Cats will just start doing that even when there is nothing wrong with them. It's just the way they are.

She could of been, but maybe you should of put her up for adoption to be an outdoor cat that could have a safe and sturdy fenced in backyard so she wouldn't escape.

I have an absolutely BEAUTIFUL cat. He's a huge Maine Coon. He's 4 years old, neutered and was declawed by his previous owners. Problem is, he gets angry with me and pees on my bed and furniture. The previous owner denies having had this problem with him. He's declawed so he cannot go outside. I've tried positive re-enforcement with treats for good behavior. For a few weeks it worked, then he peed on my bed again.

I listed him on craigslist with pics and the gentle truth. If the truth had not been told, he'd be in a new home. But I didn't get even one inquiry because nobody wants a cat with behavioral problems.

The previous owners don't want him back and I'm not going to lie to prospective new owners. My mattress and boxsprings alone were 1,200.00 dollars not to mention the 75.00 matress protector. Of course it doesn't do much good when it's stripped (because he peed on it) to go to the laundry. I lock him in the bathroom when I can't keep an eye on him. I'm strongly considering having him put down... Or maybe one of the anti-euthanasia people would like to adopt him. Please let me know if you'd like to save him.

I have an absolutely BEAUTIFUL cat. He's a huge Maine Coon. He's 4 years old, neutered and was declawed by his previous owners. Problem is, he gets angry with me and pees on my bed and furniture. The previous owner denies having had this problem with him. He's declawed so he cannot go outside. I've tried positive re-enforcement with treats for good behavior. For a few weeks it worked, then he peed on my bed again.

I listed him on craigslist with pics and the gentle truth. If the truth had not been told, he'd be in a new home. But I didn't get even one inquiry because nobody wants a cat with behavioral problems.

The previous owners don't want him back and I'm not going to lie to prospective new owners. My mattress and boxsprings alone were 1,200.00 dollars not to mention the 75.00 matress protector. Of course it doesn't do much good when it's stripped (because he peed on it) to go to the laundry. I lock him in the bathroom when I can't keep an eye on him. I'm strongly considering having him put down... Or maybe one of the anti-euthanasia people would like to adopt him. Please let me know if you'd like to save him.

Robyn, your cat is not angry with you, so forgive yourself for declawing him. Declawing is obviously not a very good solution to cat scratching but you can't go back in time and not make the choice.

Your cat has no way of connecting you with the declawing. Animals are bad at generalizing and in order to make positive or negative associations the consequence following the act has to be pretty much immediate. For instance, I've clicker trained my cat to jump up and down off a particular chair, but if I try it with any other chair she is completely confused despite having done hundreds of repetitions with the command. The other day, we had construction in our house and she freaked out because the instant I put her in her carrier (she is crate trained and goes in on command) and dropped a treat in front of her a compressor went off in the other room. She associated the loud noise with the sudden appearance of the treat and attacked it. Mind you, these are the same treats she always gets, presented the same way, every time she goes into the crate. It was a little funny but also a good reminder that animals think very differently than us.

Cats don't pee on other cat's property when they're upset, anyway. There is something else going on. Have you seen a cat behaviorist? My guess is that the litter hurts his paws now that he's declawed. He's associated that pain with peeing in the box because it happens as soon as he steps inside, every time he needs to pee. Peeing on your bed doesn't hurt, so it makes sense to go there.

There is a special brand of litter that is a finer sand that declawed cats sometimes prefer. I don't know the name of it, but it is mentioned on My Cat from Hell. If you google it or ask around on the Discovery forum I'm sure you'll get several recommendations.

LambOfTartary -- Robyn did not declaw her cat -- previous owners did.

I have learned to reserve judgement in this situation due to several family members having this same problem. In one case the cat was declawed, in another he was not. In both cases, it was a multiple cat household.

If I had to guess, it has nothing to do with sore paws, it is a psychological, territorial thing -- but that is just my opinion. I don't know of anyone who successfully solved this problem once it started.

WoW, I just had to put my cat down today because of illness, not for peeing. were the cats nutuered or spade. esp. male cats. you've tried everything? I think not. behavior can be changed without spending a lot of money. I've had cats 52 years. there are reasons your cats keep repeating this . they can be insecure, feel threatened, other cats outdoors. if carpets etc. is cleaned completely with a product that gets rid of the smell completely they don't keep peeing there. you have to teach your pets thatis unacceptable and change the behavior.did you try adding litterboxes, change type of litter? I just wish that had been my cat's issue instead of being chronically ill. I guess you would put down a child when it does something wrong also. stupid people shouldn't own pets, or people that don't have time etc. If you can't afford to take care of your pets YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE THEM! I HOPE THAT NONE OF YOU GET OLD AND PEE IN YOUR CHAIR SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE TO PUT YOU DOWN TOO!

