Question:
My cat is driving me crazy. I have three cats, and the "middle" cat is 3 years old.
About two years ago, she decided that my throw rugs were her personal urinals. She usually targets the ones in the bathroom, but if I remove those, she chooses the one in the kitchen. She still uses the litter box, and she never urinates on anything else in the house.
I love her dearly, but I am getting so tired of having to wash my rugs every week. I clean the litter box every day, I've given her extra attention and treats so she's happy and I've sprayed the rugs with everything under the sun hoping the smells will stop her. Nothing has worked!
I'm at my wit's end, and I don't know what to do with her. I'm afraid if I remove all throw rugs, she'll decide to start urinating on the furniture.
What is causing this bizarre fetish? Can you help me?
N.C., Tulsa, OK Jul 02, 2012
Answer:
Your provisional diagnosis is probably correct -- the texture of your throw rugs is like a fetish for your cat.
Certain materials, the old beanbags of the '70s being a prime example, can trigger a cat's toilet behavior. Other factors may be involved, such as her preferring a cleaner litter box. Try giving her an extra litter box placed on one of the throw rugs. That might help.
Many cats urinate outside of their litter boxes because they suffer from cystitis and bladder stones/calculi. Check this out with your veterinarian. When dealing with what seems like a behavioral/psychological issue, medical causes need to be ruled out first.
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