Help Please! I am at my wits end with Jasmine!!!

starryeyedtiger

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I hate to complaine I sincerly do- but i don't know what else to do with little Jasmine
She will NOT stop going potty outside of the litter pan! Uhhhh This is getting rediculious! The only place she goes is on the bed in the guest bedroom! ( the $5 i spent on that plastic waterproof cover was definitely a good investment!)

She has been to the vet 3 different times recently. And she is currently on her 3rd different antibiotic


She's been on Amoxi (didn't phase her), Baytril (made her sick), and now she's on Cepha- Drops. She definitely has a lower UTI (vet did a test to confirm it) but aside from that she is in good health. Now the vet as well as Colin and I are thinking that this is also a behavioral thing. For a while there i was thinking she was doing this because she was associating using the litter pan with pain (so i understood) but apparently this is not the case.

I have tried using different/new litter pans, different litter,putting the litter pan on the bed where she is having accidents and then gradually moving it to where i want it (she just pees beside it!), "No Spray" (or no mark whatever it's called)

NOTHING is working
I don't know what to do) What else can we try to help my little girl go potty in the appropriate spots...aka...use the litter pan???? Any suggestions are welcome!
 

sharky

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Okay first things first


you know what I am going to ask

What is she eating???

Is she on a pre or pro biotic??

Are you useing a BRAND new potty box with CAT attract litter???

how old is she ???

Was a CBC and other organ function blood work done??
 

catsallover

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Oh, Nikki, I know how frustrating this is! If she still has an infection, she may just still be feeling the discomfort. When the UTI is cleared up, you may just have to start back at square one, with a small room or a crate and a new litter box (that cat attract sounds like a good idea, though I haven't used it before).

Bird's problem went on for a long while too, and then it turned out that she had decided during her last UTI that she didn't want to use a litter box that anyone else had "left" something in.
Getting a Litter Robot seems to have fixed that (but of course, someone - and I think it is Meggie this time- has peed on a bathroom rug again- arrggghhhh!).

I hope you get her sorted out soon!
 

rang_27

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Originally Posted by laureen227

have you tried the Cat Attract litter?
This is exactly what I was going to ask. I'm sure you have, but just incase clean the bedding she is going on with nature's miracle.
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Thankyou soo much everyone for trying to help! Just a quick note on the "cat attract" litter- i looked in 4 different pet stores around here and wasn't able to find it- so Colin is going to order some online for me.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay first things first


you know what I am going to ask

What is she eating???
Well i was home cooking everything for them- but they were not eating it well- even after i tried recipe after recipe. So she is now eating Meow Mix Market Selects (i know it's not the BEST wet food- but for my budget it's the best i can afford) I am not giving her any of the fish varities because i heard fish can make a UTI worse? (is that true by the way?) I am also wanting to add a bit of dry to their diet (is Wellness good?) because even though they all eat the recommended amount of wet food each day- they still steal dry food from the dogs (they ate dry for years until this recall stuff happened and i learned that wet/home cooked was better for them). I want to add premium quality dry- just a pinch once a day to give them a little something extra. If i remember right -doesn't one of the Wellness brands have cranberry in it for UTI?


Is she on a pre or pro biotic??

She's on Cepha-Drops ( Cefadroxil ) and it seems to be working better than the amoxi or baytril was but she's still going potty outside the pan.


Are you useing a BRAND new potty box with CAT attract litter???

Brand new kitty box, but i was unable to find the cat attract litter at our local pet stores so Colin is ordering some. She gets fresh litter daily and i scoop it out every night - the other kitties don't use her box.

how old is she ???

She is about 5 years old (we adopted her as an adult- she was morbidly obease when we got her. now several years later she is down to 13 lbs (her ideal weight is 11lbs)


Was a CBC and other organ function blood work done??

yes- everthing came back ok aside from the urine specimen (which showed she had a lower UTI
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Just wanted to add- not only is she peeing on the bed (outside of the pan) she is also pooping. (that's why the vet also thinks most of this is behavioral)

Also- i have been cleaning everything with Natures Miracle and have sprayed "No Mark" on everything. None of it seems to be helping
 

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When our Peaches didn't resume litterbox use after her UTI, she was put on prozac. She was almost impossible to pill, but it was worth it. She is now a litterbox girl and we are so proud of her. It too a long time. Cat Attract litter helped as well.

I wish you tons of good luck. It's a difficult problem.
 

beandip

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Is it possible to keep the bedroom closed, as a test? If you try that, where does she poop and pee?

If not, this sounds crazy but I would probably try feeding her on the bed.

