Question about Raven the cat

zanna

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Hi, Everybody.
I'm new here and hoping somebody can help.
My Raven is an indoor kitty (with no desire to go out) who I have had for 4 years. Her time in this household is running out due to an ongoing potty problem. She pees and poops everywhere. Her boxes are in the bathroom and in the laundry room and get scooped daily, getting bleached and scrubbed out every three to four weeks. The location of her boxes has not changed and she gets privacy while using them - and she does sometimes use them. After they are scooped, they are spritzed with petzyme for cats, nutilizing any residual smell. She has been to the vet a couple of times to see if her problem is biological (it is not) and she's licked herself a bald spot on 3/4 of the underside of her tail. The vet said that was a flea thing, but it couldn't be because she gets dosed w/ Advantage about every six weeks. I have tried everything I've read here but the citrus juice (not good for hardwood floors). I don't think she's marking because she finds new places all the time - not often going back to places she's gone before.

Not sure what to do about Raven. She is the sweetest thing- she gets lots of love and grooming from us - and let's not forget the bits of cheese, because she's very spoiled. That's her in the picture - she likes to nap on my monitor - very toasty up there.
I love her to pieces and I don't want to giver her up or put her down, but things aren't looking good.

Many thanks,
Zanna
 

lotsocats

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I made this a new thread since you have a new problem for us to help you with.

Has the vet put Raven on any medication to help with the the obsessive grooming behavior? It is possible that the same anxiety that is causing her excessive grooming is also causing the potty problems.

I am glad you have had the vet check her out to make sure there isn't anything physical going on given that inappropriate urination is a symptom of urinary tract problems.

I would stop spraying the stuff on the litter box. Cats HATE perfumy smells so she may be avoiding the box because she hates the smell of the spray.

I've gotta run...but I'll come back with other ideas later today.
 
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zanna

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Thanks for getting back to me so soon! I'll stop w/ the petzyme (though it isn't a perfume, it is a enzyme and bacteria formula that that breaks down stains and oders. I'm alergic to perfumes - I can't have any in my house). I'm thinking that maybe some kitty Prozac might be in order here...she's kind of a nervous little thing to begin with.

Thanks again - please keep the sugestions coming!

Zanna
 

cookie

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try a different brand of litter! Cat's can be very fussy!
also,when or if you can catch her using the box, give her a treat right after (and petting if she likes it!),
so she can understand using the box is a positive thing!
also try different shape of box...higher or lower, maybe covered...

stop using the spray, and if she is indoor you may want to try clumping litter, some cats prefere this...
 
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zanna

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Thanks for the suggestions!

The boxes are both covered, litter is a clumping, low-odor...I'll check out what Petsmart has to offer in the way of new boxes. There's also a new litter I'd like to try: Sweet Scoop made from wheat hulls that clump. Has anyone tried this and with what luck? It is kinda pricy.

Thanks,
Zanna
 

hissy

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Some things I would try here:

Uncover the boxes to see if that helps
Add yet another box
Instead of cleaning with bleach, try using just DAWN detergent and warm water.
Don't use the spray instead invest in a ionic cat litter box air purifier. I use these (I have 8 boxes upstairs) and there is no odor upstairs or down. CityKitty makes a good unit that is affordable.
Next time you de-flea her use frontline or topspot. Fleas can build up a resistance to the spot on flea repellents and she just may have fleas for that reason.

You said you have taken her in to get checked medically. Usually when litter box problems occur it is health or stress issues.

Good luck!
 
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zanna

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The City Kitty thing looks good, though with getting scooped daily, odor hasn't been an issue. But hey, at this point I'm willing to call in a Shaman or a pet pyschic - anything!

So I'll start with getting one more box with the top off (I'll get the top too, in case prefers the top on) trying that Sweet Scoop litter, and scrubbing them all out with a mild dish detergent instead of bleach. If that fails, call my vet for some kitty prozac. I know she doesn't have fleas - I groom her with a soft brush and have not seen any fleas or bits of flea. Her friend Boo (my other kitty), is flea-free also, though she's indoor/out door - and as a former street cat prefers to go outside to do her business, so the boxes Raven has to herself. Yes, they get along wonderfully - Boo brings Raven the occasional live mouse, which Raven has no idea what to do with, and they groom each other. My other cat, Missy, is an outside kitty, so she and Raven don't have any contact.

Anything else?
Thanks so much, everybody!

Zanna

Attached: Missy
 
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zanna

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Thanks. I've had a look now at Hissy's post on box issues. I'll give some of those possible solutions a shot and see what works.

Zanna
 

hissy

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I would just add one more suggestion- instead of getting a standard size litter pan, get a larger container- you can find all sizes anymore at WalMart or Target. I use the ones that slide under the bed and you put sweaters in. They work great, and knock on wood, I have never had litter box issues with my cats.
 
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zanna

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Thanks, I'll have a look at that link. I already have some in the house - my collie has a bit of anxiety about car trips over 10 minutes. It didn't work for beans on Sophia the collie, but I tried it on myself before I gave it to her and I didn't care about anything the rest of the day! Wheeee!


It's worth a shot on Raven. I didn't really think of using it after the dismal results on Sophia (she frothed and puked once on the way to the campsite and twice on the way home - poor girl!).

Zanna
 

lotsocats

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It sounds like your collie gets car sick. One of my cats has to take an anti-nausea pill before any trip over 15 minutes because he gets so car sick.
 
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zanna

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Oh, yes, does the collie get carsick. We call her Madam Sophia Frothchild (her registered name is Blossom Hill Barksdale Act One)and while she hates the ride she loves the destinations (camping, the beach, the off-leash dog park).

I have news on the Raven front: I washed out her boxes with a mild dishsoap and let them bake in the sun to dry. I changed her litter from the clumping Tidy Cat clay stuff to SweetScoop natural wheat hull clumping litter. Something about the nature of wheat nutralizes the usual stinky-kitty-just-used-the-box smell. It barely tracks out of the boxes, which I am scooping morning and evening. Since I have made these and other changes, we have not had stray pee/poop around the house!

Zanna
 
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zanna

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I know it's all about cats here, but I love my collie and so do my kitties.
 
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