Why does my cat pee on the rug right in front of me? He never used to.?

Question

My cat "Diva" is a boy cat who lived with me and no other animals. In August of 2005 I moved in with my partner and his cat and dog. Diva is very friendly and took to them the very first day with no problem. The dog passed away and now it's just the two cats. Diva constantly pee's on the throw rugs and won't stop! Why is this. We have 2 cat boxes. 1 inside the home and 1 in the garage where they were at all day during our remodeling. They are indoor cats. Please help me find a cat whisperer.

Answer 1

It may be behavioral, or it may be a bladder infection or those crystals that grow in their urinary tract, take him to the vet. Better safe than sorry, BTW how did the dog die was it old age? Or could it have to do with the recalled food? My cat who is 14 was acting real strange I brought her to the vet 325.00 later they said she was fine, but I had fed my cats some of the tainted wet food a few weeks before, so you never know!

Answer 2

It's possible your cat has a bladder or urinary infection. He may not be unable to control himself of he may be trying to attract your attention to let you know something is wrong. It's worth a call to the vet to describe how the cat is acting.
Or it may be a way of showing displeasure at having his routine disrupted during the re-modeling.
Or he may be trying to show dominance over the other cat after the death of the dog. Again, it's worth a call to the vet. In the meantime, have the rug cleaned to get the urine smell out and work to neutralize any residuale odor in the flooring below. Otherwise the scent will draw them back. You've got to break the cycle even if it means putting something there with a scent that the cats find distasteful--pepper, marigolds, something.

Answer 3

There are two reasons for this type of behavior....either medical or behavioral. If you can rule out the medical then the behavioral is the culprit. That one is harder to pinpoint.

You haven't given enough information. Are both cats altered?
If not that would be step one.

If they are both altered and you have ruled out the medical. Then it would seem to me that this is behavioral.

You didn't specify how long this has been a problem. If it is something that has been going along for awhile them probably he just has chosen the throw rugs that smelled like a good place to eliminate. They will ALWAYS retain the urine smell........ get rid of them.

If the behavior is more recent then he is Angry about something. You must figure out what. Think back to what might have changed that would have upset him.....moved the furniture, change the type of litter or diet or your schedule or his schedule.

Definitely wash the rugs with detergent and BORAX it is worth a shot but I think that you' re doomed to be rugless.

Answer 4

I know this question very well. I have 4 cats. When he does
that, he is marking his territory. He is marking his place.
Meaning, that is his place and no one better go there in his place. It is a natural thing, not to be alarmed. And the best way to stop it, is to buy a bottle of Pet Organics, No Mark!
Spray. Write this name down, because it really works.It will
say at the bottom of the bottle, StopCats DesireTo Urine Mark {Spray} It really works, so write down every word.
You can find it only in pet stores. I hope to hear from you
soon, so you can give me feed back on it. In other words let
me know if I helped you. When you buy it, just do exactly what
it says on the bottle. Otherwise, you will have a stinky house.
HaHAHAHA, and I know you don't want that. When your house begins to smell really sour, it's the cats urine stinking
up your house. So, go buy a bottle of that stuff. Good Luck!
Been there, done that!

Answer 5

Please take your cat to the vet. He very likely has a urinary tract infection and he may be associating the pain with using the litter box. Only medication will clear this up.

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From Big Little Cat:
The clinical signs of all the LUTDs are very similar. Cats may go to the litterbox frequently, strain to urinate, pass very small amounts at a time, lick their genitals more frequently or more intensely than usual, or have blood in the urine. The cat may associate the burning sensation of cystitis (bladder inflammation) with the litterbox itself, and look for another place to go where it won't hurt. This leads to squatting in corners, in sinks or tubs, on rugs, laundry piles, or beds.

Most cats brought to the vet for LUTD do not yet have blockages. However, it's important to act quickly when you see any of these signs, because if a blockage does occur, the backup of urine toxins and pressure can lead to kidney failure and death in as little as 24 hours.

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If you had your cat declawed, he could have a bone protuding from his skin causing him tremendous pain when he steps on the gravel in the box. Most people don't realize the long term problems that cats suffer from after having their cats declawed or amputation done to their toes. Cats don't express their pain very well and so they often suffer in silence.

Only a qualified vet will be able to help your buddy feel better. Cats are very clean by nature, so he is very likely hurting from something that your vet will be able to help with once they figure out the cause of the pain.

Your cat is not doing this to show you that he's upset with you. He's not doing it because he misses the dog. He's not being territorial or he would be fighting with the other cat.

He's trying to tell you he needs help in the only way he can communicate to you. He's urinating in front of you to ask you to help him. Don't wait to take him to the vet. Your cat is in pain and needs help.

By the way, cats have been proven to be the most intelligent domestic animals. You have a very intelligent cat for him to communicate this way! Your cat must love you and trust you to pee right in front of you. Bravo to you for being a loving cat owner! Most cats would try to hide to escape the pain by urinating where you can't see them doing this outside of the box.

***Also, take the other cat in since they are sharing litter boxes. They may be sharing a UTI infection too.

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=017

Answer 6

Cats are creatures of habit, so if one suddenly changes a habit it means something is wrong. How long ago did the dog die? If it was very recently maybe your cat misses him. If that's not it I'd take him to the vet to see if there's a medical reason. Hope it works out for you and your cat--

Answer 7

If your cat is urinating inappropriately he should be seen by his vet for a medical problem. Most cats are extremely clean animals and generally do not do this unless there is a problem, this is there way of letting us know.

Answer 8

cats pee to mark their territory just like a dog. he is jealous of the other cat and probably the only way to stop this is to either pay a lot more attention to him or get rid of one of the cats. My male cat, (years ago), peed on my boyfriends clothes right after he moved in.

Answer 9

diva is upset about something.since he pees in front of you, it could be you he is mad at. are you petting the other cat or paying more attention to your partner when your cat pees on the rug? stop and see what you are doing the next time he goes on the floor.

Answer 10

Ohmygo it is so obvious that you haven't been giving Diva as much attention as u used to . She's clearly reaching out. Her name isn't Diva for anything she clearly requires more of you!