What to do about my unhappy cat

[LaRana]

I have a 6 year old Bengal cat, and he was neutered when he was ~5-6 months old. We moved into a new house a little over a month ago, and my roommate's 4 year old (male) Samoyed moved in with us. Within the first week, there was an incident where my cat was injured while trying to get away from the dog, but he has recovered well from his injuries. However, over the last week my cat has started the habit of spraying. He's also been leaving small poop drops randomly throughout the house. His litterbox is clean & he does have access to it (and he knows where it is). I even secluded him in the bathroom with his litterbox for a couple days, and he pooped on the bathroom counter. Needless to say - my cat is majorly pissed! He growls & hisses at my roommate, and he growls and hisses at the dog about half the time when the dog gets too close to him.

I tried buying one of those "Feliway" comfort zone air diffusers, and I installed it Monday. I let the cat out of the bathroom on Tuesday, and today he started spraying & randomly leaving drops of poop throughout the house again. I'm at my wit's end with this cat. Is there anything else that I can do that I haven't tried? I don't think he's having medical issues because he seems to be doing it when he's irritated, and he stopped for a few days when I kept him in the bathroom. I don't want him to have to spend the rest of his life in the bathroom!

I'm wondering if some sort of kitty-prozac might be my last resort. I would like to avoid having to give my cat a pill every day for the rest of his life.

[lvpets2002]

:) I would say then you need to decide who stays & who goes.. The Dog is traumatizing your baby (Cat).. If the dog has already attacked the cat then the dog will do it again & will prob kill your cat in time.. Please seperate the two of them.. Your baby will not settle down until he/she starts to feel safe.. And until the cat gets into a calm settled mood then he/she will keep peeing & pooping on things.. Can the dog not stay in a backyard area??

Oh by the way welcome to PT..

[LaRana]

The dog did not attack the cat. The dog is quite friendly with the cat - though usually he is indifferent to the cat. The cat was injured while freaking out trying to run from the dog - and the dog just thought they were playing chase. The dog was not being vicious. The cat just got frightened and tried to make a major jump and took a "pole vault" arc down quite a few feet and ran into the tile floor and some furniture. The dog is a Samoyed - a very fluffy white dog, and I live in Texas - so the dog staying in the back yard is not an option. The dog would die of a heat stroke. Getting rid of the dog is also not an option.

[lvpets2002]

:) I am sorry if I affeneded you.. I did not mean for you to think the dog had been bad.. But still the same as you say the dog thinks its all in play with the cat running.. Well the dog may not mean to hurt the cat = but when the cat freaks out & runs then that tells the dog to run after it as well.. Ok try this can you maybe put the cat in a seperate bedroom for a while with baby halfdoors.. Just until the kitty can get grips on the situation.. Its just too much for the cat to handle at once.. A new house - a new dog & a new human.. Just see if you can give the kitty some seperate time for now.. Trust me the peeing & pooping on stuff will stop.. Hey I am in Texas too.. I am in the MetroPlex location.. Where are you close too??

[LaRana]

No offense taken. I think I am going to try buying another Feliway Comfort Zone diffuser for the upstairs. Apparently he did this behavior in the upstairs - and the diffuser I purchased is plugged in downstairs. I'm also going to try getting a kiddie/kitty gate for the bathroom that way the cat can get away from the dog. He seems to be mostly irritated with the dog - and perhaps the new human since it's all the human's fault for bringing the dog :)

I'm in the Austin area.

[lvpets2002]

:) Yes that sounds like a great idea.. Trust me when the kitty trust the location & you all & the dog = then all will settle & calm down.. The peeing & pooping will stop..
Oh so your in the Austin area.. I am realy in Mineral Wells.. Which is just west by 30 min of the Metro Plex FtWorth/Dallas.. Most of the time no one knows where MW is.. But they always know where MetroPlex is.. Hey do you have pics of the babies?? We always love pics here..

[moosmom]

I'm new to Feliway. I just got a can from my vet for Buddy's inappropriate urination.

Cats do not like change. You need to isolate your kitty in a room with the Feliway, litterbox, food and water. Let the kitty out when the dog is not there to "splore" the territory. You cannot move into a new home, bring in a strange new pet and not expect the cat to be stressed out.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[MoonandBean]

Moos mom said it best. Cats do not like change. When Bean and I moved in with Moon, we actually refinished the basement and made that room "his". Then, we got Sunny and tried to make the basement Sunny's. Bean was pissed! He wouldn't sleep inside, he walked around crying constantly. I came on here and asked for advice. I was told "cats do not like change. The basement was Bean's first; give it back". Hehe. That night, we moved Sunny upstairs to sleep and gave Bean the basement back. He's been back to normal ever since. I know that giving your cat an entire room is probably unlikely but see if there is anything you can do to let him have his own space. I hope that helps.

[rosethecopycat]

Kitty is sending you major signs, in the only way he knows how to get your attention. Like a greeting card with poop in it.
There are cats that just shouldn't be around dogs. Even the friendliest of dogs.

Kitty needs to be confined to one small, safe area. Bed + bath?
His spraying and defecating behavior need to be resolved there before he can be given a larger territory, especially where the dog is nearby.

Once you can get him stable and not spraying, try the baby gates. Sounds like this kitty never should have direct access to the dog. My guess is he's not feeling safe. I think he can learn to relax, if he knows the dog cannot get him (not that the dog would- but in the cat's mind he could)

I hope your kitty finds some solace.:(

Good luck.