# Peeing in the bathroom sink - Looking for possible fix



## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

PuddyWow has begun a new behavior in the last 3 weeks. He has been peeing in the bathroom sink. I know this because he is doing it first thing in the morning in front of us, the boy is not shy about it. I've not corrected the behavior yet due to my health & being in and out of the hospital for most of the last month PLUS I could think of worse places for him to be peeing.
Background on PuddyWow - 1 yr old neutered male DSH. youngest of crew of 6. Bottle raised by me, no other previous issues with litterbox. No issues about defecating inappropriately. Previously bathroom sink has been a favorite sleeping spot and he liked to play in the water. 
Possible triggers - recent move from house to a 3 room apartment (2 months ago). Still have 4 litter boxes set up, normally cleaned at least twice a day, but did change litter brand last week. (didn't fix problem). I've been in & out of the hospital multiple times in the last 5 weeks somyself & hubby have been less available. 3 months ago we swapped Punk(our only female with the LilKim attitude) for Sasquash, but he and Puddy are napping buds and playmates. No known changes in behavior among the 6 cats in the last 3 months- no fights or changes in heirarchy (all are neutered males, ages 13+ to PuddyWow being the youngest), Bentley still acting as alpha & keeping the peace. Hubby has been less proactive than I am about grooming, spends his efforts on the Maine Coons with the shorthairs getting a quick swipe only if they plop in his lap.


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## Darkcat (May 27, 2010)

There are plenty of things that could trigger this as behavioral, but just in case, has a UTI been ruled out?


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## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

Like Darkcat said, he should first be taken to the vet to rule out a UTI (urinary tract infection).

The first symptom of a UTI, is a cat peeing in odd places like the sink... especially since he does it right in front of you, it means he's trying to tell you something. 

UTI's are considered a life threatening emergency, so you should get him in to see the vet today if possible. If they rule out a UTI, the vet can assist you with possible behavior issues. It could be behavioral because you've been less available for him, so he's acting out. But again, it is extremely important to have him seen by a vet first to make sure its not health related.


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

The first thing to be checked. Healthy and active. This really does seem to be behavioural. He rushs into the bathoom sink and pees when a person is trying to use the potty. No I do not think is learned behaviour. Attention seeking maybe.


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## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

what a hygienic place for the cat to urinate! like his own little urinal. As long as he keeps defecating in the cat litter, I'd say your cat is a genius!!
just don't teach him to run the water to clean the sink!


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

Too late. He learned to pull the lever up early on so he can play in the stream of water and we already have to make sure the drain is never closed. I'm thinking this is behaviour triggered because I have not been available much lately. Nobody has been getting the attention they normally get. And possible the litter boxes were not getting cleaned as often as he was used to. I'm looking for any suggestions on how to now redirect his peeing behaviour to go back to the litterbox. Grabbing him & rushing him to litterbox at beginning of action only resulted in me getting urine spray everywhere including on me - sure didn't stop repeat behavior. Just made him watch me out of the corner of his eye and run for cover quicker. 
My problem with this is I am the one who has to disinfect the bathroom sink multiple times per day. Ick when thinking of washing hands or face at bathroom sink. Double ICK when thinking of brushing teeth


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

*Re: Peeing in the bathroom sink - how to retrain! Help me*

I'm bumping this since I really need suggestions on how to redirect his behavior of peeing in the sink. No giggling about this! I've already got a sister rolling on the floor laughing at this. We are not talking a quick spray to be socialable with who ever is on the potty. He is choosing to empty his bladder here rather than in the litterbox. And UBER determined! I figure it has been triggered by me not being at home and normally Puddy spends most of his time either being a shoulder sitting felinefungus or following me around trying to chew my shoelaces. Now he is skittish & hovers just out of reach showing signs of stress behavior. He is still sleeping in his normal place on the bed, but follows if somebody gets up in the nite which is new.
1. A sheet of cardboard over the sink did not work - he peed on it. 
2. The door closed - got him to scream and claw at the door -I tossed him in the litter box but he ran back to the bathroom door where he stuck with it dancing and clawing until I gave up before it got damaged beyond fixing & let him in where he immediately peed in the sink (Yeah my bad cause I was not as stubborn as a cat). I've found a solid paw pull under the edge of the door will cause the latch to give and the door will open anyway. 
3. Placed a towel soaked in PineSol in the sink - He drug it out & dumped it on the floor & peed in the sink. 
4. Removing him when he gets in sink - he dribbled pee all the way to the litter box. Finished in litter box but now he is a lot more skittish about me reaching for him. And no a pre-emptive strike is not possible, the sink is out of reach from the potty. 
5. Placing him in litterbox when he looks to be heading toward bathroom. He just jumps out & lurks under furniture until either I'm on the potty or am not looking.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Two comments:

First: When cats change their habits, and *especially* when they do these new behaviors in front of us, they are trying to tell us something is wrong. They cannot speak and tell us what is wrong, they only have 'gestures' and 'body language' to communicate with us. We need to listen to them so we can fix their problem. He is certainly having a problem *somewhere* in his life and it is up to you (_we'll try to help_) to determine what it is. UTI has been mentioned and you stated he was healthy and active, I would like to ask if a urinalysis was performed by the vet?

