Hello everyone! I know there are a lot of threads about cats peeing in the wrong places but I haven't been able to find one that helps or is more like what is going on. Our cat Frosty has been living with us since March and he's about a year old. Until about two weeks ago he was very good about only going to the bathroom in his litter box. Now he is peeing on almost anything that is left on the bathroom floor. It started with a rug which we threw out and replaced only to have him pee on the new one. I saw the threads talking about the smell of the rubber backing of rugs attracting cats but he has also peed on a towel that fell down and a pair of pants that got left in there. His litter box is also in this bathroom and he does not pee on the rug underneath it or the rug by the door. He is also still using the litter box for both bathroom needs. He doesn't have a UTI. He's not declawed and there haven't been any major changes in the house in the last two weeks and this behavior is only occurring in the one bathroom. Any advice or links to related threads would be appreciated!
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Cat Suddenly Peeing On Anything Left In Bathroom Floor, But Only Bathroom Floor
- Thread starter BeccaM97
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Krista will do the same. The solution is very simple. Don’t leave anything on the bathroom floor. Hang up all towels and rugs when you’re done using them. Really. That’s all you need to do with this one. Anyone who leaves clothes on the floor after this must accept that it may get peed on. Even though it may be a year or two since the last time she did it, Krista will still pee on a towel if I leave it on the bathroom floor. If I don’t, she won’t.
Hi! What rug is he peeing on if it isn't the one underneath his box, or the one by the door? Maybe swap out the rugs so that whatever one he is peeing on is in another location in the bathroom? Or, you could by another rug like the other two in the bathroom and see if he stops peeing on it then. If he is peeing the same location over and over, the flooring underneath the rug/towel/pants might still smell like urine which would attract him to pee in that area over and over again. I don't know kind of flooring you have so I am not sure what to recommend for a cleaner.
If it doesn't turn out to be related to the rug or the flooring, then it could be something he doesn't like about the litter box, or the litter itself. He apparently wants to use the box since he is not going anywhere else in the house except for the room where the litter box is. And, because he is using the litter box some of the time, maybe he doesn't when the box needs cleaned out, or the litter is getting too smelly?
Space permitting, I would add another litter box in the bathroom and see if that helps. If that doesn't help, then change the type of litter for the extra box. If you don't have space for two boxes in there, you might want to consider adding another box somewhere very close by - and, yes, I suppose you run the chance of having him pee right outside it too, so make sure you have the area covered by washable rugs.
Process of elimination of potential issues is the only way to find out what the actual issue is.
If it doesn't turn out to be related to the rug or the flooring, then it could be something he doesn't like about the litter box, or the litter itself. He apparently wants to use the box since he is not going anywhere else in the house except for the room where the litter box is. And, because he is using the litter box some of the time, maybe he doesn't when the box needs cleaned out, or the litter is getting too smelly?
Space permitting, I would add another litter box in the bathroom and see if that helps. If that doesn't help, then change the type of litter for the extra box. If you don't have space for two boxes in there, you might want to consider adding another box somewhere very close by - and, yes, I suppose you run the chance of having him pee right outside it too, so make sure you have the area covered by washable rugs.
Process of elimination of potential issues is the only way to find out what the actual issue is.
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FeebysOwner
The box is already in the bathroom. He uses it just fine if nothing is left on the floor for him.
I really think this one is as easy as stop leaving targets (rugs, towels, clothes) on the floor. Much easier to train the humans here than to figure out why the cat is doing a preventable behavior.
Please re-read what I wrote - I merely suggested adding a second box in the bathroom, or nearby if space doesn't permit two in the bathroom.
Regarding 'nothing left on the floor' - see OP's comment below:
So, I think a rug has been peed on - not just other items that were accidently left on the floor. Also, there is an issue possibly with the location/type of rug being peed on (or the flooring/urine smell underneath it) as there are other rugs on the floor that are not being peed on.
I think, rather the muddying up the situation with respondents 'correcting' one another, it would be best left to the OP to decide what they want to do with any/all the recommendations they are given.
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Thank you for the recommendations! He is only peeing on rugs or items (like the fallen towel) that are in the area in front of the shower. The other two rugs in the bathroom haven't been peed on at all. I have since used a more powerful cleaner on that area to try and clean any lingering smell as you suggested. It's tile so I just bleached the floor really well. If that doesn't work I'll just get in the habit of picking up that particular rug when it's not in use. Thanks again guys!
I wonder if the position of the rug is what matters. Sitting in front of the shower, I'm guessing it's the 'bath mat'. That means it gets wet when anyone showers. Depending on your ventilation it may stay damp, which may suggest to him he can pee on it. It may also smell like whatever shampoo, soap, body wash you use. If so his peeing maybe a way of claiming you as his. Which is a form of affection, though not one of the easiest to deal with.
If the rug remains damp, it's a good idea to hang it over a towel rod, just to keep the mildew away.
If the rug remains damp, it's a good idea to hang it over a towel rod, just to keep the mildew away.
We lost a few rugs when Trin got sick and peed on anything on the floor. The bathroom was a big target: rugs, towels, my bathroom scale(?), TP rolls ...
Then later Olive peed on the towel we were using to replace the mats since they were ruined. She almost never pees outside her box, so our assumption was it smelled damp from the last shower and she got confused. Maybe there is something about that wet bathroom smell that cats associate with the litterbox? Not sure exactly what to do about it other than like you already plan on doing which is picking up the rugs when not in use. It’s curious though ...
Then later Olive peed on the towel we were using to replace the mats since they were ruined. She almost never pees outside her box, so our assumption was it smelled damp from the last shower and she got confused. Maybe there is something about that wet bathroom smell that cats associate with the litterbox? Not sure exactly what to do about it other than like you already plan on doing which is picking up the rugs when not in use. It’s curious though ...
Just make sure that after the bleach, you used another cleanser to remove any bleach residue/smell!! I hope cleaning that area does the trick - if not, I guess the mat in front of the shower is 'doomed to be hung up' in between showers!!
Let us know what happens - just curious!!!!
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Get yourself a UV light (blacklight). They sell them at pet supply stores for this purpose. Turn out the lights in the bathroom and turn on the UV light. Anything that glows is pee that needs to be treated with an enzyme cleaner, not just bleach.
Don't try to reason with the cat here. The fix is simple. Pick up the towel and the rug when you're done using it. Krista will pee on a fresh towel so I don't think it has anything to do with dampness or odor. I have the fix. The fix works. I don't bother trying to figure out why she does it. If I pick up the towels and rugs after use, she doesn't pee anywhere else in the bathroom. It's not like she has a scent puddle that she keeps refreshing. There's something about soft surfaces on the bathroom floor. I don't need to understand it to prevent it.
Don't try to reason with the cat here. The fix is simple. Pick up the towel and the rug when you're done using it. Krista will pee on a fresh towel so I don't think it has anything to do with dampness or odor. I have the fix. The fix works. I don't bother trying to figure out why she does it. If I pick up the towels and rugs after use, she doesn't pee anywhere else in the bathroom. It's not like she has a scent puddle that she keeps refreshing. There's something about soft surfaces on the bathroom floor. I don't need to understand it to prevent it.
