Plea of help from cat owners

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   Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

   My 5 month old kitten, a male gray, tan and white tab who we rescued from Cats In Needs is really driving my husband and myself MAD! Tiger, as his name is of course, has been peeing nonstop ON my rub in the bathroom so I have closed the door but now he has taken to peeing in my husband's clothes.
   
   
   HELP>>>>PLEASE? Why does he do this and how can i make him stop? I am going to look online but I want to know if anyone on here has dealt with this and if anyone has a solution that had worked for them!

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      Ron Montgomeryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      The cure in this situation calls for a combination of praise and scolding.  When your husband puts his clothes in the hamper be sure to praise him with phrases such as " Oh, you're such a real man for doing that." or " I get so frisky when I see you putting things where they belong."  When your husband does not put the clothes in the hamper, he should be promptly scolded, " Bad husband!!  Bad! bad!! Bad!!!"  If verbal correction is insufficient, phase 2 involves hiding the TV remote, "forgetting" to buy beer at the grocery, and putting sheets and pillows on the couch after dinner.

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         Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         LMAO I can always count on you Ron to make me laugh. You are too funy Ron too funny!

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            Lisa HWposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                     
            
            Ron, you should expand on this and base a Hub on it.

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      denoonanposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      We have always had multiple cats.  The best way to deal with this problem is to take the cat back to where you got him.  This situation will not improve.

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         Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         I know that you are just trying to help but that is a very horrible thing to say. I will never get rid of my cat. When I adopt a pet it's for as long as they live.

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            Ron Montgomeryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            I have gotten similar advice, and as you say it is usually from a well-meaning source.  In all of our years of dealing with this issue we have only "given up" once.  When Joan and I first moved in together we each had a dominant tom.  There was no way this particular situation was going to work, but luckily a friend at a vet's office knew of a person looking for a cat just like one of ours.  It all worked out for the best; he's happy and we're happy.

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      blue dogposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      crazd, you might consider getting a dog.  easily trained, prefer not to soil their home, and you won't need a litter box.  or its associated chores.

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      bbruce1968posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      He might be looking for a private, safe place to go!  Enclosed litter pans offer more security

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      thepetblogposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Go check out an article I wrote that covers areas like this about a cat.  http://www.thepetblog.net/?p=178
      
      thepetblog.net

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      Wonder_Womanposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I had 2 older cats in my home and we introcduced a kitten to the family bc if god forbid the oldest cat dies then the other cant wont be left alone. we had 2 serperate cat litters. one for the kitten and one for the other cats, the kitten would actually use it. once all the cats got along, we used one cat litter. sometimes we find surprises bc one of the cats only uses the litter if its fairly clean, if its too dirty she goes does her business somewhere else. mybe the kitten needs its own kitty litter for the moment?

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   cosetteposted 15 years ago

   hmm...well i don't have a cat but i do have a bunny...when i first brought her home she peed outside of her pen even though she had a litter box in her pen. so i got a second litter box and placed it outside of her pen and she started going in there when she was outside of her pen, and she never goes anywhere else but her litter box. i think they do that to mark their territory or find their way around or something. good luck with your little kitty.
   
   p.s. i use Yesterday's News litter, which is recycled newspaper. they make it for cats too. i asked the bunny rescue what litter they had when she was there and that is what she used and what she was used to, and it worked almost instantly!

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   Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

   Thanks cosette. Yea he might be feeling a litle crowded sicne we already have 2 cats. Maybe it's time to get out another littter box again.

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   frogdroppingposted 15 years ago

   Cradz - more details lol!
   
   Does he use a litterbox? have access to it? Has he started going outside?

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   Lisa HWposted 15 years ago

   I've had cats all my life.  Most grown cats will use their litterbox (although right now I'm dealing with my daughter's cat, 9 years old, who won't leave a bath mat alone if it's down; so now I can't leave it down - which isn't really a solution.     ).  Of all the cats I've had long term (15, 20, years etc.) my daughter's cat is the only one who has this bath mat "issue". 
   
   In general, you can't expect a whole lot of kittens.  They often mess up.  If your kitten was in circumstances that meant it ended up at a shelter, there's a good chance he got off to a less-than-secure feeling start and needs to feel particularly safe and secure.  Of course, all pets need to feel safe and secure, particularly young ones.   The best way to get them to go with "rules" (like use the litterbox) is to be so kind to them they want to please you.  Teaching them to stay away from some things usually involves a firm "no" when you see them heading for it.  Once they've already slipped into the bathroom and used the mat it's too late to think they'll "get" any scolding.  Too much scolding (in number of words or degree of angry tone) can just make things worse. 
   