Do you have a Petsmart there? That's where I got Cat Attract.

On the food subject, if I remember correctly you mentioned that the 4 cats took a day and a half to eat 12 of those MM tubs..is that right? And 12 tubs = $6 (I think?)...and you have 4 cats, is that right? So that's $4 per day to feed 4 cats. Forgive me if I got off track or got the wrong numbers, I'm sort of math-obsessed
But anyway, I think for $1 per cat I would try some premium wet food. Does that make sense? That would pay for a 5.5-6oz can for each cat which should be about equal or more than what they are eating now. Or you could get the big tall (13oz) cans and probably save money over what you are spending now on MM tubs. A different food might be more agreeable w/Jasmine's bladder issues.
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by Mcat

When our Peaches didn't resume litterbox use after her UTI, she was put on prozac. She was almost impossible to pill, but it was worth it. She is now a litterbox girl and we are so proud of her. It too a long time. Cat Attract litter helped as well.

I wish you tons of good luck. It's a difficult problem.
Prozac is a good suggestion! I will ask the vet about this! Thankyou!


Originally Posted by beandip

Is it possible to keep the bedroom closed, as a test? If you try that, where does she poop and pee?

If not, this sounds crazy but I would probably try feeding her on the bed.

Do you have a Petsmart there? That's where I got Cat Attract.

On the food subject, if I remember correctly you mentioned that the 4 cats took a day and a half to eat 12 of those MM tubs..is that right? And 12 tubs = $6 (I think?)...and you have 4 cats, is that right? So that's $4 per day to feed 4 cats. Forgive me if I got off track or got the wrong numbers, I'm sort of math-obsessed
But anyway, I think for $1 per cat I would try some premium wet food. Does that make sense? That would pay for a 5.5-6oz can for each cat which should be about equal or more than what they are eating now. Or you could get the big tall (13oz) cans and probably save money over what you are spending now on MM tubs. A different food might be more agreeable w/Jasmine's bladder issues.
The bedroom door is open because that is the "cat room" where all the litter pans/ kitty beds/ food/etc is and their kitty tree.

Putting the food on the bed is a good suggestion! Hopefully she won't go potty on the bed if the food is near her! Thanks love!
I am going to try Petsmart again later as well as another pet store to see if i can find the cat attract litter there (the other stores i tried didn't have it).

When I first started feeding the MM market selects i didn't do the math right. I should have been feeding 4 tubs a day (According to their body weight) so i am now going through one box a day for them -which is about $6 a box - so $6 times say 30 days in a month- is REALLY getting pricy! So since it doesn't seem like they're getting full enough from it and the price is really high -i'd like to also add a premium cat food (perhaps wellness?) to supplement and cut down on the MM a little bit. Do you think that's a good idea? What other good quality soft foods do you recommend? Any ideas.
 

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

I am going to try Petsmart again later as well as another pet store to see if i can find the cat attract litter there (the other stores i tried didn't have it).
call them first. they should be able to tell you if they carry it. if you are going to order online, order the additive [available at petfooddirect] it weighs less, so less for shipping.
good foods - chicken soup wet is good - costs about $.70 per 5.5 ounce can at the feed store where i get it. my two wet guys split a can once a day, & they never eat it all [8.5 pound & 16 pound cats].
the problem i see with ordering online is that food is heavy - but if you can find a place that offers free shipping with a certain purchase amount, or that offers occasional specials, it can make up for it. with gas as high as it is, you have to factor in that you don't have to make a special trip to a specialty store to find the right food.
 

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You can also put unsweetened cranberry juice in her water and they now have Cranberry cat treats. My cats love them! That's to help with the UTI not the urinating outside the box.

Also, Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul has cranberry extract in it.

With the litter box, maybe try crate training her like you would a dog. Sounds drastic but if it works you'll all be much happier and if it doesn't then at least you have her confined so that she'll quit messing up the house.

I'm so sorry that you are going through this. I do know how aggravating/depressing/annoying/confusing that it is.
 

mom of 4

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Another thought. Is her stool loose at all? Antibiotics usally kill off most of the good bacteria in the intestines too - that's why kids get stomachaches and diarrhea on antibiotics.

