Indoor cat marking visitor's stuff

[MontysGal]

Well, I am a poor host!
I was hosting my cousin this weekend and as I live in a teeny condo, I used a big air mattress and had it all set up - only to have my neutered male housecat (indoor only) pee on the bed - twice - AND try to pee in her luggage.:eek:

Thank goodness she’s a cat person, but my kitties (both neutered males) ended up locked in my room for the weekend.

Is there anything I can do to discourage this?

It’s happened before with male visitors coming over and leaving gym bags on the ground… but it’s never in the same location so it’s not like they’re marking predictably.

Ooof, the worst part was that I only had one spare set of sheets so we had to kind of bastardize while we washed the sprayed ones!:no:

[snowblaze]

I have no idea how to stop them without locking them out. When my aunt came to visit, she saw the cat straddle her shoe and pee into it!

[Simkie]

Not a sure thing in the least, but a Feliway plug in and a pheromone collar sure won’t HURT. That’s pretty textbook “I’m upset at you, so I’m going to pee on stuff” peeing, and the pheromone stuff can help.

Adding cosequin to their food is also cheap and easy and also can’t hurt.

Usual disclaimer: if it continues, get them into the vet for a cysto to check for an infection or other kidney problems

[french_fry]

Is your visitor set up in a place that could in any way be construed as blocking your cats’ access to their litter box or would involve them feeling like she is too close for comfort while they go?

This is a big one with my cats. When I was fostering a dog my one cat virtually stopped peeing and would occasionally go on the bed. I realized that she didn’t feel comfortable enough to make herself vulnerable by using the litter box (even if the dog was crated or out on a walk!) so she’d hold it as long as she could then quickly go on the bed where she could see in all directions to make sure the dog wasn’t near.

[MontysGal]

Thanks guys, looks like others are in the same boat.

FF: that is a very good thought but in this case he went out of his way to find the air mattress, their litter is in another room that he had free range access to. He was definitely determined to pee!

And yes, they actually both had their 3 y/o check up the weekend before, complete with fecals and bloodwork and all is well.

He really is just a… challenge. I will try the Feliway (forgot those existed!) but I’ll do a trial run first. My place is so LITTLE that I’d hate to have them blasted with pheromones with no escape.

Bah - male cats!

[cnvh]

My parents’ neutered male used to pee on the guest bed whenever company would come visit… Their only solution was to keep the guest room door shut at all times. Plus the guest bed now has a waterproof mattress cover on it at all times.

[betsyk]

Absolutely, yes, have been on both ends of this! When I house sit I always keep my stuff in the bathroom with the door closed, or guest room with door closed if that’s an option, because cats like to pee on things that smell like other cats. We keep one room in our house cat-free, so we can have guests who have cats and guests who don’t like cats - either way, it’s a cat free zone and that helps keep the guests happy. I sort of expect that it might happen and try to be proactive. Shutting our cats in a room away from guests works for all but the one who is most likely to spray, because she’s the one who’s most likely to yowl and fuss about the closed door. It’s not just male cats - our female is our worst offender.

[cnvh]

Could be worse… My parents’ current cat was a rescue from the local humane society, very friendly, loved their dogs, and never met a human he didn’t like. About a year after they got him, he started to get more and more attached to my dad, would follow him around the house everywhere, was ALWAYS in his lap whenever my dad was sitting down, etc.

Some time later, they started observing the cat spraying on things around the house, like furniture and bookshelves. They actually SAW him doing it, but oddly there was no smell?? (I can vouch for that; never once did I visit and ever smell cat pee-- and it’s pretty noticeable, especially if you don’t live there or visit very often!) So my mom took him to the vet, who ended up doing almost $1000 in tests and lab work… Cat was pronounced to be completely healthy, no problems. But his marking behaviors continued.

This culminated in one night when my dad (who sleeps shirtless) was in bed, lying on his stomach, and the cat jumped up and walked onto his back. All of a sudden, my dad felt his back getting soaking wet.

The cat had decided to pee all over him. :eek::eek::eek:

That night, the cat got relocated to the barn, and he has not been allowed back into the house since. :lol:

I know they always say to look first at a medical issue, but I really believe some cats are just asshats.

[MontysGal]

[QUOTE=cnvh;8853630]

I know they always say to look first at a medical issue, but I really believe some cats are just asshats.[/QUOTE]

OH MY GOODNESS! I would die - that is hilarious and disgusting. At least you had a barn to relocate the cat to!

[cnvh]

Could be worse… My parents’ current cat was a rescue from the local humane society, very friendly, loved their dogs, and never met a human he didn’t like. About a year after they got him, he started to get more and more attached to my dad, would follow him around the house everywhere, was ALWAYS in his lap whenever my dad was sitting down, etc.

Some time later, they started observing the cat spraying on things around the house, like furniture and bookshelves. They actually SAW him doing it, but oddly there was no smell?? (I can vouch for that; never once did I visit and ever smell cat pee-- and it’s pretty noticeable, especially if you don’t live there or visit very often!) So my mom took him to the vet, who ended up doing almost $1000 in tests and lab work… Cat was pronounced to be completely healthy, no problems. But his marking behaviors continued.

This culminated in one night when my dad (who sleeps shirtless) was in bed, lying on his stomach, and the cat jumped up and walked onto his back. All of a sudden, my dad felt his back getting soaking wet.

The cat had decided to pee all over him. :eek::eek::eek:

That night, the cat got relocated to the barn, and he has not been allowed back into the house since. :lol:

I know they always say to look first at a medical issue, but I really believe some cats are just asshats.