Hi, newbie here. I've been doing a lot of research lately about reasons for urine marking/spraying. I am nearly at my wit's end already with my little one. I have not seen any improvement with her daily Gabapentin and Dasaquin. This week I have pulled out all the stops, but I have yet to see any vast improvement with these approaches either. Or maybe I am being impatient because this has been going on for the last month to no avail.
I have a spayed FELV+ female cat -- Thalia -- that's 8 months old. I recently posted another thread trying to figure out her FLUTD issues that have been occurring for the past month and between my vet and I we think it's a cross between boredom, loneliness, and possibly territorial and the combination is stressing her out causing her cystitis, as well as her pacing and whining. She does live with another spayed female -- Venus -- (3 years old, NOT FELV+; has continued to test negative and has been routinely vaccinated and boostered since she was very young so vet gave the okay to co-habit) and a dog -- Sadie -- whom she plays with both at least once every day, but not very often. Whenever Thalia tries to play with Venus, she's often countered with a hiss and a growl and then Venus walks away. If Thalia tries to pursue again, Venus will growl and run away, or give her a swat (no claws out) with her paw. When Venus DOES play with her when she feels like it, everything goes well and they're happy. These play sessions don't typically last longer than 10 - 20 minutes though. Same goes for the dog. My fiance and I are gone out of the house several days a week for hours at a time due to work, and school on my part, so they are all left alone at the house for the most part.
So far I've done the following:
- Changed feeding locations - they were both eating and drinking in the same spare bathroom; now Thalia has her dishes in the office, along with the other litterbox. Have seen some change in attitude in both of them.
- Reduced dry food consumption and increased wet food - has worked for hydration but has not improved cystitis
- Bought a fountain to increase water consumption - also has worked for hydration but has not improved cystitis
- Increasing playtime, which also involves distracting her every time I catch her about to spray
- Closed off all window curtains after suspecting male stray coming around the house and spraying - not sure if this has really worked
- Cleaned the entire house with an enzyme cleaner today - have seen improvement already
- Laid down strips of clear carpet runner teeth-side up on her "spray spots" - has not worked
- Frequent litter box cleaning and weekly changing of litter - no improvement
- Started spraying Feliway in common areas - Slight improvement
She is also on Dasaquin and Gabapentin for her cystitis and has been so for the past week. I have not seen any improvement whatsoever on either of these medications. She still acts like she's in pain sometimes from marking and straining to urinate so much, as she lays her ears back when in the litter box or marking. I had one great day with her earlier this week. She was back to her self 100% with no marking whatsoever, and how or why that happened I have no idea. (Note, I was home all day for the first time in a week.)
Is there anything else at all I could be doing for her? The vet mentioned one last resort and that was possibly putting her on Prozac for anxiety. Is all her marking due to anxiety too? She's not a shy, timid kitty by any means.
I have a spayed FELV+ female cat -- Thalia -- that's 8 months old. I recently posted another thread trying to figure out her FLUTD issues that have been occurring for the past month and between my vet and I we think it's a cross between boredom, loneliness, and possibly territorial and the combination is stressing her out causing her cystitis, as well as her pacing and whining. She does live with another spayed female -- Venus -- (3 years old, NOT FELV+; has continued to test negative and has been routinely vaccinated and boostered since she was very young so vet gave the okay to co-habit) and a dog -- Sadie -- whom she plays with both at least once every day, but not very often. Whenever Thalia tries to play with Venus, she's often countered with a hiss and a growl and then Venus walks away. If Thalia tries to pursue again, Venus will growl and run away, or give her a swat (no claws out) with her paw. When Venus DOES play with her when she feels like it, everything goes well and they're happy. These play sessions don't typically last longer than 10 - 20 minutes though. Same goes for the dog. My fiance and I are gone out of the house several days a week for hours at a time due to work, and school on my part, so they are all left alone at the house for the most part.
So far I've done the following:
- Changed feeding locations - they were both eating and drinking in the same spare bathroom; now Thalia has her dishes in the office, along with the other litterbox. Have seen some change in attitude in both of them.
- Reduced dry food consumption and increased wet food - has worked for hydration but has not improved cystitis
- Bought a fountain to increase water consumption - also has worked for hydration but has not improved cystitis
- Increasing playtime, which also involves distracting her every time I catch her about to spray
- Closed off all window curtains after suspecting male stray coming around the house and spraying - not sure if this has really worked
- Cleaned the entire house with an enzyme cleaner today - have seen improvement already
- Laid down strips of clear carpet runner teeth-side up on her "spray spots" - has not worked
- Frequent litter box cleaning and weekly changing of litter - no improvement
- Started spraying Feliway in common areas - Slight improvement
She is also on Dasaquin and Gabapentin for her cystitis and has been so for the past week. I have not seen any improvement whatsoever on either of these medications. She still acts like she's in pain sometimes from marking and straining to urinate so much, as she lays her ears back when in the litter box or marking. I had one great day with her earlier this week. She was back to her self 100% with no marking whatsoever, and how or why that happened I have no idea. (Note, I was home all day for the first time in a week.)
Is there anything else at all I could be doing for her? The vet mentioned one last resort and that was possibly putting her on Prozac for anxiety. Is all her marking due to anxiety too? She's not a shy, timid kitty by any means.