Calling all cat people.... Help!!!!

[TeddyGrahamPoms]

Hey Ya'll!

Well, my mother has my cat that I've had since I lived with her (the cat is 6 years old) & is a siamese.... I just talked to her, & she said he's taken up with the most disgusting habit.... He pee's/poops on the furniture.... I guess it all started when she left for a week & she came home to him having a 'bad attitude' & noticing that he started doing this.... Now he won't stop.... No matter how clean the litterbox is, he still pee's/poops on the furniture.... She's at her wit's end (as you can imagine) & doesn't know what to do with him.... Has anyone ever heard/experienced this before? If so, is there anything that could prevent it?

[capnsweets]

I am not sure what i would do..I have heard of this, did she move the litterbox from it's location because sometimes that upsets them. Is the litter close to the food ebcause they also don't klike toe at where they crap....

[Becki]

I don't really know what she can do to stop him, maybe just go back to basic potty training steps? I had a male siamese cat (he lives with my mom still) and he had the biggest attitude, if you made him mad he would bite or scratch you and if he felt neglected he would use your stuff for a catbox. Luckily our cat never made it a long term habit! Good luck to you and your mom with the kitty, I can imagine how irritated she is!

[Jade]

If she absolutely can't get him to stop, she might ask her vet about a behaviorial consult. I'm not much help, I'm afraid.

[SharonM]

Such a terrible problem to deal with ... and difficult to correct. My dad's 14 year old cat just recently started pooping on the rug by the back door, usually when they've been gone all day. or when she wants outside. She's always been an indoor kitty, but when Dad retired a few years ago, he started taking her outside to hang out with him ... now she expects it all the time.
Ticks my ma off something terrible, but my dad says as long as she only goes in that one spot, it's no big deal ... I don't think I could put up with it. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone being able to stop such a behavior in a cat. I'll be interested myself in the responses to this ...

[DirtySouthChins]

We had fostered a cat almost a year ago that had this habit, and unfortunately we didn't get the scent fully out of the couch starr kitty (when she was still here) began to do it. Once we were able to shampoo the couch several times over and ensure that the scent if even the slighest was gone it amazingly stopped. The only suggestion I have is to try and get the scent out the best as possible. It may not smell like pee or poop to the human nose but believe me the cat will know. Unfortunately this isn't an easy thing to break a cat of, as we all know cat's can be very stubborn... Your mom may want to have a small spray bottle, filling it with water to help train in the aid of breaking the kittie of using the furniture for a litter box. I wish the best of luck, as I know first hand this isn't an easy issue to deal with..

[Deja]

Wow- this is a tough one. I too used to have a Siamese and although she was such a velcro cat - boy could she cop a 'tude!

Is it every piece of furniture or is he using the same ones over and over?

Catching him in the act with a spray bottle is a good idea.

There are spray repellents that smell horrid to the animal and it usually works to keep them away from the item or area.

One thing that cats hate - getting stuck. How about getting some wide double faced tape and cover the surfaces he's pooping and peeing on with it? He may jump up there - get his paws stuck and decide it's more important to get himself unstuck and avoid jumping up there in the future!

Last resort idea- in some catalogs, I have seen these mats that you place on the surface where you don't want the cat to be on. When they jump onto the mat they recieve a mild zap- similar to getting a mild static electricity shock. Not painful - just unpleasant. I've heard that they work really well, really fast.

Good Luck! That really is a nasty problem to deal with. I hope you find something that works before you all go bonkers

Deja

[phoenix]

First, completely douse the areas used with white vinegar- don't just lightly sprinkle it, dump it on the spot and let it soak in and dry there. This cuts the scent, not just for people, but for other animals as well. It breaks down the enzymes that produce the scent that attracts animals to urinate or defecate somewhere. After this is done, take several small bowls of dry cat food and place one in each area that the cat used as a toilet. Either of these steps alone MIGHT do the trick, but the best bet is to do both and be sure the problem is ended.

[Pigsterz]

Oh boy can I relate to this! We've thrown away many a nice comforters and feather beds because Spanky (may he rest in peace...we lost him to cancer last year) used to leave surprises for us on the bed for no reason.

First, you need to rule out medical cause. Has he been checked by your vet to make sure there is no medical condition causing the new behavior? Sometimes there is underlying medical cause that we don't know about. Anyway, just a thought.

Next, follow Phoenix's suggestion with the vinegar. As long as the faintest of smell is on the couch, even if you can't smell it the cat can and will continue to do his deeds there.

You can also try putting aluminum foil on the couch so when he jumps on the couch it will make a noise and maybe discourage him.

There is a product called Nature's Miracle. It supposedly also neutralyzes the offending enzymes. You can find it at petstores.

Good luck!

[phoenix]

Inappropriate urination CAN be due to a medical problem, but since the problem here includes defecation as well, it is definitely a behavior problem, not a medical one. Also, the vinegar does a more complete job than any of the other enzyme products on the market, and is generally MUCH cheaper. (Lots of personal experience with this subject- worked for a vet at a Cats Only Hospital for years, and then managed a no-kill not-for-profit cats only shelter for 7 years, which usually left me dealing with other people's pet problems, and teaching owners how to correct inappropriate behavior so they didn't have to part with their pet.)

I think I would have to rely on the advice of a vet for this one. I didn't read every single post all the way through, so sorry if this was already brought up, but is there the possibility of a UTI? I know it wouldn't explain the pooping everywhere, but I think a trip to the vet would be worth it.

Good luck!