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Peeing and Windows... HELP PLEASE!

holophonervirtuo May 09, 2007 08:27 PM

Hello everyone. I have an almost 3 year old neutered male that has always been an indoor cat. We have never really had problems with him having accidents until recently. Ever since it has been warm enough to have the windows open in our living room, he has been peeing on the giant beanbag chair. After the first time, we washed everything, and my wife and I were sitting on the beanbag. He paced around the beanbag for awhile waiting for us to get up, and then eventually peed on the wall right next to it. It has been a few days since then and we cannot stop him from peeing on the beanbag! Could he be trying to mark his territory since the outside smells are now in the living room? Any suggestions would be HUGELY appreciated. We really need this to stop.

Thanks all!

Ben
Mankato, MN

Replies (3)

PHMadameAlto May 09, 2007 10:16 PM

Your first step is to take the cat to a vet just to be sure he doesn't have a urinary infection that could be causing this behavior!

If there is no infection, then the problem is behavioral. First, you need to wash the beanbag chair in an enzyme cleaner - there are several good ones on the market - try Simple Solution for Cats, or Stink Free. If you go to your local pet supply place you'll find a lot of different products.

If you and your wife can stand NOT to use the beanbag chair, try covering it in foil to re-direct your cat to the litterbox.

Cat Attract Litter can help your kitty focus on the box too! Try a Comfort Zone plug-in with Feliway near the open windows.

Finally if all else fails, ask your vet about an antianxiety drug like Buspar - usually these work to help the cat learn that all is well and can gradually be withdrawn.

Good luck!

>>Hello everyone. I have an almost 3 year old neutered male that has always been an indoor cat. We have never really had problems with him having accidents until recently. Ever since it has been warm enough to have the windows open in our living room, he has been peeing on the giant beanbag chair. After the first time, we washed everything, and my wife and I were sitting on the beanbag. He paced around the beanbag for awhile waiting for us to get up, and then eventually peed on the wall right next to it. It has been a few days since then and we cannot stop him from peeing on the beanbag! Could he be trying to mark his territory since the outside smells are now in the living room? Any suggestions would be HUGELY appreciated. We really need this to stop.
>>
>>Thanks all!
>>
>>Ben
>>Mankato, MN
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Smile, it will make them wonder what you are up to!

cyclopsgrl May 10, 2007 06:23 PM

Great suggestions by MA!

Reference Cat Attract Litter -- if you haven't heard of this, it is a litter (called Cat Attract) you can buy at PetSmart and other pet store chains that attracts the cat back to the litter box.
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

kittyromeo May 10, 2007 09:05 PM

We're going through something similar here for the first time in 10 years. This time, like last time, it's an outdoor kitty (or kitties more likely this year) who are driving my indoor crew up the walls. With the windows open, any cat scent out there could be drifting in causing him to scent his territory.

It's possible that the beanbag may be beyond rescue. And once a scent cue is made by spraying, cats are driven to remark their spots when the scent fades. So if there is a trace, which we lowly humans can't smell, kitty still smells it and wants to refresh it just so every one knows whose bean bag it is.

I've added a feliway diffuser (Happy kitty phermones) in one room which has helped. We're experimenting with putting down a perimeter with items cats don't like (marigolds, spearmint oil, red pepper, garlic) trying to keep them away from our house.

It could also be that kitty associates the beanbag with something unpleasent and is taking out on the beanbag. Cats will pee on the object of someone they are ticked at - or their favorite person depending on the stressors and each kitty's mindset. Either way, it's a stress reaction - something had already gone very wrong in the house before kitty lifted his tail.

Either way, a vet check to rule out kidney problems is a great place to start. At least you'll know if you are dealing with a behavior or a medical problem.

Best of luck!

Purrs,
Elizabeth

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