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
At 6 years old one of them(probably betty) is getting senile. Yes, animals do get senile in a sense. Or some might call it midlife crisis. Animals can and sometime do change personalities as they get older.
Bladder/kidney infection. Collect a clean urine sample and see a vet.
The fun part will be trying to get the pills into the cat without losing a finger or having the cat aspirate the pill. Have the vet show you how to do it.
If all else fails, buy lots and lots of Simple Solution!
How does one collect a urine sample from a cat?
I’ve been using a new brand of litter for the last couple of months. Initially, they took to it just fine, so I don’t think that’s the problem.
Funniest post tonight, congrats!
That is too funny!!!
No, thanks. I like dogs well enough, but I decided I would never get a house dog when I lived in upstate New York. One winter, I had to leave home at the crack of dawn to get to an early class, and I still remember the sight of my dog owner neighbors outside walking Rover and Fido in the freezing cold with their overcoats thrown on over their bathrobes. I’d much rather clean two litterboxes.
When I moved my cats from LA to KC one stayed in the litter box during the whole car ride and wouldn’t let the other cat near it. She isn’t even the Alpha cat but boy, that box was hers and no one was allowed to go near it. They were fine after a few days.
Has the cat ever used the box on a regular basis, if yes she is unhappy about something, if no, well, some cats are like certain dogs, they go when they gotta go, they don’t care.
VEry carefully.... ;)
You know, I’ve collected them from dogs, but I have no idea how you would get one from a cat, especially if the cat doesn’t want you to (and I doubt she would!)
susie
Is it a multiple-cat house? If so, this may your daughter’s cat’s way of telling you “I hate the other cats.”
In any case, take her to the vet for a checkup. If she’s having problems doing her business she may associate the litterbox with the pain, and thus be avoiding it.
One uses the proper tool. The proper tool in this case is a veterinarian.
I actually have a neighbor whose little dog uses a litter box. I’m not kidding.
But, I have to say, having worked for a vet and being involved with dogs for many many years, I have heard way more issues with cats and litter boxes than with dogs and housebreaking. Which is not to say you should trade your cats for dogs, just that, as an issue, I think dog problems are usually more easily resolved (because cats could give a tinkers damn what you think!)
susie
All I can say is - cat pee is forever, so solve this sooner rather than later by taking both to the vet for a checkup.
This will do nothing except make the cat hate you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.