Weeing on the sofa!

[Fluffybunny84]

So we’ve had our gorgeous Ralph a few weeks now and on the whole he has done really well with his litter training. The occasional poo is found around the place and only one wee accident in his favourite snooze spot behind an armchair. This is until he gets up on the sofa. At first I was beyond delighted that he jumped up as I thought he wanted a cuddle…it took a few seconds before he did the biggest wee and LOTS of poos! I was quite surprised the first time as he had been so good but the soft blanket he weed on was obviously just too tempting. So the blanket was removed although the sofa fabric is clearly still very tempting as he is like a rabbit possessed trying to constantly get back up! He managed to get up again the next morning as I had left the living room to put a cup away, I told the kids to shout me if he jumped up, in the time it took for me to walk back as the kids called me he’d already done 16 poos and a huge wee! I’m trying to keep the sofa blocked off but he’s a rather good jumper! Its starting to effect the time he can have out of he is cage, we’d got to the point where I could leave him out if I was going out for a short time as he was so trustworthy in the living room, he’d just normally sleep behind his chair but I can’t trust him even for a second now! I’ve managed to act quickly on the wee stains and have used white vinegar/ water to clean it up really well. Could this be a hormonal thing that will improve with neutering? I’m planning to get him done soon, just wanted him to settle in first!

[Limit]

Sounds like he’s marking to me! I bet he’s stinking the poor sofa out It’ll be tough to block off the sofa though as he now knows he can get up there with determination, the cheeky bun.

For now I’d still try blocking it off, maybe a high puppy pen around it? The neuter may help but it’ll still take a while for hormones to subside. Eek, I pray for your sofa

[mimimomo]

I’ve been having the exact same problem with my bunny – he never has accidents, except on the couch. There was week when I think he peed on the couch every single day! It really feels like he thinks the couch is a big litter box…

He was neutered a few months ago and that definitely helped, but it didn’t completely solve the problem. We’ve started putting a litter box on the couch whenever he hops on (gross, I know, but we can’t bear to bar him from the couch!). That seems to help a lot. It’s been over a month since peed on the couch instead of the box (knock on wood!) and I’m hoping that with time, the couch won’t smell to him like urine anymore and he will lose the habit. 

Sigh…

[Fluffybunny84]

Thanks for your replies! Mimi, I think you have summed it up there, it’s like the sofa is a giant litter box! And Limit, yes my poor poor sofa! We’ve just had to be vigilant at taking him off the sofa when he jumps up, which I hate to do as I think it’s lovely he wants to be close to us ( or pee on us, not sure which?!) and I can’t sit on the floor with him the whole evening, my bum goes numb after a while! I really hope neutering helps before it becomes a habit that is hard to break!

[SansaHotot]

My girl was a poop machine whenever she found a way onto the couch. And about 3 months ago she just started pooping everywhere in the living room too. After her spay (few weeks ago) she has been on the couch constantly with not one dropping!

[Fluffybunny84]

Oh that’s really encouraging, thanks Sansa!

[B&A]

I am having the exact same problem with my boy and he doesn’t go in to get neutered until next Thursday. I got a couple of really cheap shower curtains and draped them over the sofas to save them while I figured out how to deal with it. I don’t think he likes them as much, he stopped peeing on one of the sofas after that, but there was still another one he ‘used’.. I put his litter box up on that sofa to try and indicate that he should go in there. It’s working half of the time, but I am assuming that it will be easier once he has been neutered. The shower curtains are obviously not ideal, but they have saved the pee soaking in … I was afraid the smell would stick, and cleaning sofa cushions properly is annoying if you have to keep repeating it. At least the shower curtain you an just wipe or shake off.

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