AboutDear Tabbi Expertise I try to help people understand their cats and their cat's behavior.
I do not answer questions about pedigreed cats as mine are, and always have been, from questionable parentage. Please remember I am NOT a veterinarian.
Experience At the current time I have 13 cats. All are spayed and neutered!
Since I was a child I have been owned by lots of cats and kittens of almost every temperment, behavior, and personality. I have experience with neurotic, disabled, stray, feral, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats has taught me that I want to share.
Question Hi there and thank you for your time. I have just rescued a kitten, approximately 6 or 7 months, who was near-death due to starvation. This is my sixth rescue, but this cat was worse off than the others. I have come across something unusual for me though. She does not want to use the litter box (a first for my rescued wild cats). She is very affectionate and lovely, but just won't get the idea no matter how many tricks I try. This has led to her urinating everywhere and she will hold it and hold it until I let her out of the litter pan! I don't want to confine her, but I'm fairly flummoxed. Can you give me any advice on my pee pee cat? Again, thank you for your time.
Answer Kathleen,
It could be related to a medical issue instead of a behavioral problem. She could have a kidney or urinary tract infection, or urinary crystals. UTIs and urinary crystals are very painful and the cats associate that pain with the litterbox and go elsewhere. You might want to have a vet give her a checkup.
If the peeing problem is not a medical issue then it most likely is from stress. One of the most common feline responses to stress is inappropriate elimination. The bladder is the cat’s stress target. No telling what she has been through previously, and now she has a home, everything is changed again and new.
It is going to take some time and love. Try using a puppy pee pad or newspaper. Some cats don't like the feeling of the litter. Try getting some children play sand from Home Depot or a building supply store and see if she prefers that. You can gradually start mixing in regular litter if she pees in the sand. It is more like 'the outdoors'.
I am including a couple of links to good articles that you may find helpful on the subject of improper elimination:
(copy and paste, or type, the whole links into your address bar)
And here is some helpful (I hope!) information on cleaning cat urine:
HOMEMADE CAT URINE REMOVER
1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon of liquid soap
Gently mix all ingredients in a non-metal container. Do not mix or shake vigorously! The mixture is best used when fresh but can be stored. DO NOT keep mixture in an airtight container as baking soda and hydrogen peroxide when mixed together release a lot of oxygen and can cause an explosion.
The recipe is effective because the reaction from mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda produces large amount of oxygen. The oxygen molecules bond to the thiols, breaking them up into carbon dioxide and ammonia which evaporates quickly thereby effectively neutralizing the thoils and their foul-smelling odor.
Always check for color fastness as hydrogen peroxide can be a bleaching agent. If you don't know where an odor is coming from you might need to use a small battery operated blacklight called a 'Stink Finder' (PetSmart, Petco, etc.) at night to find the soiled areas.
HOW TO REMOVE CAT URINE ODOR FROM CARPETS
FOR INDIVIDUAL URINE SPOTS ON CARPET:
If fresh, sop up as much cat urine as you can with a paper towel first. Use a spray bottle to saturate the spot completely with the recipe - do not blot. The recipe must penerate the padding and possibly the floor boards underneath, where the urine has penerated for it to work. Wait 24-48 hours until dry then vacuum. If the urine odor is still present - repeat the procedure. It usually takes 2-3 applications to completely neutralize the cat urine odor.
FOR LARGE AREAS OF CARPET:
You can use a carpet cleaning machine using the recipe instead of the shampoo. You will need to make several gallons of the recipe depending on the size of the carpet. Don't use the vacuum part of the machine - you will want to let the solution soak and dry for 24-48 hours before vacuuming. Most carpet cleaning machines are not made for this use and baking soda can clog the nozzles of the machine.
A 1 gallon garden bug sprayer (Home Dept., etc.) works great too. Rinse the nozzle out frequently by filling the tank with hot water and spraying it in the bathtub. If using the sprayer, saturate the entire carpet with the recipe, let dry for about 24-48 hours, and vacuum. You will have to probably repeat the procedure again. Areas heavily saturated with old urine may take 3 applications over a week.
If the cat urine is old and dried, the smell will probably be worse a day or two later. This is because you are rehydrating the uric acid crystals in the urine to neutralize them. The smell will get better with each application!
MATTRESSES:
You must saturate the spot throughly to get deep down into the padding and springs to neutralize the urine. If the cat has urinated alot in one spot, the mattress can be soiled all the way to the other side! Let the area dry for 24-48 hours without bedding then reapply if necessary.
SOFAS:
The same directions as above but always check for color-fastness in a hidden area before using. Cotton is used in alot of upholstery fabrics and is easily bleached. If your sofa pillow cushion covers can be unzipped and taken off (must be color-fast and washable) you can put them in the washing machine using the instructions for clothing and bedding.
CLOTHING, COMFORTERS, AND BEDDING:
Put the items in the washing machine and pour in enough of the recipe to cover throughly. This might take a few gallons depending on the size of the load. Soak for at least 24 hours. Rinse and rewash using normal washing detergent. If any of the odor is still present, soak again for 24 hours, rinse and rewash.
A small area on a comforter can be spot treated by saturating the area throughly, letting it dry for 24 hours, then washing the comforter normally in the washer with detergent. Always check for color-fastness before using.
AREA RUGS:
They can be spot treated with a sprayer or put in the washer. Test for color-fastness before treatment.
I hope this helps. Let her acclimate to everything and get her health up to par and you may not have any further problems. She's a lucky kitty that she has you. If you have more questions or concerns please feel free to write back.
