My cat is peeing on the carpet

[NewDirections]

I've had my kitty for a year. She's 14 years old and very attached to me. She was abused as a young cat (I don't really know the details) and as a result of this she's very shy around people she doesn't know well.

I noticed her peeing on the carpet about 10 days ago. My bestfriend was staying for the weekend and she had her cat with her. We were hanging out and my kitty looked at me and peed in the corner We thought she was mad that another cat was in the house or that I had switched litter. We took my friend's cat home immediately and switched back to her previous brand of litter. I also cleaned the carpet in the area where she peed.

My bestfriend visits a lot and was over yesterday as well. We're pretty loud when we're together. I'm not sure if that bothers my kitty, since she usually stays in my bedroom most of the time and seems shyer when she comes downstairs when bestfriend is over. Anyways, last night kitty peed in the corner again She also did it this afternoon when I was alone

I really don't know what's going on. I have a vet appointment for next Saturday so I can ask the vet about it then. Is there anything I can do to stop this?

[greenmagick]

It is very common for a cat to start urinating in new places when the have a UTI.

There are other medical and behavioral issues that cause it, but a UTI is the most common.

[RiverSky]

Also, to remove the scent of urine in that area, have you used an enzyme cleaner, like Nature's Miracle, to help stop the repeat offenses? There are other brands, all available at pet stores, but I just can't remember any others and always tend to have NM on hand.

It's good that you have a vet appointment.

[lovermont]

My inlaws have a dairy farm and so also barn cats.
Whenever they want/need a cat they take in a kitten from the barn. My mother in law blocks corners with 2x4's to discourage the kittens from peeing in corners. Maybe it would help you to block off the corner your cat has peed in?

We rescued a cat about 4 years ago that the shelter said was probably 9-10 years old. He has peed in random places (usually on something plastic-y like grocery bags or the deflated yoga ball or on shoes and backpacks) for the last year or so. We attributed it to us moving/having another baby but it kept up. Dh did some research and saw that, like a pp said, a uti can cause a cat to avoid the litter box. It hurts to pee with a uti so they associate the litter box with that pain.

At one point our cat stopped eating or drinking really. We brought the cat to an emergency vet. He gave the cat iv fluids and did some blood work. He said the cat was very very old- probably much older than our guestimated 14years and if we were ready we should talk about euthanizing.
A week later that's what we decided to do. The vet was super supportive saying he thought it was the fair thing to do for the cat.
I don't say this to discourage you, just that the peeing may be a serious thing and it's great that you have a pre-scheduled vet visit to bring this up with the vet.
I would assume that the cat peeing is not related to your best friend's visits (maybe her cat coming over that one time, but not when she's visiting by herself) as it sounds like she comes over regularly and the cat would be relatively used to her.

I'm sorry you're having to go through this.