Expert: Kate Tilmouth - 10/30/2008

Question
We have three male, neutered (primarily) indoor house cats.  The oldest is 11 and the other two are three year old litter mates.  We are having a serious problem that one to all three of the cats have begun soiling everywhere.  It started on the bed in the guest room upstairs over a year ago.  We now keep that door shut, but if it gets left open on accident they are right back at it.  Then it moved to our son's bed (who is away at college) in his upstairs room.  They have begun messing on the carpet in the family room downstairs and just recently began urinating (primarily) on the couches on the main floor. Just last week we discovered they had messed on my daughter's bed in her upstairs room.  She is also away at college.
We do work long hours and I know the cats get lonely - especially with the kids gone to college.  But our son has been gone for four years (he just graduated and took a job overseas) and this is our daughter's sophomore year in college.
I mentioned the areas since it started on a bed in a more secluded room upstairs, then a "deserted" son's room again more secluded, then downstairs on the carpet and now on the main floor.  
My husband is threatening to look them either in the bathroom or in kennels when we're not home.  What options do I have?  I've tried every remedy to get the smell out so they don't repeat the same places but it's not working.
I've never caught any of them except once my older cat actually wet on the bed when my son was home in bed and once on my daughter's bed when she was in it.  HELP!!

Answer
Hi
well something is obviously upsetting them if they feel they have to scent around the house like this to make themselves feel more at home as it were.

Regarding the smell, i don't know if you have tried bicarbonate of soda. Spinkled dry on surfaces and then left for a few hours before vacuuming up, then follow with a strong lemon scent (cats don't like citrus smell and usually deters them from that area).

bed clothes too can be soaked in water with bicarbonate of soda before washing.

My suggestion would be that when you are out at work if possible that you do keep your cats in one room with their litter trays, beds and toys. Make sure the room has lots of interest for them. If they are cats that get lonely, which is common you could even try leaving the radio on for them or trying one of those special cat videos see here http://www.our-happy-cat.com/cat-videos.html

see how that goes, if you find that they are not happy confined together for the whole day, you will have to consider separating them up, each in their own room. This is not punishment, it can help some cats feel more secure if they have a smaller area to get used to.

Obviously when you are home they can be let out again, but i definately think this is worth a go.

best wishes Kate
http://www.our-happy-cat.com