I have two 15 month old cats and about 6 months ago I noticed that if I left clothes lying in the floor the cats would pee on them. Just a few days ago when I was doing laundry I left a pile of clothes in the floor and warned my cats not to pee on them. As soon as I turned around I heard one cat scratching in the litter box and the other one peeing in the floor next to the clothes. They have always been litter buddies and I see both of them using the box. Do you think that maybe they are starting to refuse to use the same box? What do you suggest that I do? Please help!
My cat Tigger who is 1 years old always used her cat litter box. Now all of a sudden she pees on our clothes or on the bedroom floor, but she poops in her litter box. Please help, as it is annoying and I'm really worried. Thanks
If they are males, it sounds like a trip to the vet. Both genders get urinary tract infections, but males get a particularly painful kind. Are they neutered? If not, that could help. Or they could be marking their territory. Whatever smells like family is theirs.
I had the same problem, but my problem was with the only cat in the house. He'd been using the litter box since I'd got him (about 8 months) - no problem. Then suddenly- he was peeing on clothes, and pooping in the box. Asked our vet and she said it could be that he needs fixed, or he has crystals in his pee, and that it burns him to pee, and he associated peeing with the box, so he goes elsewhere to pee- hoping that it won't hurt. You might ask your vet about the crystals. Good luck.
I have had multiple cats in the past and everything that I have read or heard recommends having at least one litter box per cat. This is not to say that they won't use the same box, but it gives them the opportunity to use another box if they get finicky. The boxes should not be next to each other as the cats may confuse the two as one box and the problem remains.
Once that is accomplished, the area that they have peed will need to be cleaned thoroughly - a flourescent black light will help to find all of the urine areas, even old ones - cats will assume that if their urine scent is in an area, then it's okay to go there again. Also, the area should be made inhospitable for the cats, at least for a week or so while you're weaning them from the behavior. This means putting down carpet runners and the like upside down so the spikes are up - cat's don't like that stuff. Cats also typically don't like citrus, so using a citrus scented freshener in that area may help as well.
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