Cat won't stop peeing on carpet of newly finished room in basement.

[annamika87]

Hello!
I am hoping to find some answers and help we finished a room in our basement a month ago. Our 13 year old kitty, Mika was very scared when we working on it because of all of the people and noise. She hid a lot. Once the construction was done, she went back to her normal self, in fact she loves this new room, she has brought her toys down here, she plays in here and sleeps in here, absolutely loves it. But we started to find pee spots on the floor of our brand new carpet. I took her to the vet to get her checked, and she was completely healthy. I went and got 2 feliway defusers, the feliway spray, and have been spraying the entire perimeter of where she is peeing at least once a day if not 2. I cleaned the spots, I tried natures miracle, a specially enzyme cleaner my vet gave me- enzyme T, and anti icky poo. None of them seem to work because I am continuously finding pee spots on the carpet. For about a week after finishing the room, there were no blinds on the windows so I thought maybe there was an animal she saw out there, but we put blinds on the windows 3 weeks ago, and the peeing has not changed. I put out 10 small bowls of food, and placed them all along the wall of where the pee is, thinking she wouldn't pee where her food is, that didn't work because she peed right next to one of the bowls. Last week she went 5 days with no pee, and I thought things were changing, but then on Sunday I found a spot, then again on Monday, and Tuesday. Tuesday I decided to take her to a different vet to get a full blood panel done, and another urinalysis, the vet was awesome but Mika is completely healthy. The vet recommended putting her on science diet C/D stress, and the vet said we should put a litter box in the room. So I have switched her food (slowly) and moved a litter box in the room, and took out the bowls of food. We had 1 good day with no pee, but today I woke up and found a pee spot. I am at a complete loss, I have no idea why she is peeing, and I have no idea how to stop it I feel like I have tried everything and am out of new ideas, I would greatly appreciate and ideas! Thank you!

 

[goholistic]

You've made some great decisions in trying to get this issue under control, and I'm glad taking her to the vet was one of the first.

As soon as I saw the thread title, there was one thought that immediately came to my mind. I wonder if the new carpet or foam/paper underlayment contain ammonia or are giving off an ammonia-type smell. Some flooring products do this, and new carpet can have a pretty strong smell. Since cat urine smells like ammonia, she may think she's smelling urine and possibly why she's continuing to pee on the carpet. 

I once had a bath mat sitting in front of the shower door. One of my cats peed on it. I tossed it and bought a new one. Same thing happened. The suspected cat was taken to the vet. All clear. Then I came across several references that said the rubber backing on a lot of bath mats contain ammonia and/or give off an ammonia smell. My SO had the same issue with his bath mat and his cat. We don't use them anymore.

Anyway, its a thought. But, unfortunately, it doesn't solve your problem.  

 

[riley1]

A friend told m about a product called Get Serious.  She says it takes ALL the peed chemicals out of carpeting.  Another thought:  could there be strays peeing on the outside of your house.?  Maybe not if it just started.  There just must be something in that carpeting that makes her feel she has to show she owns it.  Is it possible to block her out of that room at least for awhile?  Is there anything stressful going on now?

 

[annamika87]

I was thinking the same thing about the carpeting, and I was hoping the feliway would help, but so far it has not. I ordered some nok out and am going to use that with my carpet cleaner this weekend, hopefully that will totally eliminate the pee.

There might be other cats around the perimeter of the house outside, but there are blinds on the windows, and the windows have not been opened since finishing the room.

There is no door to the room, just an open doorway, but I did block it tonight, going to try and keep her out of it for a few days.
Thanks for your tips!