Why is my adopted cat peeing on the sofa? Is it medical or behavioral?

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Kiki is urinating on your couch! This may be related to a medical problem or a behavioural issue. I would start by using an enzymatic urine cleaner designed to neutralize the odour on the couch, as the pee smell on the couch may keep her coming back to it. I would also think about any possible stressors in the house. Have you changed the litter type recently? Have you moved recently? Loud noises? Frequent visitors, or pets that are bullying her? I would also try out a product called Feliway, which is a feline pheromone designed to help reduce inappropriate urination behaviours and reduce stress in cats. If these have been tried and she is still urinating on the couch, I would take her to a vet to evaluate for medical issues such as a urinary tract infection, urinary crystals or stones, or bladder inflammation. They will likely examine a urine sample and conduct a full physical exam. I hope this helps, and that Kiki is feeling better soon!

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Inappropriate elimination (peeing or pooping outside the litter box) in cats can be frustrating and difficult to treat. The first step you should take is scheduling an appointment for Udang to see a veterinarian. A lot of times a cat will start going outside of the litter box due to health problems like urinating tract infections, pain, urinary tract inflammation and digestive problems. Once you have established that there aren't any medical reasons for inappropriate elimination the following may be helpful: 1. Cats will urinate or defecate outside of the litter box for stress related reasons. Therefore it is best to keep the litter boxes in several different, quiet areas of the household. 2. A pheromone diffuser like Feliway can be quite helpful. 3. Ensure you have at least one litter box in the household per cat plus one. For example, if you have 3 cats, then 4 litter boxes are recommended. 4. Feeding an all canned food diet can help if there is inflammation in the bladder. There are also prescription diets available to help with bladder inflammation or digestive issues. Your veterinarian can help you choose the best one for your cat. 5. The litter boxes should be cleaned once to twice daily and completely emptied and washed weekly. Most cats prefer litter to be the clumping type that is kept a few inches deep. Certain litter types like Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter may be helpful. 6. You can also place aluminum foil over the areas Udang normally likes to urinate to prevent him from going in that area. If you have done a lot of the above suggestions you may also want to talk to your veterinarian about behavioral medications that may help prevent inappropriate urination. Good luck!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A cat can be "healthy" and still have urination issues as you have described because the problem is behavioral and not medical. If it has been ruled out that she does not have any underlying medical conditions (kidney issues, bladder problems, UTI, etc) then you should try the behavioral modification medication. The medications work well and cats rarely have any side effects with their use. Please talk to your vet about this. This problem is not only stressful for you but also for Prune. And typically what happens is, if you rehome her, she will do the same behavior at the new person's house. Inevitably they get frustrated and they will rehome her and the cycle continues as she is passed from home to home. She may even end up at a shelter as unadaptable which in some shelters means euthanasia. Please don't do that to her and speak to your vet about medication. I can tell you love her very much and someone else may not feel the same about her. The medication is not expensive and typically is easy to administer. The medication does not usually change their attitude towards you or change their personality in any drastic way. It is an easy solution. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She is adorable! Inappropriate urination is often a medical issue and possibilities include feline lower urinary tract disease, a urinary tract infection, urinary tract stones, among other possible medical reasons. Another possibility is that this is behavioral in nature. I recommend that you have Pixie evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. If it is behavioral, sometimes a product called Feliway can help. You may find that online or at your local pet store. Good luck and best wishes!

Hi, thanks for using Petcoach! Sometimes underlying medical conditions can become behavioral even after the medical condition is long gone. If Leo hasn't seen a Vet I recommend you take him in for a physical and to have his urine tested. A UTI or crystals in the urine can cause irritation and urgency to urinate. Also, Leo is not neutered. Intact male cats mark and inappropriately urinate more. If there is no underlying medical condition I would ask your Vet to prescribe an antianxiety medication like Prozac. Confine him for 2 weeks and clean the soiled areas well with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle. Put Feliway diffusers in his favorite nap places. When you let him out, keep the doors closed to the rooms he previously soiled in, keep clothes and bags off the floor, use shower curtains or aluminum foil (they don't like the feel on their feet) to cover beds or carpeting. Also environmental enrichment can help indoor cats. I've attached a few links below. I hope this helps! https://www.chewy.com/comfort-zone-feliway-cat-diffuser/dp/49006 https://www.chewy.com/natures-miracle-deep-cleaning-carpet/dp/42132 https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats

I'm so sorry that you are having such problems with Kitty. I am imagine how frustrating this is for you. Since these problems started with the move, stress may be playing a role. One option for decreasing stress is to add a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected ) to your house. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water. Hover, there are a large number of reasons that a cat will inappropriately urinate and defecate (urinate and defecate outside the litter box) and stress may be only one of the reasons. I am attaching a handout below which discusses this in detail. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=633 The first step in figuring out why a cat is urinating outside the litter box is to have your veterinarian do an examination and get a urine sample to evaluate for a medical reason. If that is normal, then we need to look at other possibilities. The handout above discusses litter box issues that can play a role. Make sure you have at least 2 litter boxes (if Kitty is the only cat), they are not covered or lined, and are cleaned daily. You may also want to try products like Cat Attract Litter (https://www.drelseys.com/shop/cat-attract/). If your veterinarian cannot find a medical reason and all litter box issues have been dealt with, then it may be time to discuss medication with your veterinarian. Medications are also discussed in the handout above. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that you can figure out what's going on with Kitty. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Inappropriate urination is hard. It is best to rule out medical causes first (bladder stones, crystals in the urine, urinary tract infection) before assuming it is behavioral. I would confine the cats in a room for 1-2 weeks where they can not see the outdoor cats. Use a Feliway diffuser in the room and set one up where they were marking. Get blinds or keep the blinds down so they can not see the cats. You can try to talk to your neighbor but I doubt they will keep them inside. Cleaned the soiled areas with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle and Anti-Ichy Poo. Then let the cats back out. If they continue to mark then I would ask your Vet for Prozac. Good luck! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37240