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Written by Wendy Christensen
Q: My male, adult cat eats plastic bags every chance he gets. I used to use them for lining my waste baskets but can no longer do so. If I
leave my shopping bags on the table while I answer the phone, etc. He will jump on the table and start tearing the bag apart. He never gets on the
table otherwise as he knows this is a no no. Any idea why?
A: There's a chemical component in the makeup of some plastic bags that appeals to some cats -- sometimes very strongly. You're correct
that eating plastic bags is not healthy for your cat. Pieces of plastic could lodge in this system, causing dangerous blockages. Since he is so
powerfully attracted to plastic, you need to make sure your cat does not have access to plastic bags.
Here are some suggestions to make your life easier, and keep your cat safe.
- For shopping, get several cloth tote bags. You can buy these at craft stores and many supermarkets. Toss them in the back of your
car and take them in the store when you go shopping. Some supermarkets even give you a small credit for using cloth bags instead of their
plastic ones! Since you can use them over and over, and wash them when they get dirty, cloth tote bags are a really a good investment.
- You can still use plastic bags to line trash cans. Get trash cans that have lids and removable inner containers. Line the inner
container with the bag, with the bag tucked into the inside of the outer container. Be sure to keep the lid on.
- Try spraying the bags with something like "Bitter Apple," available at many pet stores. Cats hate the taste.
- To keep cats (and dogs) from tipping over wastebaskets and trash cans, place about 4 or 5 common bricks in the bottom of the
container before inserting any kind of liner.
- There are easy-to-install sliding trays that will keep your trash can safely inside a cabinet When you open the cabinet, the trash can
slides out on a little platform. I also suggest childproof latches for the cabinet.
Q: My cat just started going to the bathroom on our daybed. I can't figure out why. We have not changed her litter and her litter box is always
clean.
A: I think she's trying to tell you something! She may have a urinary tract infection (UTI) and she feels uncomfortable. When a cat has a UTI,
urination can be painful, and the cat often associates the pain and discomfort with the litter box. So many cats seek out a more "comforting"
location to urinate.
Get your cat to the veterinarian right away. If it's a UTI, a course of antibiotics should clear up the condition quickly. Don't wait -- if your cat has
a UTI, she's very uncomfortable!
Meanwhile, though, you don't want her urination on the daybed to become a habit. If possible, close off the room where the daybed is so your
cat can't get to it. In fact, it's a good idea to confine her to a bathroom (with her litter box, comfy bed, water and food) until she can get to the
veterinarian. That way, she won't be tempted to find another unacceptable (to you!) alternative spot to urinate.
While your cat is recovering, keep the daybed room closed off while you completely launder all the bedclothes and anything else that holds
urine. Otherwise, the urine scent will draw your cat back to that spot, even when she feels better. When you launder the soiled items, add an odor
-remover. I've found that a combination of "All/Surf" liquid laundry detergent and "Febreeze Laundry Odor Eliminator" works very well in getting
urine odor out of washable items.
Q: I have 3 cats, a boy and two girls, same litter, that will soon be 3 years old. My little boy has problems with blood being in his urine and he
only passes a drop or two when he goes to the bathroom. I have had him at the vets. One time they had him for 7 days to give him his medicine
and to watch him. They did blood work and sent a culture off. It came back unknown. They say it's not his kidneys it's his bladder????? This took
place the first of Dec., 2003. They also wanted him to eat a special dry food for urinary problems, which I get from them.
He uses the litter box and I have 2 of them; if I am in the bathroom cleaning or getting dressed he might go 10 times. Now my big problem: He
is urinating over my floor vents. I have been spraying him with a water bottle but as of today I read it's not good to do that. Do you have any ideas
on how to stop him; or why he's doing this? He has been "fixed" and he is the sweetest thing.
A: It sounds like your kitty is still suffering from a urinary tract or bladder infection. Sometimes these infections are resistant to the more
common antibiotics used to treat them. Other times, the infection can seem to go away, but is actually "hiding" in tiny nodes in the bladder lining.
When the nodes break open, the infection starts up again. The lining of the bladder actually becomes inflamed, and the result is nearly constant,
uncontrollable urges to urinate, with only a few drops coming out at a time. The bladder itself will feel small and hard, instead of normal. (Ask your
veterinarian to check for this.)
Herding Cats at Home - April 2004 2
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