Naughty Boo Kitty
02-13-2011, 11:44 PM
#41
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 132
I've fostered over 100 cats in the past 13 years and have seen this many times. Since you've ruled out UTI, here's what you have left to determine:
- stress (loss of job, death, forclosure, new family member (baby or pet), move (you said new house, just how new?), anxiety from the dog rubbing off on her?
- she's offended by the litter (odor, texture, cleanliness), style of box (most do great with the plain old shallow litter pan - without the cover), or location of the litterbox (must be in a quiet, secluded area, and away from food/water. Consider using a litter called "cat attract" for a few months. This litter has been treated to attract cats to use it for their bathroom needs.
- there have been occasions where new materials have been treated with an ammonia based chemical (I've seen it plenty of times in new carpets and leather).
Ideas for helping with stress: Pheremone spray/diffuser/collar by Feliway (and there are a few others out there now too). These pheremone products (almost like a body odor or hormone odor for cats) that mimics the scent a cat leaves behind when they rub their face/cheeks/whiskers on you. This is "marking" their territory to say "you are mine" or "I accept you as my family". First, your cat will feel less "mischeivious" when this pheremone is used. If you have trouble areas that are "stained" regularly, the spray is the best product for the job (right after a good enzyme cleaner). The next time your cat goes to inappropriately urinate on the offended spot, he will first smell the area and get a "whiff" of the Feliway and makes him think "hm, another cat has rubbed his face here . . . so this is where I am supposed to rub my face, not spray my urine". It has an overall calming/accepted effect on them.
(side note: they have a similar product, DAP for dogs that mimics the odor the mama dog gives off when puppies are nursing on her. It is often used for dogs with separation anxiety. It may help your dog feel comforted and safe).
Other things that you might consider: Give daily treatment of medication or holistic type of treatment such as Bach Flower Remedies, Flower Essences, or vet prescribed anti-anxiety medication. This is a link to a website with some solutions that target the issues your cat is exhibiting especially the treatment called "Love My Litter Box:. http://www.catfaeries.com/essences.html . These remedies are meant to be used for several months as it often takes time for stressful reactions to go away and more tolerant behavior to become more habitual. If you don't feel comfortable with these, then see if your vet can prescribe an anti-anxiety/anti-depressant for several months to get your kitty more emotionally adapted to the stresses that are causing this behavior. And if you are groaning about the ridiculous thought of attempting to put a pill down a cat's throat, wait . . . I have something for that too! Ask your vet to write the RX for you to have filled outside of their office. Look up "compound pharmacy" in the yellow pages and take your RX script there to be filled. Ask them to make the prescription into a transdermal cream. This way you can rub the cream on the inside ear flap of the cat and it gets absorbed quickly into the bloodstream by way of the blood vessels just below the skin. So let's just say, it works similar to a nitotine patch. And if the cat is offended that there is something in his ear, let him paw it out and lick it for even more effectiveness! Feel free to PM me for any questions.
- stress (loss of job, death, forclosure, new family member (baby or pet), move (you said new house, just how new?), anxiety from the dog rubbing off on her?
- she's offended by the litter (odor, texture, cleanliness), style of box (most do great with the plain old shallow litter pan - without the cover), or location of the litterbox (must be in a quiet, secluded area, and away from food/water. Consider using a litter called "cat attract" for a few months. This litter has been treated to attract cats to use it for their bathroom needs.
- there have been occasions where new materials have been treated with an ammonia based chemical (I've seen it plenty of times in new carpets and leather).
Ideas for helping with stress: Pheremone spray/diffuser/collar by Feliway (and there are a few others out there now too). These pheremone products (almost like a body odor or hormone odor for cats) that mimics the scent a cat leaves behind when they rub their face/cheeks/whiskers on you. This is "marking" their territory to say "you are mine" or "I accept you as my family". First, your cat will feel less "mischeivious" when this pheremone is used. If you have trouble areas that are "stained" regularly, the spray is the best product for the job (right after a good enzyme cleaner). The next time your cat goes to inappropriately urinate on the offended spot, he will first smell the area and get a "whiff" of the Feliway and makes him think "hm, another cat has rubbed his face here . . . so this is where I am supposed to rub my face, not spray my urine". It has an overall calming/accepted effect on them.
