Please help!--I don't know what to do...

kellyyfaber

kellyyfaber

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
2,923
Purraise
4
Location
Tennessee
My Oscar is a 2 1/2 year old neutered male. I've had him since he was 5 months old. In the past 2 months, he has been spraying a lot---he has never done this before. He's just gotten a clean bill of health from the vet------- I have been using Feliway in the directed method for over a month and it hasn't helped one bit. He has also began to be very,very aggressive toward 2 of my other female cats in the house. It's gotten so bad, I have to close him into a separate room when I leave the house. I know that he is afraid of my oldest female cat (who has never attacked him) and he is very skittish of my husband. Removing my oldest cat or my husband from the house isn't an option. I have tried everything I can think of and about everything I've read. I love Oscar so much and this whole situation is breaking my heart. I just can't live in a house soaked in cat spray. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.
 
G

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
Are the females all spayed? Sometimes if whole cats are outside and close by it can trigger aggression/spraying by neutered cats.

I'd confine him to one room for awhile. If that doesn't solve the problem, you might have to find him a new home as an only cat.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3
kellyyfaber

kellyyfaber

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
2,923
Purraise
4
Location
Tennessee
Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Are the females all spayed? Sometimes if whole cats are outside and close by it can trigger aggression/spraying by neutered cats.

I'd confine him to one room for awhile. If that doesn't solve the problem, you might have to find him a new home as an only cat.
Click to expand...
Yes, all my females are spayed. I know there are some outside cats that roam my neighborhood, they may/may not be spayed. Could they trigger him to spray??
 
yayi

yayi

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Oct 9, 2003
Messages
12,110
Purraise
91
Location
W/ the best cats
It sounds like something is really upsetting him. Anything new at home? Maybe he can sense something wrong with the girls? Do any of the "outside" roamers ever get in the house?
By the way,on a light note, I think nobody here would have suggested that you "remove your husband from the house".
 
C

charmed654321

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
Messages
673
Purraise
1
Originally Posted by yayi

It sounds like something is really upsetting him. Anything new at home? Maybe he can sense something wrong with the girls? Do any of the "outside" roamers ever get in the house?
By the way,on a light note, I think nobody here would have suggested that you "remove your husband from the house".
Click to expand...
Hmmm....I'm not too sure about that. LOL

Seriously though, this would have been what I would have asked. Have there been any changes in the house? A new coat of paint? A new carpet? New furniture? A new family member? Anything that might have made him feel that he either needed to reinstate his territory, or something that might have made him afraid? A new neighbor that makes loud noises he's not used to; you didn't say, is the husband new? You'd be surprised at what could freak and stress out a cat.

One thing you might ask the vet about, if you think something might be stressing him out, is some medication to chill him out. Kitty valium, as it were.

I had a problem with my Fuzz a few years back after moving. The vet gave him a very, very small dose of dimazepam for a couple of weeks. It calmed him down enough that he stopped the spraying, got used to his new surroundings, and he never started up again.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6
kellyyfaber

kellyyfaber

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
2,923
Purraise
4
Location
Tennessee
Originally Posted by yayi

It sounds like something is really upsetting him. Anything new at home? Maybe he can sense something wrong with the girls? Do any of the "outside" roamers ever get in the house?
By the way,on a light note, I think nobody here would have suggested that you "remove your husband from the house".
Click to expand...
yeah, that was my attempt at a small bit of humor at this frustrating time.

I've had my girls to the vet for their annual physical about a month ago. None of the outside neighborhood kitties EVER get into the house. I've wondered if maybe we've walked through a spot where one of the neighborhood kitties had sprayed and accidentally brought it into the house. I hope that isn't what triggered this...
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7
kellyyfaber

kellyyfaber

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
2,923
Purraise
4
Location
Tennessee
Originally Posted by Charmed654321

Hmmm....I'm not too sure about that. LOL

Seriously though, this would have been what I would have asked. Have there been any changes in the house? A new coat of paint? A new carpet? New furniture? A new family member? Anything that might have made him feel that he either needed to reinstate his territory, or something that might have made him afraid? A new neighbor that makes loud noises he's not used to; you didn't say, is the husband new? You'd be surprised at what could freak and stress out a cat.

