Help with Young Cat

Updated on March 25, 2009
L.G. asks from Warren, MI
23 answers

Hello cat lovers, we have just got a new cat, well actually we have had him since January and recently he has started peeing on everthing. He is about a year old and was fixed at around nine months. He is a really super awesome cat but I am affraid that if he keeps peeing on things my hubby is not going to let him stay. I make sure that the box is clean and that he has acsess to it. He has urinanted on my sons bed a few times and then just some blankets around the house. Please if anyone knows how to possibly make this stop I will greaty appriciate it because I love the cat and would be sad to see him booted out!

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T.S.

answers from Detroit on

Hello L.,
My cat did the same thing to me but I realized my cat did not like the litter box with the cover on the top. Once I took the cover off the top of the box I have not had a problem with him.I hope this might help you or try a different brand of liter I like Fresh step Scoopable.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.A.

answers from Saginaw on

Yikes! Hope you don`t have wood floors! My friend couldn`t get the smaell out and had to tear her floors out AND also even the studs in the wall! The smell wouldn`t go away! He may have a UTI.

1 mom found this helpful

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A.W.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Take him to the vet!! When a cat pees on soft things like blankets, it's a good indicator that they have a bladder infection. They think it won't hurt to pee if they go on soft things. Boy cats are more susceptible to infections than girl cats. You have to keep the litter impeccable. When one of my boy cats got one, we thought we were going to have to get rid of him too. I keep two litter boxes for the two cats, and they get cleaned several times a week. And by the way, Premium Choice cat litter is the BEST. No smell and no dust!

Hope this helps.

A.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.C.

answers from Lansing on

After having him checked out at the vet...

I had the same problem with my little boy cat. Make sure his food is not close to his litter box, they won't go where they eat. On that note, we put several small dishes of catfood where he seemed to go the most. I used lemon essential oil sprayed around the house, for some reason it deters them from going (plus then your house smells like lovely lemons and it's safe for the kids)

1 mom found this helpful
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A.M.

answers from Detroit on

Hi L.,
FYI, I am a veterinary technician. First bring him to your vet and get a urine sample checked for an infection. Next, go to the pet store and get some kind of enzymatic cleaner to use on any areas he has peed on. Even if you can't smell anything, he may still be able to. And even if you clear up an infection, he may still go to the same spots because it already smells like urine to him.
If it is not an infection, then it is behavioral, which is much more difficult to deal with. If this is the case, try a different type of cat litter, try a different location for the litterbox...if you have other cats, maybe you need another litterbox (sometimes kitties are picky about sharing their box). Keep an eye out for neighborhood cats hanging out in your yard...sometimes that will cause them to start marking their territory.
I'm sure your vet can give you some ideas too...
Good Luck!
A.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.D.

answers from Detroit on

take him to the vet to check for a urinary track infection. If there is none then you have a problem that is hard to solve. Once they start spraying its hard to stop. Has anything changed around your house to cause hime to be under stress?

1 mom found this helpful
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T.W.

answers from Detroit on

My suggestion is for you to take your cat to the vet. It is not typical for a cat to do that, sometimes it can be stress but I know it could also be a urinary tract infection or crystals or something similar.( my cat has had that issue before) Is he showing any other signs, like trying to urinate in his litter and not being able to, squatting all over the house, meowing a lot when he pees?

Good luck. I hope your cat settles down for you. I know if you don't get the smell out of the blanket completely(which is hard) they will smell it and use the same place again and again.

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S.A.

answers from Kalamazoo on

I agree with the other responses - take him to the vet and have him checked for a UTI. Even if that is it, you will probably have to discard anything that he has peed on. We had a "high-maintenance" cat that required two litter boxes. He would pee in one, poop in the other. The litter boxes had to be cleaned every day. Also, make sure that his food is not too close to his litter box. I did some research on line and all of this was recommended. It helped in our situation.

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L.V.

answers from Detroit on

the cat pheromone that a few others have talked about is called "Feliway", not sure of the exact spelling. You can find it in a pet supplies store, or go to drsfostersmith.com This is a great resource both for supplies and for information. This would be a good idea to do, after taking the cat to the vet.

Good luck!

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G.B.

answers from Detroit on

Possibly a urinary infection which male cats are prone to. I'd have him checked by the vet. Otherwise, you have to eliminate every trace of cat urine from your house because he will find it and want to pee there again. You may have to confine him somewhere while you work this out. Cats are delightful but can develop some bad habits,and there's just nothing quite as annoying or hard to get rid of as the smell of cat urine!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Detroit on

Hello, L.! Have you thought about taking hime to the vet? My (older) cat had a problem with peeing and it turned out that she had crystals in her urine that caused her to have pain and frequent urination. I had to get special stuff for her kitty box to actually see the color of her urine to get the right diagnosis. If this is a new problem then it is unlikely that he is marking and more likely that he needs to go to the vet. Hope this helps! Good luck with your cat! D.

