Please help me! Buster won't stop peeing everywhere!

[Millys Mum]

It is a common reason other than an UTI. Sometimes with kittens as they grow/get heavier their litter can become sharp on the toes. You could offer a tray of fine sand like litter like sophisticat choice (£4.99 in Tesco).

Im certain if a vet had a kitten who was peeing everywhere they would spay it, not wait for 2 months while their home becomes a toilet 

I would phone around other vets and see if anywhere will do her.

[goatboy]

Does this also apply to female kittens between 4-6 months. I have noticed Ozzy starting to pee in every corner of my flat, even though she has 2 brand new litter trays, which I clean out every morning.
Is Ozzy peeing in the corners of the flat a sign she is coming into season? She is excatly 4 months old.
I have asked the vets about getting her spayed but they will only do it at 6 months.

Cheers

[Hippykitty]

Have your cats had their jabs? I would be a bit cautious about allowing another cat into the household until yours have been vaccinated. Bill may be carrying something nasty. Even fleas, which can kill kittens by making them very anaemic.

Love the piddle-fountain! 

[Millys Mum]

Has he been checked by a vet yet? At 5 months i would get them all neutered ( and microchipped ) or the wee situation is only going to escalate. My boys were maturing at 4 months 

I would also stop the neighbours cat comming in.

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

so I was carrying around this fauntain cat and wetting al my carpets!  I bet he enjoyed himself!  By the time I reached the tray he had finished, and he looked at me and started scratching the tray, as if to say "See how good I am, I cover up!".  It made me laugh ! I just grabbed me sponge and products and started scrubbing, all of them looking on.

Best thing you could have done at the time Cleo. Made me giggle that did

Ela is right. The neighbours cat could be the cause of this. Bill may have been coming in for years, but this is Buster's territory and he's invading.  Buster could be peeing as a result of stress so maybe worth asking your neighbour to keep Bill at bay or just locking away his mode of entry until Buster and the others have settled in well before they are introduces to the big world out there.

[Ela]

Could it be that my neighbour's cat sometimes comes in and hises at them?

That actually could be the route of the problem

Punishing an animal only makes matters worse and the pet will then become frightened and that in itself can be a cause of inappropriate behaviour. In fact in he UK it would be classed as an criminal offence to punish an animal.

Inappropriate behaviour is usually because there is a problem in  or with the environment, it could be something as simple as the cat wants to be an only cat, or a cat another cat has previously peeed on the floor, alternatively there could be an underlying medical problem, has the vet taken a urine sample?  Usually time and patience will resolve the matter. I suggest you wipe everywhere again with a spirit whisky gin brandy etc, then once dry put some dried cat food down in the places treated.

I assume the cats have been neutered.

[Cleo]

That's so nice of you to give so many suggestions, I just realized that lots of people have had the same problem...
My kittens are all boys, from the same liter, 5 months old and every one of thm is a jewel!  To me, anyway 
My friend has kept the two sisters (liter of six) and the mum, she has been neutered now and

I know what you mean about smacking Buster, I thought myself that it sounded very cruel and although my friend (not the mum cat keeper, another one) told me that unless I do that I will spoil them, I just cant do it!  He's so tiny compared to me, that wuld be bullying of the worst kind.  He looks up to me with love and really trying to understand me...or so he looks like!

I don't think he's spraying, as he squats down to do it.  A few days ago I caught him just about to go so I picked him up and instead of stopping he just laid back in my hands, as if on an armchair back legs wide open - la di da, and kept weeing, so I was carrying around this fauntain cat and wetting al my carpets!  I bet he enjoyed himself!  By the time I reached the tray he had finished, and he looked at me and started scratching the tray, as if to say "See how good I am, I cover up!".  It made me laugh ! I just grabbed me sponge and products and started scrubbing, all of them looking on.

The other day as I walked in the livin room and the stecnh was so thick I thought I was going to faint I had literally tears in my eyes, and I picked him up, and took him with me to the bathroom where his toilet his.  I sat down with him, closed the door and took the hood off the tray, put him in but he just jumped back out again, and as I was upset he must have realized that he been naughty and he started when I went to reach for a piece of paper...he made me cringe!  Poor sweety, to think that he was scared of me, even if for just a fraction of a second, I just hugged him and kissed him and he was purring his head off!  By the end he prob thougt it was good of him to pee around!  We sat on the bathroom floor for a while and then opened the door for the others to see what was going on.

That's the worst thing, I feel like I'm not getting across and we don't understand each other.
Thanks for the advice, I won't punish him anymore.  I feel so cruel now!  You really opened my eyes to his point of view.