   For now I think the only answer is to limit the rooms the kitten can go in, and make sure your husband's clothes aren't left around where the cat is.  As with two-year-old children, if you can eliminate some of the sources of "conflict"/"wrong-doing" while they're still too young to really learn, it helps offer time to have mostly "pleasant relating" and basic teaching of the larger "house rules".  Once you've established a good relationship and a secure cat the behavior may stop.  A super-clean litterbox is also important to a lot of cats (most of them).  I didn't have my daughter's cat when she was a kitten, so even after being with her for several years I'm still seeing progress in our "relationship".  For whatever it's worth, I wrote a Hub in an effort to share what's worked for me in having well behaved cats (which is why the bath mat issue with my daughter's cat really befuddles and bugs me, because I've never had a cat that does that    ).

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   Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

   Sorry about not a lot of detail. yes he has full access to the litterbox and does use it...he meows when he uses it lol So yep froggy he does use it but he still likes to pee on my hubby's clothes. I was reading online that it's possible that he is just marking his territory but then why doesn't he do it to my clothes? Does he not want me to be his territory too? lol
   
   
   thanks Lisa. I keep telling hubby to put his clothes away but he says I'll get to it I'll get to it. Maybe now he'll get to it FASTER since Tiger likes his clothes so much lol

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   frogdroppingposted 15 years ago

   There's a few reasons why he may be doing it. Stress, as you say marking his territory, illness, the litter box needs cleaning. Or if he goes outside (?) there could be a reason he'd rather not?
   
   For now, as Lisa said - confine him to one room. Keep an eye on him. Try and work out what's going on - he can't tell you so it's possible his urinating on your husbands' clothes is his way of indicating something is wrong.
   
   Keep the litter tray spotless. Any solids, remove them straight away. Keep an eye on how often he urinates, if possible. Or, if the tray becomes saturated pretty quickly, that's a good indication.
   
   Also - sounds really daft - he may just not like the litter.
   
   Do your other cats dominate him? At five months he's hardly mature but still, he's old enough to recognise if they are and sometimes cats just don't share space too well.

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      Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      May not like the litter lol never thought of that but yes he uses it so I guess it's okay for him. And no the other cats don't dominate him. It's funny he tries to dominate them and they are like whatever lol. My other 2 girl kitties are sweet.
      
      thanks for the advice will certainly do that...what yu said about keeping the litter box clean.

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   Alastore001posted 15 years ago

   It's actually a very common thing for male cats to do, some even into adulthood. Mostly because of "marking territory" but beyond that i really dont know.
   
   Many people have their cat spayed or neutered and it greatly helps with this problem. If you are against having your kitten neutered, there are some pheromone type products people try using to reduce it, however i cant really say much for that.

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      Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      that's the thing though he is already fixed. When we adopted him they told us he's fixed.

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      Lisa HWposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      You know, now that you mention this (and I've never really put the two together until this bath mat discussion); my daughter's cat (a spayed female) has behavior that has made ask wonder whether she's got "gender issues".  She doesn't look like the little female cats I've always had.  They've all just kind of looked clearly very "feminine".  This cat looks like a male cat.  She's a good-looking cat, but she has that "big, muscular, strong" look and moves more like a male cat's.  She even does this thing as if she's trying spray some objects (the kitchen trash container, usually); only she isn't, of course, really spraying.  She was brought into the house when I had my own, long-term, female cat; and she would "harrass" her.  That cat died, and my daughter brought in another female cat, and the "existing" cat harrasses that one too.   In other words, she tends to kind of harrass and bully other cats, whether they were here first or later.    I've had several cat combos before, and once they're used to each other they either ignore the other or become friends.  This cat is part "afraid-of-everything" and part aggressive bully; so she's probably either marking territory or acting as a result of not being secure enough, or both.  We've always joked that we don't understand why she has "an edge" to her personality because we've never had anything but really "sweet" cats (even if some have been known to be quite the murderers when outside the house).   
      
      Not that this thread is about my bath mat problem (and is, instead, about Crazywriter's bath mat problem    ), but I thought I'd share my "realization" and observations.