(side note: they have a similar product, DAP for dogs that mimics the odor the mama dog gives off when puppies are nursing on her. It is often used for dogs with separation anxiety. It may help your dog feel comforted and safe).
Other things that you might consider: Give daily treatment of medication or holistic type of treatment such as Bach Flower Remedies, Flower Essences, or vet prescribed anti-anxiety medication. This is a link to a website with some solutions that target the issues your cat is exhibiting especially the treatment called "Love My Litter Box:. http://www.catfaeries.com/essences.html . These remedies are meant to be used for several months as it often takes time for stressful reactions to go away and more tolerant behavior to become more habitual. If you don't feel comfortable with these, then see if your vet can prescribe an anti-anxiety/anti-depressant for several months to get your kitty more emotionally adapted to the stresses that are causing this behavior. And if you are groaning about the ridiculous thought of attempting to put a pill down a cat's throat, wait . . . I have something for that too! Ask your vet to write the RX for you to have filled outside of their office. Look up "compound pharmacy" in the yellow pages and take your RX script there to be filled. Ask them to make the prescription into a transdermal cream. This way you can rub the cream on the inside ear flap of the cat and it gets absorbed quickly into the bloodstream by way of the blood vessels just below the skin. So let's just say, it works similar to a nitotine patch. And if the cat is offended that there is something in his ear, let him paw it out and lick it for even more effectiveness! Feel free to PM me for any questions.
02-16-2011, 06:25 AM
#42
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 732
Hi everybody,
Just wanted to give you a quick update on Boo. She's been pretty good lately, and I've been treating her more like a dog than a cat. Never thought a cat could 'get it' when it comes to praising them for some reason. Been making sure I watch her closely and when she's been laying in one spot all day (as usual!) I make sure she goes right into her room where her litterbox is. Sometimes I have to chase her around the house (she's small but quick!), but I'm quicker. :) AND, when I 'catch her' peeing in there I have been praising her and giving her a treat. Hubby thinks I'm nuts. Tried moving the training pad into the litter box, but she (for some reason) prefers the pads on the floor. I can live with that, as long as that's the only place she's goes. I also tried a different litter (again) but to no avail.
The things I do just to keep the animals I love. ;)
Just wanted to give you a quick update on Boo. She's been pretty good lately, and I've been treating her more like a dog than a cat. Never thought a cat could 'get it' when it comes to praising them for some reason. Been making sure I watch her closely and when she's been laying in one spot all day (as usual!) I make sure she goes right into her room where her litterbox is. Sometimes I have to chase her around the house (she's small but quick!), but I'm quicker. :) AND, when I 'catch her' peeing in there I have been praising her and giving her a treat. Hubby thinks I'm nuts. Tried moving the training pad into the litter box, but she (for some reason) prefers the pads on the floor. I can live with that, as long as that's the only place she's goes. I also tried a different litter (again) but to no avail.
The things I do just to keep the animals I love. ;)
02-16-2011, 10:54 AM
#43
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: currently central new jersey
Posts: 8,623
congrats! she's definitely in kitty first grade!
does she go outside at all or is she a strictly inside cat? sometimes cats just like to pee + outside and come right home. as the weather gets warmer, maybe she would like that. maybe you could start by moving her pad outside and then add a little dirt. when my cats got old, that's what they wanted. the idea is to get her to do what you want her to.
does she go outside at all or is she a strictly inside cat? sometimes cats just like to pee + outside and come right home. as the weather gets warmer, maybe she would like that. maybe you could start by moving her pad outside and then add a little dirt. when my cats got old, that's what they wanted. the idea is to get her to do what you want her to.
02-22-2011, 05:22 AM
#45
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 732
Tried litterboxes all over the house, but not sure if she thought the whole house was her litterbox because it didn't work, either. She's an inside-only cat, which she really needs to be since she's a Persian. I've been really praising her like a dog, and it SEEMS to be improving. Certainly taking lots of work and discipline on my part!!
