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My Mentally Deficient Cat?

post #1 of 8
4/1/11 at 12:53pm
Thread Starter 
Hi there, a Newbie here,

I'm so happy to have found this site. I'm just about to pull my hair out with what to do.

I adopted a shelter kitten of about 9 months in age in December and knew she'd been turned in because she wouldn't do her business in the litter box. I figured I was patient and had two cats that I'd already trained, and with the untimely passing of my younger cat had the room to take on another and the time to train it as well.

So here we are, three months later and this cat is doing her business everywhere BUT the litter boxes. No matter what we use in the boxes, no matter whether we isolate her, no matter what we do. She pees in the food bowl and poops right next to it. She's peed on ME, and pooped on ME! I seriously believe she is mentally deficient. She fits the profile for it.

Not only does she exhibit this odd behavior, she also does not move around much. She doesn't play or run around like the other kitten. We can't entice her to play, and haven't been able to interest her in toys. She's just not normal, and the vet can't see anything physically wrong with her.

Do any of you have suggestions? I'm about ready to look for a placement for her at a farm or a kennel that might take her in where she would be safe outside. I can't live with this for 20+ years - poop on my counter tops and bathtub, or on my dining room floors and keeping the doors to all my rooms closed, etc. so that she has limited access so that she can't go into those rooms and poop where we can't get to it.

Help? Thanks,

Amington
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post #2 of 8
4/1/11 at 1:40pm
Sounds like she might have been inbred or abused when she was a kitten. I had one like her and it turned out after a lot of intense questioning, the previous owner admitted to kicking the queen in the belly when she was with kittens! The only thing you can do is choose a room for her (one that is tiled not carpeted) and make that her special room. Put in toys, comfortable climbing furniture, beds etc and call her a special needs kitty. Putting her on a farm would hasten her demise, because (at least around here) farm cats are pretty much ignored and expected to decrease the rodent population.
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post #3 of 8
4/1/11 at 2:18pm
I have no advice, I'm sorry...but I must praise you for your patience! I would have given her away much, much sooner (especially after reading about her piles and puddles on countertops...)

Whatever you do, I hope it works out well!
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post #4 of 8
4/1/11 at 5:26pm
I really feel for you having to go through this.

As if the inappropriate elimination isn't bad enough - you are faced with what to do with her.

Have you tried medicating her? I know it's worked for some others on the board. Not sure if that would help a cat who may be mentally deficient, but it might be worth a try.
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post #5 of 8
4/2/11 at 6:50am
That's a tough situation, and I am absolutely not okay with finding pet bathrooms anywhere in my place but the litter.

Here is how I see it. You absolutely do not have to agree.

Cats to me, are no different than if I had a child. They need love, care and are gentle souls. A special needs kitty (which I guarantee you have) is no different than a healthy minded one. They still need you, and they need love and care. Once you adopt one, it's probably not the best thing to just be able to give it up. If something happened to one of my boys, and they had a mental health issue, they'd be staying right here and I would do what I have to for the rest of their lives.

Another member mentioned a special room for this kitty. I realize that it's not always so easy for people to re-arrange their lives. But look at this sweet baby and know that something has happened to it and it's not their fault.

If you can arrange a room for them, that's just theirs, that will be good. You can go in and visit throughout the day. This would be better than being on a farm. I've had outdoor cats before, and one of them was taken away by another animal. And my heart hurts thinking about him every single day. Never again will I have an outdoor cat.

If she isn't well minded enough to play, or anything, then she will be fine in a room (not small like a bathroom or closet) and may actually feel pretty good. She may need a space that keeps her feeling more safe.

Keep us updated.
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post #6 of 8
4/4/11 at 5:27pm
My Pearl is 10 years old and suddenly stopped using the litter box when we moved in this house 5 years ago. I tried everything, but she chose a corner in my dining room and ruined the floor. If anything is anywhere near that spot, she will go on it. As much as I though it would bother me, I started putting her outside in her own little brick house. It used to be a pump house. She has a blanket that she just loves in a sturdy plastic tub. She wraps up in to sleep, even though if it gets really cold or nasty, I will bring her in. It has a window just big enough for me to reach her if necessary that she lays in and suns herself. She is happier than she has ever been.
I bring her in to feed her and give her treats and she goes home. She was abused as a kitten, and does a lot of the same things you describe. She tolerates petting, but does not really care for it, does not like toys, and could care less about the other cats.
If you live in a safe place for her to go out, it may be what she wants, if not, maybe you could build her an enclosure with a shelter.
I hope things get better for her and you.
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post #7 of 8
4/5/11 at 12:05am
Quote:
She pees in the food bowl and poops right next to it.
That is so far removed from the norm, I fear you are right.

I honestly couldn't live like that for the next few decades either, it is a health hazard and I wouldn't judge anyone that had to make that difficult decision. I'd probably invest in a cat-fence and just give her the yard with a cat house available w/ a kitty door so my other indoor only cat could be let out once a day for socialization at times so kitty doesn't get too lonely.
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post #8 of 8
4/5/11 at 1:42am
Gracie does the same. I got different stories on the cats I took from there(on farm all intact all pregnant) but story basically was she was taken young and the bf was rough with them all.

She does the same thing-pees in the food. I had a full bowl(4 lbs) and cats ate then in afternoon acted hungry. I didn't smell pee right away but saw soggy and thought someone puked...nope.

Problem with her is she can't be outside as no place for her to go thats safe(I can't fence area and no one I know who would take her has that)

She was nasty at times when I got her I thought ok shes pregnant shes entitled to be that way, spayed her and still the same. I pick her up its screams galore.
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