Are you sure cats aren't spiteful and plot revenge?????

[cmedeiros17]

OK- some background first-One of my cats(the rest are strictly indoor)- Baby has been allowed to go outside supervised. Usually on the weekends when my husband and I are out there or for a bit on the evenings if we sit out back. One day she roamed off and managed to get out of our fenced in yard. She has NEVER done that....she's always stuck close by. I guess she just got too comfortable and got bored and wandered off. Anyway. After that we decided no more outside for her. I swear this cat is angry at us. She's always trying to dart outside any chance she can get. And I have been finding urine by the back door as well as on the kitchen counters. I haven't been able to catch who was doing it but we are sure it was Baby. So yesterday my husband had a buddy over. This guy isn't very good about not letting the cat sneak out when he comes in/goes out the door. So she managed to get out a few times. My husband quickly brought her in and the last time he and his buddy were in the house still. They witnessed her jump on the kitchen table and proceed to start to take a "very angry dump" on my kitchen table. My husband said she started to squat and stomp her feet and was very obviously about to poop. He grabbed her and threw her in the litter box where she did go. Thank goodness he caught her and I can only assume she has been the one urinating as well.

Can cats be spiteful??? I know everyone says theres usually a reason.........but healthwise she checks out fine. Her urine has been tested and is fine. No UTI, No crystals. And I've never had an incident where she's pooped anywhere but in the box. So this would have been the first time for that. But I swear it was out of anger. We had gotten a new kitten the beginning of July and she took one of those "angry dumps" in the kittens litter box.

Any thoughts???? DO i just have any irate kitty on my hands??? What do I do about it??? She certainly is not going to be allowed to go back outside and she's throwing a fit because she's not getting her way.

 

[howtoholdacat]

They can be spiteful but I think the idea that a cat urinates to cause us harm is misguided. It's more like your cat is frustrated because she can't get out. Urination and even defecation say to other cats, "This is my territory." That's why some cats are territorial about their litter box. To urinate or even defecate near the door where she goes out is your cat's way of saying "This is my space. I claim it."

What about trying a leash for your kitty or even building a kitten enclosure outside? You've created a bit of a problem taking her out then suddenly stopping it. She doesn't understand that you've got her best interests in mind. A compromise might help the inappropriate elimination and keep her safe.

 

[cmedeiros17]

That makes a lot of sense! Thanks!

Maybe I'll try the harness thing. We've tried that before and she got right out of the darn thing......but she was a lot smaller then.....now she's a bit tubby.

 

[auntie crazy]

Cats simply don't have the capacity for the line of reasoning that goes: I want X. Mom/Dad won't let me have X. I'm gonna make them as angry as I am (impossible conceptual link here). Pooping/peeing anywhere but the litter box will make them pay (completely impossible conceptual link here, for several reasons).

You cat can, however, badly wish to go outside and become very stressed and upset when her "daddy" grabs her to stop her desperate dash for the door. Stress can definitely cause elimination issues.

Although, peeing on a hard, cool surface really is a classic urinary tract infection symptom. You might want to have kitty rechecked; maybe the level of infection was too low to catch the last time.

Either way - good luck and many vibes to you! Sounds like an uncomfortable situation all 'round.

 

[hissy]

Is she spayed? That was my first question reading your post. Are there other cats outside that you have noticed? Toms spraying your house? Black lights are essential to find those spots. Yes, cats can get angry- but they aren't spiteful. They don't reason like we do, they can't think things through- they act on instinct, or because something is wrong with either the environment or health-wise.

 

[cmedeiros17]

Yes- there are outdoor cats that hang around here......I wouldn't call them Toms as they do belong to people on the street but they may spray around the area here. And yes- she is spayed.

So maybe its a combination of things.............between the cats outside and her getting stressed with not being able to get outside.

I wonder if I try one of those phermone things if that would help a bit.

