Cat behaviour

[Rodge2]

Bought a new mat for inside the front door. Yesterday two days after it was introduced to the house my cat decided to wee on it. Whats that about? He's quite old but never does these things in the house normally.

[daffy654]

He is marking his territory.

[boxtops]

Maybe a scent in the mat that you can't detect, which to him smells of danger-cat.

[Rodge2]

Hmmm it must be something like that I suppose. He looked very put out when I indicated to him that I wasn't amused - difficult as he's 16 and very deaf - I generally use finger wagging - I pushed his nose into it then indicated the cat flap, and put him ouside. Worse still when I washed the washable pet mat as it was called on the label, it ended up with threads coming loose! Won't buy one of those again.

[smurf]

we have a cat that lives in our close that sent marks every car that comes into the close it is only marking his territory quite normal

[SpikeyBush]

My previous owner did that. He had been perfectly house trained since kittenhood but then at 14 started peeing on the welcome mat by the front door. I put it down to it maybe feeling a bit like cat litter. He had been 'done' at 6 months so I never even considered it being terratorial, and he was going a bit senile in his old age. His kidneys weren't far behind his mind and I had to have him put to sleep in June. My new owner is in the process of decimating my Christmas tree. The only place outside his dirt box that he has peed is the coal bucket, and I don't mind that as the coal doesn't smell once it has been on the fire.

[SpikeyBush]

That may be the case Bill, but if they're not done it don't half pen & ink

[boxtops]

Pushing his nose in the wee is unkind to him - he's an old boy, you've brought a new smell into his house, he's only being a cat. They don't have the same sort of logic as humans.

[ladybirder]

Come on Rodge, you say he is an old boy of 16 and deaf and you push his nose into it. I agree that is not a very nice way to treat him. He didn't do it to annoy you. He's old and these things happen so please treat him kindly as you are obviously fond of him.

[Rodge2]

Oh please don't misunderstand me ladybirder, I wouldn't have told him off if I thought it was unavoidable at his age. He is in good health (touch wood!) and the behaviour was unusual for him, and I felt, very intentional. He picked out the new item in the house. I think it is best to make it clear that to him that this is unacceptable as he's intelligent, and has clearly got the message as we've not had a repeat.