Cat trouble

Lucuma

We have 2 neutered tom cats. One is 10 months old and the other is 6 months old. They have the run of the house but are shut into the utility overnight. They have a large litter tray in there with a swinging door. Recently the older fella the 10mo has started p!ssing and sh!tting around the house, much to my dismay as you can imagine! He has 2 spots in particular one in the kitchen one in the study where he returns to. Anyone know why this is? I'm guessing it's to do with Tom cats not liking to toilet where the smell of another cat is? Even though they're both neutered. If I put a second litter tray how can I stop the younger cat from using it as well though?
Also I really struggle with the litter tray and the smell (at least thank god it's confined to 1 room of the house) and not sure I can face the though of having to clear out 2 of them or more :eek:
Does this issue occur with female cats as well out of curiosity?

Alun

2 cats and only one litter tray? Asking for trouble. The rule of thumb is (number of cats x 2) +1, so for two cats you should have 3 litter trays. Male / female doesn't make any difference in my experience.

Graces7

Alun wrote: »

2 cats and only one litter tray? Asking for trouble. The rule of thumb is (number of cats x 2) +1, so for two cats you should have 3 litter trays. Male / female doesn't make any difference in my experience.

Mine share one tray. They always have done. Three of mine use the one tray. In previous houses with different cats that has always applied also.

How long have you had the cats? Do they have outside access? Males can be more territorial than females. which is maybe what this is about.

By all means try extra trays to see if it helps

mymo

I find at least 2 litter trays, also clean often and the type of litter affects the smell, I use wood pellet litter, if scooped regularly it doesn't smell, it turns to sawdust when wet.
I wash trays with washing powder and warm water, rinse well.
Are your cats indoor only?

Alun

When we had two cats we had 3 litter trays. One cat would use one for both number ones and twos, the other had separate trays for each. When we only had one, same thing, two trays, separate ones for number ones and twos.

Graces7

Different ways for different households... Which is fine; there is never any one way etc.

Just what works for you. My place is too tiny for multiple trays also.

I have always had one tray however many cats; never a problem in any way. Mine use outdoors sometimes but then I am in an unusual place; very remote and no neighbours etc,

Happy cats. Been doing this over 40 years. Using turf ash currently. Later soil.

I would see the OPs problem as territorial with a young cat, rather than what trays there are. He has chosen HIS places where HE belongs. I have sometimes moved the tray to such a place, for that reason.

Lucuma

They are indoor only cats. The fella that has started p!ssing and sh!tting in different places in the house HATES outdoors with a passion. He would be perfectly happy if he never ever went outdoors for the rest of his life.
I have introduced a 2nd litter tray. So fingers crossed it works if it doesn't I'll try 3, sob!

Alun

Is there a possibility that the cat that hates going outdoors and pisses indoors may be being hassled / bullied by another cat.

Lucuma

Alun wrote: »

Is there a possibility that the cat that hates going outdoors and pisses indoors may be being hassled / bullied by another cat.

They are both indoor cats.
They have been sharing a litter tray but 1 fella has started having an aversion to the litter tray and going in various spots in the house (he has a couple of favourite spots) I'm trying to get him back using the/a litter tray again

Alun

There's a TV program called My Cat from Hell where they sort out these kinds of problems and there have been a couple of instances of primarily indoor cats being really spooked by just being able to see other cats out of the window. Is there a cat flap? If so is there a chance other cats might be getting in unnoticed? Cats will pee to assert their territory if they feel it's being threatened by others.

Also litter box avoidance can have medical causes. If it hurts for whatever reason when they pee in their box, they can associate the box with pain, and go elsewhere instead.

Graces7

Alun wrote: »

There's a TV program called My Cat from Hell where they sort out these kinds of problems and there have been a couple of instances of primarily indoor cats being really spooked by just being able to see other cats out of the window. Is there a cat flap? If so is there a chance other cats might be getting in unnoticed? Cats will pee to assert their territory if they feel it's being threatened by others.

Also litter box avoidance can have medical causes. If it hurts for whatever reason when they pee in their box, they can associate the box with pain, and go elsewhere instead.

I have seen this eg with a cat who had kidney problems and it alerted me. She used to go always to the same corner to pee way away from the tray.

OP how long have you had the cats? Is the problem one a newcomer or vice versa? Cats can resent a newcomer bitterly. And this kind of behaviour is possibly territorial. Try a tray where he offends most?

Alun

Yes, a quick visit to the vet would be advisable just to rule out the possibility of any medical causes.

Lucuma

Graces7 wrote: »

I have seen this eg with a cat who had kidney problems and it alerted me. She used to go always to the same corner to pee way away from the tray.

OP how long have you had the cats? Is the problem one a newcomer or vice versa? Cats can resent a newcomer bitterly. And this kind of behaviour is possibly territorial. Try a tray where he offends most?

We don't have a cat flap.

We got both the cats within a week of each other, 5 months ago. They get on very well. They're both neutered male kittens, one about 4 months older than the other. They sleep curled up together.

I do think it was because he didn't want to share a litter tray, coz since I introduced the 2nd litter tray he hasn't gone anywhere in the house he's using the litter tray

Alun

Lucuma wrote: »

I do think it was because he didn't want to share a litter tray, coz since I introduced the 2nd litter tray he hasn't gone anywhere in the house he's using the litter tray

Good to hear!

Graces7

Lucuma wrote: »

We don't have a cat flap.

We got both the cats within a week of each other, 5 months ago. They get on very well. They're both neutered male kittens, one about 4 months older than the other. They sleep curled up together.

I do think it was because he didn't want to share a litter tray, coz since I introduced the 2nd litter tray he hasn't gone anywhere in the house he's using the litter tray

Ah that is grand. Problem neatly solved.

Graces7

Looking at the time frame, I would think it indicates he has finally fully settled in with you and is setting and claiming and marking HIS terrain in the inimitable way cats do

Reminds me of the day a breeder delivered to my home a young Siamese queen of great character! As soon as he had left, she leaped onto the kitchen counter, glared at me and did a huge whoopsie, never taking her eyes off me or blinking. Put me in my place she did. Everything has a use in the cat world, including pees ad poohs to get a point over to us humans

Lucuma

Just to give an update. Have 2 cats and 2 litter trays and that works grand. However the same young offender as in the original post Rocky - everytime I'm lazy cleaning out the litter tray and leave it go a few days he will pee somewhere in the house.
He's actually a crystal clear communicator I've realised. Litter tray not up to his standards, he will find somewhere else in the house to pee
He has stopped poohing anywhere other than the litter tray though which is great.
I usually scoop every day and in order to meet his standards, the litter in at least one of the trays needs to be changed every 3 or 4 days. I do think it's the tom cat's p!ss smell that puts him off (even though he's a neutered tom cat lol)

In terms of where in the house he'll pee. He has favourite substrates. He was going on these old leather sofas I inherited from my MIL but if I leave cushions on them and sprinkle pepper on them he won't go there.

He has now moved onto anything with a rustly kind of texture. So like a picnic blanket, a play tunnel for the kids, a pop up tent that sort of surface. He also likes peeing on the black refuse bags of clothes I'd have put aside to bring to donation. I have had to be militant to keep that sort of stuff up away from gound level where he can get to it.

A very fussy cat about his litter tray!!