their heritage, the trauma they might have been through - it seems a little short-sighted. Is there a way she can be in a part of the house that the boy has no access to? That may mean one or the other doesn't go outside any more. Up to you whether that would be acceptable or not.

It might be one or the other at this point unless you can truly separate them. You even acknowledge that she was better when he went wandering. Please look out for her wellbeing - it may be that she cannot ever be happy in her current situation.

Also, cats at some point will need to go to the vets, so it's in your best interest to get her in a place where she will go into a carrier as soon as possible. Do you have a plan for if she does get sick or injured? Do you have a carrier for her? Put it in her space and let her use it as a den, make it a safe hiding place. That will make it much easier for when she inevitably does have to go. Surely she goes to the vet for her vaccinations, and went for her spay?

Have there been any changes around the house? My cats have peed on my carpet though there own cat bed we were however having a kitchen fitted at the time they are trying to repeat offend I've had to throw the bed and scrub and spray the damm carpet is she repeat offending?

I’d try getting some more trays and putting them in different places. She sounds very anxious and may not feel comfortable going outside when he’s around.

Cats associate a change in texture underfoot with the place to do a wee, which is why they end up going on bags, cushions etc. would suggest hanging bags up etc until she’s out of the behaviour.

I think the rescue wanted to re-home another cat and convinced me it was a good idea...and it has been, for him. She's never been at ease with him.

Sounds like he's pretty confident. If you're at a point where they can't live together, he could be rehomed. It doesn't have to be a quick process. She may need a home on her own and if you want multiple cats then she needs to go somewhere else - it will be stressful but she will settle. If he was to go somewhere else he may find the transition easier. Please do think about it.

I'd rehome male the. The female may feel better after she isn't living with the threat of him.

*cat, not the

Personally, I would re-home the confident male cat if she was happier without him.

I’d rehome the male too, happy cats don’t wee everywhere and no one’s going to take on a female who does.

You shouldn’t have to medicate a cat to make it comfortable with its housemates.

Rescues can let you foster at home while suitable home comes up so he isn’t in a pen.

The idea of rehoming him makes me so sad, he's an adorable thing really. I do wish we hadn't adopted a second, but now it's done and they are both part of the family. There must be another way to make this work?

How old is she. Can you not try just removing her options hanging up bags, removing blankets and see if she grows out of it and keep working on her confidence ?

She's 3 years, got her at 9months. Her confidence is growing with people, being more affectionate.

I'm not that bothered about the weeing as such, I can wash things, I have pet odour spray, it's the cause I'm worried about if it is anxiety. I think she prefers to sleep in my daughter's closed room at night with her, I'll make sure that happens, just made sure she has a safe place in my room (I had moved some things around), and nothing on floor she can reach

My cat used to pee in bags. I couldnt leave bags out. We had to ensure the shopping bags were dealt with quickly and she was not in the kitchen. She once peed in my pencil case. She peed in my radley bag. I put that down to hating the little dog. We needed multiply trays. She would never pee and poop in the same tray. She would never use a dirty tray. I couldnt be one of those people who just scoop the dirty bits out of the litter as if not a full clean she wouldnt use it.

have multiple trays. Ours are in bathrooms. Dont leave bags out. Feliway plug ins might help.

Just reread that. If anything moved in our house my cat would pee. She didnt like change at all. No furniture moves were allowed! Funnily enough she wasnt at all fazed by a house move. But changes within the house were a no-no.

I know the idea of re-homing is upsetting for you, but look at it from your cats point of view.

She lived quite happily with you until you brought in another cat who, by your own admission, she doesn't like and who dominates her. She can't tell you that she's unhappy/anxious and can only express that in her behaviour. If there's nothing physically wrong then it must be behavioural.

You also say she was much happier when he went missing for five days and she was an "only" cat again.

Believe me, I know it's horrible to think about re-homing but you need to think about what's best for your original cat. She was there first.

She seemed most happy when he went missing for 5 days.

I’m sorry, op, I know this isn’t an amusing situation, but that made me smile! Typical cat! I do think, on the whole, that cats prefer to have their own territory all to themselves. I appreciate that it was advice you took to get another cat, and I’m sure there are many cats who happily co-exist with others, but if the cat is already anxious and timid, this will probably be exacerbated by the presence of another. Maybe try all the suggestions - Feliway, and more litter trays etc. before you think about re-homing, which is such a drastic step. I agree with pp that if it came to that, it would be better all round to re-home the more confident cat.

Your thinking of yourself and not her though. He's not nice to her and shes growling which is not normal in multicat households. Usually you get ignoring or the odd biff.

You wouldn't want to live with someone who intimidated you.