Retraining spraying cats

[catnapper]

The bathroom or a spare bedroom confinement is much kinder than a cage. My friends who own dogs do caging frequently and I think this is inhumane They say the dogs like it, I don't believe that for a second!

Actually dogs DO like crating. In the wild, they sleep in dens -- tight confined places. They feel safe and secure in conifined places. Crating dogs is beneficial on many counts. I do not crate my dog, but I do understand the whys and hows of crating. Just because we humans wouldn't like to be crated doesn't mean dogs feel the same way. Humans have the tendency to think like humans, and insist our furry pals feel the same way we do. How would we like it if dogs insist we think like them.... I'm not about to go around greeting everyone by smelling their butt! The key is to understand canine behavior in order to understand why crating would be beneficial.

However, crating dogs and cats are totally different stories. There have been no studies to show crating cats leads to happier cats. I just can't see how crating cats could/would retrain the,. Hence, my original post

[Medusa]

Humans have the tendency to think like humans, and insist our furry pals feel the same way we do. How would we like it if dogs insist we think like them.... I'm not about to go around greeting everyone by smelling their butt!

LMAO!

This is also why I was in such a quandary when my Puddy was suffering from dementia toward the end of her life. She wanted to stay in my bath tub and nowhere else. Ok, that would not be the quality of life I would want but who is to say that a cat would object? We really can't think like our furkids on some issues. We have to realize that we're made differently and do our best.

[jenluckenbach]

My vet had me re-train, via crating, my 2 sprayers (Sterling and Jim) . they each had a large cage with food, water and litter. They didn't necesarily like it, but they used the box!
then they graduated to the small room, and needed to continue to use the box!

Would I do it again? Possibly. Would depend on the personality of the cat AND the reason for inappropriate peeing. Never for a medical reason.

I am just happy to see that someone is actually trying to KEEP their sprayer and not just getting rid of them. At least they seem willing to try.

[Medusa]

I am just happy to see that someone is actually trying to KEEP their sprayer and not just getting rid of them. At least they seem willing to try.

Excellent point, Jen.

[Craftlady]

Chiming in on crate training. Coco (our dog) has been crate trained since we got him at 7 weeks. He loves his crate. He is crated at night and when we arent home or if I'm unable to be in the same room with him for any length of time. He only has access to the living room. As he gets older and more trust worthy he will be able to roam more in the house. Yep, he still gets into mischief. Also, We dont have accidents in crate. Luckly, since he turned 1 yr old last week he can hold his bladder longer and I'm not getting up 2x in the night for potty breaks.

I've never heard of crate training a cat.

[katladyd]

I guess I'm old school. I had dogs throughout my childhood and we never crated them. In fact, I never heard of such a thing until the last ten years. If it works for you and keeps you from having to get up during the night, or protects your furniture while you're gone, go for it. I guess that's why I no longer have dogs.