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The litter tray

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Original poster

Elderly cat wrecking my house.

28 replies

Gettingbysomehow · 28/01/2024 10:24

Sorry this is long!!
I have two cats, a 2 year old who is great and doesn't do anything naughty apart from the usual scratching - easily controlled by clipping her claws.
The other one I got during covid just after my beautiful 21 year old girl died.
There were no rescue cats available during covid and I was bereft so a friend said would you like one of mine - she doesn't get on with the others. I brought her home as she took to me right away - she normally hid all day apparently but she came straight out to see me.
Then I discovered that she was very sick. I took her off for extensive treatment which cost me £4000 in all. She was cured and looks to live a long life, she is 13 now.
i was a bit miffed that none of this had been mentioned when I took the cat. What also wasn't mentioned was that she pissed everywhere, I've lost two expensive sofas which were literally soaked in it. She has pee'd into wall sockets blowing up the electrics, all over my memory foam mattress, up the cupboards. My house is covered in plastic covers.
She gets on fine with the other cat.
The vet can't find any problem with her bladder or kidneys.
I've got plug ins, I have a safe enclosed garden and she can go out anytime she wants, she does like going out.
I have feliway plug ins everywhere.
I have several litter trays round the house that I keep clean just in case she gets caught short.
I just spent 150 getting the sofas cleaned professionally and came down this morning to find she's dug under the plastic and done it again.
She's a lovely cuddly girl and very affectionate.
But somehow seems a bit vague. I'm really wondering now if she's getting cat dementia. I'm going to the vet again to check this out and see if it would help putting her onto some antidepressants or something.
I don't get rid of my cats when they are sick or inconvenient so I have to find a workable solution.
Have I missed anything?
(Also I'm going to my friends house and I'm going to copiously piss on her carpet when she isn't looking)

OP posts:
FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 28/01/2024 12:45

Think I’d be asking to trial amitriptyline.

catelynjane · 28/01/2024 12:59

A cat that urinates all over the house is not a happy cat.

Personally I would think about having her PTS.

caringcarer · 28/01/2024 14:18

We had friends who's cat weed inside but not in litter trays. She changed litter trays to a softer litter and the problem stopped very quickly. The cat just didn't like the litter she used. You can get gel litter that is soft to their paws. Or mix a little sand into the litter.

Original poster
Gettingbysomehow · 28/01/2024 16:01

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 28/01/2024 12:45

Think I’d be asking to trial amitriptyline.

Yes I'll try that thanks.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gettingbysomehow · 28/01/2024 16:05

catelynjane · 28/01/2024 12:59

A cat that urinates all over the house is not a happy cat.

Personally I would think about having her PTS.

She is happy though. She seeks me out and wants cuddles all the time. She eats well, she likes the other cat, she loves sitting in the sun. I have seen no signs of her being unhappy. I cant put an otherwise healthy cat put to sleep when she otherwise is fine. Personally I think she had a very rough upbringing and has some trauma from it. I have PTSD and still live a good life.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gettingbysomehow · 28/01/2024 16:05

caringcarer · 28/01/2024 14:18

We had friends who's cat weed inside but not in litter trays. She changed litter trays to a softer litter and the problem stopped very quickly. The cat just didn't like the litter she used. You can get gel litter that is soft to their paws. Or mix a little sand into the litter.

I'll try that thanks.

OP posts:
catelynjane · 28/01/2024 16:08

Gettingbysomehow · 28/01/2024 16:05

She is happy though. She seeks me out and wants cuddles all the time. She eats well, she likes the other cat, she loves sitting in the sun. I have seen no signs of her being unhappy. I cant put an otherwise healthy cat put to sleep when she otherwise is fine. Personally I think she had a very rough upbringing and has some trauma from it. I have PTSD and still live a good life.

Show quote history

Fair enough.

If you genuinely believe she's happy can you confine her to certain areas of the house with waterproof sheets etc?

Kwam31 · 28/01/2024 16:12

Kind of your 'friend' not to mention any of this and cost you £1000s

Playingintheshadow · 28/01/2024 18:50

That was a rotten trick - wouldn't call her a "friend"!!

I have one that pisses occasionally on a sofa when stressed.

Sounds like there could be something stressing out your furbaby? You can't always tell when our girl gets stressed.

