Bloody Thing has started messing indoors .... !

[AdrianaT]

We have an 11-year female, neutered tabby. We got her about 3 years ago as a rescue cat from Cats Protection. She started off living outside but has gradually moved into our house, and into our hearts, although she remains very feisty, especially with visitors.

We've never needed litter trays indoors as she always evacuated outside. Perhaps twice in 3 years there's been an "accident", always when she's had an upset stomach. so we've simply never had to worry about it. We live in a rural area so there's lots of space, and she has a cat-flap so can come and go as she pleases.

But in the last couple of weeks she's been too scared to go out. (We think she's had a couple of run-ins with a large black intruder; the cat-flap battery also ran out so there was a period before we noticed it when she couldn't get back in, which must be unsettling). We have put litter trays down in an upstairs bathroom: she will pee in these but usually eschews them for crapping and instead does it in a corner, which is really stressing us out!

We're slowly introducing her to coming outside with us. This morning she came out with me for about 10 minutes, wandering around, eating grass. But no evacuation, and within half an hour of us coming back in, she'd crapped in the corner of the bathroom again!

Grrrr!

Two things really:
a) we'd prefer her to use the litter tray if she has to go indoors
b) we really want her to go back to being an outdoor cat and especially outdoor evacuator, but worry that she'll get use to doing it indoors.

Thoughts and advice welcome ;-).

Thanks
A

The Offender!

Do you put the tray in the corner where she has previously been?

Hi, yes. She then moved to a different corner of the bathroom!

She sounds stressed, try a felliway, might help her relax again

Re toileting no advice sorry, mine have always used litter trays indoors.

Also, she's getting older, maybe she just wants some home comfort. Perserve with the trays & she may get used to them.

Has she been to the vets?

Have you tried different trays/litters?

Is she definitely 11 or could she be older? My last old boy's toilet habits changed when he developed arthritis, having been a complete litter tray refusenik he stopped wanting to toilet outside.

I was going to mention arthritis as well. My old cat had this (along with a whole list of other problems) but the arthritis really made her struggle to poo. Even though she's using it for pee, she might associate pain with pooping and goes elsewhere m.

Hi. I've only ever once taken to the vet. It's a very stressful experience. So, no. Might there be a physiological problem?

Just going out now to try some different litter. We had a cat when I was a child bank in the day, and our litter used to be very fine, like sand, whereas we have quite chunky stuff.

According to the documentation we got from Cats Protection, born 31/03/14. Not obviously arthritic and bounds, wriggles and scampers around athletically when happy.

Thanks
A

Cats are very good at masking when they’re not feeling good - ie they can purr, seem cuddly, playful, eating and drinking well.

Inappropriate or unusual behaviour re pee and/or poo is often a good indicator that something isn’t right.

I know you say vet visit is stressful, but you really should take her. She’s now an older cat and could be quietly suffering from. Something that could easily be remedied.

If you’ve had her for 3 years but has mainly been an outside cat, has she not been vaccinated yearly? Do you worm and give her flea treatment?

Peeing is relatively “easy” even for a slightly unwell cat. But when it comes to pooing, there is a lot more pressure, especially as they got older. Balancing whilst straining isn’t easy and that doesn’t take into account any possible bowel issues. They can find it very uncomfortable and distressing, so will sometimes find a more solid (or softer) surface to ease their discomfort.

It really could be one of a number of reasons, but the fact that she’s doing it really is an indicator that she’s not feeling right. The best thing to do is book her in for a vet appointment. Explain when you make the appointment that your cat has found it stressful in the one appointment she’s had. They may be able to book a double slot so it isn’t rushed, they’ll likely let you wait in the car and call you in when ready, so she doesn’t have to sit in a noisy waiting area until called through etc.

When you say you want her to go back to being an outdoor cat, do you mean you no longer want her living in your house? Did you rescue her from CP as an outdoor/feral to begin with? Just trying to understand her history as that may help with advice for you.

Please take her to the vets for a check up.

If you’ve had her for 3 years but has mainly been an outside cat, has she not been vaccinated yearly? Do you worm and give her flea treatment?

Not vaccinated since we got her. I add worming stuff to her feed at the end of each month.

When you say you want her to go back to being an outdoor cat, do you mean you no longer want her living in your house?

No, happy with that, but we want her to go back to how things were from the point we had her until last week, when she invariably went outside to evacuate. Since last week she is most reluctant to go outside for any reason, and is spending way more time indoors than is usual ... I'm speculating because she's been spooked by a confrontation with another cat or maybe a fox or other animal. She looks around very anxiously whenever she does venture outside now.

I am concerned that even if we fix the immediate problem and starts evacuating in the litter reliably, she'll get used to it. It was much better when she went outside.

