Cat abandoned by neighbour when she moved.

[ColouringIn]

Long story but my neighbour recently moved away and left her cat behind. This cat is 3 according to another neighbour but is tiny.
I didn't realise initially that my old neighbour had left this cat until it started appearing at random times in the garden. She was thin, bedraggled and lifting with fleas so I thought she was a stray. I phoned the RSPCA who took days to get back to me by which point I had taken the cat to a vet as it was looking more and more unwell. The RSPCA see her as a stray and now as healthy so told me to release her back outside. However, she has always been an indoor cat!

So muggins here ends up bringing her inside where she has her paws well under the table and is loving and affectionate.

Now the problem - she poos just anywhere - literally in the middle of the floor and walks past the litter tray to do so. I am really struggling because I have a disabled child and tbh don't need this as well.

The Cats Protection people cannot help apart from to tell me my ex neighbour has committed an offence (animal abandonment) but as we do not know where she has gone that's no good. They have added the cat to their waiting list but have said they don't know if or when they can take her.

I feel I am stuck with her and although she is lovely I just can't cope with this soiling. It's all too much. No local cat places have vacancies for her and I can't just chuck her out.

Any ideas?

[DontEatTheVolesKids]

Could you confine her to a limited area of the house? Poor thing.

[issey6cats]

do you know anyone who could lend you a large cage like the sort used for staffy dogs at night put her in there with blanket and litter tray and then if she poos during the day put her in the cage so she hopefully gets the idea that is where to go toilet,

or you could ask someone like cats protection if they have a cat sized one they could lend you,

it sounds like your ex neighbour had problems of the same sort and could be why they didnt take her with them, sadly all rescues have long waiting lists and at this time of year it is the middle of kitten season so added burden for them,

you could also try spraying the floor where you dont want her to go with a citrus based liquid lemon juice in water is good as cats dont like lemon may deter her from pooing there, and if you catch her just before she poos scoop her up and deposit her in the litter tray

sorry cant think of anything else for the moment have foster kitten attacking my fingers while im typing, maybe someone else will have some other ideas later

[ColouringIn]

I might ask about the cat cage - she likes sleeping in the cat carrier and obviously feels safe in there. I know litter tray issues can be a problem but I am going to try a few things to help sort this out. The cat cage might be good as she can go in there. Have emailed loads of places to see if anyone can help or if she can go on some kind of waiting list. I would hate to see her being destroyed as she is a sweet little cat but I don't feel I can cope with her long term.

[OwlsOnStrings]

Poor creature, and poor you .

I take it you've taught her what the litter tray is for, by holding her in it and moving her front paw for her in a scratching motion? It's what you're meant to do with kittens, but maybe she's never learned? Failing that, I really don't know what to advise, barring the lemon juice, etc., suggested above.

[bamboobutton]

try here for lacal rescues.

when i was trying to rehome our cat several rescues who were full to bursting recommended it. we found our brilliant rescue through this site and they had room to take our cat right away.

if you decide to keep her it sounds like you might have to litter train her like a new kitten, putting her on the litter after she has eaten etc.

[issey6cats]

also which litter are you using some cats dont like the clay based ones and sonme cats dont like the wood pellets ones maybe try a different litter to what you are using at the moment, as i said waiting lists are long, the rescue i work at has 500 cats on thier list, 100 mum and kittens in foster homes and each year it gets worse so hopefully you will be able to hold on till one of the rescues can take her in, have you gone on catchat.org this site will bring up all the rescues in your area as the more lists you can get her on the more chance she has of been taken in by a rescue

[SummerRain]

Next time you clean up the poo put some of it in the tray so the smell is there for her, then show her the smelly tray and give her a rub

If you catch her going in the wrong spot pick her up (mid act if necessary) and drop her on the tray, when she's finished give her a rub

Confine her to a manageable section of the house, kitchen/utility is good and make a big fuss of letting her into another room if she uses the tray voluntarily

Do NOT cage her, she'll go mad and it's quite cruel.. Cats are not dogs, they're not wired the same way and won't respond the same way

[ColouringIn]

Thanks all, it's crap owners who cause this, my own cat was neutered at six months and too many people don't bother.

I am a sucker for cats though and I love them to bits so cannot bear to see one in distress as this one was.

Will play around with the litter.

[ColouringIn]

Okay - won't bother with the cage then

Will confine her to the kitchen and downstairs loo for now and hopefully see if I can sort her out that way. She has been through a real ordeal bless her so maybe it's all a bit soon.

[issey6cats]

summerrain i didnt say make her live in a cage i suggested short sessions so she gets the hang of where the tray is

[MoaningMingeWhingesAgain]

I inherited a cat along with my house in a similar situation. Another neighbour reported the previous occupiers had left the cat so a dishy man from the RSPCA turned up and asked me to foster it until they could get him a place in the cattery.

That was 9 years ago. Eventually I told them that if they gave me a voucher for neutering, I would keep it. I didn't mind getting the vaccs done, but didn't really want to spend a lot on neutering a cat that wasn't really mine.

[SummerRain]

Colouringin... Don't worry. She will get it. The crazy feral we took in used to poo anywhere but the tray but we got it sorted in a matter of a couple of weeks with the above method and she's been good as gold ever since

[loubylumpylou]

Just echo what issey said a change of litter can be really helpful. We have a cat that refuses to poo in the tray if we use wood pellet litter so it might worth trying changing litter.
Feliway is really good for helping stressy cats calm down- its cheaper to buy the spray if I recall but they do a diffuser thingy but its really expensive.

[Cailleach]

If she was an older cat I'd be worried about toilet training her, but as she's only three, I doubt you'll have any issues.

If you clean up messes with biological washing powder, the enzymes in it help to get rid of the ammonia which stops the cat going back to where they've soiled previously.

As others have said, try changing her litter to a brand she likes - Tescos Value stuff is the best IMHO, low dust, no strong smell and very cheap.

Good luck :)

[ColouringIn]

Thank you everyone, I have started confining her to the kitchen and downstairs loo at night and when we are out. Her food is in the kitchen, her litter tray is in the dowwnstairs loo and I think that we are almost there with regard to litter training. I suspect she does not like the wood pellets and am going to change to a softer litter tomorrow. However, two out of three times she has used the tray so fingers crossed.

[MyLittleFluffball]

It was wonderful of you to take this little cat in. I am glad that you are trying out some possible solutions/ strategies and hope that things continue to resolve. :)