Sometimes this can cause a sudden need to go. So she goes where she is at the time, then the smell is there......
 

beandip

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

When I first started feeding the MM market selects i didn't do the math right. I should have been feeding 4 tubs a day (According to their body weight) so i am now going through one box a day for them -which is about $6 a box - so $6 times say 30 days in a month- is REALLY getting pricy! So since it doesn't seem like they're getting full enough from it and the price is really high -i'd like to also add a premium cat food (perhaps wellness?) to supplement and cut down on the MM a little bit. Do you think that's a good idea? What other good quality soft foods do you recommend? Any ideas.
My cats like the Wellness a lot. They only like the grain free ones, but there are 6 flavors so there's some decent variety. Here, it's about $1 per 5.5oz can or $1.99 for a 12.5oz. I can get it a little cheaper by driving farther but with gas the way it is, it evens out. My cats eat about 1/2 of a 5.5oz can at each meal (or 1/4 of a 12.5oz can), 2 meals a day. So that's about a dollar per cat, per day. They don't eat any dry, except as a treat.

Other brands they eat...

Natural Balance ($1 per can w/discounts+shipping thru PFD, or $1.09 @ Petco)
Avoderm ($1.05/can @ Petsmart)
By Nature (a little pricier, $1.39/can @ PS, PFD is cheaper w/discounts)
Merrick's ($1/can locally, more $$ online)
Eagle Pack ($1.59 for a 13oz can locally), not all of them will eat it, though
EVO ($1.55 for a 13oz can locally)

My vet has the Prozac as powder in a capsule. It's a tiny bit of powder that hides fairly well in wet food.
 

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How old is she? Has the vet checked her for arthritis or other signs of pain in her joints? This is just one more thing you may want to try--get a litterbox with really low sides and put some litter in it. Perhaps she's having trouble getting over the sides of the box? Also, has the vet cultured the urine? Doing that can help determine the best antibiotic to fight off the infection.
 

sarahp

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

does this have anything to do with your mom & moving?
I was going to ask the same thing. Maybe she just doesn't like having the dogs and the fosters around. Cats really like routine, and maybe having so many other animals around she's getting stressed? Even the smells of the dogs and fosters could be enough to upset her. Maybe she's got comfortable enough using the litter box because she's worried other animals will come and disturb her.

What about getting a covered litter box and putting it on the spare bed? She might feel more comfortable using that, then you can gradually move it to a better spot.

I get Felidae wet food which works out well price wise for me, and it also contains cranberries.
 

katkisses

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I was going to suggest using cat attrast aswell...

Try the food on the bed-and get back to us on whether it works or not. Maybe the Feliway stuff-though it is expensive... You could take her poo off the bed when she does it and put it in her litter pan, as someone already suggested. Have you switched litter/food recently?

If the dogs have acess to the room, and get on the bed, she could be 'marking her territory...'
 
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starryeyedtiger

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I just got back from the speciality pet store in our area. It was my first time in there and i swear i was amazed!!! They had all of the good quality foods/treats/ EVERYTHING!
The staff was also really helpful! So....$60 later I wound up getting

Wellness Super 5 Adult Mix (dry)

Cat Attract litter (i was sooo glad they had it! i've looked everywhere for that stuff and was about to have Colin order some online)

5 different varieties of Wellness canned (i got 24 cans total)

We also gotdry samples of: California Natural:Herring & Sweet Potato, California Natural Chicken Meal and Rice Formula, Innova EVO, and Innova
We will just see what they all like best -i'm leaning away from the ones with more fish in them and more so towards wellness.

I am going to change out all of the litter in a minute and put the Cat attract in there. I'm also going to take the lids off the covered pans and see if that helps at all to not trap odor/etc.


Originally Posted by Mom of 4

Another thought. Is her stool loose at all? Antibiotics usally kill off most of the good bacteria in the intestines too - that's why kids get stomachaches and diarrhea on antibiotics.

Sometimes this can cause a sudden need to go. So she goes where she is at the time, then the smell is there......
No, her stools are firm and normal. The pooing outside of the litter pan is definitely behavioral according to the vet.

Originally Posted by beandip

My cats like the Wellness a lot. They only like the grain free ones, but there are 6 flavors so there's some decent variety. Here, it's about $1 per 5.5oz can or $1.99 for a 12.5oz. I can get it a little cheaper by driving farther but with gas the way it is, it evens out. My cats eat about 1/2 of a 5.5oz can at each meal (or 1/4 of a 12.5oz can), 2 meals a day. So that's about a dollar per cat, per day. They don't eat any dry, except as a treat.

Other brands they eat...

Natural Balance ($1 per can w/discounts+shipping thru PFD, or $1.09 @ Petco)
Avoderm ($1.05/can @ Petsmart)
By Nature (a little pricier, $1.39/can @ PS, PFD is cheaper w/discounts)
Merrick's ($1/can locally, more $$ online)
Eagle Pack ($1.59 for a 13oz can locally), not all of them will eat it, though
EVO ($1.55 for a 13oz can locally)

My vet has the Prozac as powder in a capsule. It's a tiny bit of powder that hides fairly well in wet food.
We got the Wellness- both dry and canned so we're going to try that!
I hope they like it- i also have samples of several other brands so i'm hoping one of them works!

