Territorial Behaviour-Tubs & Sinks?

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nekomimi

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After weeks of keeping the tub filled up with a little bit of water, I started using Feliway on the bathtub to try to keep Seth from using it as a litterbox (she seems to like the texture or perhaps the cleanliness of it?). She immediately jumps in after I spray it down, and plays there all the time now that there is no water in it.

Whenever I approach her (this happened with our bathroom sink as well), she becomes very aggressive. Her ears go back and she tries to attack me, bears her teeth, and slaps at me . She is not being playful at all, and seems to be very territorial of this area. I don't know what to do. I don't want to have to fill my bathtub every night because it gathers mold, but I do NOT like this behaviour. The only time she acts like this is when she is in the bathroom sink or in the bathtub.
 
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nekomimi

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I don't know if this will work in the longrun, but I went and sat WITH her in the tub just a few minutes ago armed with a handful of treats. Sure enough, she purred and rubbed against me.

I sat and looked around with her for a minute. I then let her love up to me and gave her a treat for every time that she nudged her head against my hand and circled me (twice). I don't know if this will work, but if her problem is fear, then perhaps this will help.
 
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opilot

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I have a stray, Lexi I got last year. Lexi will ONLY let me love her
up in the bathroom - when I've just gotten out of the tub, or used
the bathroom!! Go figure. She wants me to sit down, get in my
lap and purr up a storm while being petted. Then she'll go suckle on
the bathrug!!! Other than this area, she doesn't ever "ask" me to
love her up, tho we're getting better. she is very interested in the
tub (or was till she fell in a couple of times while it was full!!) But, no
agression from her to me, when I went in the bathroom....

Try having a toy with you when you go, distract her with the toy, then
pick up remove from bathroom, and continue to play. Thereby establishing
YOUR right to the bathroom, and establishing that when you go to the bathroom then playout side or treats outside will follow IF she leaves the
bathroom!

Might work!
 
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menagerie mama

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I'm sorry if you might have posted something about this earlier, but I looked and couldn't find anything. Have you taken Seth to the vet to have her checked for UTI? Cats will often urinate in the tub or sink if they have one....And her aggressive behavior could be signs of discomfort...
 
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nekomimi

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she doesn't urinate there. she only occasionally poops there. she's been to the vet, and everything is fine. i'm thinking since her litterbox is right by the tub, she chooses it because it's cleaner. when i put a bowl in the spot where she usually poops in the tub, she doesn't the tub at all.

she shows no signs of pain. i think she just may feel cornered in these deep places...makes sense to me at least.. besides, she has NEVER used the bathroom in our sink or anywhere else.. but she acts the same way in both the tub and the sink
 
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nekomimi

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Originally Posted by opilot

I have a stray, Lexi I got last year. Lexi will ONLY let me love her
up in the bathroom - when I've just gotten out of the tub, or used
the bathroom!! Go figure. She wants me to sit down, get in my
lap and purr up a storm while being petted. Then she'll go suckle on
the bathrug!!! Other than this area, she doesn't ever "ask" me to
love her up, tho we're getting better. she is very interested in the
tub (or was till she fell in a couple of times while it was full!!) But, no
agression from her to me, when I went in the bathroom....

Try having a toy with you when you go, distract her with the toy, then
pick up remove from bathroom, and continue to play. Thereby establishing
YOUR right to the bathroom, and establishing that when you go to the bathroom then playout side or treats outside will follow IF she leaves the
bathroom!

Might work!
Click to expand...
Well she's not territorial of the entire bathroom really. She always comes in and loves on me when I'm on the toilet or brushing my teeth (i know, embarassing). I think this may be more of a fear instead of her being territorial. The feeling of being trapped (nowhere to run) might be her problem. Distraction with treats seems to be doing the trick--or even eating a popsicle or something while I go to visit her while she's playing there... keeps her interest!
 
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