I may end up going insane

[photogirl843]

I am so frustrated and upset.. ready to just curl into a ball and give up. 

Long story short: I've been fighting at least one cat, maybe 2, spraying around the house and occasionally peeing on things. Recently, I got a new bedroom suit and mattress set. I found out I had a high allergic reaction to dust mites, so I got an entire new set with a dust mite protector on the bed and pillows. 

I also got a brand new comforter for my bed - which I love. Yesterday, Bowie and Calvin (the 2 cats who are at odds) got locked in the bedroom together somehow and I came home to find the bed had been peed on. I immediately pulled the sheets, comforter and scrubbed the mattress protector (thank GOD it didn't soak down into the mattress because I would seriously have been pushed over the edge if a $1,200 mattress had been ruined) and put the comforter in the wash. 

This morning, I took it out and spread it back out on the bed. 

In less than 10 minutes, Calvin had peed on it. 

I honestly do not know what to do. I've not been able to do some of the things I was suggested by the feline behaviorist I hired because of money or other constraints. I feel like a total failure and that I will never be able to relax in my home, or have anything that I love because it will be destroyed somehow. 

Just needing to vent my frustration.. I've been fighting this now for almost a year and I'm just flat out going insane. Never been so close to giving up before. 

 

[solomonar]

Bowie and Calvin are both males, correct? Not neutered, I suppose.

If so, the easy fix is to neuter them. I usually dont say that, since surgery should be based on a medical or species protection reason, in my personal view.

In your case, however, it looks like the cats behavior causes so much discomfort to you, that it appears like being in their interest to be neutered.

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You also said that you were not able to follow the feline behaviorist advices. Could be more specific, please? 

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As far easy solutions are concerned I suggest covering the bed by some waterproof covers (that ranges from PE foil used for greenhouses/solar to medical-grade urine-proof covers. 

Another suggestion is to make sure that you show no personal stress to the cats. Please, no offence! My intention is to be of help and also please note I am from a different culture than yours.

My cat once jumped on me an pee on bed because I had small verbal argument with my daughter. the level of stress a cat may perceive could be different to the one we imagine or take.  

 

[photogirl843]

 
Bowie and Calvin are both males, correct? Not neutered, I suppose.

If so, the easy fix is to neuter them. I usually dont say that, since surgery should be based on a medical or species protection reason, in my personal view.

In your case, however, it looks like the cats behavior causes so much discomfort to you, that it appears like being in their interest to be neutered.

====

You also said that you were not able to follow the feline behaviorist advices. Could be more specific, please? 

====

As far easy solutions are concerned I suggest covering the bed by some waterproof covers (that ranges from PE foil used for greenhouses/solar to medical-grade urine-proof covers. 

Another suggestion is to make sure that you show no personal stress to the cats. Please, no offence! My intention is to be of help and also please note I am from a different culture than yours.

My cat once jumped on me an pee on bed because I had small verbal argument with my daughter. the level of stress a cat may perceive could be different to the one we imagine or take.  

All 3 of my cats are neutered. 

Some of the things that I needed to do were to add shelves to my den area for them (not able to do before now because of financial constraints and having to find someone who can help me build it all). The other things I have been doing - giving them more access to the house in the form of opening up the guest room to them again (they previously peed on the bed in there) and to work on boosting Bowie's confidence - must either not be enough or I'm not doing well enough. I know I should be playing with Calvin more, but I'm running into time issues with work and other things, so I'm starting to feel a little stretched thin at times.

The cover on my bed is waterproof, thank god. 

Yes, I'm having a tough time holding my stress in check with all this, so I know that's not helping. I have bought some supplies to add shelving all around the den area that they love. Hopefully that can give them extra space away from one another so they can have peace. 

 

[hbunny]

Something either inside or outside your home is provoking them to spray and pee in the first place.

I can see them going back and peeing again on the comforter if they have done so before, if you didn't wash everything with an enzymatic cleaner (like Nature's Miracle).  But something is causing it in the first place.

Do you have cats roaming outside your home they can see or smell?  Anything new in the neighborhood they can see or smell, animal-wise?

I'd start by getting something REALLY good to rewash everything with---you can wash things, even in hot, hot water--but if you don't have something enzymatic to get out the urine they can still pick up on it and smell it.  No matter if you have washed in hot water and bleach.  (Been there, done that...tee shirt).

