sympathy for behavior issue

obi

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I've read all the info on inappropriate peeing/pooping problems so I don't actually expect new advice; I'm just hoping for sympathy. We got Sancha from the shelter a few months ago and had no problems until the week before our Alaska trip. I got up in the morning to get ready for work and found a pile of poop in the middle of the couch. Ack! Cleaned it all up. Two mornings later, get up to leave for Alaska, and find another couch pile. Crap. Literally! Notify pet sitter, get back from Alaska and find note from day before (last visit by sitter) saying "no problems". Sigh of relief. Walk into bedroom. Find pile of poop on the middle of the bed. AHHHHH! Sigh. Clean it up, put sheets in to wash, sit on couch and sigh again, get back up to go to the bedroom, which Sancha is just coming out of . . . AHHHHHH! Apparently we didn't appreciate the previous offering enough, because she's left us another one. Clean it up again, this time shut cats out of bedroom until enzymatic spray has time to work. Decide maybe Sancha doesn't like Feline Pine, so I fill one of our three boxes with Swheat Scoop. She digs in it like a maniac, so I thought I had it. Two weeks go by; no problems. This morning, she's peed on the couch. Groan.

I have three boxes for two cats. Maybe I'll fill a second one with Swheat Scoop. I've used enzymatic cleaners for all of the incidents. I've called the vet again over the latest pee incident, but I'm betting this is all mental. For one thing, why no problems for long stretches, and then all of a sudden she's done it again? Plus, we have a big couch and I almost always sit in the same spot. That spot is EXACTLY where she is peeing and pooping. Is she mad? Sad? Wha'd I do?! Deep breathing. I'm trying to remind myself that this is the only "problem" in our lives right now, so I should keep things in perspective. *bonks head on desk*
 

milopixie

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Has she gone to the vet yet? I had a problem with Pix doing the same thing and let me tell you that Cat Attract litter worked wonders. No problem since I used that stuff and even after I switched to more cost effective (aka cheaper, lol) scoopable stuff.

I know how you feel though, it can really drive you crazy and make you wonder what you're doing wrong. Just try to keep positive!!!
 

miss mew

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I feel for you
it can be so frustrating when an animal does stuff like that!!

I would suggest a trip to the vet as well...that way you can rule out a medical issue.
 

coaster

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You've got my sympathy. I've been dealing with two antagonistic cats for months, and finally making some progress with them. It's frustrating, that's for sure. But keep at it. It's slow going.
 

hissy

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use plain clay litter give her two boxes
 
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obi

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I got word back from the vet: both fecal and urinalysis came back normal. Sooooooo . . . I was right, this is mental. Now, why plain clay litter? Swheat scoop feels like clay litter, and is clumping like clay litter, but is biodegradable. Plus, she seems to like it if I'm to go by the amount of digging action. If going with clay litter is the only way to get her to stop, I guess I'll do it, but I have ethical quandries with adding yet-more nonbiodegradable clay litter to the landfills unless absolutely necessary. So, before I make that decision, why do you think clay litter would be different to her than the Swheat Scoop? Is it the smell of clay versus the wheat smell? Thanks!

Oh, and I did switch another of the boxes that used to have Feline Pine with Swheat Scoop, so now there are two with Swheat Scoop and one with the pine.
 

hissy

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Clay litter is what most cats prefer. swheat scoop clumps under their pads in the bottom of the boxes and it smells funny to them. You have been fighting this for so long- try plain clay litter, give the cat two even three boxes and also use www.zero-odor.com to treat the areas that your cat has peed on- see if this helps-
 
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obi

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Well. As a test yesterday I set it up as follows: I have one box Feline Pine, one box Swheat Scoop and one box standard clay litter (Tidy Cats). Obi seems to like all three, or at least he doesn't show a preference for one or the other. An easy-going (no pun intended) guy, when it comes to this. Sancha, on the other hand, I have only seen use the clay litter. So. It would appear that you were correct, Hissy, and that she simply doesn't like anything else. I'll give it one more day and if this trend continues I'll switch to two boxes of clay litter and one box of Swheat Scoop. And if this takes care of the problem, at some point I'll have the courage to take the plastic painters sheeting off of the couch and bed.
LOL
 

ollyextra05

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I know many cats really dislike the Feline Pine litter, something about the smell of it that turns them off. I've never used the S'wheat scoop so I can't comment. If you're concerned about the environmental impact of clay litter, maybe try a litter made from recycled paper? There's one called Yesterday's News that we had used a sample bag of when Oliver was a kitten that didn't seem to bother him, but we never bought a full size bag because it was really expensive and I prefer clumping litter.

Good luck!
 

twofatcats

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This may or may not have anything to do with it, but how clean are you keeping the litter box?

Red Cat is a clean freak and throws a total hissy fit if he finds a box that has not been cleaned since its last use and even if I don't get every tiny little 1/8 inch particle of soiled clumping litter (poop or pee) out of it when I clean. And as you know, it is not easy to clean a box that thoroughly. Thankfully, only once in six years have I ever found poop on the carpet, and I suspect it was him. He has a BIG VOICE and since I'm retired and usually home, he informs me in no uncertain terms any time of the day or night if the boxes are not cleaned to his satisfaction. It doesn't seem to matter if what is in there is his or from one of the other cats.

Just an idea to consider if the clay litter doesn't solve the problem. I hope for your sake you have already found the answer. I would be totally at my wits end.
 
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