My cats are urinating at the front door

by Mist
(Scotland)

Hi, We have 2 cats, 1 male and 1 female. We have had them all their lives (6 and a half years) and ever since we got them they have never sprayed or urinated anywhere...

We moved 2 months ago into our new home. Since we have been here, a cat, I think it's a tom, has been hanging around and my male cat has peed once, but my female cat keeps doing it.

They do not urinate anywhere else in the house apart from the front door. They are also house cats and always have been. We are at our wit's end and don't know how to stop her from doing this.

They have 2 cat litter trays and they still use them, although their urine is a lot stronger. Before we moved here we stayed in homeless and moved about a lot. This I'm happy to say is our forever home for all. Any help or advice will be gladly received. Thank you very much in advance.

My thoughts: I'm sorry to hear that your cats are having trouble, Mist. I'm assuming that both cats have been vet checked and are healthy, and that your assessment is correct... that this is in response to the intruder outside.

If so, then I would approach this from three angles. First, set up a deterrent so that the intruder no longer comes around.

Second, reduce the stress on your cats as much as possible and help them gain confidence. Third, find and remove all evidence of the urine, both inside and outside the house.

How to prevent the tom cat from coming around...

There are cat deterrent products and devices, although I'm not sure what's available where you live. For example, Shake Away uses coyote and fox urine, and Liquid Fence uses plant oils.

There is a product in the UK that has been sold on and off called "Silent Roar" which is made from lion manure. There are plants that are said to keep cats away as well, such as Coleus canina.

All of these have various levels of effectiveness, with some people claiming they're a waste of money and others who are happy customers.

One of the most effective, according to feedback, is a motion activated sprinkler device from Contech called the Scarecrow.

There are also a similar products but instead of water, they use ultrasonic frequency to startle and annoy the cat when it comes near. The PestAway Ultrasonic Outdoor Cat Repeller works like this.

Reducing stress...

Increased exercise, more grooming, and special treat times each day can all help to relieve a little stress in your cat, as long as everything is in moderation. Providing high places (tall cat trees work well) and hiding spots around the house can help.

In extreme cases, medication can help and many people have reported success. I think we'd all like to keep our kitties off of Prozac, however, if possible. There are other products that may work without being so extreme.

Jackson Galaxy has a line of herbal solutions, including his Stress Stopper. There's Feliway, and there's the old stand-by, Rescue Remedy.

Finding and removing the urine...

If you don't completely remove the urine odor, a cat will be attracted back to the spot again and again. That's good when it's a litter box, not so good when it's the outside of your house or worse, the inside.

I would get a black light and an odor remover, and go to town on all the spots you find both inside and outside the house.

I hope that helps and please let us know what happens.

Kurt

P.S. I'm glad to hear that you've all found your forever home.