End of our tether, should we return our cat to the Cat Rescue Home?

[DreamingofFour]

Our 10 year old cat has always been shy and twitchy, which we put down to a hard life before we got her from the Cat Rescue Home 3 years ago. But since we moved house six months ago she has become a bit of a nightmare. She keeps weeing & pooing all over the new house, and despite our best efforts (putting out cat lit if she wants it, helping her thru cat flap etc) she seems to be getting worse. Now she is really jumpy and even more shy. We have taken her to the vet, who said there was nothing physically wrong but wondered if it was psychological and should she have Prozac. At the same time we are dealing with our youngest waking up every night, all the kids sick, work etc etc so we don't have the capacity to be cleaning up the sofa from cat wee/poo every day.(The latest spot she chose). Given that she isn't very happy, would it be ok to return her to the cat rescue home where I suspect she would be happier?
Anyone else been in this situation?

Thanks for your help

[cozietoesie]

The trouble with putting her back to a rescue home at her age (and with her history) is that her chances of finding a new home are ....not good. Even if they did manage to find a home for her, her chances of adjusting yet again to a new family are even worse. You're really going to have to deal with her problems as you stand, I think, or her future isn't looking bright.

How old are your DCs? And what was she like before you moved with regard to pooing and peeing?

[Mockingcurl]

My cat started to do this last year. He just couldn't cope with any change at all. I bought a plug in thing from the vets. I think it's called Feliway. You put it near where they spend most of their time. It gives out comforting hormones similar to those given out by mum. It cams them down. I also bought some spray to spray on his favourite weeing spot. He stopped the behaviour fairly quickly.

Moving house and having new neighbouring cats etc to get used to, can be very stressful for them.

[fuzzypicklehead]

It will be ok for you if you rehome her, but quite possibly not for her. If she's this stressed as a result of one move, another will certainly add to her stress and discomfort.

I agree on the Feliway. My older cat had a similar mini breakdown when we moved with him. Feliway was helpful, and there's also calm-eze (from pets at home) and even growing a pot of fresh catnip may help. Try two litter trays in different locations, away from food, and if you use a biodegradeable litter then you can sprinkle some of the used litter in the garden in those areas you want her to use. (also, maybe loosen the soil in that area so she has an easy place to dig.)

It's a lot of work, but it can resolve itself.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Feliway and Zlykene together are very helpful in this situation also having a minimum of two litter trays in the house.
Does the cat have a safe area in the house where she can rest undisturbed?

[fuzzypicklehead]

Oh, I should mention that our kitty did stop peeing in the house, and eventually gave up his litter tray to pee outdoors. He was never quite as chilled as he had been in our old house, but he relaxed and dealt with the arrival of 2 dd's happily and eventually died at home at 17.

[BagCat]

I wouldn't return her, that would only upset her more and you really don't want to do that to her after she has been through so much. Try all the suggestions above, esp giving her her own space where she can escape (where there are her blankets with her own smell on them, etc) when things are too noisy/stressful for her and the Feliway.

I'd also say two really obvious things that you're probably already doing, but make sure her tray is always clean for her and that her food is not near her tray. Also, don't shout at her if she does make a mistake, this doesn't work with cats and only breeds nervousness. (not saying that you do)

She is not dirtying because she wants to be in trouble, it's more likely that she (for whatever reason) hasn't gotten used to the new house and is still trying to make it her own or object to the unsettling - my cat pees all along the hedge outside to mark her territory.

You've just got to find the right way to get her back to being your best pal again and cats will usually break down to 100% unconditional kindness after a while

[Fluffycloudland77]

I agree that she is unlikely to be rehomed, more to either be put down or left in a pen for the rest of her life.

It sounds like you need a carpet shampoo machine with a furniture attachment so you can clean sofas etc when she does wee somewhere she shouldn't.

We used zylkene on our cat with great success.

I spray feliway on any areas our cat sprays on and he doesn't go near them again. Make sure you only wash with bio powder or non bio for woollen fabrics, anything with bleach or disinfectant smells like wee to them and makes them think its a toilet, plus try having two trays.

Our cat doesn't like the big cat litters so we have ultra clumping as its a finer grain. He has delicate paws is a fussy bugger with normal paws