I adopted a kitty about a month and a half ago. I’ve posted previously about his biting issues that developed a few weeks after bringing him home, but all of that has pretty much subsided. He hasn’t seemed as stressed, and he is learning to be more gentile when showing affection (though he still gets a little carried away at times).
Last night, I had sat down to enjoy a relaxing evening, and then I smelled it…cat pee!!! I live in a studio apartment, but I usually cannot smell his litterbox. I clean it after I get home from work every day (and sometimes in the morning before I leave if he was particularly “active” over night). I looked at him and told him he was stinky, and then I noticed the big, wet puddle that was near the middle of my bed.
I quickly stripped the bed and washed my sheets and blankets in hot water with vinegar and baking soda (since it soaked through). Of course he had to assist in the process, happy as a clam -_-. Thankfully, all of my bedding came out clean and smelling fresh.
The mattress wasn’t wet, but it smelled (the top of my mattress cover was damp, but the bottom was dry). I grabbed the Febreze bottle that was in reach and doused the spot on the mattress (not the smartest idea, but I was in a panic!). Then it just smelled like Febreze and cat pee, so I rinsed it with water and a bit of vinegar. I dumped a bunch of baking soda on and around the spot, and I let it sit for a few hours. I vacuumed it up, along with the paw prints from when he decided it would be fun to run through it. It still smelled faintly, but I wasn’t too sure if it was from all of the stuff I put on it/if the smell was stuck in my nose. At least the smell wasn’t wafting in the air.
When I made the bed, I first laid down a thin, plastic tablecloth that I had on hand (just in case he decides to pee there again). I wasn’t able to smell anything after the bed was made, but I know that doesn’t mean that he can’t smell it. I put another tablecloth over the top of my bed this morning before I left for work – just in case. I’m going to pick up an enzyme cleaner for the mattress so I know it’s been properly cleaned. Sigh.
I’m more concerned about why this happened. The only major change that’s taken place is that I’ve been gradually changing his food from Science Diet (which he was eating at the shelter…bad I know) to Natural Balance indoor formula. I’ve been mixing them for several weeks, and he does prefer the Natural Balance. I’ve been trying to get him to eat the wet version of this food, but he will only eat the dry. He eats a bite or two, and then he meows at it loudly and tries to cover it up. He drinks a lot of water (empty bowl at night, and I top it off in the morning before I leave because he usually drinks 1/3 to ½ the bowl over night).
He’s had great litterbox manners from the night that I brought him home. I did switch his litter from cedar to clay, since the cedar was causing both of us to sneeze and it was sticking to his fur/getting everywhere. He didn’t seem to mind the switch at all. Shortly after, I got a larger box for him that has a clear lid. He’s been using it for 3 weeks without problems, so I don’t think the box itself is an issue. He did pee in the litterbox yesterday as well, and I haven’t noticed any crying/agitation/discomfort when he goes to the bathroom. He seemed normal and happy as could be last night, so I don’t know what’s up.
I’m hoping it’s not a behavioral issue. He was having little fits/seemed stressed in the days leading up to his first trip to the vet, but that’s subsided over the past month. My bed was his “safe spot” during those fits, so could it be territorial or stress-related? If so, what can I do? I put his cat bed on the corner of my bed, and he either hangs out in there or cuddles up to me – both during the day and when I’m sleeping. He usually doesn’t take issue when I try to move him from the bed, and he seems to understand it’s a space that we need to share.
Part of me feels like taking him to the vet again, but is this something I should just monitor for now since it’s only happened once (and since I took him about a month ago when he was given a clean bill of health at that time)? I’m just wondering if he’s developing a UTI (though this is the only symptom I’ve noticed), he’s being territorial, if something scared/upset him while I was gone, or if this was just a one-time accident. Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated! It just wasn’t a very fun night, and I hoping this doesn’t turn into a problem L.
