Sudden Urinating/Soiling Indoors

[welshgirl21]

My nearly 6 year old spayed girl Smudge has started urinating and soiling indoors after regularly going outside and I'm thinking it could be down to 3 things:

1. A few weeks ago we had the back door open in the evening, but closed it while we were watching TV thinking both cats were indoors. I went outside to get the washing and the new local bully cat had Smudge pinned to the patio and was standing over her; I'd accidentally shut her outside! She ran up the garden as the door opening startled the bully cat enough for her to move, then she noticed the door was open and ran inside then hunched on the stairs shaking - she was terrified.

2. We are renovating our kitchen and it has been totally gutted so there is nothing in the kitchen, our food is in boxes in the dinning room and everything is just everywhere while we do the kitchen. We can't shut doors as our downstairs is all open plan with 2 archways into the kitchen. One of my girls (I also have Chewie who is 7 this year and spayed) peed in the kitchen last week; I assumed it was Smudge, but last night Chewie went to squat out there but I caught her in time and she ran to the litter box.

3. There is a stray cat that has kind of adopted our house; the girls are happy for him/her to be around, they don't swipe, hiss or fight at all but could this cat being in the house and around (but not using) the litter box have deterred Smudge from using it?

I have ordered a Feliway diffuser today and put lemon and pepper where Smudge peed last night but she is also occasionally soiling in the bath. We have 1 litter tray in the conservatory which Chewie uses as she won't go outside and Smudge used to use it when she needed to. I am contemplating putting a litter box in the bathroom for Smudge while we are doing the kitchen and things are a bit crazy and while she gets her confidence up about going outside again. Since the bully cat incident she has gone outside to toilet because I have seen her, but she is still peeing/soiling indoors.

Any help appreciated as I don't want my girls to be unhappy or stressed.

[angieh]

There's a lot going on at your house for your cats to cope with, plus the bully boy outside. I would say all of this is contributing to their stress. Extra litter trays all round. I hope the Feliway helps. My boy Pip started spraying indoors last night for the first time. I've ordered Urine-off to get rid of the smell as that's a sure trigger for them to do it again in the same place and Feliway too.

I do hope once everything calms down in your house, your girls with return to calmness.

I see that Aspen is a good homeopathic remedy for fears and worries in cats. I have also tried Rescue Remedy this morning.

[Elaine]

Could be that everything is a factor to the recent soiling. I'd get one or two more litter trays for them. There is a product called Zylkene, which is a food supplement, that may also help with their stress levels.

[dandysmom]

Agree, it's stress induced. Extra litter boxes and the Urine-off should help, also the Feliway. Poor cats, what a disturbence in their quiet pleasant routine .....

[welshgirl21]

I know, it's been really hard seeing that they're upset and stressed. They've had lots of cuddles and I'm spending time upstairs with Smudge on our bed which is a place she loves being so I lay up there with her and give her lots of fuss.

Where is the best place to put the diffuser? I can only afford one this month and I was going to put it in the plug just past the front door which is where both of them have to walk to get from the stairs to their food and beyond and it's also near where Smudge has been urinating - would this be effective?

I'll look at some rescue remedy for them too and add a few drops to their food. We're going to block up the arches to the kitchen this weekend so they don't have to be around the plaster and the strange smells while we do the work.

[fancyabrew]

we've currently got the same issue with Marmaduke. First he started soiling the shower tray, now he's moved on to both peeing (not spraying) and soiling the front door mat! He's not done it anywhere else as of yet. We've moved a litter tray to near the front door so as soon as we catch him we can bundled him in to the litter tray, we've also put down some lemon peal on the mat. He doesn't seem stressed at all in fact he's as mad as ever!