Desperate plea for help

[buckner]

Some may remember a post from me several months ago about one of my 6 cats not using the litterbox properly. Well, since then, it's changed.

Jill does not use a litterbox at all. She is pooping and peeing in our living room. She's destroying our carpets by refusing to use the litterbox. Mind you, there is a litterbox a foot away from where she is pooping and it's EMPTY, and she still poops outside of it. And peeing, oh lord, she pees all over the living room. I'm at my wit's end with her and something's got to give.

We took on my grandmother's 6 cats after her death because I promised her we'd take care of them. We've been looking for homes for 3 of them (Jill happens to be one of them, along with Callie and Jack) and have had no luck. The 3 cats would rather be outside, and we know that, but we can't let them out because this neighborhood has rules about it. And I refuse to take them to a shelter or a pound. But, I don't know what else to do. We've tried to find someone who has a lot of land, but no one wants them. We may move to a larger piece of land, but that won't be for maybe a year or so.. and this cannot wait. I'm going to go insane if I have to deal with this anymore.

What do I do? I'm tempted to just open up the door and kick Jill outside - reguardless of the neighborhood rules. But, what if she doesn't come back? She's not exactly used to this area. Do I feel bad if she doesn't come back? I've tried to find her a home... and that hasn't brought in anything. I feel like a terrible pet owner because I'm giving up on her - but I can't do much of anything else with her. If I put her in the bathroom with water and a litterbox, she just sits in there and cries.. and then I go in there and she's peed outside of the box. So it's not teaching her anything.

I've tried and tried and nothing has work. What do I do? Help?

[moosmom]

Sounds like the cats need a visit to the white coats to rule out any medical problems they might have. That would be the first order of business.

[buckner]

They've all recently been. Jake vomitted one night and there were creepy crawlies in his vomit. We knew he had worms, and made an appointment immediately with the vet. They all went in and got checked over, and then got treatment. And then they all went back for a follow-up and another dose of the de-worming medicine. I don't think Jill is sick - I think she's just being a Queen-be little Miss Priss and refusing to go in the litterbox.

[moosmom]

Is the litterbox in a place where there's alot of foot traffic. By that, I mean, is it in a place where they don't have any privacy and humans are walking by? THAT can also a problem. If it is, try moving the box in a place that doesn't have any activity.

[catnapper]

Did the vet actually test her urine or are you just assuming she's being a queen bee? The stress of her human dying and being relocated to a new home could be enought to bring on a major UTI or bout with crystals.

She might also not like the litter you're using. Is it the same thing your grandmom used? Are you sure? Some cats are very fussy.

How many litterboxes are around? With 6 cats, you need at least 7 boxes. I don't care that you said they are clean... to YOU they are clean, but to hershe can still smell where 5 other cats went, and she might want a box all her own where she can pee in one, poo in another. I have 5 cats and 7 lkitterboxes and those additional boxes made a HUGE difference on Allen peeing in the wrong place. Also make sure you have them spread throughout the hosue -- one upstairs, one downstairs, etc.

Also, have you tried different litter levels? Some cats like a lot of litter while other like just a little bit.

I agree with Donna too about it being in a high traffic area. The most used boxes in my hosue are ones that are secluded and hidden from human eyes.

[buckner]

Did the vet actually test her urine or are you just assuming she's being a queen bee? The stress of her human dying and being relocated to a new home could be enought to bring on a major UTI or bout with crystals.

She might also not like the litter you're using. Is it the same thing your grandmom used? Are you sure? Some cats are very fussy.

How many litterboxes are around? With 6 cats, you need at least 7 boxes. I don't care that you said they are clean... to YOU they are clean, but to hershe can still smell where 5 other cats went, and she might want a box all her own where she can pee in one, poo in another. I have 5 cats and 7 lkitterboxes and those additional boxes made a HUGE difference on Allen peeing in the wrong place. Also make sure you have them spread throughout the hosue -- one upstairs, one downstairs, etc.

Also, have you tried different litter levels? Some cats like a lot of litter while other like just a little bit.

I agree with Donna too about it being in a high traffic area. The most used boxes in my hosue are ones that are secluded and hidden from human eyes.

No, the vet did not test her urine. But, she is the queen-be of the cats. She's not liked by the other cats because she goes around and randomly smacks whichever cats she wants - she starts it, and the cats don't like her for it. And if the other cats come near her, she'll smack them as if she's in charge. She's always done this; with my grandmother and here. However, I don't see how her having an UTI is an excuse for not using the potty correctly.

Yep, the litter is the same stuff. Exact same stuff. She made the move fine, and was using the litterbox just fine for a couple of months. And then she just stopped and refused.

We don't have any areas for 7 litterboxes. We only had 3 areas (my bathroom, the downstairs bathroom, and my bedroom) and then when we noticed her going in the living room on a regular basis, we put one in there. The living room is not a room anyone uses - it's where a couple of cats sleep, including Jill, every now and then. But we humans don't use the living room. No one ever goes in there, unless we're cleaning out the box. So, we have 4 litterboxes. I'd get more, but we don't have any areas for them.

