Cat Pees on Clean Laundry

Here is a possible reason why a cat pees on clean laundry. I just read a nice idea about why some cats (rarely, I believe and hope) pee on freshly cleaned laundry. This answer comes from cat breeders who use Yahoo Groups so don't thank me! A major factor in producing this habit in some cats may be that these people use scented cat litter. The cat then associates the scent with a place to pee. The cleaned laundry has a similar scent particularly if a fabric conditioner (softener) has been used. It may be that particular fabric conditioners are more like the scent chemicals that are used in scented litter and it is these that promote the problem of a cat peeing on laundry.

The same problem happens when a cat, perhaps because he or she has a lower urinary infection pees on the carpet. The cat will possibly pee back on the carpet in the same place when the infection has cleared up because it has become a place where she can pee or has urinated before. The area has to be cleaned up very thoroughly.

So, what is the moral of this short post? Don't buy scented cat litter. I know it reduces the smell but I found the best way to reduce smell is:

1. use wood chip type litter and;
2. clean the litter regularly up to twice daily or, if we are around, to clean if after he or she has gone to the toilet.

• Update 18-3-09:
  
• One breeder does this: -- "put our clean laundry in big rubbermaid (USA) containers and put the lid on it. We do this if we can't get to fold it right away." It works.
• Another says that in winter the static electricity means that they have to use fabric conditioner and therefore do the above.
• another says that you can buy unscented litter - try it!
  

Cat Pees on Clean Laundry to VGs blog