Posted on 08/10/2008 9:17:48 PM PDT by Huntress
Dear FReeper Cat Fanciers:
I've had a one human, two cat household for the past six years. I moved into my current home about nine months ago. Since then, both cats, Norman and Betty (see my homepage for pics), have lived in relative harmony and shared one large litter box. Recently, however, I've started to hear yowling at night from the litterbox room, and one of the cats has taken to urinating on the carpet in the corner of the dining room. I've cleaned up numerous messes, and have been trying to figure out what the problem is.
My first theory was that one of them has a urinary tract infection, and is going outside the box because it associates the litterbox with pain. In order to figure out which cat has an aversion to the litterbox, I picked up each one and attempted to place it in the box. Betty resisted vigorously, and I was unable even to force her inside. Then I tried the same thing with Norman. He seemed displeased, but didn't resist too much. I got him halfway in, when Betty went absolutely berzerk and attacked him. I've never seen her behave this way, and she stayed mad for a long time, growling at me whenever I approached.
After this encounter, I came up with my second theory: they are having a litterbox territorial dispute. So I got a second litterbox. I wanted this one to be Norman's, so I picked him up and set him down inside it. He jumped out and ran off as Betty went berzerk again. Norman sought refuge in the garage, where he and Betty are in the midst of a standoff.
Betty is the dominant cat of the two, and she is definitely the agressor in this situation. I am now at a loss. I can't figure out why this problem is happening now, after six years, why Betty is behaving this way, and what to do about it.
Any ideas, theories, or possible solutions?
Thanks.
Huntress
Take the cat to the vet. Howling when at the litterbox is not normal and is indicative of a health issue. If health issues are ruled out, behavior-based issues due to the move (stress) are the likely cause.
It’s funny how cats do that sort of stuff. They always have a sort of feral nature compared to dogs. Don’t get me wrong, I think they’re fun and have liked my share of cats, but with rare exceptions they live for themselves, not for us. I’m too self centered to be a cat person!
But, it’s sad you lost your boy. Cat or dog, they are our *kids*.
susie
Wish I could help...I've got a similar problem in that my cat will use one litter box for #1, but NOT the same one for #2. I have to put another box beside it for that procedure. Have no idea why, I've asked him but he's not talking.
It's just as well that the clients don't know what's going on in the clinic . . . . I'm an old hand and not particularly shocked, but little old ladies might have spasms if they knew what was happening to Fluffy in the back (they never consider that Fluffy has .357 Magnums in all four paws AND her mouth).
One more thing, JJR, here’s a link to a great cat site you may want to check. Lots of information and just a great bunch of people who love cats. Make sure you click on the forum and behavior links you’ll find at the top of the homepage. http://www.thecatsite.com/
Romeo, our 17 lb. sweetie, just got too big for the regular cat boxes! His rear end would hang over the edge. So, I now buy the large plastic tote boxes for under $5 apiece from Wal-mart and it works just fine, uncovered of course...the best thing is that when it gets dirty or smelly, you can afford to just toss it and buy a new one, and there isn't the continual area of litter around it tossed out by the scratching to cover up.
Can you give us an update? Did the vet check the urine? Sounds like that cat is in some pain.....
You are only adding to the cats stress by making it afraid of you...thereby making the cat pee or poop everywhere now.
Try not taking your anger out on the cat ...and try other solutions like retraining it.
When I said that, I was assuming that you’d keep the plant in its pot, and put the potted plant into the litterbox. That’s why I said get the biggest box you can find, I figured your plant pot would be pretty big.
Clearly, then, my cat Ace has never read his instruction manual.
At least half the time he asserts ownership while I am in the process of cleaning it...
I just took Betty to the vet. He thinks she has a UTI and put her on antibiotics. With the assistance of the vet tech, I’ve already given her her first pill, which was not as difficult as I expected it would be. She’s now hanging out in her crate in my office. She doesn’t seem real happy, but she’s quiet and calm.
Daughter just recommended cat prozac. She said you can get it online.
Here’s hoping she gets better fast.
He has read the manual, and violates it just to mess with your mind.
Make sure she has plenty of drinking water available, and one of those little show-crate litterboxes. That will help move the antibiotics through her bladder, which is probably where the trouble is.
Good luck! Keep us posted.
I hope this is the problem though.....my cat peed on the throw rugs all over the house when she had a UTI and screamed when I picked her up.
Now, I give her 95% canned food and she hasn't got any infection since....it's been 5+ years. Cats esp, males, need alot of water. Canned food helps them get it.
Sadly you’re right. One reason I stopped training for other people was because people were sure their dogs were just like humans and they tended to treat them the way they treated their kids (ie they were afraid to discipline them or be the leader).
susie
I'm going to go later this week to get trained myself, so I don't undo all the good he has done her!
LOL yes, undo the training!
Hey, ping me to photos when you get her back!
I 'visited' with her on a recent club training day, and actually the trainer and his wife praised me for having 'cleaned up my act' and being very calm and low-key with her.
It's funny - my first dog has to be "rah-rah"-ed to encourage her (must be all that running around like a loon at agility), but my second dog is so wound up already that if you break out the pom-poms she goes stark staring mad!
I'm gonna get whiplash with these two! The National Labrador Specialty is going to be here in October, and I'm going to try to finish up my older dog's JH and start the younger one on hers . . . at the same time. Hope I don't forget which dog is at heel! That could be disastrous!
I'm going for a Working Certificate and a Conformation Certificate for both of them as well. We hear rumors that there will be a Very Generous Judge for the CC! (it's not an actual title, anyhow, but a nice thing to have at least for the younger one, whom we might breed if all her hip-eye-elbow-EIC tests come up roses). I have one dog with a beautiful Lab body but a snipey field head, and the other with a beautiful head but a skinny little long-legged body, more like a hound than a Lab! If I could average them, we might sneak by!
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