Neutered male cat suddenly peeing / marking indoors - gah!

[rubybambini]

One of our cats - 3 years old, neutered - has suddenly started peeing or marking indoors. First time was last week, then twice in three days. All over shoes, the pram, the wall, the floor... He's a bonded pair with his brother.

He's got quite a few quirks, eg, he won't drink water from a bowl, it has to be from a plant pot (or some other container) outside, he HATES the local ginger tom (don't know if he's got his balls or not), and he's a frantic evening kneader and dribbler on me.

So.

How do we know if it's pee or scent?

Anyone know what might be causing this, and how to fix it?

More than happy to ship him to the vet, if it might be, for example, an infection.

Currently trying the taking him back to the scene of the crime and sticking his nose in it. And then spraying/ washing the area with a 50:50 of vinegar:water.

Help!

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Sticking his nose in it will make no difference.
Firstly get him checked for a urinary tract infection if clear it maybe behavioural issue then you need to clean up with biological washing powder to remove all scent and look at using Feliway,

[RightsaidFreud]

Could any other local cats (Perhaps this ginger tom) have got in the house? He might be trying to re mark his territory. Our neutered boy will only drink rain water.

[VeganCow]

second th3e feliway plug in.
How many litter trays are in the house? You need at least 2.
Cats stresses and worries come out in peeing, and they are ocd about where they do it, type of litter etc..once you get this right they will not pee where they shouldnt.

[MissFoodie]

there is something up, most probably another cat coming in the house, mine did it incessantly until I found another cat asleep on the sofa one morning.......!
installed microchip cat flap and problem solved, has never done it since

[rubybambini]

Hello - here's an update. We took him to the vet last Saturday, who asked lots of questions about his peeing habits, health in general.

Critically, he asked where the er, fluid, was - and it was up the wall, to skirting board height. He gave us the option of testing him for bacterial or other infections, but his hunch was that it was the other cat, therefore, a territory thing. He also mentioned about having two litter trays - so we'll get another, tho they both largely pee outside (about four times a day - I didn't know that).

And by glorious chance, I'm working from home today, and just heard the cat-flap go - it was the ginger cat trying to get in, so I expect he's been doing that whilst we've been out at work. I shooed him off. But that for me confirms the cause, and effect.

Thanks all - gained some good tips all round.

[MissFoodie]

peeing vertically up a wall (ie squirting) is marking territory, when they pee they squat (am v experienced), you need a cleaner with enzymes to get rid of smell, if you still smell it and can't find the stain, get a uv lamp from amazon as it shows it up in the dark, it's amazing!

and btw if you decide to get a microchip flap DO NOT get the petporte, get the sureflap (my intruders broke the petporte twice, and the replacement petporte!)

[Fluffycloudland77]

We used to frequently find other cats in our house when I was young.

Now we own the cat who does the intruding.

Mines started weeing on the bathmat, no reason he just like weeing on fluffy things.

[MissFoodie]

aaaaw :)

[rubybambini]

Came home today to find the ginger cat inside our house. Our two cats were on the other side of the cat-flap, yowling, fluffed up to the size of Wales. Oh dear. We'll investigate more secure cat-flaps over the weekend...

[MissFoodie]

oh no :(
sureflap is def worth the investment, have actually seen intruders headbutting it trying to get in, and it really does not open :)

[Fluffycloudland77]

Our cat used to wait for next door to go out before going into their house like he owned the place.

Sneaky.

[rubybambini]

I thought I'd give you an update, whilst I wait for DD to wake up.

Feliway is plugged in, in a sensible place and has been puffing out its facial pheronomes for nearly a month.

We've installed the Sureflap (which is brilliant, way better than the old one, tho I find the in/out dial a bit clonky to use).

DC (Darling Cat) has probably marked about 6 times in the last month - by his cat flap, the back door, the front door, and by a front downstairs windowsill - ie, exactly where the other cat wanders.

He has a new nemesis - a new black and white cat in the area - and he's going potty about that one now in addition to the ginger tom. We're planning to go back to the vet, just in case, but given where he's marked and the relative irregularity of it (ie, usually after we've all seen one of the trespassing cats), it does seem like it's territorial. Sigh.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

It seems like he's still feeling threatened, that he's peeing by the doors etc. Wonder if he is fighting the cats outside, or if he just feels like his territory (the garden etc) has been encroached.

My cat is older, he's 10 now. I would not even have said that he was a particularly territorial cat - whilst he has free reign to come in and out, he's always preferred in, in the warm, with his people. Unlike his brother who likes to grub around outside hunting. But this year, 2 new young cats (neutered) have moved into the street and it's as if my cat has been 'beaten'. For a few months he seemed really forlorn, stressed if he saw movement, marked a couple of times... He wasn't ill or anything, and in the end, we put it down to him no longer being Top Cat in the street. I think we didn't appreciate quite how territorial he was, or how far he thought his territory extended.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Mine has a special hatred for black and white ones. Do they fight? ours has calmed right down now he has had many fights with the other cats around here, who had the nerve to be here before he was.

He totally had the crap beaten out of him but is less cross with the black and white cat.

I've told him the black and white one justs wants it more.

[rubybambini]

I'm not sure if he's ever fought - but he would, given the chance, he's feisty. I found him nose to nose with the ginger tom many months ago - upstairs in our loft.

The difference between him and his brother is fascinating really - the other one is on sheds, walking along fences, 20ft up trees five, six gardens away...whilst this one never really shifts from our garden or the one immediately to the right (tho it's reasonably sizeable for a city garden, so perhaps it's enough for him...also as an ex house cat).

And DP remembered that his friend in the US is an animal behaviouralist - he got in touch, and the advice is the same - get him tested for any medical problems, if they're ruled out see what other treatment is available, including anti-anxiety drugs.

So, we'll try another couple of weeks with the Feliway / new cat flap combo...

[Pinot]

Sigh.

I feel your pain!

My boy cat does this.