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         Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         That's and intersting obsevation. Maybe it's not just humans who can be tomboys. Maybe she is a major tomboy? lol that's intersting.
         
         and it's not crazy..it's crazd..donb;t like being called crazy thanks

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   Alastore001posted 15 years ago

   Ah, in that case there really isnt a whole lot that can be done.
   It may have something to do with the 2 female cats being around, trying to make sure they know he's top cat around you know? leaving his mark. Although, thats just a wild theory of mine
   
   Well depending on how long ago he was actually fixed, the problem could easily fix itself in a short matter of time, or it could continue. Usually when a cat is fixed they almost immediately stop spraying, although some take a couple weeks or a month or so to do it, they almost always stop after a bit.

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    Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

    He was 2 months old when he was fixed and when we adopted him...and this actually has JUST started like last month on the clothes, three months for him peeing on the rug.

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       Leta Sposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       I've actually never heard of a cat being fixed at 2 months.  That's usually done when they reach 'puberty,' adult cathood, lol.
       
       I'm wondering if this has affected his development some way.

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          Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Oooo I hope not Lita...that would just suck

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             Leta Sposted 15 years agoin reply to this

             I'd hope not, too.  Maybe check what's to be done with a vet? 

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    Alastore001posted 15 years ago

    Yeah really i dont know, i have had cats a few different times and usually having them fixed solved it. Although im hearing quite a few people mention some kinds of anti-anxiety type pheromones you can give them that people are saying works..
    Apparently its like a spray you just put on common places where they hang out?
    Never tryed it and it seems a bit sketchy to me, just thought id pass the info on.

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    Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

    Thanks I'll check it out next time I run over to PetSmart. Maybe that'll help. Or he just loves my husband's clothes too much lol. He could just be weird lol

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    Anti-Valentineposted 15 years ago

    I once read that cats may urinate or defecate in undesirable places in the home because they are pi**ed off.

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       Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Are you saying that my cat is mad at my husband? lol oh boy!

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    WeddingConsultantposted 15 years ago

    I realize that my wife and I got really lucky with the cats we adopted from the pound, but we sure have invested a bunch of time, energy and love into them. (It was the inspiration behind my amazing cats hub.)
    
    What is the kitty litter/box like? Cat's are really sensitive to smells. Does it smell like pee / ammonia? If so, cats usually will simply pee elsewhere- our cats have done that a bunch.
    
    How is the kitten's behavior overall? Is he reclusive? Happy? Friendly to you and to others?

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       Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Tiger is very happy and loves to start trouble with our other two cats. He always sleeps with me at night, kissing me and making sure he is touching me. He also makes sure he is touching my husband too. he is a funny little kit.  And no the litter box doesn't smell. I actually just cleaned it out not too long ago.

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    Ron Montgomeryposted 15 years ago

    Now, regarding the Cat's issues...
    
    Multi-cat households are notorious for having litter box issues.  My wife and I have 5 cats and have been pretty successful at keeping the issues under control.  Basic Rules:
    
    Litter Box - No covers, not in corners (cats always want more than one escape route) unscented litter. 
    
    Number of boxes = number of cats + 1
    
    Pheremones - I think we are just scratching the surface in our understanding of how cats react to smells.  We have been using a product called Feliway with great success.  It is a synthetic calming pheremone that our cats find very soothing, it keeps stress-related markings from happening.

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       Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       5 cats? Wow...you guys are my heroes. Hubby won't let me have that many lol
       
       And no covers? I always thought that they liked their privacy. especially since both of my girl cats hated when I walked past when they were using the litter box with no cover. they would seriously GLARE at me.
       
       And I'll look into the Feliway. Hopefully that'll help. thanks Ron!

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          Ron Montgomeryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          I know your question was about cats, but it seems your husband has multiple behavior issues and is probably the source of everyone else's difficulties.  Not allowing you to have absolutely everything you want is unacceptable behavior on his part and will only get worse with time.  I would try the corrective measures mentioned above as well as the husband version of pheremone therapy.

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    NaomiRposted 15 years ago

    I say, better safe than sorry - go get him checked out to make sure he doesn't have a urinary tract infection, which male cats are prone to getting. Crying when using the litter box is often a warning sign. Good luck.

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       Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks Naomi...I will but it isn't really a cry it's more like I'm using the bathroom leave me alone. Esepcially when he is going and one of my other cats go and poke their head into the litter box.

