Hi there, I'm looking for some assistance with a problem I've been dealing with basically since I got my bengals.

I have two bengals, both neutered males, one is 6years old and one is 5 years old. The first cat had behaviour problems from the start. He's always attacked me (not my fiance) and has peed outside his litterbox basically since we got him. I had him cleared at the vet for everything. There is nothing physically wrong with this cat. I thought perhaps he was lonely which is why I got the second cat. The second cat is a little love bug and wouldn't harm a fly. Either shortly before or after we got the second cat the first cat started peeing on the leather sofa. Only in one spot. The second cat followed suit. I have found cat pees everywhere. I took the second cat to the vet and found out he had urine crystals. Switched his food and this dramatically decreased the second cats peeing. In the meantime the other cat goes through spurts of peeing on everything. Every couch in my house has been peed on (both cats both continue to get caught doing this, despite my effort to completely eliminate the smell). My cat has peed on: my winter coat, laundry piles, gym bags, a purse that got left on a kitchen table, a shirt that has fallen on the ground, my bed (while I'm in it!!) and once even on my printer!!!

Shortly after getting the second cat when the behaviour problems continued despite having a new friend the vet suggested amitriptyline. I did this for about a year but it was expensive and difficult to get the cat to take a pill everyday (I found that buttering the pill and putting it on the back of his tongue was the best method if you're wondering!) so we eventually discontinued this. More recently we left them home alone for 6 days with someone checking on them and playing with them daily. I did this because the last time they went to someone else's house - the older cat peed on both of their beds!!! Upon return the cat peed in my suitcase twice within about 12 hours then peed on my dirty laundry basket in my closet. I've locked him out of the closet but when he does manage to sneak in the closet when I go in there he viciously attacked me when I went to remove him. Hissing, growling, the works. He snuck in a second time and peed on the laundry basket again. A couple mornings ago he peed on my bed while I was in it - again.

I'm at my wits end. I have someone who has offered to take him as a barn cat, but I am sure he wouldn't make it very long. On the other hand who will want a cat who pees on everything?! Plus the second cat, who is so sweet, still occasionally pees on the couches - due to smell I think. My leather couches are covered in static mats. This has been the case for YEARS. I'm so sick of this but don't know what to do with these cats. I feel as though I've tried everything. Diligent cleaning, different litters, different boxes, feliway. Would you re-home them? Would you re-home them together or separate?

Thanks so much!

You definitely have a problem and I can't believe that it's gone on for five years. Very difficult to correct this behavior now! If you've googled the problem, you would see quite a few causes and solutions.

Since the medical issues have been resolved, the next thing is to look at the type of litter box and litter you are using. Some cats prefer an open box. Some prefer a covered box. Location is very important and with two cats, you need at least three litter boxes. If you have multi
levels in your home, two on each level would be good. There are various types of litter out there ... try a different kind.

Stress can play a huge part -- but it doesn't appear your kitties are stressed out. Is there a lot of activity going on in your home at all hours? Small children running around making noise? A dog or two?

In an episode of My Cat From Hell, Jackson told the owners to put a litter box everywhere the cat peed (might be difficult on a couch). These people ended up with 7 litter boxes. Jackson said to put a piece of tape on the outside of the litter box each time it was used. After a couple of weeks, the owners were to remove the litter box used the least. The following week, the next litter box used the least, and so on. At the end, the cats were using the litter boxes left just fine. You will have to experiment with the type of litter box and the type of litter.

I can't believe you'd consider making these kitties barn cats. Their nine lives would end rather rapidly, especially if they were not used to be outside all the time.

The other thing is to make sure all traces of urine is gone where they have been going! The scent will bring them back again and again. Try Feliway to see if that calms the cat.

Since this has gone on for so very long, there will be no quick and easy fix! Cats prefer to use a clean litter box. If you are truly serious about solving this issue now -- then read up on information on the web, invest in more litter boxes and various cat litters and then be patient and see how this plays out.

I know this isn't the whole of the problem but I'd limit the amount of piles of clothes around the house as I know we used to have a cat who would pee on clothing if it was left about.

Piles of clothing, or a single item such as a coat, towel etc can actually resemble somewhere to pee for a cat.

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Oscar and Jasper (or one ear and two ears as dh calls them) black rescue mogges

RIP my sweet baby Dexter, Snow Bengal 19/5/14 to 5/3/15 and my lovely dear old friend Muskey, Brown Burmese put to rest aged 15 on 14/11/15.