Robyn
I am in the same boat. I have a gorgeous maine coon boy who refuses to use the litter box period. I have spent thousands at the vet. Tried adding boxes tried all sorts of litters. I too put a listing on craigslist to have him rehomed as an outdoor cat. No responses. He has another problem he is not declawed and refuses to use a scratching post. I have bought about a zillion in different shapes, sizes, materials etc. He prefers my box spring and the couch. Fine whatever they are already destroyed (even though they were brand new 6 weeks before I got him). It is coming to the point where I want to put him down too. Its been 5 years. We have been to the vet both traditional and holistic. They say he has crystals. I feed him a high quality food recommended by the vet, I add an omega 3, cranberry supplement and probiotic. I have 3 cats so all of them eat like this. Some days if the litterbox is totally lump free he will use it and I only have to clean pee once maybe. I have started having my dogwalker clean the box so now it is being scooped 3 times a day. We have tried the automatic letterboxes and he is the only one who won't use them. I am just sick of all of this. I am in nursing school, I pay for nursing school by being a nanny. I am exhausted. I clean pee at school, I clean pee at work. I don't want to clean pee when I come home and when I wake up (there are usually 2 puddles). I feel bad for the other cats and the dog. They can feel my resentment and it is making my home unhappy. I know I signed up to take care of this animal and give him a happy life but don't I deserve a happy life too. I don't have people to my home because I am terrified it smells or they will step in pee. I don't go on vacation because I can't afford to have someone come 2-3 times a day to scoop the box. I feel so unhappy I don't want to do this anymore. I can't spend any more money on this animal.

I'm sure you've tried unscented litter, but I'll mention it anyway. Cats do not like perfume. Some also do not like odd textures (pellets, for instance).

Have you tried isolating him to see if a clean box with only him using it makes a difference?

Also, do not clean the litter box with any products containing clorox. It can cause irritation/cystitis which can consequently lead to urinating outside the box. Eliminating clorox has worked for eliminating cystitis here.

Again, with cystitis, make sure the box is close by, no long treks to the john, for instance, at night. If they hold it too long, bacteria becomes a problem and they can get cystitis. This happened with my cat after I had moved the box downstairs. Three episodes and $1500 later, figuring out what was different, I moved it to a convenient location for night time. No more bladder infections.

This post was edited by snookums2 on Wed, Jul 24, 13 at 13:41

Ok. I have a cat that is peeing and pooping everywhere but the kitty box. She does it on the clothes and in the middle of the living room. I have tried the citrus spraying, the extra kitty box litter, different kitty litter, the vet for check ups etc. We talk a lot about wether to put them to sleep or not. Who can tell me the answer to get her to stop pooping and peeing where she should not be. Enough with the ideology...I now need concrete examples

kodi, I'm afraid that in some cases, the cat is just aberrant and can't really be fixed. One of my friends tried everything with her cat. He was a newer addition to her mix of cats and he got very territorial and began marking everywhere, including her bed with her in it! Vet visits revealed no organic issues with him. She ended up giving him to a farm.

This same friend later moved in with her partner and they merged cat families. Fights and territorial marking ensued. They tried everything- prozac, numerous litter boxes, squirt guns, etc. In order to sell their house, they had to rip up all the carpet and replace the sub-flooring beneath it. Also, they had to remove and replace drywall where the cats had peed. Any surface that couldn't be replaced had to be painted with KILLZ primer. They did not put any of the offending cats down, but I would have.

They don't like perfume or other scents, I assume you have tried eliminating that. They are going in the best and most comfortable or convenient place. Keep the box clean, clean, clean. Sand textures seem to go over better than, say, pellets under foot. Some don't like an enclosed box, no hood.

Don't leave laundry baskets, boxes, piles of clothes around that will feed the behavior.

Praise and maybe find a reward for when you see her using the box. Even just throwing a toy.

This is an up side of not declawing. If an animal cannot be house trained, at least it can go live on a farm. Not the best outcome for one now accustomed to the soft life, but euthanization is not much of an option either.

