Cat urinating on everything - house move

[Ionop]

My cat is 12 yo female and we have a 2yo female dog. Cat and dog aren’t friends but dog doesn’t pester cat, in fact cat seeks out dog to stare at her. Dog is well trained with verbal commands and kept out of cat zones. Up till now it’s plodded along kind of ok

The cat belongs to my DD from a small child and the dog was owned by my DP. We cannot afford to move separately from DP to move the cat away from the dog permanently it is not an option.

We are moving house and in the process of packing, cat has started urinating and pooping everywhere outside of the litter tray. It is so stressful and we are trying to keep the cat calm. Cat is healthy, no UTI it’s behavioural. I have bought a feliway plug in but any other advice? Everyone else is sick of the cat but I know DD would be heartbroken to rehome her so that’s not an option either

poor cat , ultimately sounds like you don’t like or want the cat , can you not put her in a cattery until the move is over , much kinder the poor thing is very stressed and this would be an easy solution, I did this when my cat was stressed as packing up the house made him upset

I think a cattery would be worse in all honesty. It’s just moving the issue somewhere else I can’t see it. I can’t see it would solve it when I collected her. We have moved now so this is our new house. However she was doing it before we moved as well.

Rehoming isn’t really an option because my DD is against it. I have a vet appt tomorrow with a new vet. The pee is going into the tray now most of the time but the poo isn’t. She is continually pooing under DD bed. DD has been closing the door now but she got in and did that.

I spoke to vet nurse on phone and explained what I had tried agreed I have tried what they would advise so next steps medical intervention. I don’t think anything is physically wrong with the cat it’s all behavioural. I think it’s ok for me to feel exhausted and stressed out by the situation and I’m just being honest I don’t feel particularly fond towards the cat when I am mostly deep in cat mess or being kept awake all night, but I am not cruel and intentionally treating her badly. I’m just fed up and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel

Maybe get hold of cardboard and completely block the cat from getting under your DD bed? I just did this to 2 double beds as I was fostering 8 kittens and the 2 mums upstairs in my home recently. It worked really well. Or drag the bed out and thoroughly clean the area she's pooing on with an enzyme cleaner. then maybe spray cat deterrent stuff there as well? I've had cats/foster cats before with behavioural issues and it's gard work and not much fun. Moving house is slso exhausting so you have my sympathies OP.

We took the cat to the vet, the car journey alone (10 mins) resulted in her drooling profusely, hyperventilating and shedding a crazy ton of hair so he didn’t mess about, she is now on gabapentin and she is A DIFFERENT CAT (slightly stoned but calm and chilled out, affectionate and not all jittery)

I crushed it and hid it in her food after she tried to kill me when I gave it to her orally, she actually ate it. He said she was in good shape apart from over grooming completely bald on her stomach and legs (which I knew and was about to point out) and obvious signs of severe anxiety.

He wanted to give it a trial and not stay on it forever but I can’t see her coming off and being calm again long term so I will have to see how it goes

Amitryptiline can be used too, it’s well to,rested in humans and cats.

Urgh thought we were getting somewhere with the gabapentin. She’s currently hidden herself behind lots of heavy things in the garage and won’t come out

Does she have free access to come and go as she pleases?