Testing Is Complete

[K & L]

After secluding Kurby, then Leila, I'm finding Leila is the biggest culprit in our peeing issue. She has been secluded in our bedroom now for over a week. This weekend I cleaned only 2 spots of pee. It was dried so not even sure if this was some I had missed in prior cleanings or still have a small issue with Kurby. All in all it is 95% better here!

Now the problem...what to do with Leila? She seems to not mind being in the room to herself, but can't keep her locked in there forever. I haven't even found any pee in inappropriate areas in there (except for the sink). She doesn't get along with the other cats, so I'm thinking the garage/cat run is not an option for her. The only other solution is back outdoors and I really hate the thought of doing that. All I know is it's been wonderful to have the house back to normal as far as no messes, except occasionally.

Any thoughts here from all of you?

P.S. Finding her another home would be the perfect solution, but that's not always the easiest one. We depleted our sources long ago for adoptions. I will not turn her over to a shelter whether it be no-kill or not.

[DrKym]

Wow tough one. I can totally understand they having the house back thing, and that gets balanced off by the love you feel for Leila. I hate to say this but would it be possible (safe enough area) for her to be indoor / outdoor? I know it is never totally safe but that is the only thought that comes to mind.

[K & L]

Wow tough one. I can totally understand they having the house back thing, and that gets balanced off by the love you feel for Leila. I hate to say this but would it be possible (safe enough area) for her to be indoor / outdoor? I know it is never totally safe but that is the only thought that comes to mind.

The problem with indoor/outdoor in a multi-cat household is what she could bring in to the others, like fleas, ear-mites, etc. Otherwise I would opt for that choice right now.

[Glacier]

Just curious, but why couldn't she stay in that room? I have a similar situation in my house. Ivy isn't a pee-er, but she gets bullied by the other cats, badly sometimes. I started letting her come in the computer room with me. She's the only cat allowed in there since she doesn't think the scanner is a litter box! At first it was only for a couple hours a day, while I was in there too. Now she sits at the door to that room and cries to be let in there. It's a nice, big room. She has food, litterbox, bed, toys ect. She seems perfectly happy in there! I bring her out at night because she likes to sleep under the covers beside me(I like that too!), but otherwise she spends 80% of her time in that room alone and seems perfectly happy with that arrangement! If Leila is happy in there, why not leave her there?

In any case, I'm glad you figured out who was doing the peeing and I hope you find a solution that works for everyone!

[DrKym]

The only other thought (DUH) was a kitty condo, we got one when Solomon was rather advanced in age and didn't always make it to the box. I totally spaced on the flea thing as all mine are indoor,sorry been so long my alzheimers was showing . He loved the Condo as he stayed in view of everyone and we took him out for cuddles etc but if we weren't going to be "right there" we put him back in. Comes in handy all these years later with rescues too!

[jenluckenbach]

You might not have to turn her over to a shelter in order to have them POST her on their website! We post private adoptions all the time. Helps get the word out to more people that any one individual. AND, you can do any screening of possible adopters yourself.

But, seclusion in a room (if possible with your house) is a perfectly acceptable solution. One of our rescue volunteers has multi cats with 1 in a room by herself. The lone cat is picked on CONTINUALLY b y all the others, so it is for her safety.

[K & L]

We could keep her in there on a more permanent basis, but it keeps the others out and away from us at night. Small sacrifice I know, but I miss my Bo next to me.

Yes, we can put her on Petfinders, but with her "problem" I'm so afraid someone will not tolerate her like we do. I know there's a return policy, but you just never know. It's easier to place when you know there are no issues.

For now I will keep her in our room, but sure hope we can come up with a better solution.

Thanks everyone!

[catmandu]

Leila sounds like a Good Cat, and we are praying that you can find a workable solution.
I had a dirty Cat Smoke, and I left her in the cellar, and was content to have the whole room to herself.

[DrKym]

Gary I could make a very bad pun about smoke in your cellar but Jasper won't let me embarrass myself with bad jokes again today.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

How about if you build a separate little area in the cat run just for her? From what I can remember, the cat run spans the entire back of the house, so cordoning off a small area shouldn't take too much away from the other cats.

I agree, sleeping without Bo is not an option.

[K & L]

How about if you build a separate little area in the cat run just for her? From what I can remember, the cat run spans the entire back of the house, so cordoning off a small area shouldn't take too much away from the other cats.

I agree, sleeping without Bo is not an option.

Yes, Kevin & I have talked about expanding the cat run. That may be a solution for the future (problem is it's an expensive solution).

I do miss my Bo and she seems to be a bit depressed. I think she's missing coming in at night. She doesn't always want to come to bed when I go, she likes to sit with Kevin late, but likes to come in later on. With the door closed she can't come and go, and of course her and Leila do not see eye to eye!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

and of course her and Leila do not see eye to eye!

On a side note, I was torturing myself on petfinder.com today, and I noticed that for some odd reason most of the torties & calicos were marked as not getting along with other cats.

[K & L]

On a side note, I was torturing myself on petfinder.com today, and I noticed that for some odd reason most of the torties & calicos were marked as not getting along with other cats.

Actually Bo gets along fine with all the others. It's Leila (tabby) that doesn't get along with ANY of them. She is terrible, even when one approaches on a nice basis. I really think she was abused at some point in her life. She deathly afraid of the broom. If I just pick it up she runs and cowers. May be part of her psychotic behaviour.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

May be part of her psychotic behaviour.

Speaking of psychotic.....have you considered having one of those pet psychics do a reading on her? I know Tracey had one done on some of her cats, and I know others here have had it done. Never know, and it might be cheaper than expanding the cat run.

[Lizzie]

I'm afraid I can only commiserate since my Taranis is very like your Leila, a cat that would like nothing better than to have a home and guardian to herself and one who has had spraying/pee'ing issues for so many years that I know another home is out of the question. Taranis had already had 6 homes (if you count two stays at the Humane Society) by the time she was 3 years old. She was okay when downstairs only with Macduff, though she still marked, but I was forced to put a couple of other cats downstairs with her and things got much worse. She frustrates me more than any other cat because I know exactly what she wants and also that she won't get it - being upstairs (main floor) with me, left alone in comfort except when she wants to get under my knees under a blanket for hours on end, and with no other cats in sight or sound.

I do put her in a small bedroom by herself so she will eat, as far as is possible in a multi-cat household, only her diet food and she really loves it in there, would stay in there happily all the time. But she's also obsese (the only one) and needs to move so I have that door open most of the time. However, that room is not my bedroom, so it works out as it does not for you. I don't know your set-up, do you not have another bedroom that only she can inhabit?

About all you can do, I'd guess, until the money to extend your cat-run grow on the trees in your garden, is come on here and vent - sorry!