I try to explain to him and show him that he should wee in the tray, but I see that he looks at me with puzzled eyes when I point to the toilet, as if he really had no idea why he should go in there, yet I know for a fact that he used to go in the tray before, as I saw him coming out from there many times, and gave him praise and treats to encourage good habits.  He also does his number 2s in there.???

He and his brother Purrvis are the biggest of the mob, and they play fight all day and night.  I don't think there are any dominance issues, but what do I know!  They sleep cuddled, clean each other and never fight seriously, or hiss and growl.

Could it be that my neighbour's cat sometimes comes in and hises at them?  His name's Bill and he's an older boy.. I think he's just scared stiff of the kittens as they are so rough to each other and he's scared they will pounce on him.  Bill's 13!  He's been coming round fo years and it'd be a shame if he couldn't do that anymore.  In the afternnons as my neighbours are at work he comes in for some company and a treat or three.  The kittens don't seem bothered, but he does hiss and growl at them sometimes, if they're being wild. 

I will buy another tray, just in case, and have a good read at the links posted for me.

You are all very kind and patient, thank you so very much

Re pictures: I must eb the only person left with no digital camera!  I should invest on a scanner...

[lilycat]

Definitely don't shout or smack him.

Dave used to have the same problem and instead of getting upset, I watched him like a hawk and whenever his tail went up [you can always tell when they're about to] I'd distract him by really making a fuss of him, stroking him and telling him what a good boy he was in my best sing-songy voice.

I used Simple Solution to clean up any mishaps and started using Feliway Spray directly on the areas he frequented. Once he started face rubbing the area I stopped the Feliway. It takes time and your face will start to ache from trying to sound sing-songy through gritted teeth    but it's worth it. Thankfully it's now not a problem.

    

[Millys Mum]

* what type of litter do you use? As kittens grow and get heavier some types of litter can become sharp on their feet.

* if hes peeing in the same place put a tray there for now, you can work at moving it later.

* when you clean the carpet you need to make sure the solution gets right down to the underlay.

* has he done it from day one or just started?

* we need pictures!

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Hi and  to Purrs,

You seem to have all the advice we normally given for this "problem" so won't repeat any of it.  Just wanted to say hello and you've come to the best place on the www for kitty advice.

BTW ... any pics of the offender and the other three.  As a reward for all the wonderful advice you will receive we like "payment" in pictures! 

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Cleo am I right in thinking based on what you've written you are in the US or Canada or are you from there and based in the UK? In that case that you are based Stateside then  Simple Solution can be purchased via some retailers like Pet Smart. Here is a list of retailers in the US and Canada that stock Simple Solution. I swear by it, it has not been used often in my home but on carpets it cleans well and removes any odours and stains.

http://www.simplesolution.com/product_retailers_us.html

They also have products for hardwood etc to help clean up.

Everyone here has already given sound advice on how to help your kitten so all I can contribute is to put a little bit of his food in the places he has gone.  Cats generally won't go where they eat. I agree locking him in the bathroom as punishment is not a great solution to this problem, he just needs gentle guidance to show him where is the right place to use his toilet.

Fingers crossed it works, let us know how you get on.

PS as a side note, not meaning to be critical of your friend as I don't know her, but please advise her to consider neutering the mother cat to avoid more unnecessary litters and very important to not punish her cats, if that is what she does.  Its incredibly cruel to these little creatures who look to us for love and care.  Sorry, speech over.

[Ela]

My freind sais I shuld slap him,

This is an instance where you need to absolutely ignore your friends advice and heed the sound advice given on here by others.

[Tan]

Hiya warm  to Purrs

Agree with the others. Ist port of call is vets but if ya already done that and he is fit and healthy, it's trying to understand why he's doing it that will help solve it. Cats tend to mark indoors cause they are insecure and the marking is a natural way to help make them feel secure. It's automatic for us to think they are being naughty and think to punish them but they don't understand why they are being punished and it makes alot things worse. We should never hit or punish them. Is there a boss cat and he is being picked on? Whatever is happening, he is feeling very insecure.  Feliway may help him help him be more secure as this gives a friendly scent the cats natuarally leave in their home.  Understanding and love is the answer.

