My cat has a behaviour problem, can you help?

Question

She pees for revenge. If ever we go away for the weekend, she'll be dead happy when we get back then 2 days later she'll pee on my clothes, slippers or bed. If we have a lot of people around the cat'll pee yet again on my stuff and a couple of days later.
Then there are pees that I don't see any reason for. She has a thing for bath mats and bags, we cannot leave them on the floor, once she peed on a friend's bag, it was sooo embarrassing! She hasn't got a urinary problem cos it's like once a month, or less or more, depends on whose been round. I just know she hates too many people coming round or us going away. She also, more rarely, will attack me when I stroke her, when she was purring just before, tho not all the time. I am always the target here! No, sometimes she has a go at my daughter, but never at my BF. What can I do? She's nearly 10 and getting worse as she gets older. Feliway doesn't help.

I rubbed her nose in it for years and it hasn't worked.
She knows she's done something wrong, she nicks off looking guilty before I can catch her now.

Answer 1

I had the same problem !!!

My male cat did the same but i found the route cause which was my lodger who was causing me a lot of stress. when the lodger moved out the urinating stopped. i am very close to my cats and they pick up on what i feel.

ok firstly go to your vets and get a behaviour referal. your cat is unsettled and is anxous about it;s enviroment. the route of the cause only you can know but your cat will pick up on anything you are unhappy about and feel unhappy also. the urinating is not being naughty it is sent marking. your cat feels that her home isn;t her own and is despirate to make it smell like her. when you go away you come back smelling different and because she feels insecure she is trying to get things back to how they were i.e smelling like her.. find the source of the problem and remove it and your cat will be fine. under no circumstances should you punish your cat it'l only make it worse. the attacking thing is to do with the static electricity you biuld up in her fur when you skroke her. it feels odd and cats get very excited or uncomfotable and bit the nearest person. solution - only stroke her for short amounts of time. your boyfriend may not cause as much static to gather in her fur, some people are more charged than others. hope this helps.

Answer 2

Don't rub her nose in it! A popular remedy I know, but cat's don't make the logical link between crime and punishment here, all they see is their trusted friend suddenly being really nasty to them, in truth it could make it worse. She is getting older , that may have something to do with it, not a urinary problem, but a mental one, so psychology will help more than punishment. She may see lots of people as a threat, she may not be as sharp as she once was, so tries to compensate in other ways, by reaffirming her place. Try more litter trays, and get a catflap if you haven't already. Catnip in the litter tray will help as well, this usually works. Also, her attacking you... try and see if it only happens when you touch a certain area of her body, she may have an internal injury or something you can't see, might be worth getting her checked out if that's the case. She could just be old and grumpy though, I'm starting to know what that feels like! Good luck!

Answer 3

My daughters cat had the same problem. The cat got stressed if his routine was changed, e.g. when my son-in-law had to work away from home or if they had visitors to stay. The stress caused a urinary infection and he had to get antibiotics and the infection caused him to be stressed - vicious circle!

She got Feliway and that along with the antibiotics helped stop him piddling on everything. Once the infection cleared she kept using the Feliway and he has been clear for over a year now:-)

Your cat obviously doesn't like changes in routine either so take her to the vet for a checkup just in case there is infection present and if there isn't the vet will give you advice on what to do next:-)

Answer 4

When you're away she probably gets really nervous and thinks that you won't come back. My cat was owned by people who were away a lot for long periods at a time. He would pee on their things when they got home to show he was mad at them. Your cat might be doing the same thing. You could try to get the idea into her head that you'll be back. As for the friends she probably doesn't like company. Have your friends show her that they're nice and don't mean to do anything to her. I would suggest keeping the things that she likes to pee on out of her reach until she understands better. Also if she is 10 years old she may be losing her memory a little. I hope that's not it though. good luck!

Answer 5

Your cat is getting older. It happens. Have you talked to her vet about this problem. Maybe she needs a good check up. She is ten right. Her kidneys could be failing her. She may have done it before in the past for revenge but now it sounds like a more severe problem than that. Take her to the vet. If it were your daughter you would take her to the doctor right? So no excuses. Take her soon sweetie. She is your daughter too.

And rubbing your cat's or any animal's nose in their pee or poop is inhumane. You wouldn't rub your child's nose in their own feces!! It's just wrong!!!!

Answer 6

maybe shes got trauma.
or has other mental illness.
or just ornery in response to neg reinforcement.
intermittent problems can happen.
and if you rub her nose in it well negative reinforcement look that up..for how well it works.
get a book on cat behavior and remedy and read i'd say.
sudden turn around and swipe you may have hit something that hurts. too.
she may have a medical condition that comes and goes or likely a combination of problems..
if she was doing it about you being gone it would be while your gone.or right as you arrive not later.
somehow you are missing what the real triggers or problems are.
good luck

Answer 7

I had a male cat that resented my husband when we were dating. He would pee on his clothes. He didn't like being around other cats. He stressed out and would pee all over the place. Then I got a female that also disliked my
husband and would pee on his uniforms. Had to get rid of both. Sounds like your kitty wants to be the only female
now. Have you had the cat since she was a kitten?
She could be getting senile. Talk to your vet again
about this behavior. Just be prepared. You might have
to put your kitty down. Have you had her head x-ray?
She could have a tumor growing which could be causing this behavior.

Answer 8

Maybe its not a behaviour problem only appears to look like one to you. I recommend you take her into your vet and get a urinalyis done, she may have struvite crystals. Which can be treated with antiboitics and Hills s/d food. After a course of this she will need to be retested to make sure all is clear and if so from that point on, keep her on Hills brand c/d to prevent it from happening again.

Answer 9

Do you have someone come over and check on her? You might try that. I also leave an old T-shirt with my husband(who is our kitty's special human) where the cat likes to sleep, and time the clock radio to be on for a short time. You could also consder bording her, even for that short time. Your vet may have other suggestions about behavior modification and meds.

Answer 10

You need to use a spray that gets rid of the smell, which can be bought from pet shops to stop your cat from peeing in that same place again.
And it sounds like the reason your cat is behaving like this is because your cat has become to close to you and so only wants you to give him attention and no one else.