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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Advice please - at the end of my tether (nearly)

14 replies

MrsSchadenfreude · 20/01/2015 22:48

I've posted here about this before... My three year old neutered female cat goes through phases of pissing and shitting in our bedroom (particularly on the bed). She has been to the vet countless times. He has said it is a urine infection, has given her an antibiotic injection, and the peeing and pooping has stopped. He has also put her on a urinary diet, which seems to have helped (although she is not particularly keen on it, she will eat it).

The vet also recommended Feliway, as the cat seemed a bit stressed. Her reaction to the Feliway diffuser was to poo in front of it, until we removed it, and then she went back to using her box.

Today she has shat on the hall floor, the bedroom floor and has pissed copiously and lavishly over our bed, soaking two pillows, a duvet, the sheet, mattress cover and the mattress. I am going to take her back to the vet tomorrow to see what he suggests.

She is an indoor cat (and always has been), and lives with our other male cat, who is 5. We took her from someone as a kitten, as otherwise they were going to send her to a rescue place. The two cats get on quite well (they are curled up together now). I suspect she would like to go out (not possible as we live on a main road, in a flat), but she seems quite content most of the time, being in the flat (it's a large flat) with her toys and cat trees. The cats have three litter trays - one they ignore, one they will use if they have to, and one which they both choose to use. Two are in one bathroom, and one in another, which is rarely used.

Any suggestions/anything I can suggest to the vet? DH has "had enough of living in piss and shit" and wants to rehome her. I don't. She is a sweet cat, very gentle, and DD2's "special cat." DD2 would be devastated if she went, as would I. I don't know what else to do. We have been on the cycle of antibiotics, special diet, then three or four months later, the peeing and pooing starts again, back to vet, more antibiotics, repeat ad infinitum. Other cat is clean and seems happy.

OP posts:
Clobbered · 20/01/2015 22:52

Sorry, this is probably not feasible either, but could you rehome your male cat? Despite the curling up together, it does sound as though perhaps she is not happy about having another cat around.
Been there - I had six cats at one point, and it turned into a nightmare trying to keep them separated in different parts of the house. In the end one died and I rehomed two (one to a friend, one to my parents) and the problem peeing/spraying stopped.
It's hard, but it may be the only permanent solution.

MrsSchadenfreude · 20/01/2015 23:01

I couldn't rehome the male cat. Sad I got him from a rescue, he is very, very attached to me and very needy. (To the extent that when I am in, he has to be touching me - on my lap, sitting behind me with his paw on my shoulder, sleeping with his paw on my feet.) He likes her - washes her lovingly, and she pushes him away when she's had enough.

OP posts:
MrsSchadenfreude · 20/01/2015 23:02

The vet seemed to think the peeing was physical (he has done wee tests) rather than emotional, although she is very stressed when she goes to the vet.

OP posts:
MrsSchadenfreude · 21/01/2015 09:42

Shamelessly bumping...

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firstposts · 21/01/2015 10:08

Wish I had advice, it seems to me you have done absolutely everything right.

I have a cat that pees in the house several times a week, I'm very conscious that despite pet spray, vaxing, air fresheners it still smells of wee. I imagine it being in your bed just adds insult to injury.

Is there such thing as a cat behaviourist ? I know many people in your situation they would have given up and rehomed. It's very hard.

CatCushion · 21/01/2015 10:19

See what the vet says. The antibiotics seemed to help, so maybe some other urinery/kidney problem.

Get a better mattress protector.

Get a big dog cage for her, and litter trays?

chockbic · 21/01/2015 11:30

The urinary problem could be stress related. It sounds to be a territorial situation. I'm not sure what you can do about it apart from rehoming one of them.

MrsSchadenfreude · 21/01/2015 11:59

Thanks for your help. Smile I will ask the vet about it being territorial.

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dillydollydarling · 21/01/2015 15:08

I'd also suggest moving the litter box that they don't use if possible. Seems a bit pointless to have it if its not being used.

I don't have many other suggestions, apart from one. You said she seems better when on antibiotics for urine infections etc and is on a prescription diet. I'd highly recommend looking into a raw diet for her. It will massively help with any urine problems and she would probably enjoy it more than the current food.

RoastedCatNuts · 22/01/2015 01:41

It seems to me that she is upset about something and it is her only way of telling you that something is wrong.

One of mine will use the floor outside the litter box if it needs cleaning, or will find something of a similar texture, like a plastic bowl if she is really desperate and sometimes a little rug if she is shut in the room.

Anything new could be setting her off, ie: the Feliway diffuser, some cats hate change and if it stresses her then it can cause cystitis. You can get Feliway in a spray which you can waft around the flat a couple of times a day, just a little bit should help. You may find your other cat will go quiet but it may help the problem one.

Hopefully the food is not dry as that can make things worse.Wet food is essential for cystitis.

Have her anal glands been checked? Sometimes a blocked gland (sac) can cause problems.

As for the smell, if you can't remove all traces of pee/poo she will go back to the same places as she will still smell it. You need to use a bio washing powder or liquid, can also use it on floors. I clean up puddles with Simple Solution which is an enzyme based spray, also good for vomit and other stuff.

Rescue Remedy in the drinking water, just a little drop may help but you need to look around and see if anything is changing in her surroundings, whether the litter box needs more frequent attention or is in a place where there is traffic or too near food bowls.

Children can also cause stress for a sensitive cat.

I assume that living in a flat means you can't make an outdoor run for her but perhaps a room where she can go to get away from whatever is upsetting her - a quiet or 'safe' place.

MrsSchadenfreude · 22/01/2015 08:31

Thank you - she is on a special urinary care diet, which is predominantly wet food. We wash everything that gets peed on in Ariel (duvets go to the cleaners, which is costing me a fortune!), and use Urine Off if it can't be washed. The litter boxes are de-turded almost as soon as they are used, and changed regularly. We have a Feliway spray, so will try that too. (The last vet also prescribed Zylkene tablets for a while - maybe will ask for some of these.)

She has a "quiet" area, which is an alcove in the hall, with a huge cat tree - the other cat can't climb to the top, so this is where she goes for some peace.

She seems fine in herself this time - last time she was very quiet and antisocial, but this time, she is her usual playful self. We have an appointment with the vet tonight, so will see what he says. Smile

OP posts:
chockbic · 22/01/2015 13:50

Good luck for tonight's visit.

RoastedCatNuts · 22/01/2015 17:46

I hope you can get to the bottom of it, but sometimes you just have to end up restricting their access to certain areas or resign yourself to cleaning up if rehoming is not an option and I understand why it wouldn't be, once they get under your skin they stay there.

I have a cat that has 'issues' and has done since day one. Will never be sure if it is completely behavioral or partly due to an injury to his spine before he came to us. Easier to manage when there are no carpets and he has to stay out of rooms with soft furnishings, the house is arranged so that he has places to go, but not ruin the beds and sofas.

Our female is very territorial and protective, and I suspect you may have similar, although cats can get along well, they do assert themselves in this way to show who is top cat. I have noticed the boys are more laid back about it when there is a female about, they just want to be friends, the females will beat the boys up, or in your case stake a claim on the furnishings.

HansieLove · 26/01/2015 23:25

I see you said litter boxes so you must have two? Maybe put them in different areas. get different litter?

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