I have two beautiful kitties named Gwen and Lacey. Here is some background on the problem...
last year I had a baby. Gwen started urinating in strange places (my bed, my hubby's clothes...) We started locking both cats out of the bedroom. Then, Gwen kittens used a bath mat in our basement as a toilet (didn't know when until it was way too late) and Lacey decided that it was okay for her to go there too. I'm sure it was her, but can't prove it. I washed them and bleached them and fabreezed them. She just kept using it. Them, our main bath mats started getting used. I was keeping up with the litter box the best I could (with a brand new baby and all) we have a Littermaid. We then moved across the country and stayed with my mom for 5 months while our house was being built. Gwen started using my mom's couch as a litter box! I was pretty sure it was her, because we caught her a few times. She actually went into a 2 month long heat just after arriving there and that's when I noticed the urinating problems with both cats. It mostly occurred when they were in heat. So, I had my wonderful momma cat spayed but it didn't help. She kept going back. My mom even set up another litter box next to the couch. Now, we are in our new house and have unpacked the old bath mats (it's been 5+ months) and they are back to using them. I'm not positive who is doing it.
So, here are some of my questions...
1) I'm pretty sure that the baby had a little to do with this, but the baby is not going away. Do I have to get rid of my cats?
2) I thought that after 5+ months that it wouldn't be a problem. But, it's like it's ingrained in them. Do I have to get new bath mats?
3) I have one littermaid in the laundry room on the main floor. Do I need another one? I have a "multi-level" home.
4) What is this enzimatic cleaner I keep hearing about?
5) How do I find out who's doing this? I feel locking one cat up would be stressful enough to make bad behaviour come out. So then I wouldn't know for sure. I kept both cats in the bathroom\\laundry for several days with short excursions around the new house to acclimate them. I was hoping it would engrain where the potty is and maybe retrain both of them.
What can I do?
last year I had a baby. Gwen started urinating in strange places (my bed, my hubby's clothes...) We started locking both cats out of the bedroom. Then, Gwen kittens used a bath mat in our basement as a toilet (didn't know when until it was way too late) and Lacey decided that it was okay for her to go there too. I'm sure it was her, but can't prove it. I washed them and bleached them and fabreezed them. She just kept using it. Them, our main bath mats started getting used. I was keeping up with the litter box the best I could (with a brand new baby and all) we have a Littermaid. We then moved across the country and stayed with my mom for 5 months while our house was being built. Gwen started using my mom's couch as a litter box! I was pretty sure it was her, because we caught her a few times. She actually went into a 2 month long heat just after arriving there and that's when I noticed the urinating problems with both cats. It mostly occurred when they were in heat. So, I had my wonderful momma cat spayed but it didn't help. She kept going back. My mom even set up another litter box next to the couch. Now, we are in our new house and have unpacked the old bath mats (it's been 5+ months) and they are back to using them. I'm not positive who is doing it.
So, here are some of my questions...
1) I'm pretty sure that the baby had a little to do with this, but the baby is not going away. Do I have to get rid of my cats?
2) I thought that after 5+ months that it wouldn't be a problem. But, it's like it's ingrained in them. Do I have to get new bath mats?
3) I have one littermaid in the laundry room on the main floor. Do I need another one? I have a "multi-level" home.
4) What is this enzimatic cleaner I keep hearing about?
5) How do I find out who's doing this? I feel locking one cat up would be stressful enough to make bad behaviour come out. So then I wouldn't know for sure. I kept both cats in the bathroom\\laundry for several days with short excursions around the new house to acclimate them. I was hoping it would engrain where the potty is and maybe retrain both of them.
What can I do?