Originally Posted by cloud_shade

How old is she? Has the vet checked her for arthritis or other signs of pain in her joints? This is just one more thing you may want to try--get a litterbox with really low sides and put some litter in it. Perhaps she's having trouble getting over the sides of the box? Also, has the vet cultured the urine? Doing that can help determine the best antibiotic to fight off the infection.
She is only 5 years old. And at her last vet visit- we did have him check her joints/etc. When we adopted her -the previous owners had allowed her to become morbidly obease and also declawed her
so slowly but surely since i'd had her we've gotten her weight down a great amount. Thankfully for now the vet says she shows no sign of joint stiffness/issues of that nature. She jumps onto everything too so her climbing into the litter pan isn't an issue.

The vet did culture the urine- and now we are trying Cepha-Drops for her antibiotic. It seems to be helping her pain- she's not straining as much now.

Originally Posted by white cat lover

does this have anything to do with your mom & moving?
That was my first thought when this started happening- but after thinking about it- i really do not think it does. This didn't start until almost two months after i moved them in. And she seems to feel right at home here- never shown any signs of nervousness/other issues


Originally Posted by SwampWitch

Maybe put a little of her poo in the litter box? So she'll smell it there? Hope you get her redirected!
That's what i've been doing- everytime she poops outside of the litter pan- i put it in the pan so she knows that's where it belongs.

Originally Posted by sarahp

I was going to ask the same thing. Maybe she just doesn't like having the dogs and the fosters around. Cats really like routine, and maybe having so many other animals around she's getting stressed? Even the smells of the dogs and fosters could be enough to upset her. Maybe she's got comfortable enough using the litter box because she's worried other animals will come and disturb her.

What about getting a covered litter box and putting it on the spare bed? She might feel more comfortable using that, then you can gradually move it to a better spot.

I get Felidae wet food which works out well price wise for me, and it also contains cranberries.
She LOVES Fosters and seems to be doing great with Whiskey and Norris too. The dogs really don't bother her at all. And as far as foster kittens go- she's used to constantly having new ones around -ever since i've had her she's been around foster babies - and normally she tries to groom them/play mommy. Right now i only have one foster kitten, Fancy - and she's up and out of their reach -so she's not in contact with her. She doesn't seem to act negatively around her eithor. I am going to try your idea about putting the litter pan back on the bed.I'm going to dump them all out in a little bit and scrub all of them down and then add the Cat Attract litter to it- i will put one of the pans on the bed and hope that helps!
The Cat Attract package says to take the covers off so i'm going to try that and see if it helps at all. I'm desperate!

Originally Posted by Camille Eonich

You can also put unsweetened cranberry juice in her water and they now have Cranberry cat treats. My cats love them! That's to help with the UTI not the urinating outside the box.

Also, Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul has cranberry extract in it.

With the litter box, maybe try crate training her like you would a dog. Sounds drastic but if it works you'll all be much happier and if it doesn't then at least you have her confined so that she'll quit messing up the house.

I'm so sorry that you are going through this. I do know how aggravating/depressing/annoying/confusing that it is.
Oh i like that idea! I'll give it a try!
/ She also has Uri-treats (cranberry treats that are tuna flavored kitty treats for cats prone to UTI's)

I do not want to do Chicken Soup anymore as i no longer trust them after all of the recall issues (i took back over $200 worth of Chicken Soup products to our local store when all of the recall stuff happened).

She was actually in her crate until two days ago (i don't think it's drastic- i agree with you
) The vet said to confine her to her crate so that all she had room to do was sleep/eat/ and use her litter pan so that she would "relearn" where to go potty- it worked while she was in there -but the minute i let her out she went straight for the bed.
We've been putting her in the cage while we're out of the house and letting her out when we're here to watch her (works out well- colin works the night shift and i work mornings so there's usually always someone here to supervise). If the new litter/foods don't work though i might have to try putting her back in the cage again though- i hate to do it- but she can not tear up the bed urinating and pooing all over it
(i'm not too worried i mean i have a cover on it- but still it's nasty ya know! i've cleaned up her messes at least 4 times today). Yesterday and Today i've had her out of the cage all day- just hoping she wouldn't go outside the pan but that didn't work. I'm hoping that this new litter makes her feel more comfortable and that she will start going potty in the appropriate areas soon.
 
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