Came home and discovered our cat had defecated on the carpet in the corner of the room. No big deal, cleaned it up but then discovered somehow the kitty door to
our basement (and her litter box) and gotten partially jammed/locked so all day she couldn't get downstairs! So took care of the door but then a short time later,
discovered our cat had also urinated in the center of the couch!! The cushions absorbed the urine as well as the base of the couch (it was 12 yrs old anyway). We have
no choice but to replace the couch but we are confused as to why the cat chose to urinate on the couch and not the carpet, etc??? Also, as we had to secure the cat in the basement while we cleaned...we are now concerned that if she is let back up in the rest of our home, she will still think she can't use the litter box and will do this again, somewhere else...
Is this a real concern? Also, is it a concern that she chose the couch and not just the carpet?
Thank you.
Comments
It's only a concern if she continues doing it
There is an easy explanation as to why this happened: Your cat couldn't get to the litter box. When she chose the couch, it was most likely because it seemed like the closest thing to a little box. Doesn't sound like a problem since there is an easy explanation. You might want to replace the cat door or fix it so that it can't get jammed again, OR put a litter box upstairs so that she won't get trapped on the other side of a door from it again. One time won't cause a recurring problem, but do take precautions so that it doesn't happen again!
It is possible she may go on the couch again now that it smells like urine, so if I were you I would replace it ASAP, or at least have it cleaned very thoroughly. Deodorizers usually don't work because although they cover up the smell for us, a cat's sense of smell is much stronger than ours, and they can still smell it through the deodorizer.
If you continue having problems with her urinating around the house, especially if she goes in a different place every time, it could be a urinary tract infection, possibly caused by trying to hold it all day. If you see signs of this, be sure to take her into the vet to be checked out and prescribed antibiotics if necessary, and that should take care of the problem.
NHC cat owner problem
My Seymore did the same thing on our couch but for a different reason. We cleaned it thoroughly, he did it again, we cleaned again. I started giving him his cat treats on the couch. Everyday. It worked. Am getting new couches( water damage) hope it still works good luck
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