 

[otto]

A feliway plug in will almost definitely help but I do also second the suggestion of harness training. There are little vest harnesses you can get that are not so easy to get out of. You can put her on a long rope and just hang on to it while you are outside with her.

Another option is one of those cat runs. Just place it outside and her in it, anytime you sit out there, just like before. She won't have as much freedom as with the harness, but at least she will be out with you.

 

[cmedeiros17]

Thanks that sounds like my plan then. Feliway and harness for outside time. I'm sure I can train her to know that the harness means to go outside. She knows the word "outside" because we'd always say "Baby outside!" and she'd come running straight to the door even if we weren't standing near it.

This cat definitely has spunk. She was a dumpster cat rescue and is like no other cat I've ever had.

 

[otto]

I had a Baby, too. He was my soul mate for 15 years, then I lost him to acute kidney failure brought on by stress. He was a Red Boy.

My cats know the word outside, and they know their harnesses are for outside. They line up and wait for me to put them on.

When I tell them it's time to go in, they line up at the door for me to take them back off again. It's so cute.

Keep us posted on Baby's training. I have harness trained many adult cats, if you need tips.

 

[cmedeiros17]

That is so ridiculously cute!!!!!!! I can imagine all the kitties lining up waiting their turn awwwwwww

I'm sorry for the loss of your Baby.......

My Baby is a mustardy orange girl.......and she is very roly poly. So I would love for her to get the little bit of exercise she'd get when she went outside. I try my hardest to get her to play and run around inside but at least outside she would do a few sprints around. I will have to find a harness and give it a try.

Thanks Again!

 

[cmedeiros17]

OK So I am still having problems with Baby peeing inappropriately. I don't know if she is doing this out of habit or what. But she still continues to pee on the counters. Mainly on something.....like if I washed the food bowls and they are sitting drying on a towel. She will pee on that. Or there was a piece of plastic laid out that I had some stain cans sitting on. She peed all over that. I've been using the cat attract litter which works great on all my other cats.....just not her. Now I am not sure if this is just all related to her not going outside. I had her urine tested yet again. This time there were some crystals. Which the C/D wet took care of. They also gave me antibiotics just in case though it didn't appear that there was any infection. Her urine is clear again and I am STILL having problems. The boxes are kept clean- I scoop twice a day. I have one box in the downstairs bathroom and 3 boxes upstairs. They pretty much all use the one downstairs though. Over the weekend I was changing the bedsheets and piling all the dirty laundry on the floor. My husband was in the room with me. I happened to glance down and noticed Baby in the pile of dirty laundry. She looked like she was squatting.....I realized she was peeing.....so I grabbed her midstream and quickly put her in the litterbox in the bathroom and shut the door. I am getting so fed up with this. I keep my bedroom shut at all times now because she urinates in there.......on the bare floor, on laundry.....I'm afraid she will pee on my bed next!!!! She has peed on a blanket that is usually on my bed at the foot.....but I think it had fallen on the floor and thats when she peed on it. I have a futon upstairs that she has peed on. She's peed on my living room floor (rug). But her favorite spots are the counters. I am at my wits end!!! I do clean all the areas with an enzyme cleaner and she does return back to them still. I need to correct this problem which has evidently become a naughty habit????

 

[otto]

It's not naughty exaclty, but it does certainly sound like habit, now that her crystals are under control. Is she still on the c/d food? Most FLUTD cats need to be on it for life.

You may have to resort to a retraining. Putting her in a large dog crate for two weeks with just her litter box, food, water and bed. (and toys of course) This will force her to use her box, and two weeks is generally thought to be enough time to reform a litter box habit.

 

[strange_wings]

Another idea you may consider. You mentioned your backyard is fenced? What type of fencing is it and how tall? Depending on what you have, if you are willing to put some time into cat proofing it could be turned into a safe yard for her to go out in.

The stress of her wanting out and not too happy with the new kitten could have brought the urinary issues on. So anything you can do in the home to help with that will help her health as well.