One thing you might ask the vet about, if you think something might be stressing him out, is some medication to chill him out. Kitty valium, as it were.

I had a problem with my Fuzz a few years back after moving. The vet gave him a very, very small dose of dimazepam for a couple of weeks. It calmed him down enough that he stopped the spraying, got used to his new surroundings, and he never started up again.
Click to expand...
Actually, this house hasn't stayed the same since we moved in. We've been completely remodeling the house for the past year. If there's anything constant about the house, it's "change". I guess maybe it could've finally worn on his nerves...

On another note, I discussed an anti-anxiety drug with my vet yesterday. We are gonna be giving Oscar Buspar (sp?) for about a month and see if that works. We've restricted the view from the patio door completely so he can't see any of the outdoor kitties. We've also started feeding those neighborhood kitties FAR away from our house so hopefully they'll stay away from the doors/windows. We're gonna keep using the Feliway and I'm ordering a few of the plug-ins today.

Thanks, everyone for all of your input and concern on this issue. I rescued Oscar from a bad situation years ago and I cannot imagine giving up on him now. Hopefully diligence and consistency will pay off and Oscar can overcome this


Oh, and no, the husband is not new. He was here when Oscar arrived
 
momof3rugratz

momof3rugratz

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
8,908
Purraise
1
Location
Clinton, Utah
Originally Posted by yayi

It sounds like something is really upsetting him. Anything new at home? Maybe he can sense something wrong with the girls? Do any of the "outside" roamers ever get in the house?
By the way,on a light note, I think nobody here would have suggested that you "remove your husband from the house".
Click to expand...
It depends can he cook and clean if not kick him to the curb and teach the cats
J/K I am trying to brighten up my awful morning.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9
kellyyfaber

kellyyfaber

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
2,923
Purraise
4
Location
Tennessee
Originally Posted by momof3rugratz

It depends can he cook and clean if not kick him to the curb and teach the cats
J/K I am trying to brighten up my awful morning.
Click to expand...
What if I just want to trade him on a newer model??
 
T

texbabyj

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 9, 2006
Messages
73
Purraise
1
Location
Lubbock
Originally Posted by Kellyyfaber

On another note, I discussed an anti-anxiety drug with my vet yesterday. We are gonna be giving Oscar Buspar (sp?) for about a month and see if that works.
Click to expand...
I have taken buspar to help me with my anxiety, and while it helps for the first week or two it knocked me out. I would easily be asleep within 30-45 minutes of taking it. But it did help me and if I needed the help again that would be my drug of choice. I started out on 10mg a day and ended up at 30 (taking the 10 mg three times a day). Good luck with everything!!!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12
kellyyfaber

kellyyfaber

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
2,923
Purraise
4
Location
Tennessee
Originally Posted by TexbabyJ

I have taken buspar to help me with my anxiety, and while it helps for the first week or two it knocked me out. I would easily be asleep within 30-45 minutes of taking it. But it did help me and if I needed the help again that would be my drug of choice. I started out on 10mg a day and ended up at 30 (taking the 10 mg three times a day). Good luck with everything!!!
Click to expand...
We're starting Oscar on 1/2 of a 5mg pill of Buspar (scored) twice a day---making his dosage only 5mg for a whole day. So far, he hasn't sprayed anything. The only difference I can tell in his behavior is that he isn't spraying and he isn't antagonizing the other cats. This is just the first day, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is a turn around. I know that spraying issues are very very difficult to resolve---but it can be...I know I have a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips thanks to the wonderful folks on TCS
 
cheeseface

cheeseface

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 10, 2003
Messages
11,614
Purraise
19
Poor Kelly and kitties.
I hope you are able to get this worked out Kelly.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14
kellyyfaber

kellyyfaber

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
2,923
Purraise
4
Location
Tennessee
Originally Posted by Hydroaxe

Poor Kelly and kitties.
I hope you are able to get this worked out Kelly.
Click to expand...
Thanks Ryan! It's so good to know that I have my friends here help me work through this. I've never had a male inside cat and have never had to deal with spraying issues. Leave it to the males to be so darn territorial!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top