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Cats/Persian Male peeing outside of litter box

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Expert: - 8/28/2011


Question
Bambam
Bambam
I have a 2 year old Male persian who urinates everywhere. He was fixed at 6months of age and started it shortly after that. He pees right next to the litter box, in corners of my house, by windows and even on concrete floors! I have 3 litter boxes and I have even seen him pee right next to the litter box after they where all freshly cleaned with clean litter. I only used hot water to clean the litter box. Recently I noticed he likes using pee pads. So i have three pee pads out and he does use them often. He poops and pees in them. However he will also still go on carpet if he feels like it.

We moved into our new house so my husband built him a room in the basement (no carpet) I kept him in the room for 6months and would only let him upstairs in my supervision. He did very well on his peepads. He had a few accidents but not bad. I was hoping to retrain him to the peepads.  However I then let him upstairs for a full day with full access to his peepads and he still decided to use the carpet. He has never peed on furniture or clothing.

Is this a never ending battle? I feel like my only option is to confide him the basement for the rest of his life or put him to sleep! I will not put him to sleep though. A persian rescue said he could not be replaced because this habit would never change. She also said that persians with extreme flat faces (which he has) have almost been bread stupid and they just don't understand. Is that right?!?

Answer
Ashley,

It does seem that Persians are at the bottom of the IQ ladder for domestic cats.  However, most know how to use a litter pan.  Have you ever checked your Persian for medical issues, especially in the urinary tract?  

It does bother me a bit that this all started right after he was fixed.

When he has an accident, do you thoroughly clean the area with an enzyme based cleaner specifically for pet stains and pet odors? At the very least you can use vinegar and baking soda to get the odor out of the carpet.  You may not smell it, but he can.

You may just have to confine him when you are not around. You could also try taping aluminum foil to spots on the carpet he has been known to pee on.  Cats tend to not want to pee on aluminum foil.  You may be able to break him of the habit when you catch him in the act.

Please let me know how things fare.

Best regards... Norm.  

Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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