Hi everyone!
This is my my first post in this forum and I'm looking forward to the advice and interaction with fellow cat lovers. I guess I should start my story at the beginning...
Mar 15 2006 we brought home a two year old neutered male from the local no-kill shelter. We both have mild allergies and had to think long and hard about introducing a cat to our small one bedroom condo. It's just my fiancee and myself and since we have become more homebodies lately, we decided to add a family member.
Simon is a black and white shorthair with a cute black nose. He is VERY talkative and intelligent and he fit into the family so well. He loves to cuddle, follows us everywhere and is very clean. He really was the perfect cat. (My sister has 4 cats, my mother has 3, and I had many growing up, so I know and love cats and all their facets...)
A week ago we noticed Simon was starting to demonstrate separation anxiety symptoms as he would be very vocal and worried when we would leave him home alone for a few hours. He would appear frantic for attention when we would come home. He then started to pee on our futon mattress. I used white vinegar and other homemade remedies to try and clean the mattress. We did not have time to get the enzyme cleaner from a pet store. He has peed on the futon two more times since and I tried the enzyme cleaner today. He only pees when we are not home and it's very deliberate as the last time he actually crawled under a makeshift blanket barrier to pee on the futon. We love him dearly and want to find a solution.
He shows no signs of a UTI, but we are going to get him to the vet ASAP for a check-up. Tonight we left him alone for about five hours for mother's day dinner and he did not pee (I used a citrus enzyme cleaner today) and appeared much calmer when we came home. I had also left a soothing music station on both TVs and left all his toys out.
I have found Vets in town that carry Feliway diffusers, but they are 80-100 dollars for the unit and one bottle. I know I can get it cheaper on ebay, but in the meantime I want to try it to see if it will help calm him down and stop the urine problem. We are planning to throw out the futon, buy a new mattress, spray it and the frame with Feliway and then plug in a diffuser right behind the futon. This futon is the only piece of furniture that he does not like, he sleeps on and repects everything else in the house.
Here are my questions:
1. Does Feliway really work?
2. Any suggestions on where I can buy it cheaper? I live in Canada...
3. Do you think he needs a playmate? We were considering fostering a kitten to test the waters.
Simon's dad loves him very much and wants to find a solution...
Thanks,
Erik
This is my my first post in this forum and I'm looking forward to the advice and interaction with fellow cat lovers. I guess I should start my story at the beginning...
Mar 15 2006 we brought home a two year old neutered male from the local no-kill shelter. We both have mild allergies and had to think long and hard about introducing a cat to our small one bedroom condo. It's just my fiancee and myself and since we have become more homebodies lately, we decided to add a family member.
Simon is a black and white shorthair with a cute black nose. He is VERY talkative and intelligent and he fit into the family so well. He loves to cuddle, follows us everywhere and is very clean. He really was the perfect cat. (My sister has 4 cats, my mother has 3, and I had many growing up, so I know and love cats and all their facets...)
A week ago we noticed Simon was starting to demonstrate separation anxiety symptoms as he would be very vocal and worried when we would leave him home alone for a few hours. He would appear frantic for attention when we would come home. He then started to pee on our futon mattress. I used white vinegar and other homemade remedies to try and clean the mattress. We did not have time to get the enzyme cleaner from a pet store. He has peed on the futon two more times since and I tried the enzyme cleaner today. He only pees when we are not home and it's very deliberate as the last time he actually crawled under a makeshift blanket barrier to pee on the futon. We love him dearly and want to find a solution.
He shows no signs of a UTI, but we are going to get him to the vet ASAP for a check-up. Tonight we left him alone for about five hours for mother's day dinner and he did not pee (I used a citrus enzyme cleaner today) and appeared much calmer when we came home. I had also left a soothing music station on both TVs and left all his toys out.
I have found Vets in town that carry Feliway diffusers, but they are 80-100 dollars for the unit and one bottle. I know I can get it cheaper on ebay, but in the meantime I want to try it to see if it will help calm him down and stop the urine problem. We are planning to throw out the futon, buy a new mattress, spray it and the frame with Feliway and then plug in a diffuser right behind the futon. This futon is the only piece of furniture that he does not like, he sleeps on and repects everything else in the house.
Here are my questions:
1. Does Feliway really work?
2. Any suggestions on where I can buy it cheaper? I live in Canada...
3. Do you think he needs a playmate? We were considering fostering a kitten to test the waters.
Simon's dad loves him very much and wants to find a solution...
Thanks,
Erik