Cat! Help!

chefkate

chefkate

Cathlete
I need some help. My cat is driving me crazy. She is 8 years old and SO MISERABLE! She rarely comes out of the basement because she is scared of our dog. They used to get along but not anymore. What is really angering me is that she is using MY WORKOUT ROOM for her personal litter box. It smells absolutley disgusting and now the odor is wafting to the rest of the basement - where the gust bedroom is and we have tons of company. It is so embarrassing! We have tried everything and there is no way to keep her out of there (no door, and the opening is too wide to block it off). If we can't fix this soon I'm afraid she is headed for the Humane Society. I would hate to do that (DDs love her) but I cannot have a cat that "goes" around the house. She's declawed in front so I can't really put her outside (we live in the country and I'm afraid of what the dog might do to her).

I'm hoping someone here will have some ideas to save my kitty!

Thanks for your responses!
 
What happened between your cat and the dog? You say they used to get along but now they don't and you are afraid the dog would harm the cat. Your cat cetainly sounds miserable and letting you know it. Without more details it is hard to say what to do except trying to change things so you can get her out of the basement and back into the family. You have to remember that a trip to the Humane Society with her history would probably mean euthanasia.
 
Have you taken her to the vet to make sure she is physically OK? Cats tend to act strange when there is something wrong with them. Could be anything, teeth might hurt / need cleaning, UTI, etc. I would start there and also ask the vet for advice. Have you switched litters or anything? Declawed cats tend to have sensitive paws so maybe the litter you're using is too hard on her paws. Maybe try shredded paper or something more like soft sand. Also you'll want to try to neutralize the smell so she doesn't keep repeating her mishaps in familiar spots. I wish there was a way you could keep her out of the room completely. We ended up buying a room divider thing to keep the kitties from our upstairs area (got old cleaning cat hair every day). They have free roam of the downstairs. Maybe something like that would work?
 
Do you actually have a litter box in the area where she is going ?
If not, put one there, and when one is there use "cat attract" additive (you can probably get it from the vet) to draw her to it.

Sounds to me like something happened between your two pets, like the dog attacking the cat. Kitty may need some anti-anxiety help (like Feliway or another hormonal spray that you can spray in the area she hangs out it, or some homeopathic anti-anxiety treatment). Then try to get the two pets in the same room (with you), will kitty on your lap as you pet her and talk sweet to her to calm her. They may need to rebuild their relationship.

And hard as it may be, try to not be tense about this or mad at her, as cats are very good at picking up on emotions.
 
I agree that there is something wrong with her physically. My cat does the same thing when he is ill. Like Kathryn said, put a litter box down there. If you have a spare bedroom put her in there for a few days or a week with her litter box, her toys, a soft cat-bed and a radio playing soft music. (I know--that sounds dorky but my cat likes it). Maybe she is looking for a way to get away. Cats often like smaller spaces and I think she sounds overwhelmed and anxious. I have also used the Feliway like Kathryn mentioned and it's wonderful. I get mine from my vet.

Defintely get her to the vet. I think she might have a physical ailment that she is trying to inform you of. Cats won't use their litter box when they are sick or uncomfortable. Good luck. Also, depending on how high your cat can jump (mine can't jump at all-was severely beaten before I found him at the shelter) you can also put a baby gate up to keep her from going places you don't want her to go.

Allison
 
Take the cat to the vet, first.
If your cat is not using his liter box. Get a new liter box and a new brand of cat liter. Some cats are picky about thier liter box.
 
Our vet invented a litter called "Cat Attract" that is available nationwide at Petsmart. It is guaranteed to work if you read the directions. It really saved us!

Also check out these tips from the shelter where I do volunteer work: http://www.ddfl.org/tips_cats.htm


Best of luck to you and your cat!
 
Hi Kate.

I have 3 cats! ANd I totally know what you are going thru!
My excerise room is in the basement - not far from the litter boxes -and once in awhile - my stepper becomes thier litter box!!! YUCK!
Lots of bleach!!

I notice - if they aren't feeling well or scared - they will go in other places. I agree - first check with the vet.
2. Sometimes - my cats will do this, if we've been away for awhile, and they are angry at us. Sounds funny....but, I think they get pissed (literally).
3. Change the litter box. Just through it out and put new litter in it. Cats a finiky. And keep it clean. If we let the litter box go more than 2 days w/out cleaning, the'll protest and go else where! If you have more than one cat - make sure you have enough litter boxes. I have 3 boxes for 3 cats.

Keeping there litter box clean more often has helped us out. Right now, I'm having a problem with one of them, One of them is missing the litter box and going just outside of it! They love the corners of the litter box. Well - at least they are getting closer to the box!

Good Luck! If you find anything that works, let me know:)
Alicia
 
Kate,

I also agree you should take your cat to the vet. My old kitty used to hide out and go on the floor when he was VERY ill. Please let all of us know what your vet says!