Last: Close the door and use a hook/eye latch on the outside to deny sink access. Hook/eye also on the inside if he pops it open when you are occupied and can't police the door. You can barricade the lower part of the door to protect the carpet, door and molding until he finally realizes the door will remain closed no matter what he does.

Caveat about denying him sink access: _If he is having some sort of issue and is peeing in the sink to tell you about his (behavioral, medical, mental or physical) problem, denying him access without fixing or remedying his initial issue will only result in him finding *other* ways to get your attention._


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

*Update*

Puddy is still peeing in the sink and has added the tub as a pee site. Now if we could get him to actually use the toilet? Since he limits it to times when someone is actually in the bathroom, we are referring to it as being a social pee break. The vet has him for the day - it was time for his shots anyway & am getting him checked for any possible urinary problems since they will be able to capture larger urine sample. Last check up did not show any UTI.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

*_closes eyes to send good thoughts and healing wishes for Puddy_* I mean this in a *good* way ... but I hope they do find a UTI because that is easily treated. I don't know what other things could cause those types of pee behavior w/out some sort of alert in the form of a UTI.


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## CataholicsAnonymous (Dec 4, 2006)

Is there room for a litter box in the bathroom? You could even put one in the tub (just remember to remove it before turning on the water). I used to have a box in the bathroom; now I don't have room for one. I worried about Chip, because he would always run into the bathroom with me in the morning, and pee in the box just as I was doing the same (in my 'box'....). It was truly a daily ritual with us. Thank goodness he adapted, but I would have put a box in the tub if he hadn't!


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

*Not a UTI*

Vet has declared Puddy healthy. Since there is not a health issue it has to be a behavior that was triggered by a stressor. The primary one is the move to a much smaller apartment & me getting sick about the same time & in the hospital. All his routines were upset and at the same time he to his way of thinking got abandoned ie: no reg. feeding time, no lap time, no playtime, no spotless litterbox. And the others weere stressed as well and not as tolerant of his prima donna antics. 
So what suggestions can we come up with that I haven't tried to modify his behaviour.


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## SamsMom (Aug 11, 2010)

This may sound crazy, but what would he do if you put a small litter box in the sink, temporarily? It seems like you've tried everything else.

My cat had the same problem. I was fortunate to determine that it was because she wanted her litter box cleaned more frequently.

Hopefully, as things settle down at your home, things will return to normal. If it is a stressor-reaction, maybe he needs some Feliway or kitty Prozac from the vet?

Good luck.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

I agree with CatholicsAnonymous and SamsMom in having a litter box in the bathroom. Is there room for one beside the toilet? Maybe if you take a large sheet of aluminum foil and crumple it up so that it fills the sink area, and anchor it down in the sink with something heavy like a stone, the foil may foil his attempts at urinating in it. Cleaning out any clumps or poos twice a day would go a long way to encouraging him to use the LB, but I think one in the bathroom might work. It may be a "social" thing with him. Glad to hear he doesn't have a UTI. Good luck!


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

Latest up-date. Since I could not redirect him to start peeing in the litterbox again, I focused on getting him to pee in the toilet. No more peeing in the sink YEA!!! Apparently he did not like getting his paws in the litter.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

A toilet-trained cat. Wow. No more litter box. You are the envy of everyone.
Does he flush?


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## SerenityFL (Oct 6, 2010)

bkkitty: I had a male cat do that to me many years ago and he also did not have a UTI. When I found out he was healthy and it was behavioral, I kind of liked the idea of not having to clean up the litter so often. 

Yah, it sounds gross but I don't typically eat out of my bathroom sink anyway so it was nice to just wash it down and clean it out like I normally cleaned.

But, to find that your cat toilet trained that fast....you are envied. ENVIED!

I tried to toilet train at one point. One cat got it pretty quickly. I was beaming with pride. The other cat, the one who had been peeing in the sink, was getting it until one day, (and this is when the contraptions were a lot more flimsy), we were at the point where they learn to sit on the seat and hang their butt over, very little amounts of litter in the tray....he didn't grasp the concept. He tried to sit in the litter.

>SPLASH!!!!!<

I can't tell you the joy it brought me to see a toilet water soaked cat streak through my house, wetting everything he touched. 

I continued trying the training but he was having none of it and started going in the tub...poop and pee. Blech.

That was the end of toilet training. I haven't tried it since and right now I cannot since I have an older cat that wouldn't be able to get up there. (Unless someone knows of a way she could?)

Anyway, glad this ended up working in your favor. Maybe your cat could have a talk with my cats.


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

Now if I can convince the other 5 cats to try the toilet I would have it made, but they are old & set in their ways. And yes Puddy did have had a slip and dip a couple of times but he kinda likes his baths.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Glad to hear he trained himself to use the toilet. That's gr8!


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