Despite the fact that cats are quite clean animals, sometimes one has to doubt this quality of furry pets, and all because mustachioed ones do not always relieve themselves in the places designated for their toilet.
For example, instead of a litter tray, a domestic cat can defecate in a flowerpot, owner’s shoes, or closet. It also happens that cats begin to shit not only where they live, but also in public places, namely, in front doors. And, unfortunately, they do this regularly. Agree, not many neighbors will like a rug under the door saturated with the smell of cat urine or a “fragrant” entrance strewn with animal excrement. Therefore, if you are interested in how to stop cats from shitting in the entrance, we recommend reading this article.
Why do cats shit in hallways?
It’s quite difficult to stop cats from shitting in the front door and to keep cute animals away from the entrance, but it’s possible. Cats are wayward and stubborn animals. If a cat has chosen a place in your entrance that he likes for his toilet, or has chosen a rug under the front door, he will certainly go there. So please be patient. In addition, before solving this problem, you need to establish the cause, try to find out why cats are attracted to your entrance.
If street cats have gotten into the habit of coming into the house, you can solve the problem simply. You need to constantly close the doors to the entrance by installing an intercom. It is possible that a cute cat lives in the house, and, protecting the right of ownership, cats, street or indoor during the period of sexual hunting, which are let out for walks, begin to mark the corners in the entrances.
Many people feed street cats near their entrances and let the animals warm up in winter. Therefore, cats consider the entrance to be their territory and begin to relieve their natural needs under the stairs, between floors, on rugs under the doors.
At the same time, street cats are not always the culprits of such dirty “tricks”. Domestic cats, which their owners let out for a walk outside, can relieve themselves, shit and mark corners.
Among the motives that explain this behavior of mustachioed pets are:
- banal bad manners;
- dirty tray;
- unsuccessful filler;
- diseases, pathologies of the urinary and digestive tract;
- stress, emotional shock (moving, change of owners).
It is also worth noting that cats tend to mark their territory, so when going for a walk or returning from the street, they leave their “marks” in the entrance, marking their possessions.
The reason for this behavior in cats may lie in diseases of the genitourinary and digestive systems. In this case, the cat simply may not be able to wait outside and relieve itself in a secluded corner of the entrance. Scolding and punishing animals in this case is inhumane. Only symptomatic treatment prescribed by a veterinarian will help solve the problem.
What not to do
Contrary to popular belief, bleach is not the best ally in the fight for cleanliness in the entrance. It does a great job of repelling the stench of cat urine, but its smell attracts animals. In areas treated with bleach, they will shit again and again.
Do not use perfumes or colognes. This is a very controversial remedy. Firstly, it is ineffective, and secondly, when it reacts with urine or cat marks, it begins to emit a monstrous odor. However, some cats react to strong aromas in the same way as, for example, to garlic, but this is rather an exception to the rule.
Do not treat the entrance with products containing ammonia, as this substance can cause poisoning of pets.
Often, owners, angry at the behavior of their four-legged pet, begin to “educate” it in unique ways - they beat it, poke it with its muzzle in a puddle so that they don’t spoil it. Under no circumstances should you do this! Such actions instill anger and aggression in the pet. A cat, harboring a grudge, will definitely make a puddle or pile again, thereby demonstrating a stubborn character.
What to do if cats shit in the entrance
First of all, you need to install an intercom and carefully clean the entire entrance. Cats follow their scent and, as a rule, relieve themselves in the same places. Treat all corners with a solution of vinegar essence, citric acid, and special household chemicals.
Cats cannot tolerate pungent odors, so using this feature can solve the problem very simply and quickly. In addition, vinegar perfectly eliminates the smell of cat urine. But processing will have to be carried out several times.
Special sprays and aerosols with animal-repellent aromas , which can be purchased at veterinary pharmacies, pet stores or online stores, will help to discourage cats from shitting in the entrance
- "Odor-Secret".
- Antigadin.
- "Nok-Out";
- "Urine-Off";
- "Nature's Miracle".
Spray the products in the entrance every day until the cats stop relieving themselves anywhere.
If the situation is out of control and even after a thorough cleaning the smell of cat urine is felt in the entrance, you need to find the “culprit” of this behavior. In this case, install CCTV cameras at the entrance.
If cats living in apartments poop in the front door, talk to their owners. But it also happens that a caring owner does not want to take action or refuses to believe that it is his pet who is peeing in the entrance. In this case, show the camera footage and threaten the neighbors with a fine or a visit from the local police officer.
How to fix the situation
Both yard cats and domestic cats living in one of the apartments can shit in the entrance. But how do you find out which of the fluffies has done the shit? If the situation gets out of control, you can install a video surveillance camera and determine which cat is playing pranks in the entrance.
If it turns out that this is the work of a domestic cat, you need to show the recordings to its owner so that he can take action. If the owner of the prankster refuses to re-educate the pet, you can threaten him with a fine.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to reach an amicable agreement; sometimes you have to fix the problem yourself.
