Peeing in the house

Question
Hi Karen

I had two 5 year old cats, both female. They were not from the same litter but their mothers were sisters. I bought took them home with me when they were just over 8 weeks old.
One cat, who is eldest by 3 days, seems to have no problem with going to the toilet outside and never has had a problem with it. She is the more dominant of the two and is very sociable and outgoing.

My other cat, who is the one I am concerned about, has been peeing in the house. I'm not quite sure how long it's been going on. Maybe for a few months.
I can think of nothing that could have triggered this change in behaviour. She has the same food, nothing is different in the house and as far as I know there are no new cats in the area.

I've caught her doing it. She's not spraying because she actually tries to dig a hole (which is quite impossible as I have wood flooring). She'll then squat, do her business, and then try to cover it up. It's always urine, never excrement, which made me think that maybe she has trouble holding until she can make it outside.

She's a very nervous cat and almost always looks tense and scared. She runs and hides at the slightest noise or sudden movement. So I also thought that maybe she's scared of something outside.

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.
xxx  

Answer
Hi April,

It sounds like the smells from the one going out is upsetting her. There are a few things you can do to stop this. First off, get an enzyme type of urine remover and use it in the area she has been urinating in. This will remove any odors so she will not return to there. Next get a product called Feliway. It acts as a kitty tranquilizer and will calm her down. It helps with the urinating in the house. You can also keep the other cat in the house. Letting cats outside significantly increases their chances of being killed. She will get used to being inside. This will also help your problem. Good luck and let me know what happens.

Ciao, Karen