I am at my wits ends with neurotic cats

I adopted this Bengal cat a little over a year ago. I got her because a friend of mine has bengals and they were such fun cats and beautiful. So I adopted Bailey for the local vet. The previous owners gave her away because she was peeing outside the litter box and they just had a baby. According to the vet they were using cedar chips in the litter box and Bailey had been declawed. I thought the problem was the litter and maybe the fact she had been declawed.

I brought Bailey home and a few months later I was gone for two weeks home for a few days in between. Bailey started peeing on the couch. So I took her to the vet and confirmed she did not have urinary tract infection and tried locking her in the bathroom with the litter box during the day while at work and at night when I went to bed. This seemed to solve the issue. Then months later I found a cat had pooped on my bed. I thought it might be my roommates cat becuase I had disciplined her for being in my room eating my cats food. This has happed about three times over the past 6 to 9 months. the last time I was gather up the soiled sheets when my cat came in a peed on the sheets.

The other night I was in the living room watching TV and smelled a very strong and familiar smell. My cat had pooped behind the couch. The litter boxes was cleaned because I clean them twice a day. I had been home all weekend so she wasn't feeling neglected. There doesn't seem to be a reason for this behavior.

I did read about separating the litter boxes. Currently I have two boxes for each cat, but they are in the same room. I may need to put them in separate areas. Does anyone have any other thoughts or ideas on this issue? I am at a loss as to what to do.

Thank you,

Wits End

Firstly, welcome to TCS.

There may be a few things going on. Do your and your room-mates cats get along? It could be that one cat is kind-of 'guarding' the litter-box, preventing Bailey from using it or using it without feeling like he is being watched or stalked. When you clean up the urine or faeces, you need to use an enzymatic cleaner. This breaks down the enzymes so that the cat cannot smell the odour and go there again and again. Are the litter boxes close to the cats food? Most cats dislike going to the toilet near where they eat.

Generally- when a cat is pooping outside the box- there is a health issue. Peeing on your bed, suggests this cat is stressed. I would first of all take Bailey in and have a full work up done on her just to be sure that she is healthy. If she checks out okay- and I am not talking just UTI but anything going wrong, then it is a health or environmental issue. Add another box, make sure that your have used an enzyme cleaner to knock out the urine on your bed. If she can even smell it faintly she will return to the scene every three days to refresh it.

Declawed cats sometimes have issues, you could be dealing with just that for the rest of your life with her. She could have an infection starting on her feet (common if the declaw wasn't done the right way).

Do you play with her? Take her for walks outside on a harness and lead? Bengals are high maintanence cats, they need lots of activities, and interactions with their owners or other cats.

Please take a look at the stickied thread in Behavior at the top it addresses these issues as well

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22301

Also if you are punishing her for these accidents, please don't. Cats are very clean creatures. They don't soil out of their box unless they can't help it. Have patience with her, don't get angry for she is trying to tell you something-

Thank you for your replies and the link. The link had some helpful information. Bailey is going on for her shots so I will definitely be discussing this with the vet as well.

Please know that I am not punishing her becuase I know there is a reason I just have to figure it out. As far as when she was declawed I am don't know she came that way. I don't believe in declawing. I know there are a lot of issues with declawing I may have to research them further.

Bailey and the other cat get a long pretty well, but the other cat is the dominate one. That may be part of the issue, becuase is does seem to happen when both cats are there with the exception of one time.

If there are any other suggestions please post them. I am trying to work through this the best possible way. Baily and I thank you.