Calling all cat experts
Discussion
I've noticed there seems to be quite a few cat lovers on PH and I was wondering if any of you could please help me out with my cat.
We moved house just before christmas and since then Harley has been peeing everywhere. He never used to do it in the old house but here its like it is his mission to cover the whole house in pee. Its not in the same place, it really is just about every room. He has just peed on a coat that was waiting to go in the washing machine too.
We have a flap fitted as we did in the other place and to be fair he has never really liked using it but he does seem to just get on with it because its easier that way.
He was castrated when he was 6 months old and he will be 6 years old in July.
Its making the whole house smell and the OH was even talking about getting rid of him but I would not let that happen.
Is he still getting used to the new house, do we need a trip to the vets or is there some other cause?
PH, its over to you.
HELP!!
We moved house just before christmas and since then Harley has been peeing everywhere. He never used to do it in the old house but here its like it is his mission to cover the whole house in pee. Its not in the same place, it really is just about every room. He has just peed on a coat that was waiting to go in the washing machine too.
We have a flap fitted as we did in the other place and to be fair he has never really liked using it but he does seem to just get on with it because its easier that way.
He was castrated when he was 6 months old and he will be 6 years old in July.
Its making the whole house smell and the OH was even talking about getting rid of him but I would not let that happen.
Is he still getting used to the new house, do we need a trip to the vets or is there some other cause?
PH, its over to you.
HELP!!
Thank you so much everyone for your advice.
The house is a new build so there are no othe animal smells present so I can rule that out.
I'm not convinced that limiting him to one room will help as I think this would really upset him and he would start digging at the carpet to get out.
From what I can tell I don't think he has been again in a place where he has been before. It always seems to be somewhere different.
It took him an hour to come out of the cat carrier when we first brought him to the new house but our other cat, Lucy, was straight out and exploring. I wish he could be more like her. In fact she has got more balls then he has ever had.
I'm going to get some of this feliway stuff. Is a defuser better or the spray? Maybe I should get both.
Getting rid of him is not an option. We got him after he was abandoned at about 6 weeks old so I'm not putting him through that again no matter what the OH says.
Thanks again for your help.
The house is a new build so there are no othe animal smells present so I can rule that out.
I'm not convinced that limiting him to one room will help as I think this would really upset him and he would start digging at the carpet to get out.
From what I can tell I don't think he has been again in a place where he has been before. It always seems to be somewhere different.
It took him an hour to come out of the cat carrier when we first brought him to the new house but our other cat, Lucy, was straight out and exploring. I wish he could be more like her. In fact she has got more balls then he has ever had.
I'm going to get some of this feliway stuff. Is a defuser better or the spray? Maybe I should get both.
Getting rid of him is not an option. We got him after he was abandoned at about 6 weeks old so I'm not putting him through that again no matter what the OH says.
Thanks again for your help.
As said before, quick trips to Vet to check for any problems, Feliway to help him destress, he may be having trouble settling outside and be being 'bullied' by local cats, also is it possible other cats are coming in the flap and a scent war has ensued? As for the smell on the carpet, we found bicarb under the underlay, between underlay and carpet and then a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water sprayed on the carpet in the offending area not only stopped cat peeing but also dealt with smell. Really bad patches need hoovering and re-doing every few days but it works, well, for us anyway!
HTH
HTH
Feliway definately a good idea, go for diffusers - spray is only really meant for use in travel box/car. Ideally diffusers per room if you can afford it.
In the previous house did he used to go indoors or outdoors? If outdoors stress is very likely as he'll have to establish a new territory, which will take a little while. Either way multiple litter trays in hidden away, quiet areas of the house. Keep any litter trays obsessively clean.
Would recommend a trip to the vets, if you can get hold of a urine sample to bring with you, that'll help the vet rule out any non-stress causes. You can get special cat litter (Katkor) which doesn't absorb the urine to get a sample.
In the previous house did he used to go indoors or outdoors? If outdoors stress is very likely as he'll have to establish a new territory, which will take a little while. Either way multiple litter trays in hidden away, quiet areas of the house. Keep any litter trays obsessively clean.
Would recommend a trip to the vets, if you can get hold of a urine sample to bring with you, that'll help the vet rule out any non-stress causes. You can get special cat litter (Katkor) which doesn't absorb the urine to get a sample.
mrsxllifts said:
As said before, quick trips to Vet to check for any problems, Feliway to help him destress, he may be having trouble settling outside and be being 'bullied' by local cats, also is it possible other cats are coming in the flap and a scent war has ensued? As for the smell on the carpet, we found bicarb under the underlay, between underlay and carpet and then a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water sprayed on the carpet in the offending area not only stopped cat peeing but also dealt with smell. Really bad patches need hoovering and re-doing every few days but it works, well, for us anyway!
