Ideas for Sealing Leak Spots?

[Wick & Fable]

Wick’s hutch, which he stays in primarily at night when I’m sleeping, is made out of an old dresser. To make it urine-proof, hard, linoleum tiles cover all the floor space, as well as going up the walls to catch sprays. Unfortunately, it was not possible to prevent the small crevices where the floor tile and wall tile meet, and from this, some urine soaks through and leaks through the bottom (regularly and safely bleached and clean to prevent mold growth). A silicone-based sealant was used originally, but it did not adhere very well to the tiles so it came off very easily. I also want to make sure it’s something that won’t lose it’s adhesive properties when exposed to liquid (water, urine) or when scratched (Wick does not scratch, claw, or dig, but he slips on the tile some times).

Does anyone have suggestions to seal the gaps? Having Wick vacate the hutch for a day or two is possible if it’s something which would need time to set. I am not exclusively looking for a spray or paste per say, but at the moment it seems to be the only option since sticking something down seems to be temporary, considering most adhesive will get dissolved by urine.

In terms of preventing the leaks from happening in the first place, Wick isn’t really “sophisticated” enough to be cognizant of where his bottom is facing when he urinates, so he’ll be in the litter box, but shoot against an unguarded spot because of his position.

Currently, I’ve just piled bedding where the leaks usually occur. It works well, but is not ideal.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Luna]

Are the gaps only where the floor and wall meet, or between the individual tiles too? Can you post a pic?

[Vienna Blue in France]

If he is litter box trained and just misses it due to a random body position, a higher sided litter tray / plastic tidy box seems the most foolproof of solutions.

[Wick & Fable]

Hi Luna!

Where the tiles meet on the floor is very tight, so no leaks problem there. Also, Wick does not pee in the in center of floors, so the risk is non-existent; it’s only where the floor and wall meet that there is a small gap. I’m not at home to take a picture right now, but will once I am. The crevice is very small (I only really put my finger nail through it if I tried), but it’s big enough that urine falls through.

The leaking only occurs in 3 spots, which are the spots Wick accidentally pees on against the wall. If I could find a way to seal each crevice-spot about an inch wide (though sealing everything would be great), that would solve my issue because it is a very concentrated area where the leaks occur.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Wick & Fable]

a higher sided litter tray / plastic tidy box seems the most foolproof of solutions.

That is definitely a good point. I wanted to make sure a full side of the litter box was low-lip so Wick could get in. Currently, his hutch litter box is the same width as the hutch, with the hutch walls surrounding three sides of the litter box and a low, 2-in wall where he can get in. I debated putting a high wall on part of the low lip because I was afraid it’d discourage him from going all the way into the litter box. The hutch ceiling is low, so he can’t jump into the litterbox like his other two, so the more open it is, the better for getting his entire body in it (he’s guilty of just sitting by the side and pulling hay out to eat on the hutch floor). I may opt to make a tiny portion of the low-lip side high walled and see if this helps.

Thank you for the suggestion VB!

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[vanessa]

I would say put a puppy pee pad under the linoleum in those areas, but while that will protect the wood, you will still have pee touching the underside of the linoleum. What about some type of show/corner moulding? They sell them in plastic.

[Azerane]

My suggestion was going to be bathroom silicone until I got to the second half of your first paragraph It’s what I used and I’ve not had any issues with it staying put.

Otherwise, as suggested, I think a higher sided litter tray is the way to go and just keep a section of one side low as needed for access

[Wick & Fable]

Here’s a picture of the scenario!

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Paige]

Have you tried using sandpaper to roughen the corners, so the silicone sticks?
It might ruin your corners a little but it would be covered by the silicone

[Luna's Mom]

I wonder if the stuff they use to seal fish tanks would work? Not sure if it works on wood, but I would think it would

[Author]

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