still peeing!

[Brigitte Cowell]

Yes, I think you can see behaviors like the peeing on the nubblies...you need to break their habit and they want to continue with it! It will take months but hopefully you can eventually be plastic free on your sofa again! I would retreat with the Anti-Icky Poo... most behaviorists I have dealt with recommend enzyme cleaners for cats.

Clear litterboxes are usually tote boxes adapted for use with cats, when you said you had "giant" litterboxes so I assumed they were tote boxes, sorry! I've used what the store labels as "jumbo" litterboxes and they are still smaller than a tote box...but I was thinking more of high sides that might prevent a cat from seeing all around...and as that is not the case, this is probably not a factor!

 

[Patti]

As for the litter boxes, it sounds like they are big enough, they should also be uncovered so the cats can look out, especially if they are not clear. However, since you say that Sabrina uses all the boxes as well as the furniture I'm not convinced it is a litterbox avoidance issue.

I don't know what the professional cleaners use to clean the couch, but I would make sure the final ingredient included Anti Icky Poo or other enzyme cleaner. Also not sure what you mean by a runner, are you using a scat mat? If not, that's a consideration, as well as the ssscat spray deterrents. Be warned though, I have had cats both sit on the scat mats getting shocked, and sit in front of the ssscat cans waving their paws to make them go off - this is NOT the norm, but is a remotely possible reaction from either Sabrina or your DSH.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Opera...e=UTF8&qid=1400739054&sr=1-1&keywords=scatmat

http://www.amazon.com/Ssscat-PDT00-...ie=UTF8&qid=1400739089&sr=1-1&keywords=ssscat

 

[barbja]

None of our boxes are covered. Here is the ginormous litter box that we use:
http://www.petco.com/product/109545/Petmate-Giant-Litter-Pan.aspx

Here is the giant one (the largest size):
http://www.petsmart.com/cat/litter-...6-catid-200094?var_id=36-6670&_t=pfm=category

I've tried the scat mat. I have a large one. I initially tried it on the bed in her room. What it made her do is run out and pee on the area rug in the living room which had never been peed on before. I took the scat mat off the bed, I treated the rug and she left it alone. I also tried it on one of the chairs that she had previously been peeing on. Then again she hopped off and peed on the rug. After three incidents on the rug, it was treated and sent off to the cleaners (they do a really good job but expensive and they still have it). The pad however was toast. I would treat it and she'd just pick another spot. So for Sabrina, a scat mat is "go find something else I shouldn't pee on right now" mat. When I took it off the chair the last time, I laid it on the floor turned off. When I came back from work the next day, she had peed on it!

This was all done before I had the behaviorist come in. Putting in much larger litter boxes in her room solved the peeing on the bed issue immediately and completely. So we know what caused that. If I only could only figure out what is causing the issue with the living room.

Ruining the rug and learning how to open the back door were the last straws and when I finally brought in the behaviorist. (Yes, I should have changed the back door lever to a knob as soon as she started opening the other levers, but did I do it? Noooo. The humans were supposed to lock it. That didn't work out so well.) I know that she couldn't do anything about her learning to do things. I like it when she learns to do things. But peeing on stuff plus running her down for 30 mins outside made me angry.

 

[barbja]

Oh, I got the web cam working last night. Someone peed on one chair twice (a puppy pad) and the other one once (no puppy pad so I had to wash the quilt). I went to watch the recording and it had disconnected at 10:30pm. Shoot!

Anyway, I know it was Sabrina the SV because I had accidentally shut my DSH Jasmine in my office last night. Who then peed in my office. My fault but, Man!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Maybe try a Feliway diffuser in the living room? If it seems to be a general location maybe the calming pheromones in there will help?

 

[barbja]

Maybe try a Feliway diffuser in the living room? If it seems to be a general location maybe the calming pheromones in there will help?

We have one in there. Don't know if its working on them, but I can smell it. I don't think its calming me.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Which one is it? The Feliway or the Sentry one that smells like lavender?

There's also the Feliway spray that maybe spraying the sofa AFTER the enzyme treatment might have some effect?

 

[barbja]

Its a Comfort Zone with Feliway Diffuser
http://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Zone-...d=1400785512&sr=1-2&keywords=feliway+diffuser

I didn't think about spraying feliway directly on the furniture. I would have expected it to attract them. Does it make them chill instead and not want to pee where it is?

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Feliway offers two products, the diffuser and the spray. The spray is supposed to make them think the item sprayed is a happy thing, hence NOT something to be marked... they'd hardly market a product that made cats want to pee where it was sprayed! LOL! Without it being clearly marked for litterbox use ONLY ;-)

 

[Pam Flachs]

I still think the size of your litterboxes, though labeled "large", may not be an adequate size for your girl. This is what I use. As inexpensive as they are, one or two might be worth a try for your girl. Some cats seem to prefer the clear totes, while others are happy using the colored ones.

http://www.target.com/p/sterilite-u...um_1_13&tempterm=Sterilite+Storage+Containers

http://www.target.com/p/sterilite-7...ium_4_1&tempterm=Sterilite+Storage+Containers