How did it go with the feliway diffuser? Did you get any of them for the home? Are you still using them?

 

[cmedeiros17]

The problem with catproofing the fence is that some of the fencing is not mine....it belongs to my neighbors. And I don't get along with these particular neighbors (long story.......but they are drunks and the lady is crazy....we no longer speak). The wood fencing is 6 ft tall and then there is 5 ft tall chain link. I'm actually very leery to even let her outside anymore anyway because someone in the neighborhood has been putting poison out because of a mouse problem. Makes me VERY nervous. She actually has been better about the whole outside thing. She doesnt try to escape as much. And I recently added a cat window perch which has been a big hit.

I did try a collar that is similar to the feliaway stuff....but its a collar. Its funny cause when I put it on her her expression changed in minutes.....but I dont think it really worked because the effects are supposed to last 30 days and within a few days she was peeing on the counter. It is a constant habit. Pretty much every day I find something. I come home from work and smell it....usually takes me less than a minute to find it.

I will try "retraining" her to the box by secluding her to a room by herself with a box filled with the cat attract litter. I hope it works........I don't know what else to do!!! I went through many years cleaning up after an incontinent bulldog. Sadly, she passed away earlier this year...........but in a way I felt relief at no longer having to deal with cleaning up pee daily. She was PTS because she had bladder cancer and her quality of life was no longer there - constantly being soaked in urine because she was constantly leaking it......losing weight and you could tell she was in pain

I felt horrible taking relief in the fact that she was gone.......and now this issue with Baby just brings back all that previous frustration. I will not get rid of my cat- she is part of my family. But I certainly need to fix this problem. It cannot go on any longer!!!!

 

[howtoholdacat]

I know how you feel. I've got two cats with UTI issues and one that's recently decided the spot on the floor next to his box is "close enough." His words, not mine. Let me encourage you to hang in there. I've got two of these guys using the box all the time now and one to go but I know what you mean it's like you get one cooperating then you have to start all over with another.

In the case of Hemmy, I had to retrain him to the box. I didn't have to resort to a dog crate or isolation though. He's highly food driven and by putting the box in the corner and a dish of treats at the very back, thereby forcing him to get in the box to get to the treats, he soon forgot that the box ever meant pain and by soon I mean like after 3 tries. Maybe you'll get lucky like that too!

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by cmedeiros17

The problem with catproofing the fence is that some of the fencing is not mine....it belongs to my neighbors. And I don't get along with these particular neighbors (long story.......but they are drunks and the lady is crazy....we no longer speak). The wood fencing is 6 ft tall and then there is 5 ft tall chain link. I'm actually very leery to even let her outside anymore anyway because someone in the neighborhood has been putting poison out because of a mouse problem. Makes me VERY nervous. She actually has been better about the whole outside thing. She doesnt try to escape as much. And I recently added a cat window perch which has been a big hit.

Ah, crazy neighbors. Sorry that you have some.

Maybe you can find something that would work out if you ever needed to - such as a smaller enclosure attached to a back window.

I'm also sorry to hear that you had to PTS your bulldog.

You must have loved her dearly.

I don't like what I've read about those collars - enough so that I would not feel safe using them on any of my cats. Too many reviews say they make cats acted stoned or even sick.
Try the actual diffusers. You can buy them and the refills online for a lot cheaper than in a store - just make sure you get enough to cover all of your home.

You said the window perch has made her happy? What sort of cat furniture do you have? If you don't have a nice tall perch for her, find a way to add one - either through a store bought cat tree (even walmart has a $40 one) to repurposing shelves. Cats like two things to make them feel secure: being up high and hiding.

I won't claim this will stop the peeing, bit it may make her more comfortable in the home and decrease the stress that is leading to urinary issues which is leading to her peeing.

Talk to the vet about putting her on and keeping her on a urinary prescription diet for a while to see what happens.