Couch Peeing

[KateK93]

TLDR: cat peeing on couch with no medical issues

We have an 8 year old male cat. He’s never had issues with going outside of the litter box. We moved to a new apartment about a year ago and he started peeing on our couch. We’ve used odor eliminator, vinegar, ground coffee grinds, leaving the cushions outside. Nothing worked. We took him to the vet and they didn’t see any crystals or inflammation in his bladder. They gave us gabapentin but still he continued to pee on the couch. We finally had to get rid of the couch because of the smell and we couldn’t keep up with him peeing. Our new couch arrived and thought the new smell wouldn’t tempt him to pee. However, we just found a spot he peed on and we’ve only had our couch for a little over a week. We are finally tarping our couch and will not allow him on it. Any advice would help.

 

[Alldara]

He's at the right age for arthritis. That can effect where he pees and also make him want to pee somewhere soft.

What type of box and litter are you using and where is it in your home?

Also how many boxes do you have and are they in busy or quiet areas?

 

[ArtNJ]

If he doesn't pee anywhere else when the couch is tarped, its a habit. Sometimes habits form for unknown reasons, and the behavior needs to be addressed as a habit, not something with an underlying cause.

Sometimes a habit can be starved by depriving the cat of the chance to engage in the behavior for a few weeks, which the tarp should do. Peeing on the new couch is not a terribly encouraging sign in that regard, but maybe it can still work.

You might also attempt to train the cat it is never allowed on the couch. Only untarp when your there to sit on it, and do not allow the cat on. Of course, this is also a highly iffy method since cats often learn not to go on things when the human is watching.

If your unlucky, the cat might pee on the tarp.

 

[Purrdorable]

You said you moved to a new apt and that's when he began urinating on the couch? Is that the only inappropriate place he eliminates?

It kind of sounds like stress to me. Also agree with what A Alldara said, how many litterboxes, where are they located, and what type of litter is in it? He could be averse to any or all of those things.

 

[Furballsmom]

One other thought, you might get a blacklight and check to see if there are old spots from previous animal tenants that didn't get cleaned. Then use an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle, Bissell has an enzymatic urine odor and stain cleaner etc.

 

[danteshuman]

I like the black light idea. Is he on the couch looking out a window when other community cats stress him out? I would check outside to see if a cat is spraying the outside of your house.

 

[KateK93]

He's at the right age for arthritis. That can effect where he pees and also make him want to pee somewhere soft.

What type of box and litter are you using and where is it in your home?

Also how many boxes do you have and are they in busy or quiet areas?

We took him to my parents house this weekend and he peed in the litter box all weekend while using the same kind of litter we use at home. No accidents at their house. At home he basically has his own bathroom, upstairs, away from any distractions. The couch is downstairs. Maybe we try a litter box downstairs?

 

[KateK93]

If he doesn't pee anywhere else when the couch is tarped, its a habit. Sometimes habits form for unknown reasons, and the behavior needs to be addressed as a habit, not something with an underlying cause.

Sometimes a habit can be starved by depriving the cat of the chance to engage in the behavior for a few weeks, which the tarp should do. Peeing on the new couch is not a terribly encouraging sign in that regard, but maybe it can still work.

You might also attempt to train the cat it is never allowed on the couch. Only untarp when your there to sit on it, and do not allow the cat on. Of course, this is also a highly iffy method since cats often learn not to go on things when the human is watching.

If your unlucky, the cat might pee on the tarp.

When we’ve sat on the couch we established he wasn’t allowed on the furniture. We were in a different room when he did it and it was uncovered because we thought we could trust him with new furniture. You’re right, it might be a habit. He originally started it when he had bladder inflammation a few months ago. It seems he’s afraid of the tarp. Haven’t seen an accident on it yet. Will update if he does.

 

[Furballsmom]

We took him to my parents house this weekend and he peed in the litter box all weekend while using the same kind of litter we use at home.

This strengthens my thought that you need to check the interior of your home with a blacklight and do any cleaning necessary with an enzymatic cleaner, and be aware that cats/other animals outside, as mentioned above, can and will cause recurring issues.

 

[Alldara]

We took him to my parents house this weekend and he peed in the litter box all weekend while using the same kind of litter we use at home. No accidents at their house. At home he basically has his own bathroom, upstairs, away from any distractions. The couch is downstairs. Maybe we try a litter box downstairs?

Yes, I would try having another box downstairs. As cats age, they generally need one per floor of the home. I recommend one water per floor of the home as they age as well, so make sure they don't limit water intake because of where they are spending their time.

