Urinating And Pooping On Furniture... I Don’t Know What To Do :(

lucatgirl

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Hello fellow feline parents,
Almost a year ago a friend tagged me on FB about this senior girl (Kiara) looking for a forever home. She looked exactly like my beloved Lucky, who had past away after 20 years of unconditional love (white cat on my profile pic). Mom and I were very happy to provide a forever home to this beauty, and we went to pick her up the next day.

We learned that Kiara had been jumping from house to house, because of “allergies” from owners (what a luck that “all” her owners developed very bad allergies). I was informed that her original dad past away, then the cousin adopted her, then the “allergy” problems began, and after her, all the adopting parents “developed allergies” kind of similar stories from one owner to the other. At this point, I don’t know what is true and what is not, and I don’t care.

We adopted Kiara about a year ago now, since then, Kiara has been peeing and pooping on beds and couches, needles to say, all the beds and couches in the house have a plastic protectors and pee pee pads; and at this point I’m a pro in cleaning and removing urine stains and smells everywhere.

First visit to the vet, she had a urinary infection, and was placed on special food by the vet, that was also low calorie because she was overweight. I bought every cat pheromone in the market. My mom adores Kiara. I love her, but the affection doesn’t seem to be mutual. Kiara sleeps on my mom’s bed, loves to have my mom rubbing her belly and petting her. I have 1 inside, outside, fixed male cat and 2 “stray” cats that after 8 years are finally walking into my house to eat and chill (both females that I was able to catch fix and release when they were very young). I have a pet door for their use, which Kiara doesn’t even get close to it.

My other cats don’t get anywhere near her, none of them go to my mom’s bedroom anymore.
After all this time no more health issues, and lots of love provided to Kiara (some discipline along the way sometimes) still the behavioral issues haven’t changed. Vet recently changed her food for “urinary & calm” food, nothing has fixed the problem. I have 2 different litter box products to see which one she favors. She uses her litter box, but also the other “furniture” in the house. Sometimes even in front of us. I don’t know what to do. No, I will not develop an “allergy” to give her away, this is her forever home for better or worse.
I am open for advice and suggestions.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi! Bless you for hanging in there with this cat!!

I'm thinking out loud here. I think that her urinary infection (bringing about the association of pain in the litterbox) plus unhappy human housemates in the other places causing stress on top of it all, have caused a habit to develop such that going just any old where isn't a problem in her mind anymore.

Can you try containing her to one room temporarily and have several litterboxes, including one with nothing in it and one box with something soft. See if she has a preference. Don't let her out into the main part of the house until she's consistent.
 

Mamanyt1953

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Once again, Furballsmom Furballsmom and I are thinking along the same lines. Do seclude her as suggested for a bit.

I think this is what happened...a physical issue began the problem, then, rather than addressing it properly, she was shuffled from place to place, her confidence slowly eroding as her territory was continually jerked away from her, until now she obsessively marks and re-marks EVERYTHING possible as "hers." When confining her, try placing a cheap (or old) sheet on a piece of furniture she loves to lie on, and allowing it to get covered in her fur. Then cut the sheet into 12'x12' pieces and scatter them through the house, so that as she begins to roam again, she smells herself in every room. I've used this to help cats who are moving to a new home adjust more easily, and it works on them. Hadn't thought about other applications, but it is certainly worth a try here!
 

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I also have a cat who was also shipped from home to home before we adopted her, again for "various" reasons (but I, like you, believe it was her urinary issues). I think she had been doing it for so long that it had become a habit. She went back and forth to the vet numerous times but always got the all clear. We ended up having HUGE success with crate training her. I felt so bad, her being in that crate, but it worked so well. Now, a year after we adopted her, she rarely has an accident.
 

Cara80

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I wonder if your kitty could have painful bladder syndrome? It also goes by the term FIC, my cat was briefly misdiagnosed as having this when he had litterbox issues. I don't know too much about it, but we were given low doses of buprenorphine for him. Maybe it's something you could look up and see if the symptoms sound similar to what you're going though
 

JamesCalifornia

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I’m a pro in cleaning and removing urine stains and smells everywhere.
:poop: :redcat: Join the club ...! I even have my own special mix that works amazingly well for this purpose .
Sounds like the problem is psychological. If it's been going on this long Kiara is unlikely to abandon the behavior. My suggestion would be try Zoloft or Prozac ( anti-anxiety ) for a few weeks. Many people keep their pets in an outdoor patio - letting them come in and out only when they are home . That could solve the problem.
Good luck ...:hellocomputer:
 
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lucatgirl

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Hi! Bless you for hanging in there with this cat!!
I'm thinking out loud here. I think that her urinary infection (bringing about the association of pain in the litterbox) plus unhappy human housemates in the other places causing stress on top of it all, have caused a habit to develop such that going just any old where isn't a problem in her mind anymore.
Can you try containing her to one room temporarily and have several litterboxes, including one with nothing in it and one box with something soft. See if she has a preference. Don't let her out into the main part of the house until she's consistent.
Hello Furballsmom, thank you for the idea. My case is, I live in an apartment with my elder mother who's more stubborn than a 2 year old. Whatever I try to do, or I ask her to do, she does exactly the opposite. Considering the cat has more rights than me... But I will try putting a litter box with pee pee pads and see what happens.
 