Sherry
 
Hello,

You might want to try laying new carpet. Cats have ultra-sensitive noses! Sometimes it helps if the smell is different.
 
some cats do not like there litter box if it has a top on it or is not cleaned enough. being scared or angry might also be a problem.my cat was not using it until i changed things-empty litter every day,remove top. good luck!

laura
 
You have corner huggers too? I agree that, first, kitty needs to visit the vet because a suddent change means something's wrong somewhere.

While we're on the subject, I have been saying for years it's time for the folks at Kohler to come up with an actual cat toilet because there needs to be a revolution. I would kill to have an actual flushing toilet designed specifically for use by cats (small dogs, too) in my bathroom. They could experiment first in Europe, where second sewage lines (for bidets) are common in bathrooms. Heck, I'd PAY to run a second sewar line!. Cats can be trained to use the toilet but nobody I've polled wants animals using their toilets. Imagine never having to haul around another heavy (talk about weight lifting!) box of kitty litter, one cat toilet replacing all the litter boxes in your hojme. You'd never have to deal with litter bits all over the floor (in the bed...), no more smell because their pee/poo area is ALWAYS clean and they never have to see/smell another pets' waste. And our landfills wouldn't be bogged down with tons of used cat litter. Like I said, a revolution needs to happen.
 
>I have been saying for years it's
>time for the folks at Kohler to come up with an actual cat
>toilet because there needs to be a revolution. I would kill
>to have an actual flushing toilet designed specifically for
>use by cats (small dogs, too) in my bathroom.

Your wish has been granted!

I just saw an add for one in a magazine, but I can't remember which one (Hammacher-Schlemmer (sp?)). It's filled with reusable litter, has a 'flushing' system that you attach to a water line (though I couldn't figure out how it scoops the poop--it scoops up the litter/pebbles to allow the fluids to be washed off). I'll try to see if I can find the ad again (if I didn't recycle it already).

Now, I'll just have to think of who I want you to kill for providing you with that info. LOL!

ETA: here it is!:
http://www.amazon.com/CatGenie-Self-Washing-Self-Flushing-Cat/dp/B000MKHQG4
 
Hi,

Okay, forgive me in advance if I repeat anything that anyone else has already suggested, because I didn't have time to read down thru the posts. I wanted to offer some info tho, because I rescue cats - I'm currently taking care of more than 30 (although, thankfully, not all are indoors!).

First off, please take your kitty to the vet because typically if they go outside of the litter box, it means they are ill. Your kitty could have a very serious urinary tract infection or kidney stones which won't go away without antibiotics and possibly an anti-inflammatory shot. You may also have to change kitty's food, and reconfigure where your kitty's litter pan is.

Can the dog get to the litter box? If kitty feels cornered at all, he/she may avoid that area and go to a "safer" place to eliminate wastes. All litter boxes need an avenue of approach, and an alternate route that can be used as an escape - so for example, if your cat's litter pan is in a closet for example, with only one way in and out, she may feel trapped using it.

Another thing that could be causing a problem is, the litter box is dirty. Do you sift it every day? I have 10 boxes in my house in various rooms and they are sifted 2X a day, EVERY day. (And no, my house doesn't smell! I know some people fill a pan with litter and don't touch it again until the cat's waste is spilling over the top...they are lucky that a cat continues to go to the box because they are very clean animals - and their sense of smell is a great deal stronger than ours. If you can't sift it every day, consider getting an automatic box. You'll still have to deal with the clumps, but not as often.)

As for the "odor" - what is the floor surface in your workout room? if it's concrete, clean the floor surface very well, and when it dries, you can seal the floor with certain paints or sealers that will basically "seal" the odor into the concrete (because trust me - you will never get it out by just scrubbing it. it's too porous). To clean the floor I highly recommend that you first clean the surface with scrub water that contains dawn dishwashing detergent, followed by a product you can buy at Walmart called "OUT". It comes in two forms at our walmart; one is a pleasant clean scent, the other is a lemongrass scent. Both are very fresh and clean and contain enzymes that help to break down the components of the urine and kill the odor.

If the effected area is on carpet, you can still use the OUT. I have actually put it into my scrubber where the water would go. It's important to saturate the carpet into the padding. Ultimately you may have to have carpet taken up though.

In the mean time, you may consider putting a litter box in your work out room - if this isn't an option, place a bowl of food over the area where your cat has peed. They don't eat where they excrete (hee). But this may not eliminate your problem- she may just go somewhere else.

Definitely check with your vet first because a UTI will progress to death if not treated....and in the mean time, she will end up going in many more unorthodox places - driving you to the brink of insanity!

If you have more questions, feel free to email me any time!

:7 Good LUCK!

PS. Don't give up on your kitty tho. If you take her to the shelter, no one will want her if she's peeing in their house. You're better off letter her go outside - even tho she's declawed they can learn to use their back claws for defense. It's a better alternative than death at a kill shelter, or being at a house where people may be mean to her for peeing, or worse - abandon her.
 
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