There are many ways to stop a cat from shitting in the entrance. Here are the most common ones.
Carry out a general cleaning of the room and treat all corners marked by animals with a solution of acetic acid. Cats cannot stand the smell of vinegar. Of course, the specific “aroma” will not be pleasant to you either, but it will quickly disappear, but the cats will never shit in these places again. Vinegar is most effective at removing the smell of cat urine. Citric acid works on the same principle.
Instead of vinegar and acid, you can use essential oils (cinnamon, cloves, grapefruit, eucalyptus, lemon, orange). You only need 2-3 teaspoons of oil per bucket of water.
Place bowls of food in each washed corner. Turning your entryway into a cat's dining room isn't exactly an attractive prospect, but it's still better than a cat litter box. Agree with your neighbors to take turns feeding the animals and keeping the bowls clean.
Lemon or orange zest, fresh citrus juice, onions and garlic, and fir sprigs can act as a repeller. These are very strong irritants for representatives of the cat family, so pranksters will bypass areas treated with their help a mile away.
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You can use special products that are sold in pet stores and veterinary pharmacies:
- "Odor-Secret";
- "Nok-Out";
- "Urine-Off";
- "Nature's Miracle".
Antigadin spray has proven itself well in this regard. The treatment of the room must be repeated several times.
It is advisable that all activities for washing cat urine are carried out without delay. If urine is absorbed, it will be much more difficult to get rid of.
Alternative methods
Simple and accessible folk methods will help to discourage cats from taking shit. Cats cannot stand the smell of citrus fruits or pine aroma. Therefore, in the places they have chosen, place lemon, orange, grapefruit peels, pine needles, changing them periodically.
essential oils with pine and citrus scents (cinnamon, cloves, eucalyptus) as repellent scents . Add two or three teaspoons to a bucket of water, rinse the entire entrance thoroughly with the prepared mixture. Treat especially carefully those places and corners where cats shit.
If a neighbor's or street cats persistently mark the front door or shit on the rug, it is best to remove it for a while and then replace it with a new one. Treat the door and the space near the door with Antigadin, garlic water, and lemon juice. You can even use turpentine.
If cats shit on the rug under the door, you can stick double-sided tape to it. The cat will obviously not like the surface to which the paws stick, and he will forget about your front door.
All activities for washing urine and cat excrement are best carried out “hot on the heels”, since if the urine is absorbed, it will be more difficult to eliminate the corrosive specific odor. Carry out wiping constantly until the cats stop doing their “deeds” in the wrong places.
Why is the street dangerous for home residents?
Unfortunately, there are many cases where a domestic cat runs out into the entrance or onto the street and gets lost. In megacities, due to the fault of the owners, due to banal inattention, the loss of cats is a common occurrence. Do not forget that if a cat does not leave the confines of a house or apartment and accidentally runs out of the front door into the street, this can result in serious consequences.
A pet's desire to run out onto the landing at any cost is a potentially dangerous behavior for cats . Unusual surroundings, cars, busy traffic on the streets, new smells, relatives zealously guarding their territory, and other animals can cause harm to your pet.
It is possible that once outside, the cat will try to hide in the basement, climb onto the roof, may fall into a ventilation shaft, or run far from the house and will not be able to find its way back. In addition, while the pet is outside, it can catch some kind of infection, a deadly virus, or eat poisonous bait.
Various dangers that await domestic cats that are not accustomed to such an environment can cause the death of your pet, so it is very important to wean the cat from running out into the entrance.
Reasons for constant escapes
If a kitten or an adult cat constantly runs out into the entrance of the apartment through the opened front door, in order to wean the pet from the addiction, you need to understand the reasons for this behavior.
From the point of view of cats who live in a limited area and do not walk on the street, the front door is a kind of opportunity to get in and discover a new world. By their nature, cats are quite inquisitive and enjoy exploring everything new and unknown to themselves.
If cats run out into the entrance, this may be caused by:
- banal curiosity;
- severe stress, nervous tension;
- searching for a partner during sexual hunting;
- fear, great fright.
When the front door opens, a lot of unknown smells enter the apartment, most of which are very attractive and tempting for pets. Representatives of the cat family have a very developed sense of smell and odors; various aromas help animals adapt and master the environment.
Important! If a cat has known all the delights of a free life, it will be quite difficult to turn them into homebodies. If the animal is accustomed to the street, the pet will consider that it has the right to unhindered movement.
Some cats show by their behavior and appearance that they want to leave the apartment. For example, a cat constantly sits under the front door, waiting for the arrival of owners or guests, waiting for any opportunity to slip unnoticed into the stairwell or into the yard. And believe me, sooner or later he will do this, no matter how closely you monitor your pet.
But there are also more cunning fugitives. Sometimes owners notice that the cat has disappeared only when it is time for the next feeding. In this case, the cat has a greater chance of getting into trouble.