HTH
I think he may be being bullied by local cats actually. It did happen at the other house but I thought there were less of them here than before.HTH
No other cats are getting into our house as we have a sureflap fitted. Best £80 I ever spent for the cats. Probably paid for itself within 6 months because of how much food we were losing to other cats. That really used to upset him.
Dare I say this on PH but I actually think he is a bit gay. He never sticks up for himself and he loves any men who are at our house. He always comes to me rather than the OH and he generally minces around the place when he isn't peeing everywhere. I do love him though.
Slashmb said:
Dare I say this on PH but I actually think he is a bit gay. He never sticks up for himself and he loves any men who are at our house. He always comes to me rather than the OH and he generally minces around the place when he isn't peeing everywhere. I do love him though.
He might just be a gentle cat. Males tend to be more affectionate.He could easily just be stressed out about the move. You can get Valerian which also settles them down a bit (acts like it gets them stoned!). You can also get Urine Oust which removes the smell of pee from the carpet.
I take it he does have a litter tray indoors as well?
This is a big topic to tackle and no quick solution but there is a lot that can be done to try and greatly improve the situation. Intitial steps:
1 - Get him vet checked, stress can = urinary problems.
2 - Get some feliway plug ins and a product called zylkene (many vets stock both these products)
3 - Make a note of what sort of areas he sprays (ie under windows, electrical items, stairs etc), when he sprays (eg just after he's been outside which is very suggestive of bullying)
4 - See if your vets has a nurse (or a vet) that deals with cat behaviour, they could offer some valuable advice)
5 - Follow any advice carefully and thoroughly, if you don't there's much less chance of it getting sorted.
http://www.fabcats.org/behaviour/spraying/index.ph...
The above link is worthwhile reading, it's an excellent site and offers excellent upto date advice.
Good luck, my guess is you have a very unhappy puddy tat at the moment
1 - Get him vet checked, stress can = urinary problems.
2 - Get some feliway plug ins and a product called zylkene (many vets stock both these products)
3 - Make a note of what sort of areas he sprays (ie under windows, electrical items, stairs etc), when he sprays (eg just after he's been outside which is very suggestive of bullying)
4 - See if your vets has a nurse (or a vet) that deals with cat behaviour, they could offer some valuable advice)
5 - Follow any advice carefully and thoroughly, if you don't there's much less chance of it getting sorted.
http://www.fabcats.org/behaviour/spraying/index.ph...
The above link is worthwhile reading, it's an excellent site and offers excellent upto date advice.
Good luck, my guess is you have a very unhappy puddy tat at the moment
Slashmb said:
I think he may be being bullied by local cats actually. It did happen at the other house but I thought there were less of them here than before.
No other cats are getting into our house as we have a sureflap fitted. Best £80 I ever spent for the cats. Probably paid for itself within 6 months because of how much food we were losing to other cats. That really used to upset him.
Dare I say this on PH but I actually think he is a bit gay. He never sticks up for himself and he loves any men who are at our house. He always comes to me rather than the OH and he generally minces around the place when he isn't peeing everywhere. I do love him though.
No need to be ashamed! Our 7kg Bengal is a big pussy, in both ways! He get bullied by the smallest grey thing you've ever seen, comes running through to cat flap and jumps on Mr X L, expecting him fend it off! Agree with the sure flap, its the best thing we did to a) save on food and b) the entertainment of our cat running in, folloed by 'thud' and a starry eyed cat on the door step!No other cats are getting into our house as we have a sureflap fitted. Best £80 I ever spent for the cats. Probably paid for itself within 6 months because of how much food we were losing to other cats. That really used to upset him.
Dare I say this on PH but I actually think he is a bit gay. He never sticks up for himself and he loves any men who are at our house. He always comes to me rather than the OH and he generally minces around the place when he isn't peeing everywhere. I do love him though.
Although not ethical, it may be worth deterring other cats from the garden using water pistol etc and going out with him so he can scent the garden and make it his own without others wanting to return to the water.
Slashmb said:
Dare I say this on PH but I actually think he is a bit gay. He never sticks up for himself and he loves any men who are at our house. He always comes to me rather than the OH and he generally minces around the place when he isn't peeing everywhere. I do love him though.
Got a 6yr old ginger tom doing exactly the same. He's very camp - cries not miaows, very affectionate, runs away from anything cat/dog. A week or so ago a huge howling tomcat appeared - sat outside our place a few nights howling. Since then he's been peeing in the bath and on our sofa. Trip to the vets for a steroid jab, antibiotics etc (£45 and vet doesnt think its cystitis) and were hoping he snaps out of it, otherwise were ordering the Feliway diffusers.Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff