I think there may have been a post like this before but i don't have much time to look through so just thought i'd start a new thread - sorry.

We have never had any problems with Tilly using her litter tray since we got her from the RSPCA 4 months ago and then, last night she started sniffing around on the rug in the front room and scratching at it; I watched her because I thought this behaviour was strange as it looked like what she does in her litter tray and before I had chance to act she was weeing on it in front of us. My boyfriend went mad and started shouting at her but I explained that she didn’t understand why he was doing this and she wouldn’t learn anything form it; I picked her up and put her straight in her litter tray. When we lifted up the rug up to go and clean it we noticed another dark patch underneath not far away from the one she had just done so this was obviously the second time she’d done it (I don’t think any more than that because surely we would have smelt it otherwise?) We always close the door to this room when we go to bed and when we are out at work so she can’t have had many opportunities to go in there and do it and we’ve never accidentally shut her in there or anything so I don’t see why she would suddenly decide to do this when she’s always used her tray before.

Does anyone have any idea what might have suddenly caused this? Also, I’ve cleaned the floor under the carpet and the rug itself eliminating the odour; I’m hoping that with the scent gone she won’t associate the rug with going to the toilet again – are there any other ways that I can deter this from happening?

She is 9 months old, eats well, she has been neutered (or whatever the female equivalent word is) and as I mentioned before, never gone to the toilet anywhere else in the house before, only her tray. All comments would be appreciated as I’m quite confused.

Thanks.

unfortunatly rugs,especially longer fibred ones attract the wrong kind of attention for some cats,its happened to me,its not easy removing the odour completly,you may not be able to smell where she went but chances are she still cantry using a special cleaner for pet accidents(available from vets and pet shops)or make a solution with biological washing powder and use thatwe gave up on the rug and chucked it in the end

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(formally clare7577)