Friend needs advice

[MommaCat]

Morning All,
My friend has a menargie of animals in her home, but is having an especially difficult time with DRake her 2/1/2 year old neutered male cat. DRake has taken to tinkling on her stairs. It does NOT Matter if his box is clean or dirty. He just uses her stairs as his own litter box. The stairs are ruined and she said that they have to replace them.
Does anyone have a suggestion on how to prevent this adorable bad boy from doing this again. She has taken him to the vet and he is fine. He is just being onery and if stinking up her house. THey have used NATURES MIRACLE and every other product to try an dget him to stop to no avail.
ANy suggestions????

BLessings,
Mommacat.. Deb

[jazzcat]

When Ripley decided to break in my new carpet and painted wall with a big spray last fall I took everyone's advice here and tried Feliway. I bought the Feliway Comfort Zone plug in (lasts for 30 days) and I also used the Feliway Spray. It helped and stopped spraying. You can buy it at most pet stores online or brick and mortar. I got mine at PetsMart. It's not cheap but it's a lot cheaper than replacing carpet, etc.

I know some other people here on the boards have had to use medication to calm their cats and help them stop spraying. I hope your friend doesn't have to go that far but if it is needed sometimes you just have to.

Best of luck to her!

[RAMSENATOR]

Aparently this cat has a problem. Just tell your friend to watch him more carfully. Tell your friend that if he starts to go, then try to carry him to the litter box . move the litter box by the stairs to make it eaiser. If this doesnt work bring him to your local vet. also tell your friend she's not alone. i had a cat with a simaler problem !!!!

[WistfulPassage]

When cats "go" outside their boxes, especially ones that have always previously used them, it could be signalling a serious health concern. They will do this as a sign to their humans or possibly because they can't control it.

Possible problems associated with this are

Blocked Urinary tract,
Bladder or kidney infection
kidney stones
crystals

This could be caused by food that is too high in certain mineral contents, high Ph level or acidity of urine, or water too high in certain mineral or "Ick" content.

Tell her to please not assume this is a behavioral thing. Her cat could be trying to signal a serious problem.

I might add that some of those problems, if not treated immediately can become deadly. Especially the blocked urinary tract. (their bladder could litterally "explode")

If it is a bahvioral problem, consider this...
Is the litter box in a conspicuous place? a high traffic area? Has it been moved repeatedly or set too close to food and water bowls?
All these things too will make a cat try to use something other than his box.

The perfect location would be in a quiet, kind of hidden corner nowhere near food or water dishes. She may try the ones with the hoods too. Cats like those.

Wish her luck for me and please keep us posted!

[WistfulPassage]

guess i missed the part where you said she took him to the vet already. SORRY- I'm really not a know it all, I swear!

LOL

[leonsmom]

Sometimes when cats "tinkle" outside of their litter box, they might be doing so because another cat is intimidating them or bothering them while they are trying to use the box.

When a friend's cat spent a week at my apartment recently, my cat Leon was unhappy to share his litter box (although my friend's cat is his sister, RC, and they were lived together for most of their 5 1/2 years). Anyway, RC took to tinkling in my houseplants or on the floor . . . and no wonder, because whenever she was in the litterbox, Leon would be outside the box, sticking his head in and bothering her.

So maybe your friend could get this cat a box of his (?) own, or watch to see if he is being intimidated by other cats while he's using the box?

Hope this helps --