umm...unexpected elimination problem...

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've been here. I have 2 cats, Winter(who is 6) and Avalanche(18months). It's been a rough road, adding another cat to the household. Funny thing is...if there is more than one person or if they are alone, they're quite happy to share the same room or the same space(couch). Not so when I'm home alone with them. Lots of jealousy! Anyways, Avalanche is a little boogar. Loveable, but a boogar! He always wants to play with Winter, and she normally wants him to leave her be. He is always bugging her, jumping on her when she's on her favorite chair, chasing her around the house. I don't get why she doesn't whack him one, but she always runs away! Anway, this morning, Avalanche was being particularly obnoxious. He even followed her under the shelf where she went to hide from him. I was trying not to intervene, and he eventually got bored and left her alone. Winter followed me into the bathroom, which is not at all uncommon. I often end up with the both of them in there. She hopped into the tub, and we were playing. She was rolling around, being very silly, and then suddenly, she started to poop in the tub! She has NEVER done this before. I called the vet, and, based on what I told them about her stool and the morning's activities, they thought it was a behavioral response. She certainly is acting normal otherwise. (Eating fine, drinking fine, etc.)

Any thoughts on how to handle this? I'm taking them to the vet for shots soon, and plan on discussing this with him in more detail. I've been reading up on dealing with two cats, and am thinking of separating them and then reintroducing them.

Thanks for any ideas!

I would not be too concerned at this point over a single pooping incident. It sounds like Winter was particularly stressed this morning and then she had an active play session to "stir" things up even more.

As for keeping Avalanche from playing with Winter so much, that can be difficult. From my experience, the only thing that's worked in that situation is to get another younger kitty that is equally as playful, and even then, the older cat still gets tormented every now and then. Other folks have had luck by making sure there are plenty of toys to keep the younger cat occupied or separating the cats for a short period each time a "session" breaks out, but it probably depends on the individual kitties. You should definitely pick your vet's brains for ideas.

Separating them for an extended period of time and then reintroducing them probably will not work, but you may get lucky if Winter decides to stick up for herself after the re-introduction. It is very doubtful that Avalanche will stop being a boogar, simply because of his age and nature.

Good luck.

how many litter pans do you have in the house? if you have one, then you most definitely need to get two, and if you have two, think about getting three. Sometimes they poop because they feel they are being pushed otu of their territory and need a safe quiet place to go. maybe buy one of the hooded ones also if you can afford it? I had trouble with the three cats I have pooing behidn the couch, but since we added a third littler box the pooping is eliminated! Basically the cats were feeling liek they didnt have enough space (expecially my moms cat because he is male and my cat doesnt really like toher male cats that much, and both my cats were making my moms cat avoid the litter boxes so he pooed behidn teh couch) Now that we have a third one all the cats are getting along much better. She may just have pooed in there because of stress.

when I had just elliot he used to bother Rosco alot to play with him (rosco is my moms old cat) but then we got Aerowyn (my kitten) basically because she needed a home, but also because my cat was going crazy( jumping up the walls and running through the house like a maniac) and bothering my mom's cat alot. It is so much better now, though sometimes aerowyn will chase after rosco. This is mostly because rosco just tries to run away now and avoid my cats alltogether and Aerowyn sees him as a "play mate/toy"