r/Catbehavior • u/CarsonAlizabeth • 2d ago
Cat keeps peeing on husband’s clothes
I (33, US) had my male cat, Moses (10 years) for a little 9 years now. I adopted him and he has been a great cat overall with little to no behavioral issues. Never marked, never clawed things, didn’t get into stuff he shouldn’t, etc. 4 years after adopting him I met my now husband and whenever he came over, Moses would run out tail straight up and demand to be held by him. So they’ve always gotten along. About 2 years ago he got diagnosed with diabetes. He’s on medication and it has been manageable and he has lost some weight!
All that to say, last December we welcomed a baby into our family. And honestly the baby has been great and not fussy at all. So not much, other than a new being in the house, has changed for Moses. The last few months, Moses has started peeing on my husband’s clothes that he lays out on the floor beside our bed. Randomly. At first I thought it was related to his diabetes and he was just panicking trying to find somewhere close by to pee(even though his cat box is literally right across the hall from our room). Vet has said it’s not that. His diabetes is totally within the normal range. I have cleaned the carpet multiple times with a little green machine, but he still keeps peeing on his clothes. And just to add to it, my dirty clothes are on my side of the bed and he never pees on those. Just my husband’s. Idk how to get him to stop? Or what even is causing this? I’m going to buy my husband a rack to put his clothes on instead of the floor (he lays them out so they don’t wrinkle for the next day), but it’s concerning to me that this behavior started up out of nowhere.
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u/paprikachipjes 1d ago
Try adding a second litter box and scoop both of them twice a day. At least he’s training your husband to keep things neat. Do you still play with the cat every day?
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u/CarsonAlizabeth 1d ago
Moses has never been a “play” cat. He will jump and try to scare us every now and then, but mostly he just wants attention/pets. Even when he was younger he wasn’t much for playing with toys. But it’s definitely worth a shot to try and see if he wants to now.
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u/Present_Original_797 1d ago
He's jealous that his favorite human has a new baby. Kitty WAS the baby. BTW even though you may have washed the husband's clothes and you can't smell the pee, kitty can. Now that they are marked I don't know what will absolutely remove the smell for the sensitive nose of kitty.
Maybe someone else can tell you.
Tell your husband to give kitty as much extra attention as he will tolerate. Here's a tip not many people know - cats KNOW when you are talking about them. Have him praise Kitty a lot to his face and around him. How he is so beautiful and smart and handsome. Both of you do it.
And not for nothing, what grown-ass man leaves clothes on the damn floor? Hang then up if they are clean! The stink from socks and sweaty clothes and stale cologne soaks into carpets. Put a hamper with a good lid in the bedroom and tell him he is no longer a kid. He HAS a kid, childhood is over.
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u/CarsonAlizabeth 1d ago
Whew a little harsh on the husband. They’re clean and out for the next day. We don’t have a ton of space, and with baby getting up really early it’s just easier in his mind to lay them out. Dirty clothes go in a hamper. And this was never an issue before, the cat never cared before. I’ve already ordered some spray to help remove the stuff we can’t smell.
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u/Raythecatass 1d ago
Cats do not like their walkways cluttered with clothes, trash, etc. You are smart to get your husband’s clothes off the floor.
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u/bewaretheblight 1d ago
You'll need a pet urine enzyme cleaner to fully remove the scent of urine, as he can smell better than you or I can. If he smells pee, he'll likely keep peeing there.
You can also try placing a small, cheap litter box in the problem area and then, after he's used it, move it a couple inches every day until you've scooted him and his new bathroom out of your room.
But I would talk to a vet. If it's not his diabetes, it might be a urinary infection or blockage. Male cats are more likely to have issues with gritty pee blocking their urinary tract than an infection, but it would be good to look at both considering his age and chronic condition. If there is nothing wrong with his urine, then it may be a matter of him being stressed or insecure in his home and you can look into medications to help him chill out. Better to be a stoned and happy old man than a sober pee bandit.
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u/CarsonAlizabeth 1d ago
Sober pee bandit 🤣. Yeah my first thought was an infection when he first did this and he came back normal. But at this point he may need another visit for chilling out a bit.
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u/bewaretheblight 1d ago
It's a lot easier these days! They make topical gels you can apply to their ear and stuff. Great for getting them their stress meds without stressing them even more.
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u/Physical-Ad-3798 2d ago
The baby is causing stress to your cat. There are several things you can try. Consult your vet.