Tabbytudes Cat Behavior Column - April 2003

Amy Shojai's Reply:

Hi Lis, How fortunate that you so carefully monitor your cat's health. That surely caught the anal gland problem promptly, and I'm sure will also aid in resolving the current situation. First, a couple of questions -- did the urinalysis or other tests rule out diabetes, kidney function, or hyperthyroidism? These three conditions (alone or in combination) can prompt excessive urination, and I'd want to rule them out before assuming it's a behavioral issue. These health conditions are most common in cats age 6 and above, and older cats are most frequently affected.

Second, I'm guessing the drug therapy your veterinarian prescribed was for idiopathic cystitis. This is an inflammation of the bladder with no known cause (no infection, no crystals), and the discomfort prompts frequent, usually small amounts of urine being expressed. Episodes seem to come and go, and stress often triggers an episode. It may be that your kitty has decided to "blame" the litter box for uncomfortable elimination and so she's "holding" it as long as possible-hence, the huge amounts of urine.

Drugs such as Elavil that are prescribed typically take up to three weeks to reach the proper levels in the blood to have a good effect, and act to reduce the stress that triggers the inflammation and symptoms. Elavil not only counters anxiety, it also helps soothe the bladder inflammation so sometimes there's a positive effect quite rapidly. The generic drug amitriptyline, or an antihistamine drug called hydroxizine that works very similarly, are both much less expensive than the brand-name Elavil. Your veterinarian is best suited to choose the right option for your individual situation.

It's hard to say why she pulled hair off her legs. That could be related to the stress of the vet visit and confinement in the small room. It might also be a reaction to pain or discomfort in her nether regions.

Good luck with your kitty. I hope you get her some relief soon. Many times it takes a bit of detective work to figure out exactly what's happening.

Lis Reports Success!

Hi Amy, We have solved the problem. I thought I would share the outcome with you in the event it helps someone else.

We had more tests done with no results. She was still only urinating once a day in her box and then she stopped having bowel movements. After three days we called the vet, and he did an x-ray but no problems were seen. We tried kitty malt, water on her biscuits, etc. for six days, and our next move was to have the vet give her an enema. There had been no more chewing of hair but we noticed her back end constantly twitching. We tried chiropractic and massage with no luck. After six days I was absolutely frantic and decided to let the vet keep her for a few days to see if they could sort things out. I had resigned myself to the fact that there was something terribly wrong and that we could possibly lose her.

For some reason, the day before she was to go to the vet, I decided to buy a new litter box. It was unbelievable. She went straight into the box and had a huge bowel movement.

She has returned to normal with her habits. We can't recall that anything unusual occurred with the old litter box. We are extremely relieved and happy to have our kitty back to normal. Too bad she can't tell us what happened in that box to make her hate it so much. Thank you again for your advice and support during a very stressful time. Lis

Other letters this month included cat-to-cat introduction difficulties, overly aggressive play, and biting issues. Different experts may offer other opinions, but generally when adopting a second cat, I recommend choosing one that's both younger, and the opposite sex of the resident feline. Fixed male/female pairings tend to work best; however, if the cats are of a similar age (especially in the 2-4 year range when they're just reaching "social" maturity) they may argue for some time over who should be top cat. Confining the newer cat in a safe room with litter box, food and water, toys, and all the important kitty paraphernalia for the first several days-or even weeks-is quite helpful, before trying a face-to-face introduction. There may be some wrangling, and as long as it's not full-out war, let the cats work it out themselves. Interrupting the process of determining who will rule can sometimes prolong the agony. Also, making both cats "smell" alike can ease the transition, because cats will cheek-rub safe friends and family so they smell like themselves. Therefore, dabbing some vanilla extract, or your own perfume, under the chin, back of the neck and base of tail of both cats sort of fools Mother Nature so the cats think they're already family.

Biting is an instinctive cat impulse, used in defense, aggression, and play. Every cat is different, and some felines are more "touchy-feely" than others and enjoy being held and stroked. Other cats are perhaps hypersensitive to touch, and too much petting revs them up or maybe even feels uncomfortable. Cats use the "leave me alone!" bite to stop the petting and interaction. These kitties may be able to tolerate only one to three strokes, then their ears go back, tail flails, eyes dilate, and they nail you. Watching for these cues (ears, eyes, tail) can help you learn to stop the petting BEFORE the cat bites. Playing with feathers, fishing-pole style toys and other interactive games are great ways to teach the cat that contact with you is positive and rewarding. This keeps teeth and claws at a safe distance, while giving the cat a legal outlet for bunny-kicking and biting. It can also wear out kittens so they're more willing to accept snuggles.

Kittens are a different cat-egory. (Sorry, couldn't resist!) While adult cats typically use biting in a purposeful manner, kittens are more likely to use biting willy-nilly during play. They simply don't know any better, and get carried away and play too rough. Kittens that have the opportunity to stay with Mom-cat and siblings until they're 12-16 weeks old usually are taught proper feline manners, and learn how to inhibit their bite and claws during play. In shelter or stray adoption situations, kittens more typically come to our homes without having learned this basic p'etiquette so it's up to us to teach the kitten. Older cats and dogs in the home are generally very good teachers, and will put Junior in his place with a hiss or swat if he gets too rough.

Humans need to follow the Mom-cat's lead, and communicate to the kitten in terms he understands that biting HURTS! For very young kittens (under 5 months), a loud, percussive SSSSSSSSSSSTTT! often stops the kitten in a flash. Don't overuse the hiss-interruption, though, or it will stop working. For older kittens and adult cats that never learned bite-manners, spraying with water sometimes works (however, my cat likes to be sprayed), or a loud noise such as slapping a magazine against your thigh. My favorite, though, is a loud, very short and percussive SCREAM. That tells the cat in no uncertain terms that biting/clawing hurts (he may not realize this). It also startles him enough to interrupt and temporarily stop the behavior. Once he stops, immediately put him in a room by himself for five minutes, to teach him that biting means all the games stop. Playing nice and inhibiting his bite is self-rewarding because the games continue.