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    Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

    I agree 100% with you Lisa that would be a fun hub for Ron to write haha

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    Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

    Thanks Ron I will try it with the kitty and with the hubby. Hopefully all this will in fact make him pick up his clothes faster. lol

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       Lisa HWposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       If your efforts fail, dump the husband first.  A clothes problem is always harder to deal with than a bath mat problem.   

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          Crazdwriterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          LMAO I couldn't do that...I couldn't get rid of either of them lol you're funny Lisa

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    Mighty Momposted 15 years ago

    I'm just coming into this discussion late. Lots of great advice and (as usual) some yucks from our friend and fellow feline fanatic Ron. I didn't know you had 5 cats! Wow? I feel like a slouch with "only" 4!
    
    Sounds like little Tiger is trying to claim your hubby -- and also you -- as his own! Removing the bath mat and hubby's clothes will give Tiger less direct access to your 'things' to mark his territory on.
    I've had limited success with Boundary, a spray that is designed to keep cats from peeing in undesirable places.
    
    Not sure how other cat disciplinarians feel about this, but you could use a spray bottle of water and when you see Tiger heading for a "squatting spot" other than the litter box, spray him. He'll get the point pretty quick!
    
    Also agree with getting him checked by your vet to rule out any medical issues. 
    
    Finally, since he's still a wee kitty, hopefully all of this will sort itself out over time, as he matures and becomes more adapted to life in your home.
    
    Good luck!! MM

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    Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

    Thanks Mighty Mom I appreciate it. Will definitely have to make my husband put his clothes away and will definitely get Tiger checked out.
    
    And you have 4 cats? aaaaaaa I love da kitties.don't get me wrong I am an all animal person but since I could never have cats while growing up I have become more attatched. daddy is allergic to their dandruff unfortunately.
    
    Oh and I hope you got my reponse to your other post about children poetry!

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    pgrundyposted 15 years ago

    Is it possible that your husband has some scent of another animal on his clothing? We have a male cat that started spraying under a certain window after (fairly) good litterbox behavior for years. It turned out that a stray cat outside was spraying on the side of the house under the same window. The vet told us to put our cat on a leash (he's an indoor cat)and walk him around the house, letting him mark his territory wherever he needed to. We did that and he stopped spraying.
    
    (OK, also, our dog killed the stray cat at about the same time. That might have helped. We felt bad but hey--another reason NOT to let cats roam all over the neighborhood.)
    
    The other thing that helped was two products: Feliway spray, which isn't to discourage peeing so much as just to calm the cat down (it releases phermones that signal to the cat that everything is happy, happy), and Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Litter (which helps errant cats stick to the litter box).
    
    Honestly though, sometimes male cats, just like male people, just don't feel like peeing where they are 'supposed' to. Ron's advice is probably best.
    
    Our vet told us flat out: You might not be able to 'cure' him. He's a cat. Your agenda is not his agenda. Not what people want to hear but good to know.

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    Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

    thanks pgrundy...only problem is..he's peeing on my husband's CLEAN clothes right after I have washed them. maybe since he doesn't smell is own scent he thinks he has to reapply? lol

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    bwpotmanposted 15 years ago

    Hi Crazdewriter, Ron is basically right about the cat issues, not sure about the Husband issue! 1 tray per cat + 1 is ideal. Unfortunately we have 17 cats so it dont work for us! All ours are cats which for one reason or another would not be adopted elsewhere, they either have health issues or behavoural problems. As your cat is 5 months old it is too early to give up on him. Are they house cats? Do the adult cats go out but not the kitten? Are you (or husband) home most of the day? There are a multitude of factors that could be considered. I wonder as the kitten sleeps with you does he pee in the night (on your husbands clothes- hope hes not wearing them at the time!). If so, put a cat tray in the bedroom for now. We have found that kittens tend to 'comfort pee' (great expression!)on male clothes purely because the scent is more natural, womans tend to smell of perfume, a smell that can change daily. Please dont give up on him yet!!!! Dave

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    K.Robertsonposted 15 years ago

    Hi Crazdwriter,
    Being a cat owner most of my life I've dealt with this problem before but never with kittens. If there's more than one cat you're bound to have territorial issues where male cats will sometimes urinate or spray to mark their territory. If you're positive this is not the case, you might want to get your kitten checked for urinary tract or kidney problems. Cats..and dogs as well, will sometimes urinate on clothing when they're upset.the suggestion of more than one litter box is a good one but you also have to make sure each one is kept clean. Also, keep an eye on your other cats to be sure one isn't possibly bullying him. Good luck and I hope this is just a passing phase for him.

