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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

At The End Of My Tether With Cat

163 replies

Moodymagpie · 02/04/2020 21:11

We have 2 female cats a 6 year old bengal and a 2 year old siamese.

The siamese is driving me nuts.

She was perfectly fine up until 6 months ago when our littlest DD was born when siamese suddenly became kitty from hell. She's destructive, she always used to use her cat tree, now she's tagging carpets, bedding, furniture, climbing curtains ect. She's become aggressive to our bengal, who is the most gentle and non aggressive cat ever.

But the worst thing is she's stopped using her litter tray... We have a total of 3 litter boxes in our house.. One for each cat and one spare.

She's a Fing nightmare.

She pees on all the baby clothes, the cot, shits on the carpet in the nursery, shits right next to the litter box.

The back door is open during the day now as the weather is warming up.. She won't go out and do her business. I've tried everything

Locking the doors, she meowls and doesn't stop,

Clean the litter box daily and scoop and soon as its been used. She refuses to use it.

I've taken her to the vet incase she had an underlying health problem. She doesn't. Shes just being a bastard.

I've tried feliway, Orange peel, pepper, bleach

I've even locked her outside for a few hours... As soon as she came in she went straight to the clean pile of baby washing and peed all over it.

She's currently locked in the shed with food, water her bed and a litter box.

Please help. I don't know what else to do and I don't want to rehome her. I know the baby is a huge change for her and she's stressed...

OP posts:
MitziK · 02/04/2020 21:14

Bleach encourages cats to pee.

ilovesooty · 02/04/2020 21:17

She's not "being a bastard". She's unhappy and distressed. And you've locked her in the shed? Have you sought any behavioural help?

Justonedayatatime11 · 02/04/2020 21:17

Wtf, locked in the shed?! For gods sake rehome the poor animal to someone who actually wants her! Angry

Moodymagpie · 02/04/2020 21:18

I should mention its a large shed with a cat flap. She can get in and out.

OP posts:
ofwarren · 02/04/2020 21:18

She will be terrified locked in the shed. That won't help her behaviour at all.

Mistystar99 · 02/04/2020 21:18

Lock in shed for longer?

FairlowWonder · 02/04/2020 21:18

Sounds like she’s not happy with the new baby. Can you keep her away from the baby stuff, maybe keep it all in certain rooms that are shut off. How is she with the baby itself?

Booboostwo · 02/04/2020 21:20

Fluoxetine works wonders with inappropriate toileting due to stress. I am surprised your vet didn’t mention it.

Also, can you not close some doors and keep the baby stuff away rather than lock the cat in the shed!

Moodymagpie · 02/04/2020 21:21

... To those who think locking her in a large, airy shed which is warm, has a cat flap and seem to think I'm doing her some sort of harm... I'm not.. She's perfectly fine there, it's been remordled specifically for the cats. Please as for clarification Angry

OP posts:
MoggTheCat · 02/04/2020 21:21

I’m a veterinary nurse and would thoroughly recommend www.vickyhalls.net

OldSpeclkledHen · 02/04/2020 21:23

She sounds stressed, please rehome her via breed rescue.

Poor cat.

yelyah22 · 02/04/2020 21:23

That's an extremely unhappy cat. I'm sorry - I don't know the answer, but she's not 'just being a bastard', she's trying to signal that she's really unhappy. We tried a herbal thing (prescribed from the vet) with one of ours and it seemed to work well for his many, many issues (trust me, I didn't sleep a full night in 6 months because he has - and I quote the vet - "issues"), I think it was VetPro brand, might be worth a try.

But locking her outside in the shed going to be distressing her more, poor girl :( If you can't find a solution, please rehome her - she would be happier I think!

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 02/04/2020 21:24

She's jealous, her space as baby has been stolen by a human baby - I bet being cast out into the shed had made her even crosser.

ths thread suggests spending more quality time with her
www.thesprucepets.com/cats-and-phones-553907

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 02/04/2020 21:26

To those who think locking her in a large, airy shed which is warm, has a cat flap and seem to think I'm doing her some sort of harm.
Well if she's acting up because she's not getting enough human attention & fuss, a large, airy shed, however warm, isn't going to cut it.

BovaryX · 02/04/2020 21:28

She's currently locked in the shed with food, water her bed and a litter box

That's very cruel and will increase her behavioral problems. You are punishing her instead of trying to understand why she is so stressed about her environment. She deserves a loving home and unfortunately you don't seem capable of providing it.

crispysausagerolls · 02/04/2020 21:29

I don’t know anything about cats, I just want to say that this sounds extremely difficult and frustrating for you, and I’m sorry to hear it.

Moodymagpie · 02/04/2020 21:29

I've tried locking the doors, or keeping her co fined to down stairs, she cries, and doesn't stop... I've tried spending more time with her but she's impossible, she wants fuss then attacks, she's stressing my other cat out who is constantly hiding under our bed now because she's bullying her. She will push the other cat out of her food bowl. And thier fed in separate room, she scarfs her food just because she wants to attempt to get to the other bowl. She remains shut in the kitchen yeowling while the other cat eats (slow eater) and then as soon as she's let out darts straight to the other bowl.

I get she's stressed out.

But I'm stressed out with the constant crap she puts out.

OP posts:
TopShelf · 02/04/2020 21:30

You've done the right thing, Op under the circumstances,

you can't have a cat ruining the household and you're doing your best.

The cat will be fine and won't come to any harm in the shed for a while.

CoffeeAndDryShampoo · 02/04/2020 21:31

Check out the icatcare/isfm website, they are the cat people of cat people and offer really good advice for all types of problem behaviours.

Moodymagpie · 02/04/2020 21:31

@BovaryX

It's not cruel.

It's been revamped specifically for cats, it has a mania of cat ledges, a cat tree, toys and a cat flap...

OP posts:
MitziK · 02/04/2020 21:33

Cats with thyroid disease are also incredibly stressy and hungry.

Has she been checked for that by the vet?

whiskersonkittenss · 02/04/2020 21:33

My cat does similar and someone suggested putting treats where she's been going to the toilet, it apparently makes them think of the area as somewhere to eat instead of pooing. Hope this helps. I know how frustrating it is

BovaryX · 02/04/2020 21:34

Cats are social creatures who need social interaction within their household. Locking a Siamese in a shed as 'punishment' for its reaction to significant change in its environment? That shows a serious lack understanding about cats. Poor cat.

ilovesooty · 02/04/2020 21:34

But it doesn't have any love or human contact. It's cruel.

Sicario · 02/04/2020 21:36

Can we see a picture of high-maintenance cat bastard? Siamese are super intelligent.