Litterbox issues....Long saga

amandag1

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Hi all!
My pretty kitty boy has been through alot in his short life thus far.
He has usually been GREAT with litterbox- we have one upstairs for him and one at the foot of the stairs leading to the basement.
It was all fine and good until we started construction in the basement a few months ago, the loud noises and changes scared him every day....and he began to have accidents ...he would pee on the carpet few feet away from the downstairs box.
But its been a mix- sometimes he would get into the box upstairs or sometimes the one downstairs but more frequent accidents on the carpet.

I've used every carpet foam, enzyme cleaner, rug spray, dishwater whatever to clean up and we may be free of accidents for 1-2 weeks, and then its back again.
Last week, he had 2 poo accidents too, which is almost unheard of.
The construction has stopped...I've allowed him to explore the basement so as to relieve his fears.....but I just don't get why he does some pee in the other boxes but still makes accidents downstairs.

I clean his box regularly. Even add Dr Elsey's attractant to it. It works for a few days then he stops. There is no plug down there for me to put Feliway plug.
Should I get rid of the downstairs box entirely? helppppppppp
 

cataholic07

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I would keep two litter boxes upstairs for him and add a third downstairs for when he feels comfortable enough to use it. I would also get him checked for a UTI, stress can cause them and it sounds like construction was really stressful for him.
 

Mamanyt1953

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Try a completely different style litter box downstairs. Sometime they associate a particular box with something unpleasant.
 
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amandag1

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I got him a different box with a lid enclosure. He took interest in a few times.
We now have 2 upstairs and 1 downstairs.....I didnt see an accident this morning but I'm worried there will be one :(
 

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I agree with the answers given; as for the attractant, I do use Dr. Elsey litter all the time but the attractant did not work for me with a problem cat after a day or two either.
 

Mamanyt1953

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How are we doing? And try to take a few deep breaths and relax. Cats are little energy sponges, and if you are stressed, HE is stressed, and stressed cats are more likely to have litter box issues.
 
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amandag1

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2 days no issues! He seems to be using his upstairs ones....separating poo in one box, pee in the other... who knows as long as its not on the rugs!
 
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amandag1

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Accident again... same area of the rug
Foot of the stairs
should I take the box away down there?
 

Mamanyt1953

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No, but clean WELL with enzyme cleaner! And...you could try putting puppy pads down where he's going, if it is one spot. Might save your sanity until we get this sorted out.

IF your vet is seeing non-emergency cases, I'd make an appointment to have him checked for a UTI. He may have FIC (Feline Ideopathic Cystitis), which is an inflammation for no discernible cause, but is often associated with stress (the workmen could have triggered it).
 
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amandag1

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No, but clean WELL with enzyme cleaner! And...you could try putting puppy pads down where he's going, if it is one spot. Might save your sanity until we get this sorted out.

IF your vet is seeing non-emergency cases, I'd make an appointment to have him checked for a UTI. He may have FIC (Feline Ideopathic Cystitis), which is an inflammation for no discernible cause, but is often associated with stress (the workmen could have triggered it).
I would like to- but does FIC have some box misses and then some in the box?
He seems to run down there and pee if he is scared of the noise or scared.
Today he explored around and then while I was home , went to his downstairs boxed & peed.

we have guests staying down there so he may feel uncomfortable with them unless Im around

i ordered a carpet cleaner and Bissell oxy pet cleaner for the shampooer
Im hesitant to take him to a vet because he FREAKS out and has very severe HCM/cardiac issues
i almost thought he went into failure the last time he went to his cardiologist appointment
 

Mamanyt1953

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I'm not actually positive about the "hit and miss" quality of this. I think it COULD, given the nature of it. But this sounds more like a simple stress reaction now. It isn't uncommon for cats to react to stress with litter box issues.

Is there any possibility of a home vet visit where you live? Given his cardio issues, that might be best.

