occasionally not using litter box

[rahma]

We've had Squeaky for almost 2 years, and in all that time, the only time she had an accident was right at the beginning, when I was vacuuming and didn't realize it scared the pee right out of her.

We recently moved to a new apartment and it's different. Wood floors, a bit colder. But we have all of her stuff, her cat tree, her big fuzzy bed set up so she can look out a window, and her carrier/cave. She's seemed a bit stressed out, meowing loudly for no reason that we can tell. When she meows, I get up and follow her. Sometimes she leads us to her food dish (which is no surprise, she's always hungry, even though we do feed her more than enough). Sometimes she just randomly wanders around, meowing and looking at us as we follow, trying to figure out what's wrong. She is a lot more cuddely then she was in recent months, and is waking us up at night again.

And, twice now, she's left us little brown presents on the floor. Not in the same place - once across from her litter box, once under the table in the living room. Just little ones, not the whole shabang it seems.

Her litter box hasn't changed, except in location (since we moved to a new apartment). I've scooped it once a day for 2 years, and now have started scooping it twice a day, to see if that will help.

Her poop seems to be smellier than it was before too, so maybe it's medical? Can stress make poop stink more?

I read through this list here

http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/litterbox.htm

and was wondering if anyone else has experienced this when moving, and what a possible solution might me.

We're ordering feliway, and I'm trying to figure out where else the litter box may go, to be a in a less busy area (alas, small apartment, not a lot of options).

 

[darlili]

I'd start keeping a diary of when she's having the accidents - I suspect she's saying all is not yet right in her world, which makes sense after the move. Everything looks and smells different - and is your daily schedule maybe altered a bit as well? Different departure/arrival times? Also, perhaps there was another pet in that apartment, and that's upsetting her a bit. She may be tense, which could upset her tummy - is the poo normal texture, although it smells a bit off? Also, moving is stressful for humans - I wouldn't be surprised if she picked up any tension, even happy tension, that you and your husband were experiencing.

The diary may give you some sort of clue, and, if nothing else, take it to the vet with you if it keeps up. She may see some pattern that we're not.

I'd probably add a box filled with Cat Attract, just in case. I know, my place isn't huge either - if you told me a few years ago where I'd have litter boxes located, I'd laugh at you!

I can imagine you and your husband are trying to give her as much reassurance as you can. She may be telling you that she's not comfortable yet in the new place, but if it continues, I'd get to the vet, just to make sure it's not physical.

FWIW, although I usually don't think cats pee or poo on purpose, I swear my Dharma has - when I brought Dante home, she waited til I was watching her in the hallway toward the 'segregation room' and she pooped - just a bit, the rest was in the litter box. A woman at the shelter said her cat would do that if the woman were fostering kittens that the cat just didn't like.

And, once I put Revolution on Dharma - again, she waited til I was watching, and pee'd in a crystal bowl (Waterford yet!) I had on my coffee table - yet otherwise she's never had an accident. Could be Squeaky is just saying 'this is my house' in the most dramatic way possible, but that's just a guess.

Now, Dante has normally been my problem child re the box - yet, looking back, I think it was all either stress-related or he was ill - he was diagnosed with struvite crystals in September 2010. And I know that he's picky re litter texture - for me, it's Dr. Elsey all the way now, since they both seem to like it.

I hope things improve - it's worrisome until you can figure out what's wrong and how to resolve it.

 

[rahma]

Thanks for the response. I'll have to look for cat attract. She hasn't done it in a few days, so here's hoping it was just a one or 2 time thing.

 

[darlili]

It might be - my perfect cat Dharma only pooped outside the box that one time, and I do think she was showing she was annoyed with the changed living conditions and asserting that the hallway was her hallway!

Here's hoping you all enjoy your new home!