Laminate flooring near ceramic tile (also, cat rant!)

[Excelsior! Academy]

My #@%&* cat has taken to using our carpeted dining area as a litter box.  We have taken her to the vet multiple times, put her on abx, had her checked for urinary issues, tried rx cat food, moving the cat litter, changing the cat litter, you name it.  The overall conclusion is she is acting out. From what?  Who knows!  The vet asked if we've moved furniture, changed anything, etc.  Basically she is being a diva cat.  When we purchased a black-light type urine detector, we discovered just how much of a mess she had been making and there is no amount of carpet cleaner that will remedy the mess. ?  Our only option is to pull the carpet.  Most of our downstairs has beige-ish tile.  Not my favorite, but I am not in a position to remove it or cover it, so the flooring that touches it must look somewhat planned and intentional.  I am thinking laminate, but I don't think I've ever seen laminate next to ceramic tile. I much prefer darker wood looks to lighter woods for flooring, which would look entirely out of place with our buttery yellow walls and off-white trim and beige-ish ceramic tile.  What does the hive recommend?

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I think dark floors look stunning against yellow walls and cream woodwork.  I can't speak for the tile because there are 8.5 million different shades of beige.  Some have pink undertones, some more brown, and others look green, etc.  Are the tiles one solid color, or do they have some mottling?  Do you have any extra that you can bring with you to the flooring store?  It's super helpful to place the tile down against the flooring options.  If not, ask if you can bring a sample home.  You really need to see the two floors next to each other.

Oh, and just a year ago, I was in the exact situation you are in.  Our old cat had decided that the whole downstairs hallway made a great litter box.  Black light caused it to light up like a Christmas tree.  It was totally disgusting.  I had to put in tile, but it needed to go next to the orangy stone-look tile in the bathroom and the utility room.  That tile was discontinued (of course), and unusual.  There was nothing even close.  I found a beige tile I liked okay, but not right next to the existing tile.  But, a brilliant tile store rep showed me the mosaic borders.  I found one that had both colors, and I put it in the doorways as a transition between the tile colors.  It's not perfect, but it does look intentional.

Oh, and upstairs, we have engineered hardwood next to the tile in the bathroom, with a wood threshold strip between.  It looks fine.

ETA: After I pulled the carpet, the cat stopped peeing in the hallway.  He moved to the kitchen, on the engineered hardwood.  It has seeped under the baseboards and soaked into the wood.  It will eventually need to be replaced as well.  Grrrrr.  I don't know what would happen to your laminate if your cat decided to pee on it, but it's something to consider.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Suzanne in ABQ

[KathyBC]

https://www.google.ca/search?q=laminate+flooring+transition+strip+ceramic+tile&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjx5au6-KHeAhUtHzQIHViTAHUQ_AUIDygC&biw=1455&bih=689&dpr=1.1

 

We have hardwood next to vinyl tile in one spot and next to stone tile in another. Looks good to me. :-)

Edited October 25, 2018 by KathyBC

[VaKim]

I would not do laminate if there is any chance the cat will continue to potty in there, as it can ruin it if not cleaned up immediately. No suggestions for colors and such, but I think I'd go with vinyl or more tile. Something that can't absorb urine and that doesn't have cracks for the urine to seep into. 

[Scarlett]

First the cat would have to go.  

Seriously, the cat won't stop just because you take out the carpet.  

[KungFuPanda]

You might wanna get vinyl plank. You can do it yourself and it’s waterproof. You could even put a rug on top to soften the look, then at least it’s easier to clean if the cat wrecks it. 

[May]

I agree with Scarlett, the cat would have to go?We had a calico Persian when we first married. After spending hundreds if not thousands on finding out why she stopped using the litter box, we had her put down. The vet said he had no more suggestions. The previous owners had her declawed so making her an outside cat wasn’t an option. It still makes me sad to think about it?I really like the vinyl planks I’ve been seeing at Lowe’s and Home Depot. If I had a do over, I wood put those in instead of the engineered hardwood we put in. 

[Mary in VA]

You can get ceramic tile that looks like wood.  We had it put in our master bath and it looks almost identical to the WPC(wood plastic composite) flooring that butts up against it in the doorway. Of course it won't feel the same underfoot, but if the cat continues using the dining area as a litter box it would be easy to clean up. 

[prairiewindmomma]

On 10/24/2018 at 7:46 PM, Excelsior! Academy said:

 but I don't think I've ever seen laminate next to ceramic tile. I much prefer darker wood looks to lighter woods for flooring, which would look entirely out of place with our buttery yellow walls and off-white trim and beige-ish ceramic tile.  

I think nearly every house I visited in south Texas had laminate next to beige ceramic tile. ? Hardwoods were out because everything was built on a slab. 

They generally did a transitional board and then the regular layout of plank flooring. It looked fine—but you have to check the thickness of the plank and the underlayment to make sure it will all lay flush.

If you are keeping the cat, or ever owning a cat again, I would absolutely go with a vinyl product with no cracks in which urine could pool. 

[Mergath]

Is she declawed? Sometimes, even years down the road, the declawing can cause them horrible pain in their feet which makes it painful for them to use the litterbox, and they end up peeing in other places.