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    norah73posted 15 years ago

    Hi Crazdwriter,
      I don't know if you still have the problem with lil Tiger kitty. I have rescued cats for a long time. I did a large scale trap/fix/release program in Florida. I at one time had more that 40 cats. Yes I am the crazy cat lady. I notice that you got some very good advice here. I thought I might put my two cents in. First, cats going potty in wrong places is a sign of a problem. Since they don't speak English they need to get your attention somehow. Someone mentioned a clean cat box. Right on! Cats don't want to step in their own mess any more than you do. You said that he meows when he goes potty. That is NOT a good sign. He could have a uniary tract infection or kidney infection if it has gone on for a while. Have his urine tested. Male cats, moreso than female, are sometimes prone to kidney trouble. Also his food. If there is too much ash in his food that will cause problems with male urinary systems moreso than females. Any food that is fish related; tuna, fish dinner, anything fish , will be higher in ash. Try to stick to chicken, chicken liver, turkey and the like. Read the lables. 3% ash is too high (wet food). Shoot for lower %'s. Make sure he has at least some can food at night.Cats have better appitites at night. Mix the can food with one can of water. The pate style seems to work best. The mixing of the can food with water will gently force him to hydrate himself which could also be part of the problem; dehydration can cause urinary tract irritation or infection. Also some cats are picky about what dish they will drink out of. Some only like porcelain. I have one that will only drink from a metal dish the others want glass. Cats are stubborn and will dehydrate themselves if they do not like the dish that you have provided. Also you need to completely remove the smell of his urine form where ever he has peed that is a no no. Get an enzyme from a pet store or Fosters & Smith online. If HE can still smell his urine he will think it is ok to pee there. Make sure you are using scoopable (clay) litter. The cheap stuff will make your house stink and if Tiger thinks the cat box is stinky he will pee elsewhere.Plus, completely dump,scrub out and put fresh litter once a week. Also,last point I promise, never hit. It is counter productive. Nothing pisses a cat off more than being hit. Mad cats pee and poop in the most 'creative' places. I hope that helps.

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    ang4dukeposted 15 years ago

    I have a great deal of experience on this subject unfortunately.  I have 2 male cats who do not go outside at all, and one or both of them will spray my clothes, my couch cushions, anything that is left on the floor etc.  Over the years I have tried to determine what causes this behavior and I have found that one of my males is very needy, he follows me everywhere in the house and has to be petted constantly. I have a pet sitting business where I go and stay at other homes when I take care of their dogs while they are away.  When I am dog sitting is when my needy male will start marking everything in the house.  I am convinced that he is feeling uneasy because I am not there and that causes the spraying on all of my clothes.
    
    I will also say that a dirty litter box will cause them to poop somewhere else, and if you change anything around the litter box such as putting a glade plug in nearby which creates a different scent, that can cause them to go somewhere else.  Cats are very sensitive to their environment especially scents, new litter can cause a problem, but I have found that smells and changing of smells will create the most trouble.  Good luck with that, I still have not solved the problem completely but feel I am on the right track. Both my males were altered at 6 mos. so I don't think that is the problem, and I doubt if your husband is either....

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    LRobbinsposted 15 years ago

    I have 2 cats but at times have had up to 4 cats in the same house.  Here's my thoughts:  get another litter box, and try a different type of litter.  These have solved my cat pee problems in the past.  I also have a cat that poops outside his litter box when he feels he does not get enough attention which he requires almost constantly or on occasion pee on my hiking clothes right before I'm ready to go out, so it could also be that he's showing you he's upset with you. Good luck and let us know how it works out for you!

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    E. Nicolsonposted 15 years ago

    I had the same problem with Squeak (white and orange) for quite a while. It was very frustrating because the kitty litter was scooped three times a day -- so that wasn't the problem. However I noticed that I couldn't leave out either clean or dirty laundry (or blankets or towels or mats etc. etc. etc.)anywhere that she could access. If anything was left out she would have it! I often wonder if it was a behaviour thing with her as she was a very challenging cat She was also one of my many foundlings over the years, so one never knows what she was up against. Thankfully time seems to have cured her habit.

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