Accepted Answer

Thanks for the detailed info...

 

There are two things that can set this behavior off, well three. I am going to describe all of them, but I am pretty sure this is territorial.

 

First, have her checked for a urinary infection if you haven't already. Lots of the time if a cat that normally is well behaved begins having accidents this is the cause. It is painful for them, and they associate the pain with the litter box, and avoid it. I have a feeling she is just fine, but it is better to be sure.

 

Assuming she gets a clean bill of health, two other triggers that come to mind are stress (caused by anything from new furniture, new roommate or pet, schedule changes, moving the litter box, anything at all that has changed), or she could be marking her territory. I am leaning towards this scenario.

 

Aside from scooping the boxes everyday, there are products on the market to help with this. First, you can use a product called 'good cat' which can be purchased at Petco and is added to their water. It is sort of like a St. Johns Wort for cats. Or you can use a product called Rescue Remedy, which is a tincture you can get at health food stores. These will take a week or two to show their effect.

 

Next, there is a spray called Feliway that is also available in a diffuser, sort of like a plug in air freshener. This emits a pheromone smell that the cat interprets as friendly and in turn she will not feel the need to put her mark everywhere This is probably the most expensive, but also one of the most effective.

 

Lastly, there is a product called Cat Attract, that you add to that cat litter, also very, very effective, and does the trick most of the time. Also, number of litter boxes, you should have at least one box per cat, and one extra if you have the room. Some cats decide they do not like to pee where they poo. They should be in low traffic, semi private areas.

 

Clean all of her marking areas with a product called Nature's Miracle or any other enzymatic cleaner that is made for the purpose of removing urine odors. This will help keep her from being attracted back to those areas. things like bleach, ammonia or conventional carpet cleaners do not work. You may really need to soak the area a few times to be sure the product reached everywhere the urine has. It may not look pretty, but after it dries, you might want to put a plastic sheeting or tarp over the bed when it is not in use to discourage her further.

 

I hope these ideas help you. Your case, I would start with the Feliway, and add the Cat Attract, a really good soaking of the areas with the cleaners and the Good Cat if needed.

 

Give the above a couple of weeks to work. It will take a few more weeks for the hormones responsible for territorial behavior to leave her system since she was spayed only 4 weeks ago. If it does not help, I have another technique that involves a special "vacation" room for her, but I only like to use this as a last resort. Also, another last resort is to ask your vet about a light anti-depressant for her such as amitryptelene. I have had wonderful success with it. This can be so helpful in cases such as this, (mostly if stress related), but it can have side effects so it should only be used if nothing else has worked.

 

I hope this helps!

 

Warmest Wishes,

Reani

Expert:	Reani
Pos. Feedback:	99.8 %
Accepts:
Answered:	8/12/2009

Cat Care Expert

20+ years experience with Cat Care and behavior problems, 3 years Pet Rescue