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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

DP wants me to have cat put to sleep?

49 replies

claw3 · 21/09/2009 10:39

My 17 year old cat, has started crapping and urinating all round the house, i dont think she is incontinent as such.

She cant hear very well and i think this is putting her off of using the cat flap and going outside.

I thought i had found the solution and got her a litter tray, only problem is i have 2 other younger cats and they started to use it too and would get a bit carried away. We could hear cat litter hitting the walls and they would end up turning the whole litter tray upside down and scattering litter and crap all over the place.

If she were in pain i would have no problem with having her put to sleep, but she is not. What do you think?

OP posts:

MitchyInge · 21/09/2009 10:41

have you seen the vet about it? there might be other solutions - meds, diffusers etc?

Stannie · 21/09/2009 10:42

Agree with Mitchy - go and see the vet before any decisions are made.

ChopsTheDuck · 21/09/2009 10:42

what about one of those litter trays that have a top on them, so the litter can't get thrown everywhere?
Agree, might be a good idea to see the vet.

haggisaggis · 21/09/2009 10:45

Claw - I have my 21 year old cat booked in with the vet tonight as she has recently started weeing everywhere. It seeems common in elderly cats and (certainly with mine) is probably a urinary infection. She also now wakes us up every morning very early by Mieowing VERY loudly! But other than that (and not grooming) she is fine so I don't think she's ready to go yet.

GrendelsMum · 21/09/2009 10:46

litter tray with a hood. plus vet.

Original poster

claw3 · 21/09/2009 11:09

She has been to vet recently and is in good health, (other than being a bit deaf and perhaps getting a bit senile) no urinary infections or anything. She just doesnt want to go outside.

She is weeing and pooing in the pot plants on the carpet in the front room and on anything you leave on the floor. She has gone on my sons book bag for school, any clothes he leaves on the floor and all over the the new wooden floor in the hall way dp has just laid!

I really didnt want my 2 younger cats to become dependent on a litter tray, but i suppose its better than the alternative.

I will give the hooded litter tray a go. Thanks

OP posts:

GrendelsMum · 21/09/2009 11:28

Perhaps you should see this as a good thing? It will teach everyone not to leave clothes on the floor - in fact, you could hire her out to other MNers with untidy children?

echt · 21/09/2009 11:54

Couldn't agree more, grendel. How we larfed when our old mog shat in DD's handbag!!

alypaly · 21/09/2009 11:56

claw3 HAVE YOU GOT YOUNSTERS IN THE HOUSE

PfftTheMagicDragon · 21/09/2009 12:04

Well, everyone needs to learn that they don't leave things on the floor if they don't want cat piss on them.

Get the little tray with a top out. In my experience, cats are fine with the cahnge in arrangements and the litter tray should not mean that your other cats will not be able to get used to going out to wee again when the time comes, they are quite adaptable.

thehairybabysmum · 21/09/2009 12:16

My cat did this at the same age....agree that she jsut wasnt bothered about going outside.

Is the problem at night? Can you shut her in a diff room from the other cats, with the tray, at night?

I used to put the tray outside in the day (also had one of those covered ones as i have young ds's.). She would potter outside in the day still or she just used to hold it...cast iron bladder!

Sadly she got v. poorly this year and i did have to put her to sleep but 18 is a good innings for a cat. I would say dont put her down if she is not unwell as the guilt will upset you. I feel a bit guilty even though i KNOW i did thte right thing (and i dont normally do guilt!)

thehairybabysmum · 21/09/2009 12:18

To add...our other cat has since happily gonne back to not having a litter tray.

Also have you tried the Feliway plug ins?

MrsSaxon · 21/09/2009 12:27

My cat is about a million years old, blind as a bat and also does the old wee/poo everywhere, but he is not in any pain at all.

Olde pets are harder to look after but I think its an excellent example to your kids about caring.

Could you pop her in the kitchen at night so she cannot wee everywhere?

