Hello
My family and I have two cats, Indiana - a male cat - and Bramble - female. We got them both from the local Cats and Dogs Home at the same time about a year ago when they were kittens. While Indi has always been laid back and confident, Bramble is often nervous, although loves playing with a toy on the end of string.
Recently Bramble has started urinating at night in our living room, where she a Indiana stay at night, often on the sofa or any clothes or clean washing that is left around. The cats are often out during the day and have a litter box with clean litter at night.
We know it's Bramble as it happens when Indiana stays out for the night.
My partner is sick of it and wants to get rid of Bramble.
We have three children and Bramble is nervous around them.
I really don't want to lose the cat. Any advice as to how to stop her urinating in the house at night please?
Cat urinating in house
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Lilith
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- Posts: 3600
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- Location: West Yorks
Re: Cat urinating in house
Hi there and welcome 
This is very sad to hear, but you've answered your own question. You have three children who are making Bramble nervous, which is why she's beginning to forget her housetraining, and on top of that your partner is hostile to her because of her urination.
I think the first things to consider are:- can the children be asked to change their behaviour (however innocent) around Bramble and make friends with her all over again and get her to trust them? They might enjoy doing this and have fun learning to play gently with her, talking to her and gaining her confidence.
Also, will your partner do the same? I wouldn't like it if one of my cats was weeing everywhere; I've had serial piddlers in the past myself; one I'm afraid I never cured; one I did but he was a newly neutered feral tomcat and with gentle training and his lowering testosterone levels, he did become clean. It's a hateful situation and enough to try the patience of a saint (and I ain't no saint!) but if you want to keep Bramble, there are ways forward.
With my tomcat I would tell him 'no!' if I caught him spraying, but still give him lots of love and attention - and LOADS of praise for using his tray. Even if underneath you're thinking, 'oh that ****ing cat!' you need to keep the cat's self-esteem and confidence levels up.
It's difficult as they do pick up on your mood and any atmosphere in the house, but there are people on here who can give more advice about getting Bramble into new routines, and the best way of destroying smells etc (I believe biological washing liquid is good.) So hopefully there will be more advice soon but hope this helps for now.
I do hope you manage to keep her, and keep her clean, all the very best
This is very sad to hear, but you've answered your own question. You have three children who are making Bramble nervous, which is why she's beginning to forget her housetraining, and on top of that your partner is hostile to her because of her urination.
I think the first things to consider are:- can the children be asked to change their behaviour (however innocent) around Bramble and make friends with her all over again and get her to trust them? They might enjoy doing this and have fun learning to play gently with her, talking to her and gaining her confidence.
Also, will your partner do the same? I wouldn't like it if one of my cats was weeing everywhere; I've had serial piddlers in the past myself; one I'm afraid I never cured; one I did but he was a newly neutered feral tomcat and with gentle training and his lowering testosterone levels, he did become clean. It's a hateful situation and enough to try the patience of a saint (and I ain't no saint!) but if you want to keep Bramble, there are ways forward.
With my tomcat I would tell him 'no!' if I caught him spraying, but still give him lots of love and attention - and LOADS of praise for using his tray. Even if underneath you're thinking, 'oh that ****ing cat!' you need to keep the cat's self-esteem and confidence levels up.
It's difficult as they do pick up on your mood and any atmosphere in the house, but there are people on here who can give more advice about getting Bramble into new routines, and the best way of destroying smells etc (I believe biological washing liquid is good.) So hopefully there will be more advice soon but hope this helps for now.
I do hope you manage to keep her, and keep her clean, all the very best
Re: Cat urinating in house
Hi and welcome. To add to Lilith’s advice you may find this link helpful:
https://www.catchat.org/index.php/cat-t ... ay-indoors
I also hope you manage to sort things. I haven’t had this problem with my own cats, only once when I fostered and it was a real pain, he was doing it all the time. We thought it was possible that he was smelling the previous foster cats but it turned out that once he was adopted, and could go out then was fine. There will be a reason, it’s just finding out what it is, and it is possible it’s the children, as Lilith says. Best of luck!
https://www.catchat.org/index.php/cat-t ... ay-indoors
I also hope you manage to sort things. I haven’t had this problem with my own cats, only once when I fostered and it was a real pain, he was doing it all the time. We thought it was possible that he was smelling the previous foster cats but it turned out that once he was adopted, and could go out then was fine. There will be a reason, it’s just finding out what it is, and it is possible it’s the children, as Lilith says. Best of luck!