Try Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter, he's a vet. I use his regular Precious Cat litter and it is very good. I expect their other products are too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cat Attract litter

I see some people have responded to OP w/o reading her whole massage- the cat is gone so giving suggestions on how to further train the cat are not helpful.

Also, it;s not true that declawed cat's can never live outside. I have had several shelters tell me that a declawed cat outdoors is better than a dead cat. I also have a personal friend who's cat is declawed- and is an outdoor cat (her colon doesn't function and she leaks feces all the time) and I have SEEN this cat climb trees and come back down. I don't know how she does it- but I have seen it so I know it is possible. BTW this woman runs a rescue- so I trust when she says it's better to let a cat live a shorter life outdoors then put it down.

Having never been in the OP's situation it is hard for me to say what I would do- but I can imagine her frustration and financial situation, as well as I am sure she tried to look for a home for the cat.

Also, you can't take a cat with issues to the humane society, etc- they won't take them because they won't get adopted out.

"I see some people have responded to OP w/o reading her whole massage- the cat is gone so giving suggestions on how to further train the cat are not helpful."

The conversation continued with others discussing similar problems. Regardless, suggestions are always helpful, for anyone else coming along in the future, not just the OP.

My vet thinks it is irresponsible to let a declawed pet outside (previous owner of my girl let her outside). If I were in the situation, I would certainly research options for a declawed animal. But they do need claws to defend themselves. Saying they are not necessary is an over generalization. Some parts of the country have a lot of wild life to contend with, for instance. I also would be surprised if "every" cat is able to hunt without claws or figure out how to climb a tree without them. I think aptitude and survival skills would vary between individuals, just as they do with people. That being said, I remember my declawed girl coming home with a present while at her old house. Have no idea how she would or could defend herself with a racoon, fox, hawk. The latter two just scoop them up, with claws and teeth being their only hope for escape.

I would not put an animal down for new flooring. I'd wait until they passed. If conditions were unlivable, I'd try to re-home. Sometimes they are fine in another environment. Can't remember if the animal was declawed or not and could live outdoors as a mousehand on a farm.

Have also read about a supplement of some sort that makes cat urine not smell, which is a big problem with their urine.

This post was edited by snookums2 on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 14:14

Shave your cat. Honest to god, get it shaved. I had the same problem with my cat for two months and I had her shaved. She was good for three months, then she did it again for three days. Had her shaved and she stopped. Had her shaved two months later and she didnt do it again. I shave her every two months now. Its been 2 years and she is still not doing it.

Why do you think shaving works, Steve?

It becomes a very big deal topsiebeezelbub when you work and aren't there to clean up the pee and/or you never know where the cat is going to pee next. It is also a big deal when your carpets become ruined, your drapes, your bedding, your drywall and you find yourself wiping pee off places like the top of your stove no less! It is also a very big deal when the cat's behavior affects the rest of your cats and they also begin peeing all over the house as well as pooping! It is also a very big deal if you have infants or toddlers that could get into their messes!

I have had it with cats ABSOLUTELY! I feel like I live in one big litter box and am quite frankly sick of it. I have tried everything that I can think of, and as far as getting urine out of carpet? Yea right! You have to know it was peed on and clean it up immediately, else it is there forever and also does damage to padding and flooring!

As for putting the cats outside. Yes, I put the worst offender outside and essentially killed her. Apparently feline leukemia and feline aides is rampant where I live. The disease can be infectious to outdoor cats up to five years from soil contamination, per my vet! Now my poor cat is also extremely ill as well as continuing to poop and pee on everything and everywhere. I brought her back inside because I felt so bad for her. I was hopepful that many of the suggestions posted would work for her and NONE of them worked. I have put up with this behavior for 5 years.

Now that she is also sick I will be putting her down in the next couple of days. Say what you will, tosiebeezelbub et al., but until you have experienced it firsthand, you can't really say what you would do.

Honestly, I think you did the right thing. If you are ok with spending thousands of dollars over and over again, maybe i would of thought about keeping the cat but it seems like you did everything you could of possibly done so dont beat yourself up about it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Augusta Ranch Animal hospital

As a holistic and homeopathic animal medicine practitioner, I am absolutely horrified at this. I deal with and treat this issue on a weekly basis, successfully. I am both thankful and sorry that I did not see this at the time. How ignorant can one human possibly be??? That poor cat.