 

[KateK93]

If he doesn't pee anywhere else when the couch is tarped, its a habit. Sometimes habits form for unknown reasons, and the behavior needs to be addressed as a habit, not something with an underlying cause.

Sometimes a habit can be starved by depriving the cat of the chance to engage in the behavior for a few weeks, which the tarp should do. Peeing on the new couch is not a terribly encouraging sign in that regard, but maybe it can still work.

You might also attempt to train the cat it is never allowed on the couch. Only untarp when your there to sit on it, and do not allow the cat on. Of course, this is also a highly iffy method since cats often learn not to go on things when the human is watching.

If your unlucky, the cat might pee on the tarp.

UPDATE — he peed on the tarp. However, it was only in the spot that he peed before that was under the tarp. Maybe it was the smell from earlier? I tried everything — odor eliminator, anti cat spray odor eliminator, vinegar + baking soda (although now that I get more into this site vinegar is not the solution).

 

[ArtNJ]

I don't think its the odor through a plastic tarp. This seems like some evidence for a deeply set-in habit.

All of that said, this isn't necessarily as significant as all that. A lot of tarps still allow cats to kneed with their paws. Its the same reason garbage bags and shower curtains don't always work. On a bed, I sometimes suggest a hard plastic shield like what I have under my rolling chair. For a couch, presumably that won't fit right, but how about use the tarp, but put wooden board(s) over the target spot? Something like that. Do that, and continue trying to teach the cat not to go on the couch at all.

Good luck!

 

[KateK93]

He does it when we aren’t around or looking. Our house is a bi-level with the couch in the first floor and our beds on the second floor. It’s an open concept so we can’t shut the door to the living room to keep him out of there. I sprayed odor eliminator on the tarp and he peed again. I’ll try the wooden board method. We are at our whits end.

 

[ArtNJ]

He does it when we aren’t around or looking. Our house is a bi-level with the couch in the first floor and our beds on the second floor. It’s an open concept so we can’t shut the door to the living room to keep him out of there. I sprayed odor eliminator on the tarp and he peed again. I’ll try the wooden board method. We are at our whits end.

Or a big text book. Anything hard/rigid that is big enough to cover the spot that can't be kneaded with the paws. Something heavy enough that he can't just knock it off. My first idea of wooden boards might be vulnerable to being knocked off, depending on how big they are and how you arrange them. A metal tray with a brick on it.

I've not actually done this on a couch, but starving the habit by preventing it for a few weeks does seem to work in a variety of other contexts so hopefully it will also work here. If you get the right type of object, the major risk would be that the spot will shift slightly to a different area of the couch. But so far, from your description, the habit is a very specific single spot, so its worth a shot!

Good luck!

 

[Furballsmom]

We are at our whits end.

Did you ever get a blacklight to check the house/that room/under the couch?

Do you have cameras so that you can see what's occurring outside, or can you see spray marks on outside walls by doors?

 

[ArtNJ]

If you do get a blacklight, some people claim that lower wave lengths are better. I mean, the top selling ones on Amazon are at 395nm and I'm pretty sure that is what we owned, and it worked fine. But supposedly that is a bit too high and lower wave lengths show pet urine better. I'd honestly like more info on this subject, but haven't needed a blacklight in a while.

 

[Alldara]

He does it when we aren’t around or looking. Our house is a bi-level with the couch in the first floor and our beds on the second floor. It’s an open concept so we can’t shut the door to the living room to keep him out of there. I sprayed odor eliminator on the tarp and he peed again. I’ll try the wooden board method. We are at our whits end.

Have you had an exterminator come over for a free assessment?

Last person on the site with this issue had a cat peeing on her TV stand. Exterminator came and found a rats nest living under the floor under the stand.

 

[KateK93]

Or a big text book. Anything hard/rigid that is big enough to cover the spot that can't be kneaded with the paws. Something heavy enough that he can't just knock it off. My first idea of wooden boards might be vulnerable to being knocked off, depending on how big they are and how you arrange them. A metal tray with a brick on it.

I've not actually done this on a couch, but starving the habit by preventing it for a few weeks does seem to work in a variety of other contexts so hopefully it will also work here. If you get the right type of object, the major risk would be that the spot will shift slightly to a different area of the couch. But so far, from your description, the habit is a very specific single spot, so its worth a shot!

Good luck!

UPDATE - The couch is still tarped and I have put a lot of different objects on the couch including his toys so he knows this is not a place to go to the bathroom. So far so good. It’s only been two nights. Fingers crossed it continues to work