# My cat keeps peeing in the house!



## susan_1981 (Sep 8, 2008)

I have 2 cats. One of them, I've never had an issue with but the other, she has intermittently gone through phases of peeing around the house. They are both outdoor cats and have a catflap. I'd really rather not get a litter tray as I don't want to encourage them to go indoors. But she's started doing it again. She keeps peeing on the doormat at the front door. Is there anything I can do to deter her from doing this? Also is there anything to help get the smell out? We have wooden flooring but it's the beading that is the problem. The smell is ingrained in it and I've heard cleaning with bleach or detergent can encourage them back. We've got a citrus spray that I sprayed on the doormat but that obviously didn't stop her. I've thought about getting rid of the doormat but then she'll probably go elsewhere?

I don't think it's a health problem that's caused her to do this. She's a bit of a princess and doesn't like going outside in horrible weather. If the wind blows while she's outside, she gets all freaked out!


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## MollyMilo (Feb 16, 2012)

Hi I don't think your cat could tell you any clearer. She's peeing by the front door as that's the closest place she can get to without going into the cold and wind! Supply a litter tray. Forget your own concerns


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## susan_1981 (Sep 8, 2008)

Ah so not what I want to do but I may have to give in. That or have a cat that pees on the floor!


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## Aurelie (Apr 10, 2012)

The weather is not great at this time of year and for the sake of your carpets/floors I would just get a litter tray. If you buy decent litter and change it regularly it won't smell - if she really doesn't want to go outside you do need to provide her somewhere to toilet


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## denflo (Apr 29, 2011)

Does she only go on the front door mat or are there other places in the house that she does this? Is the cat flap in the front door? 
This is often a territorial behaviour, if she feels threatened by another cat from outside, then it may cause this sort of problem. If the cat flap is in the front door where she pees, it could indicate that she sees it as an insecurity in her defences and is attempting to stop another cat from coming in (regardless of whether they can or not). Try putting a litter tray there (I don't think you have a choice really unless you want her to continue) to see if it cures the problem. If you have two cats though, you may need more than one tray, if the other one uses it first, then you may find that this one won't use it afterwards and finds somewhere else to go; the general rule of thumb is one per cat plus one, sorry, I'm not sure that this is really what you want to hear given your aversion to litter trays!


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## susan_1981 (Sep 8, 2008)

No the cat flap is in the backdoor that leads out on to the garden. She keeps going at the front door and keeps going on the door mats. When we moved the doormats (while they were being washed) she didn't do it so I'm wondering if not having any door mats for a while might actually work. I'm pretty sure we do have another cat that comes in but this has been going on for years. We have a microchip catflap that only allows my girls in but sometimes it doesn't shut properly when they come in so others can come in as well. Mind you, I'm pretty sure we have a cat that rams it open anyway. But as I said, this has been going on for years and years and this problem has only just reoccurred. 

I'm pretty sure it's to do with the weather. As I said, she's a bit of a princess. My other cat Poppy is very much a tom boy whereas Daisy is much more delicate and shy. I caught her doing it this morning on the doormat at the backdoor this time (the one at the front door isn't there at the moment). But I wonder if it'll move the problem elsewhere in the house. I may see how we go with no door mats and, if that fails, then litter trays it is! We obviously had them when they were kittens and we used the woodchip litter which I found so much better than that awful grey stuff!


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Devils Advocate here - you call her a 'princess' because she doesn't want to go outside in the horrid weather to toilet. Would you? When the wind and rain is HOWLING round your nether regions and you can't tell if a predator is about to jump on you as it's such vile weather - would you go outside to pee and poop - or would you find an alternative? Remember when cats are doing their business they are in a very vulnerable position and unable to flee or fight properly. 

SO, firstly use either a product like simple solution (available at [email protected]) or biological washing powder in water to get rid of any smells, and then secondly get a litter tray just for this bad weather.


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

Also some cats just don't like doing the business outdoors. I had one who would come in to use the tray then go back out.


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

ForeverHome said:


> Also some cats just don't like doing the business outdoors. I had one who would come in to use the tray then go back out.


All mine have always done that

I ended up putting a litter tray in the shed at my old house so they didn't hang on all day!

I'm afraid I really don't get why people have cats & have an aversion to litter trays - the 2 surely go hand in hand

Its often the first way to tell health issues so really important IMHO to know your cats habits - which you can't do if they go outside

Clumping litter is much better than it used to be & there are no smells  its also much more economical than wood pellets & easy to maintain & you rarely need to do a full tray change if you remove the solids on a regular basis


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## KathyC (Jun 21, 2017)

One of my cats is very affectionate but also very timid. She started peeing on the front doormat so I threw it away, cleaned up and used a spray which is supposed to get rid of any pet urine smells. Bought a new mat. same thing. After three new mats I put down litter trays, (at this point she had also been going outside to pee etc. in the garden) 2 of them, near the mat, a lovely welcome just inside the front door, and another upstairs in the bathroom. As I have 2 cats, I'd read that you should always have one more litter tray than the number of cats. I empty solids (using clumping litter) two or three times a day, and completely clean the trays every week or two weeks, depending on how much they have been used. The cats have catflaps to get out into the garden, but the timid tabby rarely goes out unless me or hubby are outside. We both work so obviously aren't there during the day. Came down this morning to a wet mat, and two clean litter trays right beside it. She used to pee on the mat if there was a poo in the tray, but now she seems to use the mat randomly, clean litter tray or not! The front door has no glass at cat level and there is a porch which is kept closed outside of that. I'm still persevering with mats as I think at least she will pee on something I can wash, and worry if I take it away she will pee on the carpet in the living room. We're due to move house in about 5 weeks and I'm dreading it as she's so nervous. I've tried Feliway, it didn't work. I'm running out of ideas and it's starting to get a bit much!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hello @KathyC and welcome 

What does the vet say about the soiling? Has your cat been tested for a UTI? Cats who have a UTI or cystitis will often avoid the litter tray and pee on a soft surface instead. They associate the litter tray with pain.

If a medical problem is ruled out, then it is a behavioural issue. You say your cat is very timid and it is quite possible that another cat in the neighbourhood has intimidated or attacked her and made her too frightened to toilet outside. Cats are very vulnerable when they toilet outdoors and for this reason should always be provided with the option of litter trays indoors. Even if they only use the trays occasionally they are there as 'security'.

Do your cats have a cat flap and is it a microchip type so no other cats can get in your house? This is essential for your timid cat to feel safe. Do you know if there have recently been any new cats in your neighbourhood? Your cats may feel safer if you keep them in at night and lock the cat flap.

Even with a microchip cat flap it's possible a strange cat could be spraying your door step, or your front door or back door and intimidating your cat. Door mats are a favourite place for cats to scent mark when they feel their home is threatened by invasion from a strange cat.

I would give your outer doors (concentrating on the door nearest to where she is soiling the mat) and also the steps a good clean with an enzyme cleaner such as Simple Solution, or use a solution of biological laundry powder/liquid. If spraying from another cat is the problem you will need to clean the doors every day. Remember that a cat's sense of smell is about a thousand times more sensitive than a human's so while you may smell nothing unusual, your cat certainly could.

How does your timid cat get along with your other cat?

Is there any aggression between them?

Do they tolerate each other, or do they avoid each other? Or are they friends?

How old are the cats? How long have you had them both? I assume they are both neutered?


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