We have an older female tabby - rescued age 1 and now approaching 10. Adopted with her sister, who passed away some four years ago (lorry vs cat, killed instantly ) She was an indoor cat initially but has been allowed out from age 2-9. In the last year we have moved and we aren't allowed to put a catflap in this (rented) house. She is let in and out as often as she wishes, night-time aside when she sleeps in her utility room (she has always had a similar night-time set up due to DH's allergy and her tendency to sleep on people's faces).
She has always been completely fine using a litter tray - when she was young, for periods of injury and for the first 3 months here. But in the last few weeks she is completely refusing to use it. She pees on the floor of the utility room, which is where her litter is. She poos on the mat in mine or DD's bedroom. She used to ask to go outside, but she's now slinking off around the house and then I smell the result shortly after.
The tray is clean, litter changed very regularly, nothing has changed with the products we're using - though I have tried a different type of litter to see if it would make a difference. It hasn't. It has a roof on which she has always been fine with. Her diet is unchanged, she's eating and drinking normally, the poos look normal for her and her weight is steady.
The only thing that's changed is that I'm now 12w pregnant - the cat herself is being very affectionate and enjoys sitting on/drooling over my tiny bump. DH works away a lot and we live in a toxo-endemic country. I've been tested, despite having owned cats for all my life, I'm negative, so marigolds and scalding hot handwashing is getting me through, but I really can't keep it up indefinitely.
Is this her age? Her reaction to pregnancy? Could it be a sign of illness (we will be taking her to the vet for a check-up, but she was given a clean bill of health only a couple of months ago)? Any suggestion?
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.
The litter tray
New litter tray issues
2 replies
ChatEnOeuf · 13/12/2014 20:21
OP posts:
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.