Litter Box frustrations here - BULLY Cats

[Freedom]

Last June, when I had the hardwood floors redone, I moved all the litter boxes down cellar. Liked them there, saves the newly finished floors, and left them there when the cats were allowed back up stairs.

Mandy refused to go down there. She used my bathtub, Dad's shower, the 2 bathroom floors,

So I set up ONE litter box up stairs in the bedroom where I feed the cats.

Tommy and Crystal will NOT allow Mandy in that room. Not to eat, not to use the litter box. They bully her, so Mandy spends most of her life on top of the chest of drawers in my bedroom. She will come onto the bed and sleep next to Marlin overnight. The moment Tommy enters the room in the AM, I know it as there is screeching and hissing and Mandy flied back up atop the chest.

The last few days, Mandy has been pooping up there. Now, I already FEED her up there as she is underweight and losing weight, so I had to do SOMETHING. She poops and just settles next to it, waiting for me to remove it.

I'm not sure where she is peeing.

Tommy & Crystal tried to bully the other cats here. They all learned with in a matter of weeks to just sit and look up at the ceiling as the bully charges. If you run, the bully chases and then if they catch up there is a huge fight. Mandy hasn't learned and it's been over 2 years!

HOW do you stop bullies, and / or help the "victim?" I use the water bottle when ever I can, but they know that and wait for me to go out or be busy elsewhere. Then one or both go at her. I find huge piles of black fur when it is Tommy and Mandy, as they are both black.

This is no way for Mandy to live, I have to find a way to change the balance.

Ideas?

[catmandu]

Thats very sad about Mandy and theres no way that you can explain things like that to Your Cats.

I guess you will have to hope that eventually Mandy will be accrpted or toughen up.

[Medusa]

Boy, I wish I knew the answer, Sandie. My Peeka bullied my sweet Pidge every day. Poor Pidge lived under my bed for a long time, coming out only to eat and use the litter box. It wasn't until I brought home my CH baby Creamsicle that, for some reason, Peeka stopped bullying Pidge. It's as though Cgirl had a calming effect on the household. I wish I could come up w/constructive ideas but, like you, I tried everything I could think of, even once holding Pidge in my arms and holding her paw to smack Peeka back. Poor Pidge cringed and looked at me as though I'd lost my mind and it didn't work anyhow. Peeka wasn't impressed. Good luck w/this. I know how tough it can be but it's even worse for sweet Mandy.

[Catty1]

I wonder about Mandy having her "own" room...

I know, I know...a litterbox in the bedroom is not to everyone's liking. Perhaps a small hooded one with a charcoal filter, inside and at the end of a bedroom closet, with deodorizing litter, would help for a while.

That's all I can think of at the moment...unless a spray water bottle on Tommy and Crystal works for them to stop the bullying.

hugs to all your furbabies.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Sandie, I'm sorry to hear this. My Storm who is the alpha cat will still bully Sky and Ziggy for no reason at all. I would also agree that if you have a spare bedroom, then try setting up a litter box and a food and water dish in there for Mandy. The only other thing would be to give Tommy and Crystal some kind of calming meds or herbs so that they won't be such bullies. I'm sure you've aleady tried Feliway plugins and spray. I used to use them and my cats became desensitized over time so they didn't work any more. Now I just try to give Storm a time out or break up the fight/squabble the best I can. Good luck.

[Freedom]

Glad to hear others have similar situations! What's that saying? "Joy shared is joy doubled; Trouble shared is trouble halved." LOL

The whole idea of putting one box upstairs in the feed room was for Mandy to use that. Didn't work; of course, the other 9 make full use of it.

I'll just keep trying different permutations, ha haa.

[lvpets2002]

Poor Mandy.. Yup have had the same problems at my house.. You may have to give Mandy her own room.. Block off the doorway with baby half doors stacked.. That way she can still see everyone & they can see her but cant get to her.. Good Luck

[Cataholic]

I wonder about Mandy having her "own" room...

I know, I know...a litterbox in the bedroom is not to everyone's liking. Perhaps a small hooded one with a charcoal filter, inside and at the end of a bedroom closet, with deodorizing litter, would help for a while.

That's all I can think of at the moment...unless a spray water bottle on Tommy and Crystal works for them to stop the bullying.

hugs to all your furbabies.

That is what I had to resort to, and kept Georgie (when she was alive) in there with Minnie. To this day, I still have on in there...for Minnie (and anyone else that wants to use it). I had to accept the fact that a litterbox in my room was better than poop and pee everywhere else.

[Catlady711]

HOW do you stop bullies, and / or help the "victim?"
This is no way for Mandy to live, I have to find a way to change the balance.

Ideas?

In my case it was Cami being bullied by Bear, Pooky & Jack. She started peeing on my stove, my counters, ruined 2 sections of my sectional sofa, peed on walls, it was a nightmare. I did everything. After trying all sorts of things I finally had to move her into a room all by herself and keep the door closed. Since I did that she is using the litter box 100% and seems happier. Before she spent most of her time hiding on top of a cabinet that only 1 other cat could jump up on. Now she lounges in her own room wherever she wants. I feel bad that she's separate, but she actually seems calmer and more affectionate than ever. Of course I made sure she has everything that she had in the rest of the house (water fountain, heated pet bed, window hammock, kitty condo, etc.). I hope you find a solution to your kitty bully problem.

[Anikaca77]

We had a similar problem to yours and we separated the crew in half. 5 or 7 are allowed in the bedroom and bathroom area and the other 3 are allowed out in the bedroom and kitchen/dining area. It's worked most of the times but we still use the spray bottle from time to time.

Good luck.

[catnapper]

Sounds like the kitties are trying to tell you that they want their toilets back upstairs!

I tried to move my boxes to where it was convenient for me, but the cats had other ideas. After months of picking up messes in the office, I put the box back in there. I am about to add a box to Cameron's room, which I never wanted to do, but after finding pee on a few items, I think I need to do that too.

We humans.... one toilet and there were 5 of us living here when all the kids were home. We learned to share nicely. Why can't the cats?

[GILL]

We have the same problem, Boots is getting bullied by Boo Boo and Bailey. To make it worst if they look at her she screems.Before Boo Boo Boots was chased by Lenny, Roz, and Egypt, since Boo Boo has been there they have stopped. Baily (12 year old Munchkin) is nick named the "grumpy old man" and will take a swip at almost every one. By luck he is a declaw. By the way he realy hates Chessie. Sorry but it is kind of fun whatching the boxing as both are declaws.
As to the pee and poop. We find it in front of the basement door, they are not alowed there, the front door, the door to the TV room and in the bathroom NEXT to a litter box. The poop can be found almost any where. The worst place in under the head of the bed. So every once in a while we lay down just to get up move the bed and clean at midnight.
With 20 in the house there is always some thing going on.

[Freedom]

Sounds like the kitties are trying to tell you that they want their toilets back upstairs! . . . .

We humans.... one toilet and there were 5 of us living here when all the kids were home. We learned to share nicely. Why can't the cats?

HE hee, I have wondered if they want the boxes back up here. Those floors take a beating with the litter, though. And yes, would be nice i they could share nicely.

With 20 in the house there is always some thing going on.

I love watching all the interactions, but 10 is my limit!

Thank you everyone, I'll keep all these ideas in mind. Had a box in my bedroom for years, not an issue for me. It is the hardwood floors I want to protect now that I had them all refinished.

[catnapper]

Your post prompted me to put the box in Cam's room like I had been dragging my feet on. He got to go with me to buy the supplies.... do you know how seriously he took the porocess of picking out a litter scoop? Of course it was christened within 5 minutes

[Freedom]

Your post prompted me to put the box in Cam's room like I had been dragging my feet on. He got to go with me to buy the supplies.... do you know how seriously he took the porocess of picking out a litter scoop? Of course it was christened within 5 minutes

But of COURSE!! 'TIS the feline way, he heee.