How to modify cat (new) bad habits?

We have 4 cats in our household. The oldest, a 3 year old male (the
other 3 are female), just recently (about 1 month ago), started using
our bathtub as his potty area. We keep 3 separate cat litters very
clean (he's done this within hours after cleaning). We've tried a few
different types of cat litter. We've tried scrubbing the tub and even
bleaching it to leave a bad smell that hopefully would have the cat not
be interested in being there, but no help.

We've never had any trouble with him before, and he doesn't do this
every time, but I'd guess half the time. Does anyone have any ideas or
tricks to get him to use the cat litter again? Thanks.

Gwonka

Take him to the vet. He probably has an infection and he is trying to
tell you about it.

gwonka wrote:
We have 4 cats in our household. The oldest, a 3 year old male (the
other 3 are female), just recently (about 1 month ago), started using
our bathtub as his potty area. We keep 3 separate cat litters very
clean (he's done this within hours after cleaning). We've tried a few
different types of cat litter. We've tried scrubbing the tub and even
bleaching it to leave a bad smell that hopefully would have the cat not
be interested in being there, but no help.

We've never had any trouble with him before, and he doesn't do this
every time, but I'd guess half the time. Does anyone have any ideas or
tricks to get him to use the cat litter again? Thanks.

Gwonka

Try the vet first and if this doesn't result in a conclusive finding
then one book that I read sad ever cat should have their own litter
box. And also that some times if on places plastic film over where
they are frequenting some time the sound that it makes will make them
stop.
gwonka wrote:
We have 4 cats in our household. The oldest, a 3 year old male (the
other 3 are female), just recently (about 1 month ago), started using
our bathtub as his potty area. We keep 3 separate cat litters very
clean (he's done this within hours after cleaning). We've tried a few
different types of cat litter. We've tried scrubbing the tub and even
bleaching it to leave a bad smell that hopefully would have the cat not
be interested in being there, but no help.

We've never had any trouble with him before, and he doesn't do this
every time, but I'd guess half the time. Does anyone have any ideas or
tricks to get him to use the cat litter again? Thanks.

Gwonka

"gwonka" wrote in message
oups.com...
We have 4 cats in our household. The oldest, a 3 year old male (the
other 3 are female), just recently (about 1 month ago), started using
our bathtub as his potty area. We keep 3 separate cat litters very
clean (he's done this within hours after cleaning). We've tried a few
different types of cat litter. We've tried scrubbing the tub and even
bleaching it to leave a bad smell that hopefully would have the cat not
be interested in being there, but no help.

We've never had any trouble with him before, and he doesn't do this
every time, but I'd guess half the time. Does anyone have any ideas or
tricks to get him to use the cat litter again? Thanks.

Gwonka.

Cats sometimes pee in the bath and smooth surfaces if they have FLUID as
it soothes the pain so you need to take him to the vet.
Don't wash the bath with bleach as it attracts him back. Try a cleaner
that smells of citrus.
Something might be putting him off from using the litter tray. Does he
get on ok with the other cats?
Alison

gwonka wrote:
We have 4 cats in our household. The oldest, a 3 year old male (the
other 3 are female), just recently (about 1 month ago), started using
our bathtub as his potty area. We keep 3 separate cat litters very
clean (he's done this within hours after cleaning). We've tried a few
different types of cat litter. We've tried scrubbing the tub and even
bleaching it to leave a bad smell that hopefully would have the cat not
be interested in being there, but no help.

We've never had any trouble with him before, and he doesn't do this
every time, but I'd guess half the time. Does anyone have any ideas or
tricks to get him to use the cat litter again? Thanks.

Gwonka

I agree with everyone in saying that a vet check is in order to rule
out urinary problems. I have heard that putting a little water in the
tub (an inch or so) will keep them away. However, if your cat likes
water it may attract him instead.

Rene

gwonka wrote:

We've never had any trouble with him before, and he doesn't do this
every time, but I'd guess half the time. Does anyone have any ideas or
tricks to get him to use the cat litter again? Thanks.


I would start with the vet trip to rule out medical poblems. Try adding
another litter box. Some cats are good about sharing. But if you are
having problems, it is best to have at least one more box than cats/.
You might also try different litters in each box to see if there is a
preference.

Has anything changed recently? Stress in the house? Stress with kitty
relationships? New cat? Old cat gone? Any injuries? Declaw? You need to
figure out if this is a mental thing (stress, preference, etc) or a
physical thing (hurts to pee, kitty litter hurts paws, can't get into
box, etc).

Also, I would personally not mess with the tub. If you stop him from
using the tub, but the problem still exists, he will just choose
another spot. The tub is easy to clean out, easy to spot, so you might
as well keep the mistakes there. Much better than finding it in your
clothes hamper, on the bed, etc.

Obviously what everyone else said. Take him to the vet first to rule
out a urinary infection. If that's not it, then it's probably a
combination of some disturbance in his life and force of habit.
Litterbox disarry (if there's nothing actually wrong with the
litterbox) can often indicate either some conflict w/the other cats
(which could possibly be happening out of your eyesight) or some
unhappiness with living conditions. (Have you changed anything
recently? Food? Furniture? Schedule? Giving him less attention?) Any of
these things can set them off, as they are major creatures of habit.
And once he starts peeing there, that same habitual thing will
encourage him to keep on doing it.

Some things you could try. Isolate him for a day with food and a brand
new shiny litterbox just for him. Make sure he cannot get to the tub
from this place (i.e not the bathroom). Make sure to spend some time
cuddling him and paying attention to him so he doesn't feel too abused.
Sooner or later he'll use the new box and that will break the force of
habit
a bit. Put the new box (just for a while) fairly close to the bathroom,
so it will be in his eyesight if he starts heading there. If you can,
shut the door to the bathroom - at least some of the time so it isn't
available. He may well take terrritorial possession of the new box and
that's what you want. If it becomes "his box" - that's perfect. Once
he's using it regularly, you can either phase out one of your old boxes
or just move this one to another spot.

There's some stuff to try and do make it clear to him that you don't
like him using the tub.
When one of mine was messing up her box, I made a big fuss of cleaning
up the sand she spilled and placing it all back in the box. She watched
me very seriously making sounds of despair and un-doing everything
she'd done for a few days and then she pretty much stopped. Kitty may
not understand it's a problem ....

Good luck!
gwonka wrote:
We have 4 cats in our household. The oldest, a 3 year old male (the
other 3 are female), just recently (about 1 month ago), started using
our bathtub as his potty area. We keep 3 separate cat litters very
clean (he's done this within hours after cleaning). We've tried a few
different types of cat litter. We've tried scrubbing the tub and even
bleaching it to leave a bad smell that hopefully would have the cat not
be interested in being there, but no help.

We've never had any trouble with him before, and he doesn't do this
every time, but I'd guess half the time. Does anyone have any ideas or
tricks to get him to use the cat litter again? Thanks.

Gwonka