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lucatgirl

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Once again, Furballsmom Furballsmom and I are thinking along the same lines. Do seclude her as suggested for a bit.
I think this is what happened...a physical issue began the problem, then, rather than addressing it properly, she was shuffled from place to place, her confidence slowly eroding as her territory was continually jerked away from her, until now she obsessively marks and re-marks EVERYTHING possible as "hers." When confining her, try placing a cheap (or old) sheet on a piece of furniture she loves to lie on, and allowing it to get covered in her fur. Then cut the sheet into 12'x12' pieces and scatter them through the house, so that as she begins to roam again, she smells herself in every room. I've used this to help cats who are moving to a new home adjust more easily, and it works on them. Hadn't thought about other applications, but it is certainly worth a try here!
Hello Mamanyt1953,
Thanks you for your suggestion. Kiara's on my mom’s bed most of the time with my mom, and she peed there in front of her. But I will try your suggestion to see if it helps... every little thing helps!
 
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lucatgirl

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I also have a cat who was also shipped from home to home before we adopted her, again for "various" reasons (but I, like you, believe it was her urinary issues). I think she had been doing it for so long that it had become a habit. She went back and forth to the vet numerous times but always got the all clear. We ended up having HUGE success with crate training her. I felt so bad, her being in that crate, but it worked so well. Now, a year after we adopted her, she rarely has an accident.
Hello Stephmnichols, thank you for your comment. What size crate did you use? I can try this, something I have to add is that her lungs are in perfect shape lol...
 
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lucatgirl

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I wonder if your kitty could have painful bladder syndrome? It also goes by the term FIC, my cat was briefly misdiagnosed as having this when he had litterbox issues. I don't know too much about it, but we were given low doses of buprenorphine for him. Maybe it's something you could look up and see if the symptoms sound similar to what you're going though
Hello Cara80. Thank you for post. I got worried and right I checked the symptoms right away, for better or worse there's not a match.
 
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lucatgirl

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:poop: :redcat: Join the club ...! I even have my own special mix that works amazingly well for this purpose .
Sounds like the problem is psychological. If it's been going on this long Kiara is unlikely to abandon the behavior. My suggestion would be try Zoloft or Prozac ( anti-anxiety ) for a few weeks. Many people keep their pets in an outdoor patio - letting them come in and out only when they are home . That could solve the problem.
Good luck ...:hellocomputer:
Hello JamesCalifornia. Thank you for your comment. I was thinking the same about the meds. About leaving her outside, not so much. I live in Miami too hot, humid and frequent storms, bad combo; besides she doesn’t like to cross the door frame not even to check what is going on outside.
Now, about the mix... what are you using? I use a product I buy at a local pet store. It works like a charm, but I'm always open to new products.
 
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Cara80

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That's really good news that she doesn't have any FIC symptoms. I think the advice from others here is really good, making her comfortable and confident at home could really help. I bet even if you try an anxiety med, it could be temporary and she may stop peeing once she's relaxed and really feels at home. Poor thing, it's sad when cats go from one house to the next and i'm sure that was upsetting and confusing to her
 
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lucatgirl

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That's really good news that she doesn't have any FIC symptoms. I think the advice from others here is really good, making her comfortable and confident at home could really help. I bet even if you try an anxiety med, it could be temporary and she may stop peeing once she's relaxed and really feels at home. Poor thing, it's sad when cats go from one house to the next and i'm sure that was upsetting and confusing to her
Cara80, indeed it’s very sad for anyone not to have an stable home. I’ve been trying my best, but I didn’t think all this behavior should last this long. I have to call the vet to check with her about meds to calm Kiara... Praying for the best, holding my expectations, but she’s home and not going anywhere without us.
 

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Now, about the mix... what are you using? I use a product I buy at a local pet store. It works like a charm, but I'm always open to new products
~ I know about Florida ... Lived there a short while. HOT & humid ...
Cleaning mix - Equal parts of : Wintergreen alcohol; PeePee Pet Stain/Odor; Fabuloso; water. Works amazing !

 

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Hello Stephmnichols, thank you for your comment. What size crate did you use? I can try this, something I have to add is that her lungs are in perfect shape lol...
Lol! We had some meowing and scratching at first but like I said, she got used to it pretty quick and learned that we weren't going to let her out just for being loud.

We used a large dog-transport kennel, so there was room only for the bed, litter box, and food/water and nothing else. She didn't want to use her bed to go to the bathroom on for obvious reasons, so it forced her to get into the habit of using the litter box again.
 

di and bob

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It took our senior a little over a year to stop spraying when we moved. It DID stop when he finally got used to the new cats around. Maybe your cat is marking because of the other cats coming in.(?) I think the crate idea is good, and I truly believe the peeing/pooping will stop once she is secure that she really has a home. Bless you for giving her a home.....
 
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