Original poster
Gettingbysomehow · 29/01/2024 13:24

BLOODY HELL!!! I borrowed a friends motion camera and stuck it in my house. I wanted to check the kitten and the old cat were really getting on while I was at work and when the spraying occurred. I was away all of yesterday and checked it when I got back.
Next door's cat was in and out of my house ALL DAY terrorising my old cat who was spraying in distress and she eventually retreated to my wardrobe to hide.
The kitten just hid. This cat ate all their food and used their litter trays as well.
My poor baby. I'm locking my two inside until I can work out what to do.
Its a good thing I didn't get her PTS isn't it?

OP posts:
RestingCatsArseFace · 29/01/2024 13:27

You need a microchip cat flap.

TraitorsGate · 29/01/2024 13:32

RestingCatsArseFace · 29/01/2024 13:27

You need a microchip cat flap.

This so only your cats can use the catflap or they need supervision in the garden

catelynjane · 29/01/2024 13:53

But hasn't she done this from day one? Or are you saying this other cat has always had access to your home and cats and you've even totally oblivious for years?

ICanSeeMyHouseFromHere · 29/01/2024 14:04

Microchip catflap like PP said.

We have one, and more than once there's been an unholy yowl, a massive clattering, and boy cat has sprinted indoors to avoid the local bully..

Kwam31 · 29/01/2024 14:08

Pretty upsetting if this has been going on for a few years and your cats have been defenceless in their own home.
Microchip cat flap asap

LoreleiG · 29/01/2024 14:12

A friend of mine had a cat who was doing this and wanted to PTS. I couldn’t let that happen so arranged for it to be adopted by someone else and it stopped. I think it is definitely stress related and glad you have found the cause! I got a microchip cat flap after years of not having because excessive grooming had been caused by a similar culprit.

Original poster
Gettingbysomehow · 29/01/2024 14:58

Its obviously been going on for some time but I just had no idea. I put a camera in my bedroom too as she tends to spray on the bed from time to time.
Annoyingly I can't have a microchip catflap in the back door as the previous one I had put in the back door when I moved in rusted due to the type of weather we have here. The batteries rusted solidly in their container. I'm keeping the cats in while I'm at work and they can go outside when I get home and can supervise.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gettingbysomehow · 29/01/2024 15:00

There were several cats in her previous home so she was obviously getting bullied there too, poor old girl.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gettingbysomehow · 29/01/2024 15:00

Kwam31 · 29/01/2024 14:08

Pretty upsetting if this has been going on for a few years and your cats have been defenceless in their own home.
Microchip cat flap asap

I'm devastated.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gettingbysomehow · 29/01/2024 15:01

catelynjane · 29/01/2024 13:53

But hasn't she done this from day one? Or are you saying this other cat has always had access to your home and cats and you've even totally oblivious for years?

Clearly this is the case. I had no idea. I've seen the other cat from time to time in the garden but its always legged it when she sees me.

OP posts:
Playingintheshadow · 29/01/2024 15:24

At least now you know what's causing it.

Do you have patio doors? I think you can put a microchip flap in them too?

We had a ginger boy years ago and he dutifully pissed in the house most days! I don't know how I tolerated it, but I loved him and was younger with more energy!! He was indoors during the day when I wasn't there so maybe one of the cats outside was stressing him, or maybe it was being indoors (which he didn't seem to mind but he did love to get out).

Moved house and it was like flicking a switch. It stopped just like that!

ETA - just re-read your post and if it's the weather then my patio doors suggestion isn't going to help! They should be weather-proof surely, isn't that the whole point?

ICanSeeMyHouseFromHere · 29/01/2024 15:37

you might want to revisit microchip cat flaps - I live in an exposed location and it's fine - the batteries are on the inside, so unless you're getting rain inside it would be fine

Original poster
Gettingbysomehow · 29/01/2024 15:52

I've only had these cats for two years so it's not like this has been going on for decades. My previous cat who was 21 wouldn't have cared if a herd of elephants had invaded the house. She was a massive cat and not averse to beating up any invader. But was also exceedingly chilled.

OP posts:
ICanSeeMyHouseFromHere · 29/01/2024 16:11

I've got the Surepet one - also has an app so I can see when they're gone in/out if I'm away and lock it remotely (to keep them in - you can lock it in either direction or both) if I need to.

I do think it could be easier on the batteries, but perhaps that's because of how far away the wifi doodad is.

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