What to do about my problem cat?

[sims2fan]

I have 3 cats. 2 female and 1 (neutered) male. 2 are lovely- affectionate, sweet, friendly, gentle etc. But the youngest, a girl who is probably about 10 months old is another matter! When we got her as a kitten from a friend she would hide most of the day but sit on our laps when she wanted to sleep. Then she made friends with the other 2 and stopped coming near us. She would run as soon as you approached her and if you managed to get too close she would scratch you and hiss. The last couple of months she has been a bit better with me and occasionally lets me stroke her, but she still hates my husband!

The worst of it though is her toilet habits. We have recently moved and have a covered over litter tray in the corner of the kitchen. Initially she would use it, then she started going on the floor just next to it, and then under the table! Today my husband found she'd pooed in a corner of the carpeted living room, then later she did it right in the middle of the kitchen floor. At that point my husband had had enough, chased her all over the house then chucked her outside for about an hour, where she sat cowering on the windowsill. In our old place they were house cats but we are now in an area that's more appropriate for them to be outside so for the past couple of days we've left a window open for them, and the other 2 had been out but she hadn't until she was forced into it. I felt really mean, but we can't let her poo all over our new house can we?

So really I want a bit of advice. My husband is all for taking her to a cat shelter but I can't bring myself to do that! Although she hates him, and only just about stands me, she absolutely adores our male cat and he loves her, so i'd feel awful splitting them. Eventually I'm hoping that she will go to the loo outside but it may take a while to get to that stage so what can we do in the meantime?

[auntyfash]

You need to get some of that odour neutraliser from the vets first and clean up anywhere she has pooed or weed or she'll keep going back to the same spot.
Have you tried an open top cat litter tray? With lots of newspaper underneath it? And possibly keeping the cats in the kitchen (or wherever your litter tray is) at night so she's more likely to use it?
One of my cats has a habit of only pooing next to the litter tray, but as I put newspaper down it doesn't really matter.

As for the friendliness or lack of, that's just the way some cats are. I like cats like that tbh, my fave cat ever used to hate everyone apart from me, she was very highly strung too.

[Changeisagoodthing]

Is the tray clean and do the other cats use it?

One of mine won't use the tray if the other one has- sonwe have 2 trays. She won't use it if it's dirty and she wouldn't use a covered one.

If she has never been out then she needs encouraging- do you go out with her? A window is not ideal- can you get a cat flap? They need to see the way in and out or won't go Into to the unknown

Is she bullied by the other cats?

[auntyfash]

Also, its really not that uncommon for cats to poo in inappropriate places when they are stressed, and seeing as how you have just moved....

[auntyfash]

Another idea, does she have somewhere that is her safe place and no-one elses? A cat basket or a radiator thingy, or even just a box with a blanket in? It might help to feel a little more secure and less snappy.

[CrispyCakeHead]

It sounds like it might be stress? Stress can make cats behave in various wonky ways. Could you ask the vet for some advice?

We had a neutered male cat who would still mark his territory all over the house, on possessions, and even on my sister's head (from the back of the sofa) when she brought her new baby into the house . We had two other cats at the time and although he had good relationships with one of the other cats, the older one and him used to fight all the time.

My mum eventually had him re-homed to a house where he was the only cat and he settled right down and turned into a lovely cat.

[coff33pot]

I have 5 rescue cats and yes it is a madhouse :o

They have a cat flap which they use and so does the jack russel pup lol However......the two boys insist on going out to do their business day or night but the three girls go outside but come in to use the litter tray. Tbh I dont mind this as it reduceds the amount of time I am on poo hunt in the garden :)

Cats like company but also like their individual space too and that includes a clean litter tray. Mine will not use covered and first thing in the morning its like my family queing for the bathroom lol! Everytime a cat uses one of the trays I have to clean it for the next or they wont go in it. Nor does the same cat like revisiting the tray even if its just them that has used it.

Initially I would put it that your cat is stressed out and quite frankly doesnt know where to go. If I place a tray by the back door none of the cats use it as they are watching for someone to come in the flap. Same goes if it is in a heavy traffic area with lots of coming and going as they need to mellow out to wee lol :)


Another possibility with the weeing is she might have a urinary infection. One of mine did and stressed out big time with small wees everywhere. But once they do you really got to work hard at eradicating the scent. Might be worth taking her to a vet for a check up.

As for the viciousness? Has she been done? That could calm her down a little.

[Lizcat]

Your poor kitty sounds as though she is stressed to high heaven. Firstly facilities in a multicat household you need one per cat plus a spare emergency so thats water, food and litter. Litter should always be sited in a quiet safe area. Cats like litter trays without solid matter in them, but not cleaned and disinfected. There is lots of wonderful information at //www.fabcats.org about managing multicat households and stressed cats.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Why on earth do you have your litter tray in the kitchen? You prepare food in there, right? Would you shit in your kitchen? Would you want food prepared in someone else's kitchen, where there was shit sitting around? FGS move the shitter tray to a spare room or the bath room. That is utterly gross.