My cat keeps urinating on my sofa, what can I do?

Question

My cat, Gwen, has an ongoing issue that is pushing me to the limits. She keeps urinating on the same place on my sofa! I have tried all the products I can find at the pet store to remove all traces of her “issue”. I am now in the middle of cleaning my sofa for the umpteenth time! I have even tried putting foil on my sofa as a deterrent and after a couple of days, she whizzed on the foil! Gwen is about 2 years old, healthy and I adopted her 8 months ago. She has been doing since I got her! I do have another cat but they are best of friends, the best kitty sisters ever!

I don’t want to get rid of her, but this is getting be a real problem. Please, please help me!

Answer 1

get her fixed.

Answer 2

Did she use the litterbox before and now she is using the sofa? I know you said she is healthy, but if she hasn't been to the vet within the past month or two take her back and explain the change in behavior. She may be trying to tell you something is wrong.

Does she have to share a litterbox with your other cat? Some cats just won't--if you don't have a second litterbox, get one.
If you have more than one box, try using different types of litter. Some cats are very particular.
Be sure to keep the litterboxes very clean.
Make sure the litterboxes are easy to get to, but in a quiet/private area. Some cats refuse to go up or down stairs just to get to their box. Or, if it is in a busy area of the house, they may want more privacy.
Do you have dogs or any other pets besides the other cat? If you do, make sure they are not bothering Gwen when she does use the litterbox (I assume she is pooping in the box?)
Does the litterbox have a hood/cover? Some cats hate them, some, like mine, love them.

Try placing a clean litterbox over the spot on the sofa that she is urinating on. If she uses it, gradually move the box over several days to the spot that you want her to use. I adopted one of my cats; when I brought her home she decided to use one of my plants as a potty and this is how I got her to use a litterbox instead.

Some other deterrents may work better. Try an upside-down car floor mat. The bumpy rubber surface is rather uncomfortable to walk on.
Set a mousetrap under a heavy towel. You can turn the mousetrap upside down (be careful so you don't snap yourself!) and then place the towel over it. You may have to use more than one trap. The sudden noise will startle the cat without hurting her. (This worked to keep one of my cats off my dresser.)
Have you tried shutting her in a room with litterbox, food/water etc. when you are gone?

I hope one of these suggestions will help. Very best of luck to you!

Answer 3

She's got it in her head that this is where she goes.

I didn't have that, but I've had the thing of not wanting my cats on the sofa at all just because I don't want pet hair on it. I've had to do the very inconvenient thing of putting a bunch of stuff (anything that is an obstacle - boxes, big pots, curtain rods, whatever) across the whole couch to break one cat of the habit of thinking she could get on the couch to sleep. (She had other chairs, just not the hard-to-clean couch.)

First, I put a giant shower curtain over the sofa and then I'd strew across the back and the seats whatever hard objects I could to make it not inviting. It is very inconvenient (and ugly, to say the least), but it helps. The cat may learn that the sofa is occupied and stay off it. If she stays off it that's the first step.

I had two girl kitties, and when one died (of natural causes) the other was clearly mourning for months. Its nice that your two kitties have each other, and it would seem there's something you can figure out about the sofa problem.

Maybe you even have to find a way to keep her out of the living room somehow even if that means shooing her away from the living room every time she starts to go near it. (You may have to temporarily put her in a room with a closed door and a litterbox when you can't be around to shoo her out of the living room, and be ready to shoo when you can let her out loose.)

At this point, the biggest thing is to get her to know that the place she's been thinking of for "going" is no longer available to her. She'll have to find somewhere else. Obviously, she's using the same spot, which tells you that she has claimed that spot.

It seems worth figuring out a way to keep her away from the living room and/or the couch because - gross and disgusting as that particular habit is - it doesn't seem worth not keeping her. I just think she isn't going to learn not to do "wetties" where she's been going; but she can learn she cannot go in the living room or at least on the couch. The "junk across the couch" method may seem like a lot of trouble, but if you keep the stuff somewhere easy to get to (and, again, don't mind the temporary look) it can work.

Also, don't forget plastic shower liners as a cover for the couch. I would think if you put a plastic shower liner or two over the couch for a while (and while you sleep if necessary) that would at least protect the couch, but it also may get her to go somewhere else because those new plastic shower curtain liners have a really strong plastic smell (and they're very cheap at places like WalMart).

You can cover the couch but then fold the cover up and over the back of the couch when you're around to keep an eye on the cat. You can take it completely off if you have guests. Again, slightly inconvenient; but you can get used to it; and eventually you probably could do away with covering the sofa most times and just cover it if you leave the cat alone in the house.

