Peeing on the couch a lot

[PocketFaeries]

Let me say that Finn is doing FANTASTIC all around, and I have no complaints whatsoever about him/her!  Considering that we’ve only had Finn here with us for just under two weeks, and that this bun bun is a young one, Finn is doing absolutely amazingly here.

The *one* concern I have right now is that s/he seems to be making a fairly regular habit out of peeing on the couch.  We sit on the couch often, so it’s natural to have Finn join us.  The thing is, Finn is not having "accidents" anywhere…all pee and poo otherwise seems to be in the pen area and the litterbox there.  But our couch has received quite a soaking so far, and I’d love some help with how to address it.

At first I thought that maybe putting a litterbox ON the couch (a mini one in the corner) would be a good save, but nope…Finn doesn’t care if there is a box or not…the pee goes on the cushions.  I think maybe it’s just because the sense is that this is perhaps Finn’s territory?  I’m not sure how to work with this.  It puzzles me because we’ve yet to find even a single pee spot anywhere else, and Finn is free roaming in three rooms at this point (with supervision). We don’t really even find pellets on the floor…so there is some allure to the couch that I’m not getting. I wonder if maybe it’s because the dogs also sit up here and their scent is on it?

If you have any suggestions on why this is happening, or how to address it, I’d greatly appreciate them!  So far, I’ve been gently picking Finn up off the couch, placing him/her in front of the pen and encouraging by way of "nudging" a path to the litterbox, saying "litterbox" as I go. When Finn gets in the box, I back off.  This is something I read via a link here at Binky Bunny…but if it’s not the most effective way to approach this, I’ll try another idea.

Thanks so much…I know this isn’t anything Finn is doing deliberately in terms of a "negative" behavior, so I’m certainly not upset, but I do love my couch and hope to keep it dry soon!   All tips welcome! -Jen

[Scarlet_Rose]

Ooo a territorial pee. Bunnies will often urinate on spots that most heavily hold our scent (or another animals) as a move to "claim" it as theirs and move up the ladder in the hierarchy. There are a couple of ways of breaking him of the habit. Catch him just when he starts to lift his tail, before the watershed starts and squirt him with a water bottle or give a sharp "NO" and place him in the litterbox so he knows the couch is not the appropriate place to empty his bladder (just like what you are doing, nudging a path). You’re doing a great job! Give Finn hugs from me!

As for cleaning the spot Natures Miracle works well, Oxyclean helps as well depending on how color fast the fabric is.

[Floppy]

yup …territorial pee it is, and it improves (happens less often) when he/she is fixed.
goodluck with that! My Floppy is pretty good w peeing in his litterbox but he still like this
one particular area in my room which I have to fold towels over to save the carpet! sigh*
I am waiting for the one month mark since he had his operation to see if theres more
positive changes…otherwise the water bottle is just gonna get him everytime I catch him!

[skunklionshow]

Jessica used to do the territorial pee thing…on the couch and on the cat bed.  She stopped this once she got spayed!  But prior to the spay, we had to limit her to her cage when we were at work and let her hip hop when we were home.  This allowed us to keep a good eye on her!  We cleaned the couch w/ water & vinegar.  I also started using puppy pee pee pads/ housebreaking pads.  I put them on the couch when she did hip hop so I wouldn’t have to watch her like a bunny hawk.  I currently use the pee pee pads all the time.  Even around my cats litterboxes, Phoebe tends to pee over the edge of the box.

[PocketFaeries]

Thanks, you three!  This makes a lot of good sense, and I have purchased the pee pads to place on the cushion for now. Since Finn is not old enough to be sexed yet, s/he can’t be fixed either. As soon as we can, we’ll have that taken care of, and in the meantime, pee pads, pee pads, who wants some pee pads!

I will also try a water bottle nearby (is this okay…not too mean?) as long as that is considered humane. Finn already seems to be getting the hang of the "litterbox" instruction and is becoming resigned to the fact that I’ll just keep bugging him/her until the desired box visit is acheived!

I find that, as with my dogs or gliders, I’m developing that sixth sense (it’s the "uh oh" sense) for when Finn might be on the verge of going. A quick, silent hop to the corner of back of the couch, a glazed and dazed expression in the eyes…LOL…caught ya!

 

 

[Scarlet_Rose]

The water bottle, when used appropriately is OK.  It sounds like he is responding to your glare and the encouragement with the scoot to the litter box.  Try the pee pee pads and see if he will go to his box voluntarily, if it doesn’t help, try to catch him in the act and place him in the litter box instead of the scoot. Since he is fairly new to your home and litter box training doesn’t always happen overnight, keep up with what you are doing now.  He is a babe simply learning and I think he will come around.

[Author]

Messages