I'm finally at my wit's end with Toby. Four years ago, I got another cat, Trina. I'd thought he'd be okay, only being five and having lived with another cat for the first three years of his life, but nope. He liked being an only cat.
The following isn't actually relevant to my question, I'm just really sad and venting..
Then the innappropriate peeing began. I've tried everything; he's only ever had one UTI (which was last year, well into this behavior). The solutions worked well until I moved into a smaller apartment; then the things I did that worked previously made it worse, cleaning the litter several times a day, using cat attract, using feliway, enzyme cleaners.. it's just gotten worse and worse.
Once we moved into the smaller apartment, he started peeing on the extra bedroom's carpet. So we locked him out in hopes he'd get the message. Then he started with the bathtub, then transferred to the rug, so we locked him out of there. Any time he'd get into my room (or I'd let him in and keep an eye on him), he'd bolt and immediatly pee (not spray, he squats). He'd run under my bed and pee. So we've locked him out of everywhere except the main room, where he was okay it seemed since there was no carpet (although he's been peeing in my boots and shoes).. and yesterday, he peed on Trina's cat tree, so I put tin foil over that after using enzyme cleaner. Then he decided to use a receipt I left.. on the couch.
I think it's a territory thing; the more we kept him out of the places he liked, the more he couldn't sleep with me, and the less he saw of me since I'm so busy, the more he's done things deliberately to me, like marking MY clothes and MY shoes, etc. Not the roomies.
It's not fair to my room mates.. And it's breaking my heart, I can't sleep.
Tomorrow, Toby goes to the vet to get checked for a UTI (just in case, but I don't think so from his history), and then to go live with my mom and aunt, who have all hard-wood floors, leather sofa, and no carpet anywhere. I'm going to buy a huge litter box and a cheap rug to put in a corner of it to encourage him to use it there.. but hopefully he'll be happier there, as an only cat, with more space, and with my aunt who ADORED him when we all lived together when I was growing up, and with someone who's always there to pet him.. I'm now a full time student who works about 30 hrs a week on top of it, so maybe it's an attention deficit, especially since he's not allowed to sleep in my room anymore...
I'm worried about Trina now, though. Trina has ALWAYS had other cats around; the first year of her life she lived with a hoarder and had about 50 others to keep her company, then when we got her, she had five kittens. Whenever I fostered over the years, she's always adopted whatever gaggle of kittens I've had within a few days.. and of course, has always been with Toby.. Even though he hates it, she always tries to play and snuggle.
Trina is the opposite of Toby; she uses her litter box, scratches where she's supposed to, is loving, affectionate, and essentially the perfect cat. I'm worried that without another cat to love, to keep her company, she might become destructive, especially with me being so busy.
Is this a legitimate concern? How likely is she to spring up with behavioral problems without a companion? What can I do to make this transition from multi-cat household to single cat household easier on her? Am I just overreacting?
I'm sorry this was so long.. It's 5 a.m. and I can't sleep. I'm trying to do the right thing with my cats for both of their happinesses, since Toby is obviously not happy.. ugh. Anyway, thank you for reading and your time.
The following isn't actually relevant to my question, I'm just really sad and venting..
Then the innappropriate peeing began. I've tried everything; he's only ever had one UTI (which was last year, well into this behavior). The solutions worked well until I moved into a smaller apartment; then the things I did that worked previously made it worse, cleaning the litter several times a day, using cat attract, using feliway, enzyme cleaners.. it's just gotten worse and worse.
Once we moved into the smaller apartment, he started peeing on the extra bedroom's carpet. So we locked him out in hopes he'd get the message. Then he started with the bathtub, then transferred to the rug, so we locked him out of there. Any time he'd get into my room (or I'd let him in and keep an eye on him), he'd bolt and immediatly pee (not spray, he squats). He'd run under my bed and pee. So we've locked him out of everywhere except the main room, where he was okay it seemed since there was no carpet (although he's been peeing in my boots and shoes).. and yesterday, he peed on Trina's cat tree, so I put tin foil over that after using enzyme cleaner. Then he decided to use a receipt I left.. on the couch.
I think it's a territory thing; the more we kept him out of the places he liked, the more he couldn't sleep with me, and the less he saw of me since I'm so busy, the more he's done things deliberately to me, like marking MY clothes and MY shoes, etc. Not the roomies.
It's not fair to my room mates.. And it's breaking my heart, I can't sleep.
Tomorrow, Toby goes to the vet to get checked for a UTI (just in case, but I don't think so from his history), and then to go live with my mom and aunt, who have all hard-wood floors, leather sofa, and no carpet anywhere. I'm going to buy a huge litter box and a cheap rug to put in a corner of it to encourage him to use it there.. but hopefully he'll be happier there, as an only cat, with more space, and with my aunt who ADORED him when we all lived together when I was growing up, and with someone who's always there to pet him.. I'm now a full time student who works about 30 hrs a week on top of it, so maybe it's an attention deficit, especially since he's not allowed to sleep in my room anymore...
I'm worried about Trina now, though. Trina has ALWAYS had other cats around; the first year of her life she lived with a hoarder and had about 50 others to keep her company, then when we got her, she had five kittens. Whenever I fostered over the years, she's always adopted whatever gaggle of kittens I've had within a few days.. and of course, has always been with Toby.. Even though he hates it, she always tries to play and snuggle.
Trina is the opposite of Toby; she uses her litter box, scratches where she's supposed to, is loving, affectionate, and essentially the perfect cat. I'm worried that without another cat to love, to keep her company, she might become destructive, especially with me being so busy.
Is this a legitimate concern? How likely is she to spring up with behavioral problems without a companion? What can I do to make this transition from multi-cat household to single cat household easier on her? Am I just overreacting?
I'm sorry this was so long.. It's 5 a.m. and I can't sleep. I'm trying to do the right thing with my cats for both of their happinesses, since Toby is obviously not happy.. ugh. Anyway, thank you for reading and your time.
Also, your Aunt needs to know that if he pees outside the box, it must be cleaned with an enzyme cleaner. This is the only thing that removes the scent of pee to the kitty, otherwise the scent encourages him to continue to go outside the box.