Debbie

I agree with everything said 'till now...and....have you feral cats or big animals (As cotoyes, foxes, dogs etc) in your backyard or around that your house that actually your cats can see? It might be something connected with territory....

Have you discussed this with your veterinarian? There could be a problem with his bladder. This is a long time for this problem to continue. Your kitty has some aversion to a litter box and litter. Normally, this is not the case. Cats WANT to use a litter box. Have you tried a different type of box? Larger? Open? Different cat litter? How many boxes do you have around the house? I understand about opening doors as Raiden has figured out how to do that as well.

If you have reached your wits end, I would suggest rehoming him. There could be something about his environment with you that is causing this and the situation would be different with a new owner. Please do not consider allowing him to be a barn cat as he would use up his 9 lives very quickly, and euthanasia is not the way to go either. This little guy deserves to live.

The only other thing I can suggest to add to the advice already given; when my cat peed I was told to place a little bowl of biscuits there. I ended up with about nine bowls dotted around with a few biscuits in. They won't pee where they eat is the logic. There is also a website about a beautiful bengal called lucy, and her peeing problems. Very informative and this lady was in the same situation and if I remember rightly she vastly improved lucy's problem. I believe sofas and beds were also Lucy's choice of litter tray. I can only imagine your frustration. I only had a couple of months of peeing but it was enough to last a lifetime. I know Jackson Galaxy also talks about blocking off windows re strange animals in territory and also never having a litter tray in a dead end etc. Good luck

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Have just looked for the website regarding Lucy the bengal. It's susansgardenpatch.com. There is a index on the left and it's under litter problems. Hope it may give you some ideas. The lady who owns Lucy is sooooo patient with her little cat and think things have hugely improved but her problem has never gone away. Lucy is just the most beautiful bengal

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Update:

I was sitting home on my couch the other morning and the cat was trying relentless to pee on the back of the leather couch. I shoo-ed him away several times and he finally decided to pee on a scratcher toy. I thought this was just so odd so I took him to the vet that day. We checked him out again and the vet informed me that there was nothing physically wrong with him. I told the vet that his aggression is worsening, especially if he gets into the rooms I've locked him out of due to his peeing. The vet really had no answers for me except that he had seen a few very violent cats that owners eventually decided to put down because their aggression was simply too much to live with. I told him he may have the opportunity to become a barn cat and the vet stated at this point it's probably his best option. The vet stated he draws the line when pets start showing such aggression to their owners, that it's just not something pet owners should have to live with. He did say that we could try medicating him again (he was previously on amitriptyline), but that it would be very difficult to pill a cat that was becoming more aggressive. Additionally, this didn't previously fix his peeing problem so I just don't really see the point. The vet stated that truly his best bet would be to go and live on the farm, as he will simply keep destroying my house and attacking me on the regular. I was upset at this but also relieved that I wasn't totally crazy or cruel to be thinking the same thing. A few days later the cat snuck into one of the rooms he's not allowed into and immediately went to the spot where he peed and began to sniff excessively. I attempted to pick him up but he started to become very aggressive. I watched him for a while but had somewhere to be and couldn't leave him in the room. I got a stick and tried to herd him out of the room, knowing I couldn't pick him up. Sure enough he started hissing and growling and attacked the stick. He then leaped into the air and latched onto my arm and scratched and bit the hell out of me. I'm even bruised around the cat scratches where he latched on. It was probably the worst he's done. I just don't know what to make of this. Since then he's been very sweet (still getting caught in the act of trying to pee where he's not supposed to!!) so I don't know what to make of it. If he was aggressive all the time this decision would just be so obvious. I'm not sure when we'll take him to the barn, but it breaks my heart to think of him out there all alone and scared. I really hope he thrives and loves his life because I just can't keep on like this. I truly wish I had never got him and that he had just gone to a home where somehow none of these problems would have happened.

Has the vet investiagted any neurological problems ? I know it sounds extreme but sometimes animals with brain tumours etc can behave this way im sorry your going through this truly awful time

My heart goes out to you, it really does. What an awful situation. You obviously can't go on being attacked like this. If you don't mind me asking, where do you live? Are you USA or UK? If it's UK then I guess being a barn cat you would not have predators like USA does. If he was a barn cat, are you near and would he be fed? I agree with the above that it sounds like a possible neurological issue and I know I recently watched a Jackson Galaxy where the cat was totally unpredictable and would attack for no reason. The cat was medicated and all seemed to be fine. You obviously have the dual issue of the peeing also. By what you said he sounds so desperate to pee on the couch and not a lot would deter him. I hope you find a way forward for you both. Sending you best wishes

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal