Thread: Help! Urinating/defecating inappropriately when we are away

So as my title stated, we have a wee problem with my boy, McIntosh. (excuse the pun ha ha) We just came home from a camping holiday for 5 days, to find that despite having a house sitter and 3 clean large litter boxes, Toshie pooed on the carpet in my bedroom and weed on the mats on the bathroom floor. Last time we went away for 4 days, he chose the plush pile rug in the loungeroom to pee on. It was ruined. The time before that, he chose the bathroom tiles. I love my darling and I havn't punished him for it, because I know it's not spite, it's his way of communicating he's unhappy about something. He's always been extremely fussy about his litter trays being clean, and if they didn't meet his standards he would choose the floor instead. I went through so much litter trying to meet his standards that I decided to try toilet training him. I persevered for just over 3 months, during which time he was haphazard - pretty good for pees but preferred not to use it for poos, so I decided to ditch that as it was obviously stressing him, he yowled everytime he had to go! I've changed back to the pine litter his breeder used when he was born - pine litter in a seive tray which stays clean for much longer, and I clean them every day to remove solids and shake out the wet litter. So he has been pretty good with using his tray recently, especially now that i have multiple trays in 2 locations. If he takes it into his head one day that he doesn't like one of his litter trays any more (happens often) he has the other 2 to choose from until he decides the other one meets his approval again. It's been working well, but everytime we go away, he urinates inappropriately. This time he actually poo'd on the carpet in my bedroom, which he's NEVER done before. I have put it down to Separation Anxiety. He's very attached to me, and usually follows me around, always meows when I go outside without him, and when I get home I can hear him meowing inside the house as soon as I get out the car. He's used to me going out for a few hours a day, but if I'm away more than that, he gets very demanding, and EXTREMELY vocal. He's the most gorgeous cat I have ever owned, but I'm starting to feel like my house is going to turn into a giant litter tray!!! I really need to find a solution that will keep him content. I can't exactly give up holidays permanently just cos my cat will fret! Will another kitten help?

Current situation: He has a huge cat tree, heaps of toys, pet birds in cages and fish tanks which he finds amusing, window views outside and comes outside with me on regular but limited basis, but he is the only inside animal. I have an outside cat who comes in to eat and who can't stand him - took an instant dislike to him the day she first smelt him. He still watches her and follows her around when she comes in but has learnt what happens if he gets too close. (Doesn't stop him trying it tho ha ha) He gets on well with our cocker spaniel and smooches him all over, but as he's strictly an outside dog, Toshie doesn't get to interact with him very often. He is in excellent overall health, but has an on/off again skin problem in his feet - he is currently under review with vet as a possible candidate for pemfigus folacious, an autoimmune skin disease. He is nearly 1 year old, very playful and affectionate (with me primarily, doesn't really notice my husband exists ), has a good appetite and weighs a healthy 5 kg.

Perhaps another inside only maine coon kitten to be company for him and a play mate when he gets bored and lonely? I thought I would ask opinions tho, as I don't view getting another kitten lightly - tho I would love to!!! And my husband thinks sending him to a cattery is a much simpler option to cope with the inappropriate behaviour when we are away. I would appreciate your input. Thank you!!!!

At the start of this my first thoughts were put him in a cattery then at the end saw what your OH suggested......
The one time my parents came & stayed with the animals while we were away for a few days we had more problems on return than the odd one "trying"to ignore us when we picked up from the cattery although thank goodness that didn't involve toilet problems,that does seem to be the main way that cats do show their displeasure at something though & in this case I think it is him telling you he is not happy at you leaving him even though he is in amoungst all his familiar things.
They do love company & a 2nd friend could be good for him if you leave him for pretty long periods during the day but if he has a fair amount of human contact than would ride this time ignoring what he is doing otherwise he has won & got the extra attention he is demanding & next time try him in the cattery,you could still get a bit of a revolt on your hands but hopefully not in the same way.....x

Maine Coons are renowned for needing company- be it human or another animal -(rather than just enjoying it) but rather than get a new kitty from the off, as it is a huge commitment, how about trying McIntosh in a cattery for a couple of days before you go off on holidays, so there is no pressure on you worrying about how he will react, and see how he gets on. That way, after the first day you could phone them up and see how he's settled (or not). The fact he only seems to behave inappropriately when you aren't there definitely suggests separation anxiety to me. A privacy thing I think? Cats really do hate being 'dirty' and there is something going on in his head to behave in such a way. Another thought, have you tried both hooded litter trays and open trays? I find my girls use open trays for urinating and hooded trays for solids.

Sorry I cant add words of wisdom like the other people have, just wanted to wish you luck and the advise you have got seems very astute x

Thanks for the replies. I have tried hooded trays, he seems to prefer open trays.

Just thought I'd update with how things have been going. I added a third litter tray in another location - this one is HUGE - it's actually a worm farm lol, and because it already had a seive tray in it it's pure gold as a giant OZ litter tray!! So I got the tick of approval with this huge size, it's actually big enough that he does poos in one end and wees in the other, and seems to have abandoned the other smaller trays altogether. He still yowled for 15 mins or so before finally using the tray for a number 2, but there were no accidents for a couple weeks. Then I had my sister coming to visit, with her boyfriend, so I cleaned the bathroom, and laid down a fresh white cotton bath mat. I show them around, walk past the bathroom door 5 mins later, and there's a little yellow patch right in the centre. I could just imagine what it said in cat language. 'TOSHIE WOZ HERE'. Aghhhh! It's obvious he didn't even NEED to pee, he must have tried really hard to squeeze out that little deposit, it was only a very small round patch. So no mats are sacred in the bathroom and I have to keep doors closed at all times. So after that we chugged along well for a week or two, then I went out the back to feed the chooks and didn't let him come with me. I could hear him yowling inside. I come back in just in time to see him disappearing into the toilet. I walked in and there he is, squatting on the toilet mat, doing a pee. There were THREE clean litter trays!!!! I had just cleaned the giant one, topped with fresh litter! Oh, it's doing my head in!!!!

Anyway, with great effort, I restrained my impulse to wreak veangeance lol (don't worry, it was only a passing thought) and merely clapped my hands sharply and said AH-AH. He ran off, and I went to wash some more mats. sigh. No mats in the toilet now either. Floors cleaned, doors shut.

So, it would appear that it's gone from separation anxiety to something else. Habit? Territorial marking? There were guests over when he peed on the bath mat, but not when he peed on the toilet mat, so maybe not.

SO. Hubby noted that seeing as he yowls so long before using the tray, maybe he doesn't like the litter. Even tho he was raised on it, he was using breeders choice for a while which was softer, and oz litter is "crunchy" and hard if you know what I mean. So even tho it's by far MY favourite litter choice, I figured what the hell, and went down the store and bought 3 different types of litter. I filled up one with Natty Cat (tiny little lucerne pellets, smells great, much smaller and softer then oz litter) and put it down beside the oz litter tray. He came up, sniffed, stepped in, gave a little chirrup, and promptly christened it. Do I dare hope that he likes this better??? Time will tell!!!

On top of the choice of litter, I have gone through the house with a black light and treated 2 patches on the carpet in my bedroom, rest of house was clean thank goodness, and I ordered 2 feliway diffusers today, figured may as well try the whole lot!!! Any other suggestions?

I'm scared that if I don't get on top of this soon, he'll turn into one of those cats that pees anywhere and ends up in a shelter. Not that I'd do that, but you know what I mean.

Good for you susing out the litter change, that was good. I do hope that this works for you, fingers crossed. x