Peeing - food related behavior.

[ronit]

Hi Everybody,

My cat Kyria (female, spayed, 2 yrs old)  is very special, of course, they all are. we rescued her from the street and brought her home, she was very reserved and very scared, after 10 months in the house she trusted us enough to touch her, after 12-14 months we had a "normal" relationship.
I live on a Greek Island and some times we do not get the supplies we want and variations are somehow limited.
She eats a specific brand (Cimiao-Italian), anything else gives her diarrhea ... it took us 1 month experimenting different kind of food till we found out that Royal Canin suits her as well. 
In the meantime all that month experimenting other foods we noticed that she would pee in our beds.
As soon as we found Royal Canin she stopped. And when we returned to her regular brand it was all fine.
Now we noticed that every time we give her breakfast (wet food) a brand or flavor that she doesn't like or if is not the quantity she wants, she does the same, she goes and pees.
So now we are her 'slaves' food regarding, she has become a round ball... but then if we do not please her I have to wash all the blankets again and again.
Is there anything suggested that could work with her ?

Thank you !

R

 

[ritz]

That is indeed strange.  I would first compare the ingredients among the foods you are feeding and see if there is a difference, even in so far as an additive.

Peeing inappropriately is generally a sign that something is wrong physically or emotionally--UTI, new person/cat in household, new litter.  Even changing foods can cause the cat stress and to pee inappropriately.  Any of these things happen?  I know  taking your cat to the vet isn't an easy proposition, but it would be helpful to rule out a medical cause.

Finally, I would suggest you get new litter boxes.

Good luck!

 

[ronit]

Hi Ritz ! Thanks for your reply. She did get a full check up in November, nothing that points to a UTI, blood test was good.

Nothing has changed in her cat-routine, same people and cats in the house.

Litter boxes are cleaned twice a day and bleached twice/month, there's also no variation on the amount of clumped litter I picked every day...

It is not medical, that I know for sure, is food related. you give her what she wants then she's ok.  

The problem with the food brands, as I said before is that I live on an island in Greece.. we do not get them all here and in general, there are not as many choices for cats as for dogs in Greece...

 

[ritz]

Things can change in four months....

Sorry, out of answers/hypothesis.

Hopefully someone will chime in.

 

[ronit]

I know... but this has been going on for almost a year now... and vet ruled out any medical issues
I just wanted to know if someone has experienced blackmail by their cats and how to  deal with it...

 

[emmapenguin]

try confining for up to 6 hours in one room with a kitty tray, don't leave food down -feed at a certain times and once she has finished show her the kitty tray and leave. keep an eye until hopefully she does a pee. make sure she has water and toys to keep her happy and comfortable in the time you have confined her. 

tell me if you decide to try this and how it goes. try to do this like a routine and after about a 2 weeks "accidentally" leave the door open and watch what happens if she goes to your bed say no and take her back to the room and shut the door. try to leave the door open once every two days and repeat the process take her back if she goes to your bed