Now, if this actually is an anxiety response, you could try him on chamomile tea, given internally via syringe. Buy a box of unblended chamomile tea from the grocery store. Brew a cup, and chill it. Administer 1-3 teaspoonfuls up to three times a day. If he's 11 pounds or more, give 1-3 tablespoonfuls. It is gently relaxing without being sedating. Doesn't work on every cat, but does on most. And FAR cheaper than prescription meds, so worth trying first, at any rate. DO use the store-bought tea bags, as they are ALL German Chamomile, which is medicinally active and safe for cats. English chamomile, which grows in a lot of gardens, is pretty useless, and toxic to cats.
 
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amandag1

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Shampooed the hell out of the carpets
Enzyme cleaner
extra strong pet oxy bissell whatever.....
He still went down there. I think its just into the baseboards at this point and he can still smell it. :(
 

Mamanyt1953

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You may be right about that. And since the urine MAY have gotten behind the baseboards, I don't know what, short of pulling them, saturating with enzymatic cleaner, allowing to dry, then replacing, you can do. Other than the radical (AND IMPOSSIBLE) solution of putting a clothespin on the pertinent cat part. JUST JOKING! LOL, I used to threaten to do that with my boys, who were charter members of the Teeny Tiny Bladder club, and made me stop every 30 minutes during car trips.
 
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amandag1

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So, Im loosing this battle.
i had gotten a litterbox house for his box down there & i think he hates it
Removed it
Left his box there out in the open
He went in it when I reintroduced him
I hope he stays using it
Hes still going on the carpet though :( we have plans to rip up the carpet and do wooden steps in august
 
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amandag1

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Ok...: my litterbox dilemma is continuing
As for the basement, i took away his box down there ripped up the carpet , washed the wood and painted it
Its still unfinished but we put an alarm that makes a loud noise if he tries to go down there. That worked.

now onto his normal litterbox upstairs, he has two sort of facing each other.
This past week his appetite has been decreasing and he seems more lethargic, on friday I took him to the vet for bloodwork and urinalysis, it almost killed him.
He had a panic attack sending his heart into overdrive and he had to be put on oxygen.
(He has HCM super super super severe and horrible anxiety)

anyhow.... right before we went to vet, thursday he peed right outside his box.
And now all weekend, unless I put him inside hus box he will pee on the carpet...
Help!! Ive tried cat attract additive....
 
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amandag1

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He pees 2-3x in the box.... and then goes back to the carpet.
I think its because the carpet still smells but Ive used carpet cleaner shampoo, and 2-3 natures miracle cleaners/urine destroyer...

pleaseeee help me
I am going insane
 

FeebysOwner

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Have you gotten the results back from his blood work and urinalysis? If he doesn't have a UTI, was anything discussed about the possibility of FIC, as you mentioned before. I don't know since he has HCM if he can take an anti-inflammatory, but a lot of times cats with FIC can have inflammation in the bladder without a UTI.

As far as the carpet - if the urine has gotten into the padding underneath the carpeting, then that will need to be thoroughly cleaned as well. And, even worse, but possible, is that the urine has reached the sub-flooring underneath the padding. The only way I know to resolve that is to drench the area with enzymatic cleaner and let it sit for awhile. Eventually, you will need to soak up as much of the liquid with towels and then either let it air dry to use a floor fan blowing toward it to speed up the drying process. Blocking off the area while it dries is your best bet, as it could take days to completely dry.

If that doesn't resolve the smell, then pulling up the carpeting and padding in that area and cleaning the sub-flooring directly is about the only other thing I would know to do.

If it is relatively easy to pull back the carpet/padding in the location, you could do that first, take a look at the sub-floor for signs of staining, and then work from there.
 
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amandag1

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Thanks I bought a gallon of Icky poo cleaner
I will soak the areas
My husband will kill me if we tear up this carpet.... he already went nuts over the stairs situation 😭😭😭
 
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