Why does my cat keep peeing on my bathroom rug??

Question

OK. My cat has always been reall good about using his litter box. But ever since I re-did my bathroom, (Changed my shower curtain and threw out the old nasty rug and got a brand new one) he's been peeing on the new bathroom rug!! Is he marking his territory? Is he just a stubborn idiot? His litter box is literally two feet away from him in the very same room!!! What do I do with this cat, expect spray him with water every time I find another pee spot and say "BAD" or "NO" and put my bathroom rug in the washing machine every single day?? I think he does it in the wee hours of the morning because he usually sleeps in my bedroom and whines to be let out around 5-ish.

OK - The cat does not have an infection. He is a male. He is altered (neutered), therefore is is not spraying. He is about one year old. He used to pee on the old rug too, but this is a fairly new development - He never did it when he was a kitten, he just started doing it about a month or so before I re-did the bathroom. I cannot keep the bathroom door closed - His litter box is IN the bathroom. I clean it about every other day so his box is pretty clean. There is a second box in another room. He STILL pees on the bathroom rug. I'm gonna try the Indoor No or Natures Miracle to see if it's the scent of the rug that pisses the cat off. Other than that, I am totally at a loss.

Answer 1

because cats dont listen if you have a dog it wont do that and it will listen

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Hang the rug over the side of the tub when the bathroom is not in use by you, or keep the bathroom shut all the time.

Also, make sure to clean out the litter box at least every other day, if not daily.

These methods are the only ones that work for my cat when she gets like this.

Oh, and since yours is a male, has he been neutered? Because, non-neutered male cats have a tendency to spray to mark their territory. (This usually starts around one year of age.)

Answer 4

Normally when you change something around the cat, they might not know what's going on. A lot of times he might just be confused and not understand why the place he knows and loves has changed and he's probably so cofused that he doesn't even know where his litter box is. But if he's doing it frequently, like 6-7 times a day, he might have a bladder infection, so you might want to take him to the vet.

Also, you can't spray him or yell at him if you just find a pee spot on the carpet, because he probably already forgot what he did. You have to catch him in the act, and then spray him so he knows that peeing on the carpet is bad. Spray him when you see him start to pee, or else, he's going to think that you're being mean to him and spraying him for no apparent reason and he might run away!

Answer 5

I had this same problem and removed the rug for awhile and then when I put it back I sprayed it with Indoor No. You get it in the pet section. You can spray it where you don't want a pet to urinate or scratch furniture and there are other uses. Anyway you should be able to find it in the pet section. It's for pourous surfaces. I sprayed it on the rug and the cat quit and then I got a new couch and sprayed it around the bottom of the new couch cause my cats were scratching it and they stopped. I even quit spraying it after a week and they don't do that now. I have to use this around my Christmas tree every year cause the cats love to go pee under my tree. I have no clue why.

Answer 6

my cat is 13 now and he does this but i think it is because he has to share a box with another cat... he started doing this about maybe 5 years ago?? ... i have removed the rug...it was an unending battle with him...i first thot if the litter wasnt cleaned more often he did it... in time i learned didnt matter...if i washed the rug he pee'd on it... i even bought a plastic rug thingy to put in front of the box to contain some of the litter when they step out...he eventually pee'd on that... now i have no bathroom rug which is a "pet peeve" but oh well...(if i use, pick up, but forget once to pick up...that is all it takes, he will pee on it, so i gave up)

now it is just habit and laziness i think

if he had a urinary tract infection i was told he would be walking backwards a lot....

Answer 7

You did not mention how old the cat was but below are some hints that I used in teaching my cat(s) ..I remember I did buy one litter box one time and had to throw it away.. It was so TALL that the cat, I am sure, said to heck with this trying to climb into it.. I just will not use it.

There are several things you need to do to help the mama cat train her kitties to develop good cat litter box habits. While the kids may try to follow mom's example, here's how you can help cement that success.

First, since kittens are so physically small and they're still developing coordination and agility, it's critical that you, the human mom, make sure they can easily get in and out of any cat litter box. The easiest way to do this is buy disposable aluminum roaster pans from your grocery store. Kittens grow as fast as weeds in the summertime, so this is a temporary, but completely justifiable purchase.

If your regular litter boxes are too tall for the babies to climb in and out, they'll become discouraged and they'll select the easiest spot (for them, at least) to eliminate waste. Once they get this idea in their little heads, it could be hard to get out. So, don't give them the excuse!

The type of litter you use for kittens can be dangerous. Since kittens are so darn curious, they test everything with their mouths. If they eat clumping litter, this could kill them. Use a non-clumping litter for several weeks. It won't be any easier to watch them taste test the non-clumping litter, but neither will it be dangerous.

Depending upon the size of the litter, you'll need at least two, and possibly several roasting pans. Since the babies all pretty much eat at the same time, they'll feel the call of nature in a group as well. You can ensure successful cat litter box habits by making certain there are enough boxes to accomodate a group elimination activity.

Young kitties don't have great control of their bladder and bowel functions. Place all cat litter boxes in close proximity to their living quarters. Keep the pans away from their food and water, but don't place them out of the same room, if possible. The closer the pans are, the better the chances are the babies will make it to the box in time to let loose.

Answer 8

Is the litter box clean. If not try that first. If that doesn't work then take him to the vet. He may be sick and trying to tell you. My cat had worms and he went to the litter box and peed in front of it instead of inside it!

Peeing on the rug might not mean worms so don't freak out. It could just be a track infection.

If he isn't fixed that could also be the reason. He may of just learned how to spray. (depending on his age.)

The vet will be your best bet.

Answer 9

Last year my beautiful Manx cat Theodore went out for the evening and never came back. I love cats and the house didn't feel the same without one, so I picked up Lola from a rescue centre. She was very frightened and would pee all over the house. I found Cat Spraying No More� on the internet and the techniques worked almost immediately. I haven't had a problem with Lola since. Amazing!

Can't stop your cat peeing in the house? Then worry no more...

Answer 10

Don't take your cat to the vet. If it was a urinary tract problem, he would pee in numerous random places. not just on the rug.

My cat pees on my bath mat everytime I go out of town. It is something about the rubber backing that attracts them. Wash it in hot water, and I also recommend the Nature's Miracle cleaner. Spray it on the spot.

Did you switch brands of litter, or get a new litterbox when you redid the bathroom? That could also be the problem.

Answer 11

I find this quite common with dogs and cats using the rugs that have a rubber back. There may be a product used in them that attracts them.
You will need to clean the rug with an enzymatic cleaner, just simply washing it with laundry detergent will not remove the scent.
It is ideal to have one more litter box than the # of cats in the household.