Help! Pee & Poo inside the house!!!

londoncat1974 · 10-11-2012, 05:32 AM

Hi,

My two cats used to go outside to do their business (they have a catflap on the front door). Last month we had a fox in the neighbourhood and noticed one of them was peeing inside the house during the night, we thought the fox was the reason and put a cat litter inside the house.

They've been using the cat litter for a month, but yesterday they peed and pooed inside the house!! I just cleaned the litter yesterday night, so it wasn't a case of it being too dirty....I'm really stressed as I have laminate flooring which can be ruined by the pee.

Anyone in this situation? What can i do? Both cats are 12 years old (good health overall), could this be just a sign of age?

Next week they'll have to spend 4 days alone as I'm away and I'm terrified they do it again!!

Arianwen · 10-11-2012, 11:32 AM

Shows my ignorance but I thought Laminate was one of the easiest floorings to clean. Are they still going out in the day? Where do you have the litter boxes and how many?

hoofmaiden · 10-11-2012, 12:27 PM

How often do you clean the litterboxes? You need 2 if you have 2 cats.

3furbabies · 10-11-2012, 02:21 PM

I have laminate, although no one has pottied on it, there has been watery throw up on it and it was fine.

They still could be getting use to the litter boxes. Yes you should have 2-3 boxes and put in different areas of the house, make sure it's easily accessible, not near food/water , etc.

**marie73** · 10-11-2012, 03:37 PM

The number of litter boxes is an individual choice, there are no rules. I have one for three girls.

hoofmaiden · 10-11-2012, 04:06 PM

Yes, but if you're having a problem, you need 1 for each cat IMO. There is clearly a problem here!

londoncat1974 · 10-12-2012, 06:36 AM

They've never had more than 1 litterbox , and they've always preferred to go outside. In the past the litter box wasn't used for months and months, and they never did anything inside the house (we lived in a different house back then). The litter box was just cleaned the night they did it, so this wasn't the problem. It hadn't been used at all the night that this happened... so it wasn't a case of it being dirty or "full".

Laminate flooring can't handle any liquid on it unless it's inmediately cleaned..(or if the liquid can't go inside any grooves). But I can't control this as they can pee when I'm out working or during the night. In fact it's been damaged in some places already because of this...

I just bought a feliway in case they are stressed for some reason, but not sure what else to do. If the litter box had been dirty I would think it was that (although it hasn't been a problem for 12 years...), but it wasn't....

hoofmaiden · 10-12-2012, 09:43 AM

I hope you have taken the cats to the vet for labwork? At age 12 you should be doing that annually anyway, and if you have an indiscriminate urination problem you should always rule out medical causes ASAP. You need to get at minimum a blood chemistry and a urinalysis--a CBC would also be a good idea.

This needs to be done to make sure there is not a physical problem--and ASAP b/c urinary tract issues can kill cats. Do you feed any dry food?

kittyhawk · 10-12-2012, 10:39 AM

I would have them see the vet. After that, it's kind of a mystery. You could try changing the litter and moving the boxes. Some cats won't use a box that doesn't give them more than one exit point. A cat I used to foster was this way. He's poop in the shower, so we shut the bathroom door. Well then he decided to poop in front of the bathroom door. Once we moved the box everything was fine. I guess they feel vulnerable when trying to potty.

Some cats won't use a litter box that another cat has used as well. I've pretty much always had 1-2 boxes, max though. I would do vet, box moving, litter change, purchase another box - in that order. It's totally up to you though. Best of luck!!

rightsaidfed · 10-12-2012, 10:43 AM

hoofmaiden is right - at their age, they should both be getting routine labwork done. Even for a younger cat, the first step to litter-troubles is a vet visit. Is there a way you can figure out which cat is the culprit?

10-11-2012, 05:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
londoncat1974 Kitten Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 22	Help! Pee & Poo inside the house!!! Hi, My two cats used to go outside to do their business (they have a catflap on the front door). Last month we had a fox in the neighbourhood and noticed one of them was peeing inside the house during the night, we thought the fox was the reason and put a cat litter inside the house. They've been using the cat litter for a month, but yesterday they peed and pooed inside the house!! I just cleaned the litter yesterday night, so it wasn't a case of it being too dirty....I'm really stressed as I have laminate flooring which can be ruined by the pee. Anyone in this situation? What can i do? Both cats are 12 years old (good health overall), could this be just a sign of age? Next week they'll have to spend 4 days alone as I'm away and I'm terrified they do it again!!

