More cat drama...

[melimcn]

Hi all,
You may remember the post about my kitty with the constant squishy poo.
Well, after yet another round of testing at the vet, including blood tests sent to TX A&M...they still can't find anything wrong.

In the meantime, this cat has taken to leaving us little presents all over the house. Luckily for us, he seems to prefer the bathroom tile and hardwood floors in the kitchen - so no carpeting. But this is an everyday occurrence, it's just a matter of finding it.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to correct this behavior? We have confined him in a room with his litterboxes (2 of them, cleaned daily), and during that time, he uses the boxes.
But the minute we let him out of the room, he starts using the floor again. He still uses the litterboxes, he just also uses the floor.

I'm at wits end with this.
Anyone have suggestions? I'm hating the thought of having to permanently confine him.

 

[Shelbygirl]

I don't recall if you talked about this in your previous posts, but it could be he doesn't like the brand of litter you are using. Also, you might consider trying a product called something like "Feliaway Comfort Zone". There is a spray and a plug in version. I doubt I'd be able to intelligently explain why it's used for litter box problems, but if you look it up on the internet, I'm sure you'll learn why it might help. You can get it at your local pet store, but it's less expensive at DrFosters&Smith.com. It's still pretty expensive, however, just to warn you.

One other thing, do you by any chance feed your cat near his litter boxes? If so, you might want to move the food as far away from the litter as possible. Many cat's, much like people, don't want to eat right near their bathroom.

Shelbygirl

 

[Dela]

Maybe try putting one of the litterboxes near one of the spots he is using on the floor. Also, there is that cleaner Nature's Miracle that is supposed to remove the odors so the cats don't go back to their "spot". Maybe try mopping the floors with it, then following up with more intense cleanings after any incidents.

Not sure if you resolved the squishy poo problem, but I had success feeding my cats a little bit of pumpkin puree in their food when that happened. You can google this, but I gave them about half to 1 tbl of pure canned pumpkin with each feeding. One of the cats did not love the taste, so I sometimes I had to mix a little less, but the other cat loved it.

 

[NY25]

Have you considered his diet? A lot of cats have food issues - particularly with over-the-counter, grocery store brands. Most of them have a lot of fillers, including ash, that are just not good for them. I had a similar problem with my cat and changing the diet did the trick. Try some of the all natural brands (you do need a specialty pet store, and will pay more), but check out the options. When a cat has an upset stomach, then go when and and where they need to. Be sure their diet is all grain-based either. Animals eat protein in the wild, so you have to watch that.

 

[Matiana]

When my cat would go to the bathroom anywhere but her kittylitter I knew she was telling me that something was wrong. I find that cat's just don't do that unless there is something wrong. Maybe it is the food. Maybe the doctor's missed something.

 

[goldenpath]

I don't remember reading your first post and not sure if you tried changing his/her food. If you didn't alreay, I would change the food for a week at a time and see if that helps.

 

[melimcn]

I don't recall if you talked about this in your previous posts, but it could be he doesn't like the brand of litter you are using. Also, you might consider trying a product called something like "Feliaway Comfort Zone". There is a spray and a plug in version. I doubt I'd be able to intelligently explain why it's used for litter box problems, but if you look it up on the internet, I'm sure you'll learn why it might help. You can get it at your local pet store, but it's less expensive at DrFosters&Smith.com. It's still pretty expensive, however, just to warn you.

One other thing, do you by any chance feed your cat near his litter boxes? If so, you might want to move the food as far away from the litter as possible. Many cat's, much like people, don't want to eat right near their bathroom.

Shelbygirl

Thanks Shelbygirl!
I've been reading up on this stuff, and it's gotten rave reviews. So I'm going to try this. It looks like it's cheaper on Amazon. Fingers crossed!
I'm also going to switch his food.

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

 

[meowracer]

I remember your last post and I mentioned the food Royal Canin Special 33. It has made an amazing difference here with my cat with the squishy poo (I love that description!!). It is firming up and the smell does not make us have to evacuate. I tried many foods before finding this one. I agree to put the boxes where he tends to go and to clean with that product so he won't smell it and go there again. Some cats do not like boxes with lids. So, if he is enclosed in the bathroom, he may use it b/c he feels safe and alone but out, he may be afraid of it. I have a cat like that - he was afraid he would be bothered by the other cats while doing his business. Whether or not you have other cats really doesn't matter - some are just afraid of the lids b/c they feel threatened and cornered if they are not alone. Good luck - these are not the fun kind of presents to find around your house!

 

[janiejoey]

You have some great advice there.

You might also want to see if your kitty has a urinary tract infection. My cat does this when he has one.

Janie