Try to suss out why he is insecure and soling indoors. Have a look at these links.

http://www.chaptanservices.com/purrs/index.php?topic=4916.0

http://wizz-catz.co.uk/soiling.html

http://wizz-catz.co.uk/multicat.html

http://wizz-catz.co.uk/catlitter.html

http://wizz-catz.co.uk/kitteninfo.html

Let us know how it's going hun. we would love to hear more about all you little ones and lovvvveee to see pics 


 

[Hippykitty]

He's not doing this as a game, or to torment you. He's doing it because he's confused, or he need neutering, or he's ill, or he doesn't like enclosed trays, or the litter. There are a host of possible reasons. But it isn't a game he's playing.

First point of call: the vet. Get him age-checked, sex checked and health checked. He may be developing entire-tom territory spraying, in which case he'll need neutering. He could have a urinary problem which, if left, will become serious. He may be a girl! It often happens.

Don't lock him in the bathroom as 'punishment', or he'll start peeing in the bath, thinking that you're telling him that's where he's supposed to go. Instead, pick him up, talking softly to him, and GENTLY sit him in a clean, open litter tray. Scratch at the litter with your finger, still speaking softly and telling him he's a good boy and that's the place to go. Push his bottom GENTLY down onto the litter, again telling him he's a good boy.

When you let go of him, he'll probably jump straight out, let him. You're trying to teach him where to go next time. This is what a mother cat would do.

We really need more info concerning his age etc.

Basic advice would be TAKE HIM TO THE VETS.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

  to Purrs 

Pinkbear is absolutely right with her advice.

The general rule is that you need one litter tray for each cat plus one until everything gets sorted and once it is you keep as many as they use regularily. I would try getting an uncovered one to try cos Buster may not like going in the covered one..........is he the only boy?

For cleaning its important to get rid of the smell that attracts him back to places that he has used, you may not be able to smell what he can but if he is maturing he will leave a very strong smell and as Pink says its maybe time for neutering. You also would not want one of the girl kittens to be made pregnant, cos that can happen very young.

Right back to cleaning. Its recommencded that you use a biological washing solution followed by surgical spirit and you can also by something called Simple solution from Pets at Home, which is very good at getting rid of the smell once you have cleaned.

There are many who can give advice hre and you will probably have it coming out of your ears by this time tomorrow 

Buster of course may not like the litter you are using, has he ever used a tray?

Good luck and please do not punish him in any way cos he wont understand, other than humans are nasty.

There are ways of retraining him if none of the above works.

Good luck.

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

  Cleo!


DON'T PANIC  We can sort this...

Firstly, how old are these kittens? I suspect between 4-6 months. It sounds to me as if you have a quick developer and he's beginning to spray. If I'm right, this behaviour will stop when he's neutered, or very soon after.

It can also be a medical complaint, so rule that out by a vet consultation.

It also needs saying that not all cats are social. It may be that he just doesn't like sharing toilet facilities.

It's not smell that makes a cat (or kitten) repeatedly pee in the same place, it's habit.  You need to try and break the habit if you can. Move furniture - try to place a barrier between him and where he's going. Confine him to one room if necessary.

Please, please, please do not slap him. Or even shout at him. He doesn't know he's being a s*d - he's too little!  And the old wives tale about rubbing their noses in it only makes them do it somewhere you cant find and clean.

There's a great bunch of folks here to support you. We must have several hundred years of cat owning between us and we don't often get stumped. 

[Cleo]

Hello everyone as you can see I'm new here...
I have taken on my friend's 4 kittens, well, not her kittens!  Her girl cat's kittens.
Three of them are absolutly perfect, boisteros but great fun and loving to a fault.  One of them, Buster, is just driving me so crazy that today as I came home from shopping i cried proper tears of desparation.  As I walked in the most terrible stench of latrine greeted me
 
I know its Buster cause I sen him peeing happily near the living room curtains, as I got up in the morning, he just looked at me and started peeing! 
They have two toilets, covered and always very clean as I'm home all day and I clean everytime I see them go, which is about 4-5 times daly.
He looks like he does it as a game!  They have been visited and vaccinated by the vet and he sais they're all very helthy and beautiful (if I say so myself!

I have cleaned with a solution of laundry powder, then alcohol, and another mixture I found on the net of peroxide, baking soda and washing up liquiuid, then alcohol.  The smell seems to go away, then he goes again!  My freind sais I shuld slap him, but I'd hate doping that, I punish him by saying no and sometimes I lock him in the bathroom with his toilet for ten minutes, but then he cries and I let him out.

I don't want to give him away as he is a real charmer adnclever boy, what am I doing wrong?  He seems happy, they play like devils and sleep with me but I can't take the smell anymore.  I was thinkink of ripping up the carpet and painting the floor, as I can't keep washing it everyday, but I'm afreed he will just start wetting the bedroom

Please help me!  I'm at my wit's end.