Training Cats

[shanley]

I have 3 house cats who use a litter tray in the garage. I have never had any problems with them until I moved at the end of last year, since then, two of them wee in the corner of my kitchen and by my front door on my wooden floor. I have sprayed "get off" in these places but still don't seem able to stop them doing it, can anyone offer any advice?

[Wisebird]

Two of my cats happily use their litter trays and never go anywhere else. However, my blind cat hates weeing in the trays. Once they find somewhere else, it is really difficult to stop them using that place again. It's a real problem. I have tried spraying him with a plant spray when he's about to perform, which deters him at that time and then he goes back again. Try putting a litter tray in the place he is using. That can often work. Then you can slowly move it to where you want him to go. I now put my cat outside on the shingle when I get up in the morning, take him out again during the day on several occasions and then last thing at night. Believe it or not, he now wees to order and then I take him inside again! Better than puddles indoors!

[PurplePixie]

I have 2 different things to try...both have worked for me in different situations. First...you put a large litter tray in the place where they are weeing (so at least it's contained & controllable) then when they are used to using the box again you then move it to a more suitable place. Second...this one has also worked a few times. Put several bowls of food all around the area that the cats are peeing on, and magically they will not pee on their own food, so it sort of re-trains them to not regard the area as a loo. I've just thought of another thing! As the problems started when you moved, I know owners of stressed cats have used infusers called Feliway to fill the house with feline pheromones which help to calm a tense environment(get this from the Vets) Good luck...tiddling cats are no fun.

[shanley]

Thanks for all those answers, firstly I will try putting a litter tray there for a while, if that doesn't work once I move it away I will try with the food bowls, I never thought of that. Many thanks for your advice everybody.

[catlady]

Obviously they are distressed about something. Weeing is a territorial marker. There may be other cats in the neighbourhood who are marking, and your cats are frantically marking what they consider their area in an attempt to prevent the strangers from encroaching into this 'safe' space which is all they feel they have that is theirs to protect. Pam Johnson who is an expert on cat behavioural problems has written two superb books which are available on Amazon. Psycho Kitty and Twisted Whiskers. Cannot recommend them enough. Catlady.