? 12-13 - Small Kitty - Can cats get even with a situation ?

[Photorecon]

Hi,

I posted this question to the Lantus forum but decided to remove it and post it here

Problem I have with Small Kitty is recurrent and I'm not sure if I'm on the right track in resolving it. A few weeks back Small Kitty busted my laptop by peeing on it and spayed some other places in the apartment. There is no UTI or badly maintained litter boxes. They both, him and his brother, have their routine of going to the litter box to release before meal and it goes smoothly. Both litter boxes are cleaned twice a day and empty when over used and seems ok in regards of smelling (they use it so it's probably fine . The problem is just with Small Kitty. Yesterday he attempted to bust my laptop again and used the oven as a litter box. Luckily they are protected, the laptop with a homemade cover reaching the table with support raising it. Not being of this arrangement a second laptop with its content would be gone. There is damper here and there to absorb urine on his ‘’favorite’’ spots, luckily or sadly the one on the oven was the target. Both events happening last night. That, with high SL haunting Small Kitty made me blew up, something had to be done so I did. I took a piece of Scott towel soaked with urine and placed it right under his nose where he had peed. He didn’t seem to be that affected with this onion ‘’dissuasion’’, he ran away without spinning. Just before leaving I grabbed him and pet him, he purred and remained on me. I might now need to go with some dissuasive methods to stop him from doing this nasty habit.

I know the reason for this behavior, because Wednesday is garbage day and there is trash in front of every house (making it potential crappy food source), they stay inside. The rest of the week they can go out at night no prob. With snow covering potential feeding and the night it’s hard that someone will go outside to feed dark cats.

My question is in regards of cat behavior. Could small Kitty do this as a ''revenge'', is this something part of cat behavior ? The case being it might worth implementing some educational measures on not to do this. If there is no such thing in cats I'm not going to loose my time and opt for dissuasion. Problem is that there is quite a few places and the root of the problem will never be addressed. Small Kitty will take for granted that there is no problem and keep doing it..

Thanks, any help would be appreciated.

Sébastien

 

[JeffJ]

I have dealt with inappropriate pee. Often it is territory. Putting pee under Small Kitty's nose will definitely not solve the problem.

We had some success with sprays and diffusers. The sprays are just that, you spray the stuff where you don't want the cat to pee. Diffusers plug into the wall and they exude cat pheromone, with the intent of calming the cats and reducing the territory instinct.

Brands we used:
- comfort zone
- feliway diffuser
- No Stay

It is important to clean up the affected area quickly. And to use an enzyme solution to break down the urine. There are lots of reasons cats pee on stuff.

 

[Callie & Patches]

I had a problem with Callie peeing in strange places. The vet said to make sure her favorite litter box was not in a corner where one of the other cats could block or corner her. She also said to add another litter box nearby. I did all that and the pee in strange places stopped.

 

[Photorecon]

All of you are amazing helpful. I was desparate about this, having the very place
where you cook spread with urine + the computer (on the kitchen table) invaded
made me freak out. I'm reconciliated with Small Kitty and Big Brother is even
more happy. Right before meal they go to the litter box. I gave them some treat
on their way out as reward. The computer cover is drying up. It's made of soft
material so after cleaning it I gave it a good layer of spray paint. The smell of paint
will probably remove any interest in it as a target.

I also had cat product with smell they like. I sprayed the surrounding of the litter
boxes to make sure it was no place they wouldn't like. When they came across the smell
they really turned mad (happy), this is a place they will like even more. Both of the
boxes are in different rooms and they are both used, the entrance is not blocked and
it's a just isolated enough to make it ''private'', if I can say so.

Hope there is no ''major health issue'' as each time I crossed the door of a vet the
price was close to four digits. Cross my finger that this is not the case, diabetes is already
putting a huge load on the pet budget.

Thanks again for your help, I'll keep this post as a reference to keep the situation at bay.
Small Kitty and Big Brother will be happy tonight, they can go out. There is 5 inches of
snow on their only access path but this has never dissuaded them. I'll let them go out
at bed time and they will come back right at 6am the next morning for feed and shot.

Good evening to all of you, wish you all the best for holidays with plenty of health
for you and your kitties.

Sébastien
.

 

[JeffJ]

I love your cat's names - Small Kitty and Big Brother. I hope they stay safe outside. One would think they would like to stay inside when it is so cold outside.

Another consideration. I clean the cat litter boxes at least twice a day. And if there are pee issues (outside the box), then we also clean the litter boxes themselves by soaking them and removing all odor from the plastic. Otherwise the litter boxes can get real nasty, and picky cats may choose to go somewhere else. About the worst smell in the world is cat pee. Phewie!

 

[nmveasey]

I love your cat's names - Small Kitty and Big Brother. I hope they stay safe outside. One would think they would like to stay inside when it is so cold outside.

Another consideration. I clean the cat litter boxes at least twice a day. And if there are pee issues (outside the box), then we also clean the litter boxes themselves by soaking them and removing all odor from the plastic. Otherwise the litter boxes can get real nasty, and picky cats may choose to go somewhere else. About the worst smell in the world is cat pee. Phewie!

What do you soak the litter boxes in?

 

[JeffJ]

Cat Enzyme pee solution from Petsmart. The same stuff you are supposed to spray on the carpet or floor, where they peed. I wash the litter boxes by hand. Then I put in some warm water and a little of the solution. It's not perfect. But it's better than they were.

Also some poops get on the side. I clean those whenever there are streaks. YIKES! I take a warm water paper towel, dab it in litter, then scrub the affected area (while there is litter in the tray). Then I dry it.

 

[nmveasey]

Cat Enzyme pee solution from Petsmart. The same stuff you are supposed to spray on the carpet or floor, where they peed. I wash the litter boxes by hand. Then I put in some warm water and a little of the solution. It's not perfect. But it's better than they were.

Also some poops get on the side. I clean those whenever there are streaks. YIKES! I take a warm water paper towel, dab it in litter, then scrub the affected area (while there is litter in the tray). Then I dry it.

Thanks. I will look for it next time I go to Petsmart. I wash litter boxes once a week with water and a bit of soap. Occasionally I do notice a urine odor in the box.
The kitty throne is lined with pee pads to catch any misses...those pads are a lifesaver.

 

[Photorecon]

WOW. That is such a good idea ( to wash the box cover inside out), Jeff. Small Kitty might be willing to go out cause it smell better for releasing.

They are axtually out right now, ssnow has yet to be removed and the backyard with all surrounding terrains are covered with something like 15 inches of snow. Don't know how they dod it, vut they mist only have their head ojt of the snow. Their furr is incredibly thick and soft, they like winter !

Sébastien,
Happy buddy