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Conference misery::feline

Title:Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:purrrrr...
Moderator:JULIET::CORDES_JA
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1079
Total number of notes:28858

955.0. "Urinating in her bed..." by KOLFAX::VASKAS (Mary Vaskas) Tue Nov 28 1995 12:34

I just don't get this.

Molly, our 2-year old, has had next to no problems with urinating outside her 
litter box (she's an indoor cat) -- until just now.

She just got a new cat bad, one of those foam rubber ovals with little
walls, with a cloth covering, "shag fur" in the center area.  She
loved it -- in and out of it all afternoon when we gave it to her, and
she slept in it quietly all night (without her usual nocturnal adventures
around the house).  And then in the morning, she wet it.

Well, we washed the cover in the machine, rinsed the foam rubber out with
water and vinegar, wrapped the foam rubber in plastic (to hide the smell
and to keep it dry in case of another accident), and gave it back to her
last night.  

Again, she loved it (after she got used to the new "crinkly" sound from
the plastic layer), slept in it all night, appeared in bed for her
early morning snuggle, played a game, had some water, went back into her
bed and wet it!!

She hadn't used the litter box at all in the 24 hours before, but I'd
tried to remind her of its presence (made box-cleaning noises, which often
seems to "remind" her to go, etc.), but she just came to it, sniffed, and
left.

Any ideas??  (The only other times she had problems were on favorite
rug sleeping places, but that was a year ago.  Since then her favorite
sleeping place was on a paper bag, but she seems to like this bed more
than the bag.)

	Thanks for any thoughts!

		MKV

T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
955.1a few ideasHELIX::SKALTSISDebTue Nov 28 1995 13:0613
    A couple of things. Has she been checked for any physical problems?
    
    This could be marking behavior; Are there any other cats in the
    household, or any in the neighborhood that she is noticing in "her"
    yard?
    
    Finally, there are some cats that just can't resist urinating on foam;
    usually they hit the rubber backed scatter rugs (the urethane has an
    ammonia smell, which sort of attracts them to the spot).
    
    good luck,
    Deb
    
955.2PADC::KOLLINGKarenTue Nov 28 1995 13:089
    Toss out the new bed.  Some foam rubber products smell
    like urine to cats, and so will cause them to think it's
    okay to "go there again."  Also, shag fur, shag rugs, are
    notorious pee attractants, who knows why, probably the
    texture.  The shape may be suspect also.  I bought one of
    those oval tracks with a ball that goes around inside, and
    Holly took one look at it, said "Something shaped like a
    litter box, more or less", hopped into it and peed.  Sigh.
          
955.3KOLFAX::VASKASMary VaskasTue Nov 28 1995 13:124
Thanks, folks.  Bummer!

	MKV

955.4TOOK::GASKELLThu Nov 30 1995 13:597
    I don't know about cats (although with 7 I should) but petro chemicals
    can be the cause of allergies and some allergies can cause incontinence 
    in humans, and my guess in cats also.  I know my cat's don't like it
    when I wash the sheets, that I cover the sofa with, in cheap washing
    powder from Costco's.  They sneeze a lot, and so do I.
    
    Just a thought
955.5Update...KOLFAX::VASKASMary VaskasThu Nov 30 1995 14:1619
Well, I couldn't bear to give it up yet, since she likes it so much (and
since it apparently encourages her not to wake up Mom during the night),
so last night I put a section of paper bag in the bed (to reduce the
shag carpet appeal, and since she's been sleeping on her favorite paper
bags without incident so long), having re-enclosed the foam part in plastic to
reduce any smells -- and, probably more critical, removed the bed in
the morning before she could jump back in at her usual litter box time,
and so far so good!

I got to sleep through the night (with the exception of when she
had to adjust the paper bag flooring), she got her cozy bed, and everyone
was happy (until she couldn't find the bed to go back into when I left
for the gym).

Maybe after a little while of this we'll even be able to leave it out!

	Thanks again for all the  information!

		MKV
955.6 Maybe some helpBIS1::AMANDELSFri Dec 01 1995 08:048
    I had the same problem with Prutsemuts about a year ago, the diffirence
    was that she prefered the coach  to her litter.  After advice I washed 
    het litter box with bleaching water, a smell she loves and sprinkled the
    coach with a "eau de cologne". It kept her away of the coach until now.
    
    Good luck,
    
    krist 
955.7 Coach versus CouchBIS1::AMANDELSFri Dec 01 1995 08:157
    
    hi, me again.
    
    My English is getting BAAAAAAD!!!! I ment couch instead of coach of
    course
    
    krista
955.8Jean nate = kitty offGRANPA::JBOBBJanet Bobb dtn:339-5755Sun Dec 03 1995 21:016
    I once heard (probably in this conference in some earlier version) that
    cats don't like the smell of Jean Nate (sp?) perfume. Can't say I blame
    them, but that might be a fragrance to try as "kitty off" -- that's if
    it's still sold.
    
    janetb.
955.9DECWIN::JUDYThat's *Ms. Bitch* to you!Mon Dec 04 1995 09:545
    
    
    	It's still sold.  I buy some for my grandmother every year
    	for Christmas.  =)
    
955.10PADC::KOLLINGKarenMon Dec 04 1995 11:012
    I heard that it repelled both cats and humans :-)