Original poster

claw3 · 21/09/2009 13:13

Yes i have youngsters in the house, well 2 teenagers and a 5 year old son with special needs.

I cant shut her anywhere downstairs, its kind of all open plan with no doors.

Even when we had the litter tray, she was still going everywhere, but i put that down to the 2 other cats flicking the cat litter everywhere and the tray being near empty most of the time.

Its not just of a night, during the day she just finds a quiet corner somewhere and lets rip!

I havent tried the feliway plug ins, tell me more?

I did try putting down some stuff that is suppose to deter cats from going, but it smelt worse that the cat poo!

LOL @ renting her out to untidy mners. I could make a fortune, although their pot plants would be wilting!

OP posts:

thehairybabysmum · 21/09/2009 13:34

the Feliway is some kind of cat hormone, it is in a diffuser thing that you plug in, like an air freshener. It costs a small fortune but does work...well it does for us. My other cat (the still alive one) is v. nervy and does sometimes spray in the house especially if there are other cats about outside. the feliway seems to pretty much stop it happening.

Original poster

claw3 · 21/09/2009 13:41

I will google feliway, thanks.

Not much point in putting them downstairs as this would probably drive her upstairs, so im assuming all around the house?

Will definitely get the hooded tray and give that a go.

OP posts:

alypaly · 21/09/2009 13:47

claw3 SORRY
I would feel the same as DP. Hate animal poo inside or outside the house. yuk!!!!!!!

bodeniites · 21/09/2009 13:59

i feel for you claw3 are the young cats peeing or pooing in anything other than the litter tray?

PfftTheMagicDragon · 21/09/2009 14:00

Can you find her a quiet spot downstairs with a blanket, on top of a bookcase, inside a cupboard to sleep in and then keep all upstairs doors closed? This will at least confine anything downstairs.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 21/09/2009 14:10

I'd euthanise her, mind you, I am not the most sensitive person in the known world.

Original poster

claw3 · 21/09/2009 14:15

Alypaly - I dont love poo, i hate the poo, but i do love my cat and it seems like a bit of a petty reason to have her put to sleep if i can find a solution.

Boden - No and without a litter tray, 2 younger cats go outside. When a litter tray is down, the 2 younger cats seem to have a competition as to who can cover poo the most and go into a frenzy!

Pfft - My older cat never ventures upstairs. she is a downstairs cat and only wees and poos downstairs. She used to have a blanket to sleep on, but as i said anything left on the floor or anywhere else, she wees and poos on.

OP posts:

Grandhighpoohba · 21/09/2009 14:21

How young are the young cats, and how long have you had them - could this be a dirty protest moment? As in, this is MY space, thank you very much. Or your punishment for bringing invaders into her space? It may be, even if you've had them a while, that they are too boisterous for her now she's older, and in an open plan house there is no escape, so its dirty protest time.

Also, some cats won't share a tray, so you may need one for each cat, and having them in different locations - one of ours used to guard the trays in some kind of evil power struggle.

Feliway really works, but you'll need to cover all areas the cat uses. Bloody expensive but worth it. Tricks your cat into feeling chilled out - less stress, less pee!

worth a read

GoldenSnitch · 21/09/2009 14:26

"without a litter tray, 2 younger cats go outside"

You mean - they shit in my neighbours gardens.

As a non cat owner and a garden that is infecsted with disgusting cat shit - I beg you, please, keep the litter trays!

Original poster

claw3 · 21/09/2009 14:30

Grand - When i say younger cats, i mean younger than her, they are both 9 years old, brother and sister.

I see what you mean about the sharing, its like a competition between the other 2, to get the other cats poo out of the tray.

God, 3 litter trays, scattered around the house, when the other 2 are perfectly capable of using the cat flap. Bloody cats!

OP posts:

Original poster

claw3 · 21/09/2009 14:33

Golden - No they shit in the woods, that backs onto my garden, along with all the foxes shit

OP posts:

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