10-11-2012, 12:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
hoofmaiden Premier Cat Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 4,110	How often do you clean the litterboxes? You need 2 if you have 2 cats. __________________ Elizabeth and Calvin (brown tabby DSH); Conrad (B&W DSH); Erik (W&B DSH); and Jonah (blue tabby DSH)

10-11-2012, 02:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
3furbabies Cool Cat Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 939	I have laminate, although no one has pottied on it, there has been watery throw up on it and it was fine. They still could be getting use to the litter boxes. Yes you should have 2-3 boxes and put in different areas of the house, make sure it's easily accessible, not near food/water , etc. Last edited by 3furbabies; 10-11-2012 at 02:21 PM. Reason: spelling

10-11-2012, 03:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
marie73 Super Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 29,079	The number of litter boxes is an individual choice, there are no rules. I have one for three girls. __________________ Marie, and Always in my heart, my lovely Cinderella, running free at the Bridge. http://www.catforum.com/forum/member...signature2.jpg

10-11-2012, 04:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
hoofmaiden Premier Cat Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 4,110	Yes, but if you're having a problem, you need 1 for each cat IMO. There is clearly a problem here! __________________ Elizabeth and Calvin (brown tabby DSH); Conrad (B&W DSH); Erik (W&B DSH); and Jonah (blue tabby DSH)

10-11-2012, 11:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
Arianwen Cat Addict Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South Wales, UK Posts: 1,636	Shows my ignorance but I thought Laminate was one of the easiest floorings to clean. Are they still going out in the day? Where do you have the litter boxes and how many?

10-12-2012, 06:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
londoncat1974 Kitten Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 22	They've never had more than 1 litterbox , and they've always preferred to go outside. In the past the litter box wasn't used for months and months, and they never did anything inside the house (we lived in a different house back then). The litter box was just cleaned the night they did it, so this wasn't the problem. It hadn't been used at all the night that this happened... so it wasn't a case of it being dirty or "full". Laminate flooring can't handle any liquid on it unless it's inmediately cleaned..(or if the liquid can't go inside any grooves). But I can't control this as they can pee when I'm out working or during the night. In fact it's been damaged in some places already because of this... I just bought a feliway in case they are stressed for some reason, but not sure what else to do. If the litter box had been dirty I would think it was that (although it hasn't been a problem for 12 years...), but it wasn't....

10-12-2012, 09:43 AM	#8 (permalink)
hoofmaiden Premier Cat Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 4,110	I hope you have taken the cats to the vet for labwork? At age 12 you should be doing that annually anyway, and if you have an indiscriminate urination problem you should always rule out medical causes ASAP. You need to get at minimum a blood chemistry and a urinalysis--a CBC would also be a good idea. This needs to be done to make sure there is not a physical problem--and ASAP b/c urinary tract issues can kill cats. Do you feed any dry food? __________________ Elizabeth and Calvin (brown tabby DSH); Conrad (B&W DSH); Erik (W&B DSH); and Jonah (blue tabby DSH)

10-12-2012, 10:39 AM	#9 (permalink)
kittyhawk Cat Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: On the Chesapeake Posts: 118	I would have them see the vet. After that, it's kind of a mystery. You could try changing the litter and moving the boxes. Some cats won't use a box that doesn't give them more than one exit point. A cat I used to foster was this way. He's poop in the shower, so we shut the bathroom door. Well then he decided to poop in front of the bathroom door. Once we moved the box everything was fine. I guess they feel vulnerable when trying to potty. Some cats won't use a litter box that another cat has used as well. I've pretty much always had 1-2 boxes, max though. I would do vet, box moving, litter change, purchase another box - in that order. It's totally up to you though. Best of luck!!

10-12-2012, 10:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
rightsaidfed Tom Cat Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 410	hoofmaiden is right - at their age, they should both be getting routine labwork done. Even for a younger cat, the first step to litter-troubles is a vet visit. Is there a way you can figure out which cat is the culprit?

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