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My cat is driving me insane. He has this terrible habit of peeing on my couch and I can't figure out why...or how to fix it.
He only does it on occasion (maybe once a month), so I don't think it's a urinary infection. With a genuine urinary problem, I would think that the "mishaps" would be a lot more frequent. He's only about 2 years old, so he's still fairly young. I do scoop his litter box daily. I wouldn't say that the box gets perfectly clean every day (the scoop can't always get everything), but he's usually just fine with it. If I wasn't doing a good enough job with the cleaning, I'm sure he'd let me know more frequently than once a month! And ironically, a couple of his "mishaps" have happened mere hours after giving him fresh, 100% clean litter. His rebellious peeing days aren't tied to stress, that I know of - the incidents always happen on completely mediocre, average days (nothing special going on).
I just don't get it.
I have suede couches that are nearly impossible to clean, so this is a huge hassle for me. I'm sure his strong little nose can still smell a hint of residual odor on the couch, and that may be part of the problem. I just don't understand why he'll go for 4 or 5 weeks without even coming near the couch, happily using his litter box, and then all the sudden decide that he wants to pee on the couch again.
I am replacing my furniture (the suede was a terrible idea anyway), but it's probably not going to happen until spring. In the mean time, I really REALLY need to break this habit. The current couch is his go-to spot for rebellious peeing, and once it's gone, I don't want him to try it with the new furniture....or on the carpet or anywhere else!
I wonder if it's just that you can't get the smell entirely out of the couch? If so this may not stop until you finally get rid of the piece. If so maybe you can find some other way to keep him off there until you get the new stuff. My cat won't jump on the chairs and such if there are pillows piled on them that block her way. This may be fairly unusual (I've seen plenty of cat pictured snuggled in jumbled pillows) but you never know, maybe that can work. Just having them on there may make it less conducive to peeing, anyway.
It could also be that he doesn't like the style of the box or that there are not enough for the space (i.e. it's too far away sometimes). Not sure if that could be it. I would think if there was anything about him not liking the box it would manifest more often.
First get a bottle of rug cleaner from Dollar general to clean the couch. Someone once posted the same problem and he said that was the only thing that took the smell out.
Second it could be a behavior issue or diabetes. I had a cat that would pee on my bed every day and it turned out she had diabetes. Several years before that though she also pee'd on my son's clothes when I went on vacation.
I would be sure you're using Nature's Miracle or another enzyme cleaner to clean the couch. I've heard that enzyme cleaners are the only things that get the smell completely out. My friend had this problem and eventually got rid of the sofa, but they also tried putting hangers and wall hangings on the couch so the kitty couldn't get up. You can also try Cat Attract litter. And try cleaning the box so it's completely clean. Although it's kind of unpleasant, you could place the litter box on the sofa so she gets the message.
I wouldn't put the litterbox on the sofa.....your cat could get attached to peeing in that location. Once I had a cat that peed on the cement in front of my dryer......the only way I ever stopped him.....was to put a big box over that spot......so he could not get to that location...... he eventually forgot about going there. I left that box there for a long time too.....I think 6 or 7 weeks.....it was a long time ago.
You can try putting tin foil on the couch......most of the time cats will avoid tin foil....I think the noise it makes when they step on is scares them.
Thanks everyone. I'll pick up an enzyme cleaner next time I'm at the pet store...it never hurts to try!
In the mean time, I was able to find a quick fix on Google. I poured baking soda over the couch, and it seems to have helped get rid of the smell from last night's pee...hopefully the baking soda plus enzyme cleaner will be enough to curb the habit.
I would not rule out a urinary tract problem. He could have periodic inflammation, causing him pain when he pees, and when he has the pain he blames the box. It's called idiopathic cystitis. Stress can cause a flare up. Cats can stress over things a human would never even notice.
It could be stress/territorial. On the days he pees on the couch, perhaps he has seen another cat outside, through a window, that upset him. Or perhaps there is some noise the disturbs him on those days. Stress is relative.
But really, you ought to get him to the vet, and have a urine culture done, just to be sure.
I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take him and and get it checked. Thanks.
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If so maybe you can find some other way to keep him off there until you get the new stuff. My cat won't jump on the chairs and such if there are pillows piled on them that block her way. This may be fairly unusual 
(I've seen plenty of cat pictured snuggled in jumbled pillows) but you never know, maybe that can work. Just having them on there may make it less conducive to peeing, anyway.
