The Source of the Smell....

Yes, I know my cats are adorable.  And I am not biased.  Really... But something had to be done about that large cat that kept peeing all over the house.  If I didn't stop his marking, my husband was going to lock him out and let him freeze his little paws off.  And we aren't talking about a cat that knows anything about survival.  This is one GI-normous cat who has been pampered and fussed over all life and is probably the sweetest but dumbest cat I've ever known.  (That's him--Tigger--the handsome one in the red and green sweater.  Isn't he a remarkable specimen?)  Anyway, anyone with a multi-cat household knows that when you have one or more kitties, there is bound to be a kerfluffle at one time or another to determine whose highest on the chain of command.  A fight, some hissing at times, but the dreaded scent of pee in a corner or on your favorite sweater in the hamper is enough to make you look for the phone number for the local vet to make sure he got all those testicles during the surgery.  Really?  You're sure??  I can't tell you how many times I've had to get down on all fours and sniff the carpet to locate the source of the stench and locate it with a black light, and do research on the best enzyme cleaners to remove it from the fibers.  We've thrown out backpacks, throw rugs, jackets, dry cleaner bags that fell onto the floor, empty cardboard boxes that must have resembled litter boxes, toyboxes, shoeboxes, shoes, toys, cat beds, dollhouses--anything that sits on the floor and looks like a cat could sit inside it and pee comfortably....!!!  We have even replaced our carpeting on our entire first floor (and padding), yet we kept the cat.  This is only because my husband loves me, believe me.  And every time I scrub the messes up and try to clean the evidence before my darling husband comes home, I am cursing that bad Tigger under my breath.  What can be done???  Was I sure it was him?  Yes.  I followed him around and when we caught him in the act, he was proudly shaking that tail high in the air with defiance and peeing straight onto the wall right onto the front door!!  Great.  What a welcoming aroma that will be for our guests. (gag). Not quite the same as Pumpkin Spice or Vanilla Lavender.

Well, I am a very blessed woman who happens to have a stay-at-home job with two interesting teenagers (let's just leave it at that for now) so I found the time to investigate the root of the problem rather than abandon Tigger to the local animal shelter.  (sidenote:  I volunteer at the shelter and you would be amazed at how many loving families have given up when they can't determine why their beloved cats do this terrible deed.  I was determined to rescue my cat on behalf of all cats and see if I could provide suggestions to other families in the same predicament I was in--if I was successful)  So I just started paying attention.  CLOSE attention.  DAY ONE:  Feed cats in the a.m., Tigger goes to the litterbox, but AHA! box has residue from other cat!!  He turns around to find other box (there are only two boxes in this home of two cats) and it is also dirty with number #2 from other cat.  He decides he must "hold it" and walks away.  INSIGHT: Clean boxes immediately and put a little deodorizer in and spread it around.  Pick up Tigger and return him to clean box.  He immediately urinates in clean box (STANDING UP!!!) and walks out and looks up at me...thanks Mom!!  Good job!!  I run and get a treat and feed him!  I clean it after him and notice the other cat goes to the other box.  I clean it as well.  DAY TWO:  Tigger heads towards the last place he had an "accident" and pauses.  I follow him and he looks at me.  He turns around and heads to the litter box.  It is clean.  He uses it.  I give him a treat.  He looks at me.  I pet him and say, "Good boy!"  He walks away with his tail high.  Success!!  DAY THREE:  I have been gone for hours and pray that the boxes aren't funky--did he use it today?  I check and both boxes are dirty.  Tigger greets me with a funny look on his face.  He's licking his "lips" (cats don't really have lips, do they?).  I clean the boxes and he follows me.  He goes into the clean box and I watch him pee--STANDING UP.  (Is he marking the box?)  Anyway, he didn't pee outside the box, so I give him a treat and clean it up.  INSIGHT:  Time to get another box.  Two isn't enough.  DAY FOUR:  Okay, I had to move all the boxes around so there are two in the basement but not right next to each other, and one upstairs.  Now maybe if he doesn't have to go as far, he won't miss?  Breakfast, walk to clean the box and he follows me.  BINGO!  He goes.  INSIGHT:  Both cats go after breakfast and are regular like clockwork.  They are almost like dogs in the sense they go at the same time of day and I just don't need to walk them.  I notice a pattern in the time they go.  Luckily, I have the luxury of being around to know when this is, but I've also noticed that when they need to go (or right before), they start licking their lips, so for me this is my cue to walk to the box and Tigger usually follows me.  I've mentioned he's a fat boy, right?  He knows he's going to get a treat if he uses the box.  Now he is associating the treats with the box.  If he doesn't go, I will just try again in 30 minutes.   DAY FIVE:  The day has been great.  He is going all by himself and I haven't had to walk him to the litterbox at all.  However, all of the fastidious cleaning of the three boxes is definitely more than I typically deal with, so that is the trade off for the scrubbing of floors and decontamination of toys.  What's this?  I'm sitting on the couch watching TV and he's walking to the front door where he went to pee last week.  He is acting suspicious.  Just when I'm about to get up he starts crying.  Why?  It's like he is telling me he wants to go out.  I get up and call him and he dutifully follows me...to the box.  I WIN!  I think we are finally on the right track.