Help! My female cat keeps spraying the furniture!

[mariger]

Greetings,

I have a cat that I have had for about 5 years and she sprays wherever my other cat likes to sleep. Now she is spraying everywhere! She has ruined several pieces of furniture - including my great grandmother's silk brocade couch - my mom is ready to kill her! I'm at my wits end. We have taken her to the vet and even tried cat valium which she runs under the table and throws up. I am willing to try anything at this point. Other than the spraying, she is a really sweet cat and had a very bad time of it before I adopted her. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Does anyone know if Feliway works? There was a link from the Cat of the Day page...

Thanks - H
Here is a picture of my little pee monster - her name is Opheliahttp://www.spiesforparents.cpd.usu.edu/graphics/phil2.jpg

[smokey the elder]

Has she been checked for a urinary tract infection?

[mariger]

Greetings,

I have and the vet said that there was nothing wrong (physically) with her. She has been spraying (always on the good furniture) for a couple of years but this past month is has increased dramatically! I have an appointment to have her checked at the vets again on Wednesday - but her spraying seems quite deliberate - always where my other cat likes to sleep - and my great-grandmothers couch which we barely got back from being stripped to the frame and reupholstered (thanks to her) and she peed in it before the plastic was even off – I have covered every chair and sofa in our living room with plastic sheeting to keep her from ruining anything else – its like living in a war zone. I am a grad student and currently living at home and my mom has been more than patient but it really isn’t fair to her either….

Thanks,
H.

[stephanie0122]

I don't think that this is a urinary tract problem. i think that this is a territorial problem. Is your other cat a female by any chance? Are they spayed/neutered?

[mariger]

Greetings,

Yes the other cat is a female but both have been spayed. I have had both of them for about 6 years (I got them within 3 weeks of each other). I'm pretty sure it is territorial as she seems to like to do it in the spots my other cat likes to sleep... Any suggestions?

Thanks,
H

[stephanie0122]

I am currently having the SAME problem at my house! I have 2 females that HATE eachother. They are both spayed as well, and one pees where the other likes to sleep. And guess where that may be? MY BED!!! i have changed the sheets 5 times in the last two weeks and it is getting annoying. I have taken to closing my bedroom door and generally keeping her out of there comppletely. If it is possiable for you to do so...i would put a litter box on or near where she is peeing. That might make her want to use it. You can also try keeping the peeing one away from these areas As Much As Possiable. I know that this can be hard to do...but so far i have not come up with anything else that is helping!

[Medusa]

Hi there,
Not sure if you want to try this or not but Jenluckenbach suggested this and it sure works for me: ask your vet about putting the kitty on amitriptylene. You'll probably have to play w/the dosage somewhat so that kitty isn't drugged and dopey but it might be worth a try. My Specs ruined my buffet to the point where the wood is warped and breaking off the bottom. I was really frustrated w/him until I took Jen's suggestion. All it does is mellow him out, he's not drugged, but he's as lovable as he's always been and he isn't picking on my old male cat, Boo. Why not give it a whirl? Bless you for hanging in there.
:)

Blessings,
M

[mariger]

Greetings,

What kind of drug is amitriptylene and can it be given in a form other than a pill? I tried giving her pills that were prescribed by the vet and she wouldn't take them - we would get the damn things down her throat and she would run under the table and throw them up... I am willing to try anything at this point -she has now escalated to the dining room table and my bed!

Thanks,
H.

[Medusa]

It's just a chill pill. It was also prescribed for me to help me sleep when my fibromyalgia was acting up. I don't know if it comes in liquid form or not. But ask your vet for a pill popper. That should help her get it down w/no problem and she prob. won't spit it back up.

Good luck and don't give up....
M:)

[carole]

Amitriptylene is an anti-depressant used in a lower dose for people with fibromyalgia, to assist their sleep problems, it does not work as an anti-depressant given in these low doses., but aids people with this condition to get a better sleep, hopefully resulting in less muscle pain next day.

I have heard it is used for cats, to help clam them down, so it may well be worth a try.

[Aaro789]

Yes i know about it.I send you some suggestions must apply for it.
First of all the Number of litter boxes should be for more than the number of cats and they should not be set immediately next to each other.They can be in the same room or area, but there should be space between them.