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D.C.

answers from Detroit on

Hi, I have 3 cats so I know alot about these types of things. Take your cat to the vet he may have a crystal blockage, this happens in males sometimes. Check your cat food for ash content, the less ash in the food the better for the cat. Your vet will probably give you an antibiotic for your cat that should take care of the problem. I feed my cats Avoderm no bad fillers or ash and I don't feed them any can food. Hope this helpsss.
____@____.com psss is he nuetered??? I have had only one of my cats that had this problem...

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S.K.

answers from Detroit on

You may want to have him tested for a urinary tract infection--our kitty had a few and she would always have "accidents" before her diagnosis. It would stop after she was on an antibiotic for a short bit. Another idea, he may be sensitive to the kitty liter if it has additives, scents, special crystals etc--a plain clay litter without all the "fluff" may be worth a try. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.L.

answers from Detroit on

I heard before that sometimes cats do that when they have a bladder or urinary infection.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.W.

answers from Detroit on

I did not read the other responses but I'm sorry if you already got this one...My friend has a male cat that is neutered and he was doing the same thing but in the heater vents also. Come to find out he had a urinary tract infection. The vet gave him some special food for it and it cleared up within a week I think. The peeing stopped and every now and then she notices him doing it again and she gets the special food for him again. I think she also noticed that he was a little swollen in that area and he was licking himself a lot if that helps any...

1 mom found this helpful
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V.L.

answers from Detroit on

HI

I would defin. ask your vet about this. Also you can buy a product Pet (cat) Pheromones (check local pet supply store). to spray on places, I have heard this helps so the cat won't urinate there. Good luck! :)

1 mom found this helpful
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L.R.

answers from Detroit on

The only thing I didn't see already written is that you should absolutely not have a covered/hooded litter box. You should use unscented litter and offer him both clay and clumping then only use the type he prefers. Clean means CLEAN. We have six cats, five litter boxes and all of them are WAY bigger than normal and all get picked out twice daily. If you're not picking out your litter every day, from your cats perspective, it isn't clean.
Good luck!

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L.B.

answers from Jackson on

There are also cat pheramons (not sure of the spelling) that really helps as well that you plug into the wall.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.K.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Hi, as someone who has "been there" I can tell you that once a cat starts spraying; marking their territory, it is a difficult habit to break. I would consult your Vet FIRST.I suggest that you have more then one litter box.There are biodegradable products that remove odor. Where ever he has sprayed use the product and you can wash items in vinegar, full strength. Don't ever use Ammonia because it smells like urine. You can use baking soda so you don't have to smell it because the biodegradable stuff actually has bacteria in it that "eats" the urine but it doesn't help with the odor for your noses. I broke a female cat of the problem per my Vet's advice, by putting her in a small dog crate. I put a small pan of litter in the back and her food and water in the front. She had no choice but to use the box. It was agonizing because she cried the whole time but after one week I allowed her out and she never did it again. I wish you the best of luck in your efforts. I love animals and have several so I know how difficult this situation is. Denise K.

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J.V.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Hi L.,

My name is J.. I have been working for Veterinarians since 1980. My recommendation is to get him in to the Vet & rule out a urinary tract infection. If he has one it's better to get it taken care of quickly before urinating outside the box becomes a habit. UTI's are usually treated quickly w/ an antibiotic & the problem is then resolved. The veterinarian may recommend a 'special' diet for him for awhile too though (or for the rest of his life) to prevent this from happening again. Good luck & I hope you find that it is a UTI because that is alot easier to treat than a behavioral problem!

J.
Client Care Specialist
Woodland Hospital for Animals
###-###-####

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W.K.

answers from Detroit on

I have had cats all my life and usually it is urinary track infection. I change the litter box all the time and they still seem to get it.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from Detroit on

Close the doors to the areas he's been violating. We've had this same problem.
Put a couple extra litter boxes around the house.
Make sure the boxes are clean. Cats are very fastidious and don't like smells. Getting some of that URINE GONE spray would be a good idea too, because it neutralizes the odors.
Have your vet check out the cat. Maybe there's a urinary problem. That could very well be it. there are homeopathic treatments for that if that's the case.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.F.

answers from Detroit on

I work at a vet's office and I will tell you what we would normally tell a person with your problem. Your cat shows signs of having a urinary tract infection - sometimes when they go into the litter box to go to the bathroom and it is painful for them they will associate that pain with the litter box and find someplace else to go - it also could be a behavior issue but it would first be a good idea to check him out medically to rule out a medical issue. If it is behavioral that are other options - hope this helps

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