Hello, I'm asking a question for my...

[DOGLVR]

mother. Her cat will soon be 1 yr old this January. He has been neutered and is in the house ALWAYS. He has always been what I call "different." He is actually a MEAN cat. He runs up and bites you, not really hard but enough to get your attention. You can't hold this cat and snuggle, he would bite or scratch the heck out of your arm first (yes he's been declawed.) My mom has brought his behavior to the vets attention but he told my mom that he would always be that way.

The reason I'm posting is because my mom has been having a problem with his messing in the floor EVERY SINGLE DAY for the past week. She keeps his liter box clean but he still messes elsewhere. Can anyone guess as to why he would be doing this? She hasn't changed his diet just incase you were wondering. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance,
Cindy

[moosmom]

Cindy,

How recently was he declawed?? Unfortunately, cats that are declawed sometimes have behavioral problems such as you described. And since the vet has ruled out any kind of medical problem, you might want to confine him in a small room with his litterbox, food and water. Hopefully, he'll get the idea. If he was declawed recently, the litter might hurt his paws. If that's the case, try either Feline Pine or Yesterday's News until his paws heal.

Declawed cats can sometimes (not always, though) develop arthritis in their paws, litterbox problems, biting (it's their only defense since they have no claws). What I might suggest for the biting is to use a squirt bottle. Everytime he bites, squirt him (not in the face). He should eventually get the hint.

I hope this advice helps. Please let us know how you make out. Good luck.

[neko1]

I agree with the possibility of confining him in a room with the box and his food and water. If he's urinating outside the box, that could signal a UTI. My aby sometimes defecates outside the box-but only when he is feeling spiteful.
All 4 of my cats are declawed and I never had any problems with them. Their feet don't hurt them-I can touch their feet. And they are the sweetest things-never biting anyone....if fact they love company and will snuggle up to anyone.

[Cataholic]

Are you sure something in the household hasn't changed? Someone moving in, moving out, UTI? Blockage of some sort? Ate something he can't pass? I would have him examined by a vet again...

[DOGLVR]

He was declawed about 4 mths ago so I doubt his messing is from being declawed. As far as his behavior, he's been like that since he was real young way before being declawed. My mom has been having him stay down in her basement. He has been staying down there for the past couple of months. My daughter stays at my mom's frequently and her bedroom is down there, my mom does her laundry down there and she lets him upstairs with her everyday for lengthy periods in the day. The reason/reasons she keeps him in the basement (mostly over night) is to keep him from jumping up on the kitchen table, sink, to keep him from running up and biting her or whoever and to keep him from getting into "things" in the house, (nick-nacks) etc. I told her I thought that it was kind of his way of rebelling because of being downstairs overnight but not sure why ALL OF A SUDDEN he's doing it.

As for something being wrong with him medically, that's a possibility for sure.

Thanks for the responses and if you have one about the basement, give me all the advice you have. I'm going to print off all the responses and take them to my mom to see what she decides to do.

Thanks a bunch everyone!

Cindy

[DOGLVR]

Sorry but it's been driving me nuts...what's UTI?????

[Edwina's Secretary]

what's UTI

-- Urinary tract infection....

I'm going to assume that messes = poops.

We had a problem with Edwina doing this some time back. Don't know what started it. Most cats are regular in elimination. If you don't free feed you can expect about 30 minutes after feeding or as was discussed on another thread -- right after the human returns home.

In any case -- on the advise of my sister-in-law -- who is a vet -- we started putting Edwina in her litter box at the "regular" time (or any time we thought we saw that look in her eyes. ) Then we would stand there and coo "good girl -- go potty" and other totally embarrassing things. Not holding her in the box but blocking her departure.

In any event it worked. She returned to using the litter box. She now only has accidents if she feels the need to give us a message about our vacations.

Oh yes...we still "coo" if we see her in the box doing business!

[DOGLVR]

Thanks for the reply and the explanation on UTI....I appreciate it! This is such a good board and I'm glad I found it.

