On Tarps and Deterrence

I bought an 8' x 10' blue tarp on Tuesday and spread it out over the bed when I left for work Wednesday morning. When I returned, Tobey had peed on the tarp in two places. While the tarp is considerably easier to clean than the sheets, it didn't really serve as a deterrent, like I had hoped. This morning, I was getting ready around the house, and since Tobey was already laying in my bedroom floor, so I went on and shut the door while I was in the kitchen. (I shut my bedroom door when I leave if I am the only one around so that if Tobey does destroy something while I'm gone, it's only in my space and not the common ones. I'm trying to be considerate to my roomies). Anyway, right as I was going to leave I remembered I needed something back in the bedroom. I walked in, and Tobey was laying in the floor, but behold! a fresh urine puddle on the tarp. Good thing I had already spread it out.

So this is the first time she has peed in my room when I'm home, but of course, she didn't know I was home since I shut the door. I still think this is an attention ploy, and not a urinary tract infection. (The UTI is the most common cause of kitties using the bathroom where they are not supposed to). I'm going to take her to the vet either tomorrow or saturday and see what they say. If it is a UTI, then some antibiotics will clear it up and she will be fine. If it's behavioral, at least they can give me some tips on how to changer her behavior. In the mean time, my substitute-Dr. Spock, Beth, says to try putting a small litter box on the bed, and then moving it to the edge of the bed, then off the bed, then into the bathroom... sort of like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. This may work. Then again, Resolve Oder Eliminator might have worked. And the shoebox. Or the tarp. But hey, at least my sheets are clean and dry.