New bad behaviour!

My cat Dusty has begun to scratch and spray everywhere.

Our walls and settee have been ripped to shreds and our back door, fireplace and piano are repeatedly sprayed on, which permanently stains them each time. We have to clean up every day and it is very embarrassing when we have visitors.

We can't think why he might have started doing this. We've had him for 5 years now and it's been 2 years since we introduced a new cat. His enemy Tom cat from next door has moved away and he seems perfectly happy and healthy.

Can anyone help?

I've attached a picture of Dusty playing with our youngest cat Fizzy, they are the best of friends!

First things first he needs to be taken to the vet to make sure there is nothing wrong medically. I does sound like a behavioral problem though. Do you have scratch posts for him? Are you sure it is Dusty and not Fizzy? Is he neutered? Does he go outside? There are several things this could be.

Well we would take him to the vets if he appeared in any way unwell, but we can't afford to take him just for a check-up right now as it's so expensive.

We do have scratching posts which him and the others use. I have to admit the other cats do occasionally scratch where they're not supposed to as well, but they are generally well-behaved and Dusty is caught doing it the most. As for the spraying, we often catch Dusty doing it so we know it's him.

He has the freedom to go inside and outside as much as he likes when we're home. During the day he normally chooses to stay outside. He was originally a stray, but now he's very friendly with all humans.

Maybe you could call your vet office and ask if there is something to do. Some vets can talk to you and say what to look for before going to their office. You could also call a cat rescue center, many volunteers have good ideas about cats behavior. Is there something new in your house or have you changed your daily schedule? Some cats are very sensitive about any change. And if your cat is spraying your furniture, it may be expensive at the end. A visit to the vet could be cheaper. Good luck!

Thanx for the advice, I'll try your ideas. :)

Is he nuetered?

It sounds like something has triggered an anxiety disorder with the spraying issue. There are certain anti-anxiety drugs for kitty's that stop this in as little as a couple of weeks, depending on the problem. They tend to make kitty very sleepy for the first couple of days but that is normal. If your budget it tight, there are other possibilities to try also. When you see him doing this, you must take him and confine him in a very small space with a clean litter box and wait until you see him urinate in the box, then let him out and give him all kinds of attention. By doing this, he'll know he gets ALL of your good attention when he potty's in the box. If this does not work, you can keep him in a different room with no other cats and a clean litter box for most of the day, visiting him often, and let him out when you can be right there to supervise him 100%, and put him back in the room when your leaving or his free time is up. Even though your cats have been together for a long period of time, sometimes the other cat can upset the (naughty) cat because of something simple and it triggers this problem. He is acting out and being distructive is the only way he can deal with his feelings.
Good luck, this can be very frustrating a may take awhile to straighten out, so you must be patient.
Jenn

Thanx everyone for your advice. In reply to Cataholic's question, yes he is neutered.

Hi!
First of all, go to the veterinary with your cat, sometimes this change behaviour could point some health problem as you could read bellow:


Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling

House soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. It includes urination and/or defecation outside the litter box, as well as urine spraying.

Why do cats eliminate outside of the litter box?

One common misconception is that cats soil in inappropriate places for revenge. It is tempting to conclude, "He defecated on the living room carpet to punish me for leaving him for the weekend." But this kind of calculation requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that cats aren't believed to possess. Furthermore, this conclusion assumes that cats view their urine and feces as distasteful, when in fact they do not. It is only we humans who view it that way.

Medical Problems
So why do cats urinate or defecate on your bed or carpet?

Medical problems are one possibility. Inflammation of the urinary tract may cause painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine, and crying during urination.
An affected cat is likely to eliminate outside the litter box if he comes to associate the box with painful urination, or if he has an increased urgency to urinate.
In addition, kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases often lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumors, intestinal parasites, and other gastrointestinal conditions may cause painful defecation, increased frequency or urgency to defecate, and decreased control of defecation.
Age-related diseases that interfere with a cat's mobility (for example, arthritis, nervous system disorders, or muscular diseases), or with his cognitive functions can also influence his ability to get to the litter box in time. In short, any medical condition that interferes with a cat's normal elimination behavior can lead to house soiling.

Litter Box Aversions
Behavioral problems, such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences, or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling. An aversion implies that there is something about the litter box that your cat finds unsavory. It could be the box, the litter, the location of the box, or all three.

Something about the litter box bothers your cat.

The box contains harsh odors. The litter box may have an offensive odor if you clean it with harsh chemicals. Or, if you don't clean it enough, the box may smell strongly of ammonia (a normal byproduct of urine). In either case, covered litter boxes hold in and amplify such odors.
The sides of the box are too high. Cats with painful legs, sore joints, or other mobility problems may have trouble getting into a box with high sides. Kittens have similar problems.
Something about the litter bothers your cat.
The litter is dirty. Cats usually prefer clean litter.
The texture of the litter is distasteful. Your cat may have a preference for finer-textured clumping litter over coarser non-clumping litter—or vice versa.
The scent of the litter is unpleasant. Most cats prefer non-scented litter.
The location of the litter box bothers your cat.
The box is in an unpleasant area. Avoid placing the litter box in a high-traffic, noisy, dark, or dank area.
Your cat is afraid to use the box. If another cat, dog, or human terrorizes your cat when she's in the box, or ambushes her as she exits, she may avoid the box altogether.
Cats with aversions usually eliminate on varying surfaces. You may find puddles of urine and/or feces on either soft surfaces like carpets, beds, or clothing, or on hard, shiny surfaces like tile floors or bathtubs. Depending on the severity of your cat's aversion, he may continue to use the litter box, but only inconsistently.
...

for more information, please consult:

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/resou...sesoiling.html

best regards:cool: