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Written by Wendy Christensen
Q: I have an elderly cat that has stopped using the litter box. She goes where she wants in the house. She lies around a lot so I sometimes put litter within the vicinity of her sometimes she uses it but, not always. I'm at my wits end. I've had my Cali since 1987. Can you make any suggestions?
A: There could be several problems here:
- Cali might be having trouble getting in and out of the box, due to arthritis, stiffness or other movement problems.
- Cali might have experienced pain (such as constipation, which is common in older cats), or arthritis while in the box, and now associates the box with that pain. Changing the box itself, its location, and/or the litter can help reassure her that the box is "safe."
- If she's been suffering from constipation, or if you've seen her crying or straining in the box, a trip to the vet is definitely in order. Or sometimes, a couple doses per week of hairball medication can solve the problem. Cali should be seeing her vet at least twice a year anyway.
- Cali might be starting to suffer from Feline Cognitive Dysfunction syndrome ("kitty Alzheimer's") and be confused about where the box is, or where she is. Cats with this condition can get disoriented and confused even in very familiar places. I suspect she feels even worse about missing the box than you do! Cats are VERY fastidious.
- Elderly cats sometimes get extra-fussy about things. Cali may have developed an aversion to the litter you're using, even if she liked it before. Try offering 2 or 3 boxes with different types of litter, "cafeteria style," to see which she prefers. Then, stick with her preference.
I suggest trying this: Since elderly cats like Cali spend most of their time sleeping anyway, it might be a good idea to confine her to a smaller space than your whole house -- perhaps your bedroom? If you provide her with at least 2 convenient, low-sided, uncovered litter boxes, a warm, comfy bed, a familiar scratching post and constant fresh water supply, and plenty of attention and fussing, she will be quite happy. I suspect that trying to navigate the whole house might have become too difficult, confusing and complicated for her, either because of cognitive problems, arthritis, or just a general reluctance to move about (common in elderly of all species).
My Nika (who will turn 18 in May) has settled in happily and comfortably in her "private suite" upstairs, where she sleeps with me every night. She has no desire to mix it up with my five very active young cats (all less than 4 years old). But one of them Silver, has a crush on her and is VERY polite and respectful to her, so he "visits" for awhile each day. She seems to enjoy this!
Remember, Old friends are best! Our elderly kitties deserve the very best from us -- and a little extra thought and accommodation to their quirks and special needs will go a long way. At Cali's age (16-17?); she's the equivalent of an almost 80-year-old human.
Please do keep me updated in what you try-- and how it works. But I really do suggest the "smaller territory" approach.
Q: We have two cats, one is five; one is two. The second cat, female, we received after our male had been with us for three years. He did not welcome number 2, Tasker, and clearly showed her who was the cat boss in the house. He would attack her and was downright nasty.
She is just a precious doll and as the Vet said, they will work it out and over time she has turned the pages. Now she attacks him, though we sometimes think he likes it, when she puts him in his place.
Our problem is that she is skittish. She hears us in the house and scampers away as though we are going to maybe attack her, sometimes we tiptoe and she is better. She hates to be brushed and generally is standoffish. He on the other hand, won’t leave my side. Now that they have settled their differences, I would like to see her more friendly and open to all of us getting along.
How do I get her to realize we adore her and her sweet self? She is precious yet she is always looking over her shoulder for Carter (male) to show up.
signed:
Perplexed with lots of love to go around.
A: Congratulations! You've already conquered one of the toughest problems faced by cat owners: introducing a new cat to an established only cat. Cats are creatures of habit, and they can take quite a long time to settle into new social circumstances. Also, each cat has his or her own temperament, personality and preferences. Some are just more "standoffish" by nature, while others are super-affectionate -- just like people. Tasker may be more sensitive to certain smells, sounds or other cues that people wouldn't even notice. Give her time. You might find that playing a radio softly in the house, even when you aren't there, will make her more comfortable. (Hint: most cats adore classical music.)
Give both cats plenty of love and attention, and learn to accept their differences.
Think of ways to encourage your cats to associate the other's presence with good things. For example, conduct daily rousing play sessions with an interactive "fishing pole" toy and let each cat make plenty of "kills." Follow up with lavish praise and a few healthy treats.
With enough positive experiences, Tasker will, over time, discover that Carter is really not that bad a fellow and their relationship might become closer. If they become cuddle-buddies, great! But don't expect it, and don’t force them to interact when they don’t care to. It's always best to let the cats take the lead and set the pace in establishing relationship. Time, patience and love are the keys.
Q: I just introduced a new cat into my family from the Humane League. She will quickly eat her food then push the other cats away to finish their food.
A: Cats from shelters are often refugees who grew up in difficult and desperate situations, where food was scarce and competition for it fierce. Such cats have learned to pounce immediately on any available food -- because in their competitive world, if they didn't, some other cat would!
It may take your new cat awhile to feel secure enough that there will always be enough food available for everyone. Be patient with him! He will "get it" eventually.
Meanwhile, do the following:
Herding Cats at Home - March 2004 2
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