Regulate cat’s habitat to hinder improper urination

Dear Cathy: I love cats dearly. Twice in the last 30 years, I have had a male and female from different litters, and the female cat suddenly urinated in our bed. I always ended up giving one of the cats away. I learned my lesson and now have male cats only.

Would you please address this issue because now my friend has the same problem? They adopted a female cat from the shelter, then added a young male to the family. Almost immediately, the female cat began to urinate everywhere. Short of giving one of the cats away, what could she do?

Incidentally, my friend has three litter boxes, but her male marks all of them. — Ingrid, Las Vegas

Dear Ingrid: Inappropriate elimination occurs in both sexes for many reasons, which can be dealt with by an owner committed to figuring out what is causing the problem.

Here’s why her cat may be doing it and what she can do to address it :

To begin, any change in a cat’s environment can result in inappropriate elimination, from adding a new cat, dog, or baby to the family to a family member working longer hours than usual. So, her female cat is most likely reacting to the new male cat. To help her adjust, tell your friend to introduce feline pheromone collars for both cats and plug-in pheromones for around the house. They don’t solve the problem but can provide a calmer environment as everyone adjusts.

Next, she needs to use an enzymatic cleaner to clean the mattress and then put on a mattress cover. Tell her to close the bedroom door to keep the cat off the mattress when she can’t supervise. She should start playing with her female cat on the bed, and giving her treats when doing so, so she learns to reassociate the bed with something positive.

Another reason for the inappropriate elimination may be litter box placement, the litter itself, or the male cat marking the boxes. She can sprinkle baking soda to freshen it up and add a litter attractant to lure her back to the box.

The litter boxes should be placed where the female cat will feel safe from an ambush by the other cat. At the same time, make sure the male cat is not blocking the female from using the litter boxes. If he is, he needs to be shooed away and redirected with play. Both cats should be fixed if they are not already.

While not as likely, she should still rule out a health problem with her veterinarian.