Did you rescue her from CP as an outdoor/feral to begin with? Just trying to understand her history as that may help with advice for you.

She was brought up as a domestic cat but had apparently been badly treated - perhaps because she's no feisty - and successive families had given her up (she has had at least two previous names, and owners).

We had been looking for a feral cat, and had had one already but he did a runner. CP were at their wits' end as to what to do with her, as she was very miserable and distressed in their cages around other cats, and gave her to us. She started off living in the garage but gradually inveigled her way in to eat, sleep and live in the house, albeit still spending large amounts of time outdoors.

Until last week.

Thanks!
A

Second the feliway,one of mine started peeing round the house after run ins with other cats,feliway seems to have sorted it,fingers crossed.

The way you talk about her is very cold.

She needs to see a vet - she could be unwell, in pain or just scared, but you'll never know which until you get her checked over properly.

She definitely needs a vet check other than that I’d put a puppy pad in all the bathroom corners . Look on the bright side at least she’s using the bathroom and not pooing on your bed so she’s trying her best . I’d be amazed if she doesn’t have fleas if all you use is OTC stuff , if she doesn’t you must be very lucky .

Just another thought - is her litter tray big enough?! Our cat is a larger model and she won't use a smaller one for emptying. She has a very swish massive one 😂. And very expensive litter that resembles our gravel driveway, her preferred surface!

They need yearly vaccinations! Our vets do a monthly subscription service which includes six-monthly checks. Our current cat is a 10-year-old rescue with 4 previous homes who is wary of people but, fortunately, is an angel at the vets, even when she had to have her eye removed due to cancer. A change in toilet habits is a sign of a problem, so she needs to see a vet.

The way you talk about her is very cold.

Mmm. Sorry about that. I've just tried to describe the problem in an adult manner.

Thanks. I read about this elsewhere and did go out yesterday and bought a much larger tray, and some sand-like clumping litter.

She used the tray for both urination and defecation this morning, so on a data point of one maybe we're making some progress!

As mentioned in other posts this has so far addressed the immediate problem; the longer-term one is to get her confidence back in spending long periods outside again, and evacuating out there. I don't want her to get into the habit of using the tray long-term: she used to plead to be let out rather than use a tray when we kept her locked in when we moved a year ago.

Cats' needs change as they get older though, and having a cat will always mean that you might need to provide a tray - my last 2 were tray refusers but even my last old boy needed one when he developed arthritis. Current girl (former semi-feral) needs and uses a tray as she has a curfew, and sometimes she just prefers to wee and poo indoors. If your cat prefers indoor toileting then you will have to accommodate that.

I agree with a pp you do sound cold the title of your thread as your cat being a bloody thing is awful frankly, you seem more concerned with how this issue is affecting you and not the fact that your cat could be ill or in pain, you need to take her to the vet for a thorough checkup, pets are not robots, just like humans as they get older physical and mental capacity diminishes your cat may never want to go outside again if it distresses them, you will have to find a way to live with that.

This^
The post title is quite saddening actually.

I won't be delighted if my elderly cat starts to have accidents but it is part of caring for an older animal to the best ability and we will do our best to give the care and access to healthcare that is needed. Even if I can't afford to eat.

Also not vaccinating or using vet prescribed flea treatment ... hmmm.

This The post title is quite saddening actually.^

I love the cat very much. The title was supposed to be irony, which I find deployed a great deal on mumsnet generally, and indeed I've used it a lot in the past myself. I guess that it doesn't work so well on this particular forum.

I've tried to describe the problem analytically and dispassionately, without using "girl", "kitty" etc. Perhaps this has come over as cold?

The one visit we had to make to the vet was extremely stressful for her, and she truly hated it. My assessment is that the very sudden toilet issues are most likely related to her also very sudden fear of going outside, which may itself be in part related to a failure for some days of the cat-flap. Of course she might be ill, but a vet trip is a last resort for the reasons given, in my judgement.

I have been given a lot of good advice here, and a lot more food for thought, so the thread has been really helpful despite the negativity around perceived coldness, and the implications of selfishness.

I genuinely (no irony!) appreciate that you and others have taken the trouble to comment.

Thanks
A

Here's another pic

Calling her a "bloody thing" when you haven't even checked her over by a vet is quite shocking to me, in all honesty.

You're letting her down. She needs to be checked to make sure she's not in pain or sick.

" Of course she might be ill, but a vet trip is a last resort for the reasons given, in my judgement."

The toileting issues alone should inform you to take her to the vet.

OP I think frankly with this denial and the lack of vaccination you are very clearly an irresponsible pet owner who is letting her down. Poor cat.