Answer 4

Try this:

1) Clean the sofa COMPLETELY.
2) Than take a spray bottle.
3) Pour 1/4 of the vinager in the bottle.
4) Than pour 3/4 of water in the bottle.
5) Shake.
6) Spray on the sofa.
7) Spray to any other furniture. (Optional)

Cats dont like the smell of citrus (lemon, orange, limes..etc) and they dont like the strong smell of vinager. When you spray the water and vinager you will not smell the vinager but the cat (since cats have 3-5 times better sense of smell) will. She/He will not step NEAR the sofa.

If that doesn't work you can go to a pet shop and buy bitter apple or some other pet repellant that they have.

Oh and if you catch your cat in the act hide the spray bottle behind your back than step behind her/him and say in a firm loud voice (but not yelling) say "NO!" aand spray her on the legs. You can use water or water and vinager when you spray your cat.

Hope this helps. Have a great day. Huggs for your cat and you! <3

Answer 5

Instead of foil use suran wrap - cats can't stand the feel of it. Also try a different cat litter and clean daily. Would use a dirty toilet? Think about them they are the same as us. Great pet and stain remover is a banana oil based cleaner found on internet.

Answer 6

My grandma would say vinegar on the spot after she stops you can wash it. Like another person said get her spayed it may mean that she is marking her territory and that should stop it, most areas have ways to help pay for the spaying if it will be a problem.Once my cats we spayed and neutered my cats turned into kittens but they never had accidents anymore.

Answer 7

Did she use the litterbox formerly than and now she is making use of the settee? I comprehend you reported she is healthful, yet even as she hasn't been to the vet contained in the previous month or 2 take her back and grant an reason behind the version in habit. She would also be attempting to inform you some aspect is wrong. Does she ought to share a litterbox including your diverse cat? some cats basically would no longer--should you would not have a second litterbox, get one. in case you would have some field, look into making use of particular varieties of muddle. some cats are very unique. be particular to maintain the litterboxes very sparkling. make certain the litterboxes are uncomplicated to get to, notwithstanding in a quiet/man or woman self-discipline. some cats refuse to flow up or down stairs basically to get to their field. Or, no matter if that's in a aggravating self-discipline of the position of abode, they are going to favor better privateness. Do you would have domestic dogs or another pets except the option cat? in case you do, make certain they are not bothering Gwen even as she does use the litterbox (I assume she is pooping interior the sphere?) Does the litterbox have a hood/duvet? some cats hate them, some, like mine, love them. attempt excellent a sparkling litterbox over the spot on the settee that she is urinating on. If she makes use of it, regularly move the sphere over some days to the spot that you in hardship-free words favor her to employ. I followed one among my cats; even as I presented her position of abode she determined to employ one among my plant life as a potty and that is how I received her to employ a litterbox rather. some diverse deterrents would artwork better. attempt an upside-down motorized vehicle floor mat. The bumpy rubber floor is rather uncomfortable to stroll on. Set a mousetrap lower than a heavy towel. you could turn the mousetrap any incorrect way up (pay attention so that you do not snap your self!) and then position the towel over it. you would ought to apply some entice. The unpredicted noise will startle the cat with out hurting her. (This worked to maintain one among my cats off my cloth cabinet.) have you ever tried shutting her in a room with litterbox, nutrients/water and so on. when you're lengthy gone? I wish this form of concepts will help. Very surprising of strong fortune to you!

Answer 8

I went through FIVE couches in the past 3 years because my Cat Simba pissed on them. Sometimes it was because he had crystals in his wee wee, sometimes it was because he smelled the pee and that was his "spot." I eventually bough one of those plastic liners for couches and that keeps him off. Downside is I have to remove the liner every time I want to sit on the couch. ONCE THE CAT PEES OS SOMETHING, IT WILL CONTINUE TO PEE THERE. Get rid of your couch. Get one that hasn't been peed on(BUT DONT GET A USED ONE THAT HAD CATS SITTING ON IT!!!!). Cover the couch with a plastic liner when you are not around. That is the answer.

Answer 9

It's possible Gwen has a urinary tract infection. When cats develop UTIs they tend to eliminate away from their litter box. Check with your vet.

Answer 10

my cats (2) used to do that and i adpoted them too... i put them outside and they ran away... so dont do that!any way you can gett some stuff to put on you sofa and its a oder that makes them not want pee on it.anyway them peeing just shows there marking their teritory.

Good luck!!! :)

Answer 11

You should put an old carpet and then something on top so when you get back then you just get the pee there!!