cat peeing outside the box
In reply to the peeing outside the box, I've been going through this with one cat for 2.5 years now.
I live in my grandmother's place. She moved out 3 years ago and took her cat. The place smelled, but it was difficult to tell the cause, as grandma had fallen and soiled herself more than once. She moved out and lived in a retirement home for 6 months with her cat who had no problems there.
Grandma passed away and then the cat come live with me back in his old place. Before I moved in, we had the carpet replaced and floors sealed. However, most of my grandmothers things were gone and I had a new cat, a male. The other cat had peed, marking carpet, especially if I was gone overnight. Soon the two had marked every corner of every room. The other cat died last October and grandma's cat settled down, but continued to poop and pee on carpet. He has occasionally sprayed grandma's furniture too. Gross.
I use a carpet cleaner regularly, enzyme spray, carpet deoderizer powder, etc. I've used feliway, but it is expensive and hard to keep up.
I've spent a lot of time consulting with my vet. Cat took buspar for months, for anxiety when he came home. I put him on it again recently when I adopted another cat. He has sinced calmed down.
Both cats go out, I let this one out in the morning and evening and all day when I am home and no problems occur when he goes out. Both cats have their own litterboxes and food dishes. Got new uncovered litterboxes, and I buy news ones at least 1x year.
He seems pretty happy, but does have other odd behavior (long story, I taped it and the vet viewed it and sent it off to consultants). He follows me whenever I go out and walks with me like hes a dog.
But anyway, I think I have found something that works-plug ins that contain feline facial pheromone. I saw a cheesy ad in a magazine and searched all over Seattle to find them. One full component costs $40.00 with refills of $20.00. Farnam pets has a website with coupons and locations. I bought mine at Petco
I have had one plugged in as an experiment and no problems as of yet in the room where it is plugged. It is supposed to help cats relax.
I agree that rubbing noses does not work. It serves to teach the cat to fear you and reminds them where they peed.
I contained my cat in a bathroom to retrain him to use the litterbox. gave him toys, food, water, light, litter, and he tore up the toilet paper. Oh well. He now uses the litterbox and may still pee on the carpet.
I figure the cost of the plug ins, if they work, is well worth it. I would rather not fuss every night in the dark with a black light. To the fiance who wants the litterbox in the basement I have this message: get over it. Cats pee in their teritory. Are you going to move your bathroom to the backyard?
It really sucks to be stepping in litter when I get out of the shower, but it has helped to put a box in each bathroom for the cats to use.
I would also never get rid of the cat. I don't regret anything. I've taken care of my grandmothers cat and will continue to til his time comes. I've adopted 4 cats in the past 10 years from people who gave them up (aside from gram). I work as a social worker and will just not give up on them!
we need people who are committed to caring for pets properly and are not giving up on them because they've got a problem. Imagine what they think of us!!