Life with Mikey

[catnapper]

Mikey is my special little boy, well not so little anymore - 18.5 pounds He makes me laugh like nothing else, is always my shadow, and I don't think my lap is ever empty when I'm home. He also sprays. Right in front of me.

We went to the vet and ruled out anything health-wise. We are doing everything we are supposed to do - clean litter boxes, a box (or two) in each room, Feliway Diffusers, Cat Attract litter, prescription food WITH stress medicine.

Its down to a stray hanging out in our yard. I have tried to convince the little tabby she (he?) can trust me, but it ain't buying my friendliness. It seems young, and I can only guess 6 months-ish.

We have been fighting each other for a week and half - he wants nothing to do with the pills. I finally figured out how to give them to him when we're not struggling too much. He is dopey and stoned looking. He sleeps and has little interest in anything else. Today was the first time that he was eager to go outside with Callie again (its a daily ritual whee he races to the door to be let out, he rolls on the ground, and eats grass, then we all go back in). I feel so bad for the boy. I can only hope his body gets used to the meds and he returns to his usual self - only stops the spraying. I'd also like to catch the little brown tabby who seems to have magical skills of disappearing into thin air.

[Karen]

Awww, have you asked around to see if maybe she belongs to another house in the neighborhood who lets her out sometimes?

Hopefully Mikey will adjust soon, and be back to his silly self!

[catnapper]

I think its homeless. Our town is having stray issues right now. They started a TNR program (yay!) and I was talking to the mayor (my next door neighbor) he's aware of three separate cats on our block that's giving people trouble. I saw the black and white one a handful of time, never saw the white one, and apparently the tabby prefers his and my yards (mostly his, though I don't know why since his is all cement, no grass or trees)

I was up all night the other night worrying about the tabby. Its cold outside. I would like to see if maybe hubby would make a little shelter for him/her in the one corner - far enough from the house to not bother Mikey, but enough to keep kitty warm. A few blakets or towels, some food. Maybe tabby will become kitty #* in our house. What's one more? especially a brown tabby?

Mikey is just so darned pathetic right now. He whines and grumps at me. I like when he's following me around like a shadow and I trip over him a dozen times a day.

I hope these meds work, and I hope his little body adapts to the loopiness. I just want him HAPPY. The vet said my problem isn't loving him enough, or doing the right/wrong thing. I'm thinking like a human, and he's a cat. My question to the vet, "Why doesn't he just spray outside when I let him out with the dog, since its the outside kitty that Mikey's upset about?" It human logic that says, if he's unhappy about something outside, then he should pee outside. Cat logic is apparently a whole different thing.

[catmandu]

That is so sad as that is one of the leading causes of Cats being abandoned or PTS.
We hope that Mikey will stop this as Miquelito does this and I have to clean things all of the time.

[Catty1]

catnapper - could you borrow a live trap to catch the little tabby and then find out if she has a home?

I hope all works out well!

[phesina]

Sending good wishes and prayers and hopes for Mikey and the tabby and the other strays and you.

That's a really good idea, to make the shelter for the tabby.

[catnapper]

Its been a couple weeks of nightly wrestling to get the pills down his throat. Last night went the best. However, I've been smelling cat pee in the bedroom, and tonight he walked right up to the brand new basement door and sprayed. Sigh. If its not working, at least I can stop making both of us miserable with the pills.

Any more ideas?

[phesina]

I'm sorry I have no ideas, but we are all sending along our prayers and good wishes for a solution that works well for you and Mikey.

[LeonilCraig]

Anyone who has ever had a dog or cat wishes just one thing — that he or she has a healthy and long life. Great source!

[Karen]

Hmm, such a quandary, poor Mikey, and poor you! Can you limit him to certain rooms, away from where he can see the stray cat, and its smell is strongest? Of course that may be moot now, depending on how much of this storm you are getting, I hope all your strays in your town have warm places to shelter for the night!