how can i get my cat to stop urinating on the dining room tablecloth?

Answer 1

Your cat may be sick - the vast majority of cases of inappropriate elimination are due to illness such as a urinary infection or crystals. Urinary issues can affect both male and female cats. Take the cat to the vet for a thorough checkup, and tell the vet about the urination problem. Behavioral solutions are useless if the issue is a health problem.

If the vet says your cat is OK, you'll need to consider several possible causes. I know it's a terribly frustrating problem (I know, I've been there too!), but with patience and some detective work it can be fixed.

Try a different tablecloth - some plastics and rubbers have an odor that entices cats to urinate on them. The litterbox may not be clean enough. Cats have extremely sensitive noses, and stepping into a box that's the least bit dirty for them is like us having to use a heavily soiled port-a-potty in the middle of a hot summer day. A cat can't just hold it in and drive to another restroom, so it chooses to go somewhere else in your house. Use a scoopable litter and scoop out any waste twice daily, and wash the box out thoroughly every couple of weeks. Even if you keep the box clean, if it's been in use for a while the plastic may have absorbed odors over time and need to be replaced. Providing the cat with additional boxes may help too, because it will provide a clean back-up in between cleanings. The ideal number is at least one box for each cat +1, so if you have one cat it will need at least two boxes, and it wouldn't hurt to provide 3, if the cat is extremely picky about its box.

The cat may dislike the type of litter you're using, or something else about the box. Some cats have sensitive feet and don't like anything but a soft, sandy litter. Pelleted litters are great if your cats will use them, but some cats don't like them. Some litters are too strongly scented for some cats - make sure to choose an unscented litter, and don't use air fresheners or strongly scented cleaners near her box. Cat Attract litter is great for picky cats - you can find it at most pet supply stores. Is it a large cat? Many litterboxes are too small for a full-sized cat to turn around and go comfortably in - try a jumbo-sized box, or try removing the cover if you're using a covered box. My cats use 18-gallon plastic storage bins with a big hole cut in the side to step in & out.

Are you using a litter mat? Some litter mats have a texture that is uncomfortable for a cat's paws. Try not using a mat and just sweeping up frequently, or if you must use a mat, try a plain carpet one instead of the bumpy or Astroturf-grass style - those are hard on a cat's paws.

Is the box located in an area that is convenient for the cat to use, but private? If the box is very far away from where a cat spends its days, it may not use it. If it's near a noisy appliance, or a high-traffic area where children or other pets may bother her, it may choose to go somewhere else.

Has anything in your household routine changed recently? Sometimes stress can cause a cat to stop using the box. Try to keep to a regular routine for your cat, and be sure to set aside time every day for play therapy:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=playtherapyforcats
A Feliway Comfort Zone diffuser may help if the issue is stress: http://www.petcomfortzone.com/czcats.htm

If a stray or a neighbor's cat is coming around, that may cause a cat to urinate inappropriately. If that is the case, use a cat repellant product around the outdside of your windows and doors, and use the Comfort Zone diffuser inside.

An important note: No matter how frustrated you are, DO NOT yell at your cat, rub its nose in it, spray it with water, or punish it in any other way for this behavior - it's just a cat, and won't understand why it's being punished, and it will just stress the cat out more and make the housesoiling problem worse. Whenever you find a mess, just clean it up with an enzyme solution from the pet store designed for cat messes, and just keep trying to figure out what's motivating the cat to go there. You can try placing a citrus-scented air freshener or putting some aluminum foil on that spot to deter the cat from going there again.

The linked articles below have lots of good info about housesoiling, and how to keep a litterbox so the cat will use it.

If you can't seem to figure it out and find what works for your cat, I recommend contacting a behaviorist:
http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSAppliedBehavior/caab-directory

Best Wishes!

Answer 2

First of all try and work out why the cat is doing that? I've had cats for 30 years and never ever had a cat urinate where it shouldn't.

Common causes for urinating in the 'wrong spot':
Jealousy or strife (other cat claiming the proper spot?)
Dislike of the material in the tray?
Bladder problems?
Something in the table cloth attracting the cat (bleach?)

My parents once had a problem where one of the two cats suddenly started using a corner in the hall. Turned out the other wasn't letting him use the tray. So they got a second one and it was solved. Cats urinate either to mark their space (so they feel threatend), or to relieve themselves.

Cats are not messy, so social tension or physical causes are at the root. Find the cause and then you will know how to deal with it.

Answer 3

Slice a lemon in half and rub it on the tablecloth, or mix vinegar and water and spray it down. The smell will fade enough so human noses can't pick it up, but cats absolutely detest it. It works for furniture, too. Good luck!

Answer 4

I would agree with the spraying option, but when i first got me cat I used a plastic litter liner, the cat hated that. The plastic would get caught in his claws. Once i made sure his litter area was clean (and no plastic liner) all was well.

Answer 5

really person-friendly thanks to attempt this. Punishing Bugsy with water isn't operating because he's conscious he received't get stuck once you aren't any more searching or no longer there. So the interdiction is linked with you and by no potential the table. a thanks to nicely proper that habit is by having some thing undesirable taking position EVERYTIME he is going on the table and the counter. purchase small band (6inches) of sticky tremendous tape (duck tape isn't undesirable). positioned all of it over the table and counter once you aren't any more there. at the same time as kitty will leap on the tape he will see that that's no longer interesting to have sticky tape on his paw till you come back homestead. it received't damage him and distinct the time they're waiting to eliminate it themselves. Use band of 6 inches no more suitable. that's for 2 reason. the first one isn't to damage your cat as he would roll over and get strangled. the different one is on your cat intelligence who would happen to study he jumped one time on the table and bumped off the tape, the 2d time he can pass with out concern. by having small strips kitty will comprehend some thing is waiting. you may want to keep the tape there for 14 days even with if he would not pass anymore. it extremely is the time choose for a habit to change into permantly followed (or forgotten). once you're there (and that i mean there, interior the kitchen, for the period of cooking and eating) you do not choose the tape. All you elect is this technic. If he receives interior the counter or the table you assert "NO, DOWN" with an organization an exceedingly low tone voice and also you position him down. do no longer puppy him or supply him take care of or perhaps feed him for the period of that aspect. once he's on the floor, ignore about him. you may want to repeat this in many cases at initiate yet quickly sufficient kitty will comprehend that occurring the counter = taking position with no longer some thing . So why difficulty occurring the counter at the same time as he do not get some thing out of it. he will supply up. do no longer punish him physicly (even with the actual shown reality that sometime an exceedingly small tap on the forhead would no longer be pad. that's what mothercat is doing to educate her kitty. The strenght of the tap might want to be very small. that's purpose isn't to damage yet to wonder.) back 14 days will be needed yet you should verify progression after 5 and also you probable will only might want to assert "NO, DOWN" and he will pass down.

Answer 6

Well...you can get this spray that cats hate! And just spray it on the table... Otherwise I would train her. Praise her with a treat when she uses the litter box and scold her when she pees on the table of any other spot that she shouldn't use. Hope that helped!

Answer 7

is the litter box clean
spray w/ water
get diff. table cloth

Answer 8

I would take that cat out and shoot it if it peed on my table cloth.

Answer 9

give the cat antifreeze