I desperately need some advise on whether I'm following the right course of action with my cat, anyway here's the history:
About ten years ago while I was still living at home my mum bought a cat, its always been sort my mine. I left about a year later and its lived happily with my mum until march this year when she passed away. Unfortunately its has since a difficult few months.
I stayed at my mums house for about three weeks after with the cat while I was arranging the funeral and packing up her belongings, he was as good as gold. Unfortunately my current housing arrangement meant I could not keep any pets so he had to go to my grandparents (who he had never met) for a couple of months. Originally the plan was to stay there while I finished of my uni work and sort myself out a house. As it happened they went on holiday so had to move him again. Fortunately a friend has let me stay at his as he is away most of the summer. At some point in the next month I should be getting my own house sorted and hopefully move him for the last time.
Now the current situation. Don't think he was very happy at my grandparents at was scared to go out as he was being bullied by neighbours cat. After I got him her he seemed to be in his element, my friend was still here and so he had company most of the day. He was going out (under my supervision) the day after the move and only used the litter box a handful of times in the first month.
Then the problems slowly started. I work full time so am out of the house minimum 8 to 5:30, later if I get held up, go to the gym or need to pick up some shopping. He should be used to this as mum worked similar hours. Then a new neighbour moved in who has loud children out side in the evenings & sometimes & dog. He now dislikes going out other than late night and early mornings. Which means I'm waiting for him to come in at 11:00 then getting woken up at 4:00 / 5:00 to let him out with me trying to get ignore him. I'm not getting enough sleep (and starting to crack up) & his not getting out as much as he needs to, resulting in a few accidents.
He started using the bath to defecate in. Sometimes when I was out, sometime while I was in with the back door open! He completely went off one litter tray (the covered top type), then I though I had it cracked end of last week with a new extra large open one. Very smelly and cat litter everywhere an improvement over the bath.
Then this morning, he woke me up, I fed him but he wouldn't go out then I went back to bed. About an hour later I could hear him scratching in the bath, he had done it again! I try not to get angry, I just picked him up, put him downstaire and close the door, and thought to myself, right I cant do this any more, when I'm in bed or out he can stay on the ground floor, no access to the bath or me.
It was horrible when I came home after work today. The plan had worked in as fare as he had used the litter tray but the whole ground floor stank which cant have been nice for him either. He has been sulking sine and has hidden up stairs not not eaten (which is very unlike him).
Is there any logic in my plan? Or does he now think his being punished without reason.
When I finally get this new house sorted I will be able to put a cat flap in, its a nice house with a big garden backing onto woodland with lots of birds and squirrels to play with, cat haven! and hopefully he will go back to his old self, using the grate outdoors.
The problem is I don't know how much more I can take, I need a solution (& sleep) to see me through the next couple of weeks, its been a stressful few months for myself as well and I'm going to end up getting locked up in a padded room at this rate!
Thanks for taking the time to read through all that and all ideas advise will be appreciated,
Please ask if you need any more info!
ash
About ten years ago while I was still living at home my mum bought a cat, its always been sort my mine. I left about a year later and its lived happily with my mum until march this year when she passed away. Unfortunately its has since a difficult few months.
I stayed at my mums house for about three weeks after with the cat while I was arranging the funeral and packing up her belongings, he was as good as gold. Unfortunately my current housing arrangement meant I could not keep any pets so he had to go to my grandparents (who he had never met) for a couple of months. Originally the plan was to stay there while I finished of my uni work and sort myself out a house. As it happened they went on holiday so had to move him again. Fortunately a friend has let me stay at his as he is away most of the summer. At some point in the next month I should be getting my own house sorted and hopefully move him for the last time.
Now the current situation. Don't think he was very happy at my grandparents at was scared to go out as he was being bullied by neighbours cat. After I got him her he seemed to be in his element, my friend was still here and so he had company most of the day. He was going out (under my supervision) the day after the move and only used the litter box a handful of times in the first month.
Then the problems slowly started. I work full time so am out of the house minimum 8 to 5:30, later if I get held up, go to the gym or need to pick up some shopping. He should be used to this as mum worked similar hours. Then a new neighbour moved in who has loud children out side in the evenings & sometimes & dog. He now dislikes going out other than late night and early mornings. Which means I'm waiting for him to come in at 11:00 then getting woken up at 4:00 / 5:00 to let him out with me trying to get ignore him. I'm not getting enough sleep (and starting to crack up) & his not getting out as much as he needs to, resulting in a few accidents.
He started using the bath to defecate in. Sometimes when I was out, sometime while I was in with the back door open! He completely went off one litter tray (the covered top type), then I though I had it cracked end of last week with a new extra large open one. Very smelly and cat litter everywhere an improvement over the bath.
Then this morning, he woke me up, I fed him but he wouldn't go out then I went back to bed. About an hour later I could hear him scratching in the bath, he had done it again! I try not to get angry, I just picked him up, put him downstaire and close the door, and thought to myself, right I cant do this any more, when I'm in bed or out he can stay on the ground floor, no access to the bath or me.
It was horrible when I came home after work today. The plan had worked in as fare as he had used the litter tray but the whole ground floor stank which cant have been nice for him either. He has been sulking sine and has hidden up stairs not not eaten (which is very unlike him).
Is there any logic in my plan? Or does he now think his being punished without reason.
When I finally get this new house sorted I will be able to put a cat flap in, its a nice house with a big garden backing onto woodland with lots of birds and squirrels to play with, cat haven! and hopefully he will go back to his old self, using the grate outdoors.
The problem is I don't know how much more I can take, I need a solution (& sleep) to see me through the next couple of weeks, its been a stressful few months for myself as well and I'm going to end up getting locked up in a padded room at this rate!
Thanks for taking the time to read through all that and all ideas advise will be appreciated,
Please ask if you need any more info!
ash
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