I like Nature's Miracle, but I do know there are some really good other ones out there too.  You might search the forums here on inappropriate urination, "peeing on" in the search field, etc.  I've seen others post names of some really good products.  Everywhere they have peed you need to clean with the enzyme cleaner.

 

[solomonar]

Some cats (mine included) just do not like closed doors and may attempt to mark the territory behind the closed doors as being their "property" by peeing.

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Shelves may be nice to have for the cats, but have heard horror stories about cats falling from the shelves and getting injured.

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What I am currently building for my tomcat is a "scratching post" out of recycled tube (consts nothing) and some rope (it is reccomanded sysal rope, but I guess the hemp is also ok - if carefully washed before mounting). The whole thing may be 20 USD and rquires more or less tools, depending on the imagination and targeted durability.

Wooden boxes for fruits are zero cost shelves.

Another imaginative solution for shelves and tree cats, scratching post etc.  is papier-mache - using newspaper - that method is very "lady-friendly".

 

[hbunny]

Oh--wanted to add--if they are spraying and peeing, it sounds like they feel like there is an intruder and they feel the need to mark, like Solomonar said above.  Really often it is that they can smell another cat or animal and they take action to let them know "this is mine".

That's why I asked about another animal nearby.

It's an ongoing battle with a friend of mine who lives in an apartment complex, every time a new animal moves in below her or above her, or next door, her cat goes into an all-out "cover everything with my pee" rampage.  She got some relief using the Feliway plug-ins.  You may want to look into purchasing some of those quickly!

 

[photogirl843]

Yes, I definitely think roaming cats are what triggered Calvin in the first place. I've got a new order of Feliway multicat that should be arriving today and they will be plugged back in all around the house. I'm also using my spirit essences again to see if that will have any effect. 

Last night, I put down blinds and covered windows to keep them from seeing any possible passing cats. I also got an ultrasonic repellant to put in the yard but I can't say if that is working for certain or not, because I don't know how often the cats come through or how to tell that they aren't coming around. 

 

[Columbine]

I'm so sorry you're in this situation. I can't begin to imagine how frustrating it must be.

The Feliway sounds like a great idea, and I hope it helps. Have you thought of trying Composure too? It might bring down stress levels enough that they can all three get more comfortable with each other, and once things are settled you can take them off it.

Mega that things settle soon

 

[Primula]

Do you have enough litter boxes? Rule is one for each cat plus a spare.

 

[Norachan]

How do Bowie and Calvin get on together? Are they buddies or rivals? I have multiple cats and indoor peeing seems to be triggered by either feral cats (or other wildlife) getting too close to their territory or power struggles within the family.

Keeping the blinds closed and trying to keep other cats out of your garden is a good start.

If Bowie and Calvin feel like they are in competition with each other you might need to do the introductions over again. It sounds crazy I know, particularly if the cats have lived together for a number of years, but if they are peeing because of territorial anxiety triggered by other cats outside they start to see each other as a rival.

Feliway helps keep my lot calm. Another thing you could try is get a Feliway spray and spray your bed with this. Do they both sleep on your bed with you? Could you try covering the whole bed with a water-proof sheet when you're not home? The crackle sound of water-proof sheet is off-putting for a lot of cats. It might stop them walking on the bed and then peeing there.

Good luck, I hope some of this helps.

 

[photogirl843]

Bowie and Calvin are not getting along very well at all. It is the biggest struggle in everything and I think what is at the root of our issue. Still working on it. I may do the reintroduction again, but need to figure out how to go about it, really.. Not sure which cat to put where. I need to research and plan!!

I have the Feliway spray but that doesn't seem to do much. The diffusers are spread around the house - one in the den they use a lot, one in the bedroom, one in the living room and one in the hallway. 

It depends on the day with who sleeps in bed with me. Generally Sable and Calvin do, and Bowie will occasionally. They will lay on the bed near one another at times with no conflict, but I can't tell what the trigger is for them squabbling. 

I'm taking the advice of the feline behaviorist I hired. I've got to get the mattress pad back on the bed (thank GOD it is waterproof) and then I'll put a fitted sheet down, then a heavy duty shower curtain liner, then the top sheet and a blanket. I won't be putting the comforter back on just yet until I am sure they will be okay. 

I also started them on a calming supplement (not Composure, but I need to get that I think. The other one is supposed to be natural and all, but I need to compare them. 

 

[Draco]

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