Suzee Sunshyne, if you're so horrified by the owner's action and have experience with consistently resolving this issue successfully, why would you not share what you know? Perhaps it could help other cats and their human companions.

I came here in search of information because we have a cat with a urination problem, as well. We rescued a 12 year old cat from the shelter a few months ago. She had been surrendered by her "forever home" and caged for three weeks by the time we took her in. I'm beginning to suspect the urination is why she was surrendered. My family doesn't want to give up on her, but we also can't afford to try every trick in the book. We have two resident cats besides her, a toddler, a baby on the way and my husband and I both work full time out of the house. She's been peeing in different spots around the house, but the carpets in the rooms where my child plays and sleeps is the worst, and I'm worried about the damage to the walls and subfloors.

We do wonder if we did the wrong thing by adopting her. Maybe someone with more disposable income and time would have come along and taken her in. Maybe they would have solved her issue, or just been able to allow the cat to pee wherever. Or maybe she would have been put down there at the shelter, alone and abandoned. I'll never know. All I do know is that she's sweet and I'm responsible for her well-being, but at the same time, I won't be able to do everything humanly possible to try to diagnose and treat this. So without some kind of solution, she might be heading down that same path.

Maybe your cats are peeing all over house and belongings because they sense how much their owners hate them,are disgusted with them and want them dead.Did any of you read what you wrote? Really disturbing!

I've only ever had to put down an animal due to illness and that was a horrible experience. I would NEVER put down any of my pets because they pee in the house and not in their designated potty areas. Shameful

This just goes on and on,your poor cats are already not doing well and yet some of you want to put the cat through more and more. Separating from household,vet trips,testing,throwing them out of house,pheromones,changing their normal routines,changing diet or adding weird supplements and on and on. Some of you have chosen some really scary stuff.Poor cats. If you think you have tried everything then you would not be having any more trouble with your pet. Here are a few tips about litter and pans.Try a cement mixing tub from Lowes or HomeDepot they are low cost,and easy to clean, big enough so cat doesn't have to walk in a messy box, and try using plain old dirt(no chemicals like fertilizer) instead of litter,or add a little unscented scoopable litter to the dirt. Cat paws and noses are very sensitive and each cat is different so you need to try other mediums/materials to see which works, shredded paper works too. Keep pan clean daily,dump it all once a week and use some soap without any ammonia to wash it. Ammonia products add to the ammonia already in the pee adding to the pee scent. Would you want to go in some nasty smelly enclosed porta-potty not me. Bleach and ammonia(in pee) together really are a really bad combination burns your nostrils and your cats.Sometimes maybe pan is too clean,you might need to leave some of the old litter material(with urine on it) in pan so they know it is theirs. Go to commercial janitorial supply ask for and get some odor neutralizer,you will need to mix it up according to directions and use it where your cat has peed.Some of these odor neutralizers cost a bit,so what, consider it a good investment for your pet,you and your belongings that some of you are so worried about replacing. If the spray works on bloody crime scenes it will neutralize cat pee. You can also put down a sheet of aluminum foil if the cat always goes in same place or just put a litter box in that spot. Do not put litter box tucked away in laundry or garage put it in your house where you all live, maybe if you have multiple levels have pan on each . Cats are highly sensitive and any slight change in their lives really stresses them out. Most all of the comments stated that some change in the home happened;brought into new home,divorce,merging families,moving in together with multiple animals,remodeling,new baby,adding other animals,your sick,one of your pets are sick or even dies,cat is alone too much,too much chaos in home,or whatever else happens in life, could be something really small/minor to you and I, but to them it is not. These things stress us out and our kids but at least we can talk to each other about the changes, the animals we have just get thrown into the mix without any preparation or consideration for them being stressed or terrified. Google, research, read about the changes you are going thru,getting ready to begin or have already put your cat through. There are many ways to get cats/pets prepared for change.Pets take a lot of time,money and dedication on our part,they are completely dependant on us for everything including a safe stress free environment.Each and every cat is different just as we are so there is not just ONE way to fix/help them adjust to what we put them through. Maybe they just need some xtra attention,some xtra love,petting or some alone time with just the person they are attached too,to get them thru the hard changes.Take the time it takes to love them,keep them safe and care for them or do not get them!

"How ignorant can one human possibly be???"

If you want a cat or dog to change, you don't hit it or scream at it or insult it. And people are exactly the same.

