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Hello, our cat, who we have had for 3 or 4 months now, has just recently started to pee on the floor in the kitchen near his food dish. I believe I know why but wanted to get some feedback from others. We had friends visit this weekend and they bought their small dog with them. By peeing on the floor, is the cat trying to reestablish his home base or something? This only started after the dog left (with one other exception when he peed in a plant in our living room).
The dog's food was fairly close to where we keep the cat's food so just wondering if that is it. Any other feedback would be appreciated.
It quite likely has to do with marking territory. The first step in stopping peeing in that spot is to have it cleaned thoroughly to remove any urine smell you cat can smell. He will keep peeing where there has been pee before. You have to use a product that is designed for cleaning cat urine, something that contain enzymes such as Natures Miracle or similar product. Keep in mind that just because it seems clean to you doesn't mean that it's clean to your cat. The scent from cat urine is meant to stick around for a long time so that other cats can smell it. There is a lot of good info online on how to clean cat urine. To make sure you get all of it get a black light and hold it near the spot with the lights off. Any area that has cat urine will glow.
I would also highly recommend moving the litterbox close. The basement is not a good place for a litter box. If the box is too far out of the way the cat may choose a more convenient spot to pee and once it starts it can be hard to stop. Some cats will choose to pee on clothes and other soft things when a litter box is not readily available. A litter box should be near the main area where the cat is. Not too far out of the way or too hidden but in an area that is still private and doesn't have a lot of traffic. The corner of a room is good or maybe in the bathroom. The only problem with the bathroom is that the door is often closed. If you have a second bathroom that isn't used much it could be a good choice though.
For a while, if the peeing doesn't stop when you clean the spot, putting a second litter box near that spot could help. You could also try to cover the spot by putting a piece of furniture there and move the food bowl. A second litter box is a good idea either way though with cats who has issues with inappropriate peeing.
The third thing I would do is to get a Feliway diffuser. It's a little thing you plug into the wall, like those little scent things you can get, and it releases pheromones like the cat's natural pheromones such as the ones mom cat lets out when the kittens are young. It calms the cats down and really helps with certain behavioral issues. I know it sounds a bit unbelievable that plugging something into the wall can affect your cat's behavior but it really does work.
Plug the diffuser in in the area where he pees. It has about a 600 feet range. You have to replace it after a month and I would use it for at least 2-3 months. You can also get a Feliway spray that you spray in problem areas but I think the diffuser is better, or both.
You can get Feliway at most pet stores and even Walmart. It's much cheaper online though. Vetdepot.com sells them at a good price with not too high shipping charges.
It is entirely possible that there is a medical issue going on so if it continues taking the kitty to the vet is definitely in order. Inappropriate peeing can be a sign of a number of medical issues, some that can be serious. Since cats are expert at hiding the fact that there is something wrong with them any change in behavior is cause for concern. Since this started when the dog came I would think that has something to do with it but I wouldn't automatically rule other things out.
Good luck!
ETA: Is the kitty spayed or neutered? If not, that should definitely be done asap. Intact cats are much more likely to mark territory and spray in addition to a host of other behavioral and health problems.
Stress can make a cat sick. Stress such as a new home. Possibly a territorial issue, but the number one cause of cats peeing outside the box is illness.
Urinary tract issues are painful. In a male cat, urinary tract issues are very serious.
The first thing to do is take him to the vet. The vet should take a urine sample and check for bacteria and crystals. If he gets a clean bill of health then you can consider the territorial issue. Clean the area repeatedly with an enzymatic pet cleaner, or white vinegar.
wow, peeing near his food dish? my first thought was 'gee, he hates his food that much??!' The others have given you very good advice, I will also suggest Fizzion instead of Nature's Miracle. Only thing that gives me pause with all the advice is that it is unusual for a cat to toilet close to their food!
I would be VERY concerned if a cat of mine was doing that. Cats do not eliminate near their food unless something is seriously wrong. I would make sure the cat was getting a high quality wet food and that the dishes were taken up after feeding.
Never feed only dry food to a cat. They need to get their water from their food. (Don't listen to any vet that tells you dry food is good for the cat's teeth. Dry food will give your cat more health problems than it prevents and vets know precious little about what constitutes a healthy diet for cats. Always keep that in the back of your mind.
Rather, read anything by Anitra Frazier or Dr. Pitcairn DVM if you want to discover foods that will make your cats thrive and also deal with and eliminate health problems naturally (and save on vet bills).
I unfortunately learned all of this from first hand experience and am passing it on so others won't have to learn the hard way the way I did.
Use the vets for the fixing and have it done at the right age and don't over do the shots either. They do more harm than help too I've found.
Hi, I hope you sorted this out by now, but was just responding as our cat has done a similar thing 4 times now and I just spoke to the vet about it.
She said our cat Jasper is trying to mark his territory basically saying "this is my food, go away" and that it is a stress reaction. We have had a series of visitors staying over the past 2 weeks and he has done it 4 times.
She suggested getting a feliway refill (Jasper does seem to respond to feliway, I don't know if your cat does?). Unfortunately for Jasper he managed to catch the corner of his beloved rattan basket which holds the food, so that's had to be chucked.
Anyway, stress reaction to the dog, then saying, get off my food. Routine with the food might help if feliway doesn't work, it just needs to be something that makes him feel secure and know that everything is fine. Apparently it's not that unusual according to the vet. Good luck!!
Hello, our cat, who we have had for 3 or 4 months now, has just recently started to pee on the floor in the kitchen near his food dish. I believe I know why but wanted to get some feedback from others. We had friends visit this weekend and they bought their small dog with them. By peeing on the floor, is the cat trying to reestablish his home base or something? This only started after the dog left (with one other exception when he peed in a plant in our living room).
The dog's food was fairly close to where we keep the cat's food so just wondering if that is it. Any other feedback would be appreciated.
Is your cat spayed/neutered? Cats who have been either spayed/neutered don't normally pee in the house. If your cat hasn't been fixed, I would suggest you start there. It could very well be that the cat is upset over the scent of the dog being in his/her house. Start by doing a thorough cleaning of the areas where the dog was. Next, try giving kitty different food...could be as simple as him/her not liking the food that is down. If your cat peed in a plant in your living room...I think it is safe to assume that it is a "HE" and he isn't fixed. Male cats will spray to mark their territory and the smell is AWFUL..get him fixed and keep a litter box for him. We have two cats, both fixed, both female and neither one goes outside. We have 2 boxes and they are VERY clean about using them. Good luck with jealous kitty!!
Echoing some already given good advice. I would bring up that litter box to a closer location. I would try moving the food for awhile. Obviously he feels territorial about where it is - try moving it and then in a few weeks you can move it back into the desired location when the stress shakes out a bit.
It's quite possible there is a "dog smell" left around that you don't pick up that your kitty is still very unhappy about. Try steam cleaning your carpet and upholstered furniture to clean up the place for him. Not implying your house is unclean!! Just a animal leaves a smell that others pick up and maybe your cat is still stressed over the intruder. My dog can tell if another dog has walked through my back yard - same thing goes here.
Lastly, consider vetting the cat. There truly may be an issue. My aunts cat was peeing in a window sill (I know weird) Where he liked to sit and look out for about a week. She tried everything and finally took him to a vet. Turns out he had bladder stones.
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