Have a nice day everyone!!

Hugs,
Cindy

[moosmom]

The reason/reasons she keeps him in the basement (mostly over night) is to keep him from jumping up on the kitchen table, sink, to keep him from running up and biting her or whoever and to keep him from getting into "things" in the house, (nick-nacks) etc.

Cindy,

I think your mom needs to kitty proof her house. IMO, and I don't mean this with any disrespect or to offend anyone, I don't think it's fair to the cat to be kept in a basement. And it COULD be the reason why he's doing what he's doing.

My cats are free to come and go as they please (indoors only). If they climb, they climb. Cats like high places. I have two cat trees that they love, which keeps them busy and away from places I don't like them to be. Maybe if your Mom got him his own cat tree, he wouldn't jump on the kitchen table, sink, etc. It's not to say that it doesn't bother me that my cats jump up on the table and counters, as they are cats and their curious. But I clean like a banchee and make sure I have plenty of disinfectant handy.

I wish you guys luck. I also ask that you be patient with him. Give him all the love and time that you can. Too many people are quick to give their pets up (not saying you) for these reasons without first taking the time to find out why.

An excellent book to read is "The Cat Who Cried for Help" by Nicholas Dodman, DVM. It might help explain things a little better than I can.

[DOGLVR]

Thanks for another reponce, you guys are really helpful with all the advice. The last responce I got is one I doubt my mother would do..lol. She is toooo clean, you could eat off of her kitchen floor! She would NEVER allow her cat to climb as he pleases (on kitchen table, stove or kitchen sink. She has let him climb up on her BATHROOM SINK but that's it. As far as getting a cat tree, that's a thought but his intensions aren't just "height," he also just jumps on us and bites then runs off real fast. Boy do we wish (height) were the only case, we wouldn't have so much trouble I don't believe.

I have four kitties of my own, Charlie the kitty at the bottom of all my post is my mom's cat's brother. You would never know it though. My Charlie is a doll in a kitty body. I don't have a bit of trouble with any of my cats climbing on my kitchen anything. They make up for it on the living room furniture though...lol.

Anyway, your ideas are great ones and you have some really great points any nothing you said was taking in a bad way.

Thanks again and I might have another question for you at a later time if you don't mind. ( I totally agree with you on the basement thingy I must say.)

Hugs,
Cindy

[moosmom]

Cindy,

I'm glad you weren't offended. Another suggestion I can make is to take an empty soda can and put a couple of pennies in it. Everytime he does something your mom doesn't like, shake the can loud. Cats hate loud noises. Or you can use a squirt bottle, as I suggested before.

A cat tree MAY not be a bad idea. Put it in front of a window with alot of activity. This just might divert his attention.

Also, his "messing" could be from being declawed, regardless of how long ago it was.

Here is a link that might help explain it better than I can.

http://www.oaklandspca.org/cats/catbehavior.html

[Edwina's Secretary]

I went to a pet store at lunch (to look for Edwina's Halloween outfit) and was browsing through a cat book that said (and I'm not kidding) cats will defecate at the sound of E in the fourth octave. I am totally non-musical but your mom could try putting him in the box and playing E in the 4th octave!

[NoahsMommy]

The first thing I thought of was adding a new friend to the household. He seems like he has a lot of pent up energy and doesn't have anything to get rid of it, thus the biting.

My best friends first cat did this, he would attack anything that walked by him....especially after he was declawed. She got another cat...and now being a four cat household, they are happy as can be.

Would your mom consider that?

[lynnestankard]

Hi Cindy - just finished reading through this thread - and all the great advice coming from cat lovers. D'you know what I was wondering - could your Mum's cat be bored ? If he's down in the basement all the time he has nothing to watch. If he came upstairs he could look through the windows - he might be more entertained. And he'd have more contact with your Mum - maybe he's lonely too.
Hope all goes well

Lynne