Using non aversive, small steps, just like you would teach a dog to sit, you can teach people how to better help their critters. Shaming them by calling them ignorant is not likely to change them or to help the critter.

I haven't read all the posts...but are we talking about adults or children...I would understand taking small steps with a child to teach them how to care for a critter..but an adult..that's a entirly different matter.

This is for anyone who thinks less of someone for putting down a cat or dog. My grandfather was a vet. I grew up around animals -- dogs, cats, farm animals. It is never an easy decision to put a pet out of its misery. We just had our lovely black cat of 15 plus years put down today. We had him treated for a urinary tract infection and he was still peeing and pooping outside the box. He started to hide. He could not jump up on the bed as well as he used to. He was in pain, if for no other reason, arthritis in his back legs and spine. My husband is disabled and was very distraught over his special bed buddy having to be put down, but he made the ultimate decision. My husband and I could no longer clean up after our aged cat. The vet said that our "Junior" was in pain. For the one person who commented something to the effect that when one gets old (a person) I hope he gets put down, I just wish someone would do that for me. We treat our animals, our pets, many times more humanely than we do people. My grandfather would have been the first to say that Junior is hurting, his quality of life is not as good as it has been. Would you want him to continue to suffer? This is what the vet told us today. It is never easy, but as people, as the so-called image of God, we have a responsibility to animals to relieve them of suffering. Junior had bladder problems, and possible liver failure and for a 15-plus year cat, he lived a good life. Can we or should we judge those who are faced with this decision? For anyone who is facing this issue, please assess the quality of life of your pet. Does he enjoy the same things he used to do? Has his litter box or potty habits changed? Does he eat, drink, and play ( at least a little)? When you go to work and come back home, is your beloved pet in the same spot as when you left in the morning? If so, you may want a vet's impartial opinion. I only hope I have someone who will make such a decision for me when the time comes. We are all God's creatures and deserve the best that life can offer and that includes a painless and humane exit to our respective heavens. I only hope I meet all my pets when its my time to check out.

He started to hide. He could not jump up on the bed as well as he used
to. He was in pain, if for no other reason, arthritis in his back legs
and spine

Um, that's more than peeing outside of the box. If it is ONLY the peeing, that's wrong. More means there's something going on and they're ill. No one is saying keep a totally ill cat alive. It's putting down an animal because of inconvenience, not because they're in pain. So yes, I will still say it is wrong to put them down over pee.

Don't have children. Heaven forbid they pee the bed and u place them up for adoption

Yeah that was definitely a horrible thing to do you should feel guilty

To those who say ”clean it, no big deal, my cat does it every day”, your house stinks. It smells so bad it makes peoples eyes water and they leave with a headache. Thats suggesting you have friends or family who wish to visit your septic tank. You say we shouldnt have pets? Fair play-but you shouldnt have a house

Its a boy Maine Coone thing. They do it when there is other cats outside the house to prove the house is theirs. Maine Coones are also very clean and kind of posh, so they wont go in their litters if it has even just one of their poops or wees still in it. They pee on your clothes to tell you to clean your room/bathroom. They spray the front door even after being neutered. They basically want their environment to be tidy and perfect. I would never put my guy down, but if anyone wants him, reply to this comment. They are gorgeous cats, but a true challenge to your wit, they are wild, not fully domesticated.

CryeCruel

what the..? you killed your cat for being a cat?

I have been dealing with the same issue since I adopted my female calico. She was a feral and she was begging to be adopted to live with us and another cat. She was examined and spayed by the humane society. It is now 13 years. She never liked the litter box no matter how clean it is. I had 3 boxes for 2 cats. She would use it but would pee on rugs, shoes, carpet and everywhere. The cats get to go outside anytime they want. 5 years ago I started trying a dog pee pad. She seemed to prefer that and used it. And then the habit started again. I have done everything and I am exhausted. Within the last couple of months, she has peed on 4 areas of my living room carpet, my clothes on the floor, a rug on my wood floor, 2 door rugs and my walking shoes. I threw away the door rugs and my floor rug is outside on the driveway to be cleaned or thrown away. It is impossible to get cat urine out no matter what product is used. A cat can smell it and even if a tiny smell exists, she will pee there again. Right now she is outside with a blanket, food and water. My heart breaks seeing her there. I am considering a farm for her. I will miss her but I have to balance my sanity and mental health as well. I have given it my all. I do not want to live in a cat box.