Believe it or not, we have different levels of litter in the boxes. But, that's due to Jessie and Jake liking to get in the box and just randomly scoop area and litter flying everywhere. And we try to clean it up, so that makes the levels vary. And depending on who refills the boxes (my dad or myself) it'll change.


I honestly think it's just Jill being stubborn, but I don't know how to break her from it. But, having her ruin our carpet is not something I'm willing to let her do.

[Catty1]

A UTI - urinary tract infection - can make cats (or humans) feel like they have to "go" RIGHT THIS MINUTE. And they do...Jill, if she has one, might just poop at the same time.

You can try Feliway to calm her, and Nature's Miracle to completely deodorize the area.

There are people here on PT who know really good animal behaviourists.

Jill sounds like she might be happiest as an only cat. Maybe someone here can help find a home for her.

hugs
Catty1

[emily_the_spoiled]

I Know that shew is the queen bee, but you should have her urine checked (just to make sure she doesn't have an infection).

Once that is ruled out there are some other things you can try like Feliaway, Rescue remedy, or even the amitriptyline ear cream. These things might also calm her down so that she isn't as aggressive with the other cats...

[mruffruff]

Maybe you could squeeze a litter box or two behind the sofa or a chair. It could make all the difference.

[Tora Oni]

Cats are solitary creature Jill maybe the type of cat that is unadapteable to that kind of enviroment.

[catnapper]

A UTI IS a perfect reason for cats not using the litterbox properly. Cats often reason that their pain comes from the litterbox. They try peeing elsewhere thinking that if they pee someone else their pain will go away. When it does not, they pee more inappropriately. If you've ever had a bladder infection yourself, you KNOW the burning and pain they are feeling. My daughter gets bladder infections and she gets knocked through a loop.... a poor cat can't tell you they're sick. AND cats hide illness VERY well because in the wild that would make them susceptabe to predators.

When she pees, is it little pee spots everywhere or one big pee? Both? Little pee spots signify that she has the urge to go but either can't because she's got large crystals blocking the exit, or she might think she has to pee because of all the discomfort she's feeling. My Pouncer would do dribbles and brads all day long and the finally one HUGE pee at night. I can only imagine the relief he felt to finally pee a big pee.

The urine check test is only $30 (give or take) and well worth every penny if it reveals an infection or problem. It it comes out normal, then you know you're dealing with a behavioral peer.

Cats are so sensitive to change. Just because she swatted at everyone then and now doesn't mean she's not stressed. Guess who does the swatting and starts fights around here? Pouncer, my very own little sickie boy. He has been sick off and on for almost a year now.

Also-- no matter how small your house, litterboxes can be hidden in a hundred places. I have 2 in my office, one right under my desk that NOBODY ever notices. Use a little imagination and you can find at least 4 more hidey holes for litterboxes.

One last thing: don't ask for help then ignore the suggestions. Don't tell me she's not been tested for UTI and that she doesn't need to be tested because she's Queen-bee. We have a wealth of knowledge and experience here. We will tell you why a cat might pee and try to help. But when someone offers an opinon and takes time to respond to your "Desperate Please for help" and you close your mind to the possibility that she's sick.... it makes us wonder how desperately you want a solution.

[Lizzie]

Many of us here have been at our wit's end trying to help a cat who pees and poops outside a litter box, so we do understand your frustration and misery.

As others have said, a UTI is a major reason for a cat to pee outside the box and since this behavior has lasted for months, she could be in very real distress if it is a UTI. Taking her back to the vet to check on this possibility and to discuss her problems with the vet is part of your agreement with your grandmother to take care of her cats. Illness of many kinds does affect the way a cat will or won't use a litter box. When my Artful Dodger developed renal failure, he stopped using the box and would only pee on the newspaper (over linoleum) around it.

It could be both medical and behavorial, it sounds like it to me, which means that at this point Jill is screaming at you for help. Cats can't talk to us, they can't go out for a drink to relieve their stress, and litter box misbehavior is a major way for them to communicate that they are upset. The fact that she is the dominant female should not be held against her, there are always dominant and submissive cats. What was her behavior like at your grandmother's? Did she dominate the other cats then? Was she destructive while she lived with your grandmother? Jill will sense that you dislike her and respond accordingly, just as we would respond in some way if we had to be around someone who disliked us. Jill can't be "broken" of her bad habits, she's not a dog or a horse, you have to understand why she is doing this and change things

Taking Jill to a shelter would be taking care of her in comparison with "kicking her outside". Since you wonder how you would feel if she didn't come back, it indicates to me that you wish this problem would just disappear, but I hope you'd feel pretty bad if you did open the door and never saw her again. That's not a promise kept.

Take her to the vet. If things don't work out, take her to a no-kill shelter.

[K & L]

I feel your frustration. Is there anyway to have an outdoor enclosure until you have more land?

[catmandu]

I Am So SOrry That You Are Having This Trouble With Jill.
I Wish I Could Help, But I Dont Honestly Know What I Would Do If A Found Cat Started Doing That.
I Am Praying That You Dont Have To Turn Her Into A Shelter.

[CagneyDog]

If you don't want to hear good advice from people who KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT - DON'T ASK!!!!

She's trying her best guys, there's no need for comments like that.

I don't know anything about cats, but I wish you the best of luck. It must be frustrating.
{{{hugs}}}