Animal Welfare Professionals

Does anyone have any thoughts about a cat that has started to urinate and defecate  on laundry?  The only thing that we know is the cat's owner is pregnant at 34 weeks. Will that cause this type of behavior?  And if so, what do you do?

#Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment

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Robin Tant
Owner/Director
Paws and All Feline Rescue
NC
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I would ask if they have other cats/animals in the home, how many litterboxes they have (# cats + 1 extra), how often they are cleaning the litterbox, if they switched litter types recently,  if the litter is scented or unscented, if the cat is fixed, where the litterboxes are in the home and if they are covered or uncovered (many cats like to be able to see around them while peeing so covered litterboxes don't work, if their litter box is uncovered I would suggest adding a covered one as well), if the owner has started changing things in the house to prepare for their baby that could also lead to stress and peeing outside of the litterbox. I would also suggest if they haven't tried it already, there are some citrus sprays that you can spray where they've been urinating and that could deter it as well.

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Laurel Nelson
Cat Welfare Supervisor
Nebraska Humane Society
NE
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Thank you!  She ended up taking the cover off of the box and so far, so good. 

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Robin Tant
Owner/Director
Paws and All Feline Rescue
NC
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-10-2024 11:32 AM
From: Laurel Nelson
Subject: Cat's new bahavior

I would ask if they have other cats/animals in the home, how many litterboxes they have (# cats + 1 extra), how often they are cleaning the litterbox, if they switched litter types recently,  if the litter is scented or unscented, if the cat is fixed, where the litterboxes are in the home and if they are covered or uncovered (many cats like to be able to see around them while peeing so covered litterboxes don't work, if their litter box is uncovered I would suggest adding a covered one as well), if the owner has started changing things in the house to prepare for their baby that could also lead to stress and peeing outside of the litterbox. I would also suggest if they haven't tried it already, there are some citrus sprays that you can spray where they've been urinating and that could deter it as well.

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Laurel Nelson
Cat Welfare Supervisor
Nebraska Humane Society
NE
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I would also refer to Pam Bennet Johnson's books the  discuss how to prepare and acclimate your cat BEFORE the  arrival of a newborn.   As already mentioned, ANYTHING new going on in the home can cause stress.   It's critical that areas that have been soiled be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner (e.g. , Natures Miracle).   You can also use sprays that contain synthetic feline (friendly) pheromones right near the spots where they have been soiling (Comfort Zone spray with Feliway).  Note,  that the enzymatic cleaners can degrade  the feline pheromones so you can spray near the spots you have cleaned but not right on the spots that have been treated.   Glad to hear that uncovering the litter box has helped; that's a good sign.   However, there are more things to consider to help the cat adjust with the upcoming new addition to the family.   Once the baby arrives it is also important to keep the cat's pre-baby routine the same as much as possible.   Interactive play is a good way to reduce stress for cats and would be useful here at least twice a day if not more.  

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Judith Figlo
Volunteer, Manager Cat Care & Adoptions
Jackson Day Foundation
UT
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Thank you!

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Robin Tant
Owner/Director
Paws and All Feline Rescue
NC
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-12-2024 05:20 PM
From: Judith Figlo
Subject: Cat's new bahavior

I would also refer to Pam Bennet Johnson's books the  discuss how to prepare and acclimate your cat BEFORE the  arrival of a newborn.   As already mentioned, ANYTHING new going on in the home can cause stress.   It's critical that areas that have been soiled be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner (e.g. , Natures Miracle).   You can also use sprays that contain synthetic feline (friendly) pheromones right near the spots where they have been soiling (Comfort Zone spray with Feliway).  Note,  that the enzymatic cleaners can degrade  the feline pheromones so you can spray near the spots you have cleaned but not right on the spots that have been treated.   Glad to hear that uncovering the litter box has helped; that's a good sign.   However, there are more things to consider to help the cat adjust with the upcoming new addition to the family.   Once the baby arrives it is also important to keep the cat's pre-baby routine the same as much as possible.   Interactive play is a good way to reduce stress for cats and would be useful here at least twice a day if not more.  

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Judith Figlo
Volunteer, Manager Cat Care & Adoptions
Jackson Day Foundation
UT
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It's possible the cat is stressed by changes due to the pregnancy. Try providing more litter boxes, keeping them clean, and using calming sprays. If the behavior continues, consult a vet to rule out any medical issues. Also for meds check a  Pet Prescription Without Vet wesite. Congratulations on the upcoming baby!

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Anna Watts
UI/UX designer
TeamLab
LA
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Stress is often a cause of irregular urination.

Something else to look into is Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (Feline Interstitial Cystitis) can be common as the weather/temperature changes. This can affect how much a cat is drinking, which in turn affects their urinary health, which can cause them more stress. It can be a whole cycle which can lead to more serious health issues. Increasing the cat's hydration through wet food and additives such as c/d food or HydraCare which encourage them to drink more can be a great place to start.

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Riley Bailey
Spay & Neuter Clinic Manger
Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter
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