02-22-2011, 11:08 AM
#46
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: currently central new jersey
Posts: 8,623
it sounds like she's very territorial and you're her territory. as long as she gets your attention she'll obey you, but you won't be able to pussy-foot (i know - bad pun) forever.
you could try the old perfume trick. i used to introduce new kittens to the old ones this way: spray myself with perfume - the same one for a few days. cuddle the old cats until they associated me with the new smell. rub the scent on the new kitten. they associated the new kitten with me and accepted it.
what if you tried that and applied the scent to/around the litter pan? any thoughts on the subject, anyone?
you could try the old perfume trick. i used to introduce new kittens to the old ones this way: spray myself with perfume - the same one for a few days. cuddle the old cats until they associated me with the new smell. rub the scent on the new kitten. they associated the new kitten with me and accepted it.
what if you tried that and applied the scent to/around the litter pan? any thoughts on the subject, anyone?
02-27-2011, 02:17 PM
#47
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Dracut, MA
Posts: 135
I have a cat who is missing his left front leg. Since I thought he may have a hard time getting into the litter box, I found a litter box (in dog department of a pet store) that has about a 6 inch space on the center on one long side that is lower than the rest of the sides. That is always how he gets into the litter box. I thought this might be an item for you to try since your beautiful BOO is so small and maybe he does not like jumping over the side of the box to enter it. Good luck!
02-28-2011, 09:21 AM
#48
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 732
Originally Posted by jacqstash
I have a cat who is missing his left front leg. Since I thought he may have a hard time getting into the litter box, I found a litter box (in dog department of a pet store) that has about a 6 inch space on the center on one long side that is lower than the rest of the sides. That is always how he gets into the litter box. I thought this might be an item for you to try since your beautiful BOO is so small and maybe he does not like jumping over the side of the box to enter it. Good luck!
Boo is doing a little better, and in the past week has peed in her box 2-3 times. I still don't trust her. The more I praise her like a dog, the more affectionate she is becoming. I'm also being sure to pick her up after she is laying around all day and taking her directly to her box. Seems to be helping. This animal sure is high maintenance!!
Thanks again for the help and suggestion. I took another picture of the little thing for your viewing pleasure. ;) Now is that a face only a mother could love, or what? Kinda reminds me of a black Grinch! ha ha
02-28-2011, 02:58 PM
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina - But otherwise, NOTW
Posts: 7,940
Our Siamese male, 10 yo, has been peeing all over the house...the standing up thing. He hates it when the litter box is even slightly dirty, and he will refuse to use it. So, he pees on the furniture, the drapes, the walls, whatever!! I have to remember to clean the box every morning and night. And I have a female manx that has constipation problems because of her anatomy (tail is top of anal canal), and drops turds all over the house. Luckily mostly dry.
What we put up with for our animals!!! WOW!! Worse than kids.
What we put up with for our animals!!! WOW!! Worse than kids.
02-28-2011, 03:27 PM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Emmitsburg, MD
Posts: 1,599
To follow up on what others have said, two things immediately come to mind: she doesn't like where her litter box is, or she can't smell it because it's too clean.
Not only should the box be somewhere that is quiet and out of the way, but she should also feel like she has multiple escape routes. Unfortunately where we humans like to "stash" the box is generally the worst place, such as in a corner or between a piece of furniture and the wall. Any outside cat would be especially sensitive to this.
My own BooBoo Kitty has box issues as well; it was especially problematic when first my oldest cat, and then my oldest dog, started having issues with incontinence. If someone made a smell, by golly Boo was going to cover it! He especially liked any bedding they used or anyplace where they would lay for any length of time.
Both Lucy and Baxter (the elders) have passed now but the next two elders, Skeezix and Sadie, are about the same age now. We've been fortunate with them so far, but I still never leave pet bedding, blankets or any type of cloth where Boo could get it.
Cats are interesting creatures, aren't they? But I love the little monsters, oh yes I do.
Not only should the box be somewhere that is quiet and out of the way, but she should also feel like she has multiple escape routes. Unfortunately where we humans like to "stash" the box is generally the worst place, such as in a corner or between a piece of furniture and the wall. Any outside cat would be especially sensitive to this.
My own BooBoo Kitty has box issues as well; it was especially problematic when first my oldest cat, and then my oldest dog, started having issues with incontinence. If someone made a smell, by golly Boo was going to cover it! He especially liked any bedding they used or anyplace where they would lay for any length of time.
Both Lucy and Baxter (the elders) have passed now but the next two elders, Skeezix and Sadie, are about the same age now. We've been fortunate with them so far, but I still never leave pet bedding, blankets or any type of cloth where Boo could get it.
Cats are interesting creatures, aren't they? But I love the little monsters, oh yes I do.
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