I know this is long, but I really need some help here!!!!!!!! I have already read the stickies......
I am asking for some help as a last ditch effort before we (unfortunately) have to find our kitty a new home.
I will describe this as best I can, and hopefully you all have some ideas so that we don’t have to find her a new home as we have become very attached to her. Callie is now 6 months old (female), she was a feral cat and we received her at 7-8 wks old. We already had a cat (Hobbs [male], who is now 4.5 yrs old), and at first the two hated each other, but now have grown to like each other and even bathe one another. The first 2 months we kept Callie in the bathroom at night to make sure they didn’t kill each other, but they were fine during the day after the first month or two. Callie was totally potty trained the first few wks. Then after a month or two we had several bed-wettings, mostly at night when we were sleeping. We punished her by swatting and showing her the litter box while praising (which we no longer swat, FYI). We locked her back up for a couple nights and then we were fine for a month.
After a month or two, the bed wetting was back again. We would lock her up in the bathroom (only when these issues arise) so that it is not all over our house and only confined to the one room (easy cleanup). She began to poop all over the bathroom (where she was previously kept at night). This happened several nights in a row. She would even poop in the living room right before it was bedtime in preparation for what was about to come. We let her out and the problem stopped.
Several months went by and now it has happened again. This time what tipped it off was we began feeding canned pumpkin to Hobbs the resident cat (per the vet, as a natural fiber). Callie got into the pumpkin and couldn’t control the diarrhea so it went all over the place in our living room (little drops in about 50 different places on the floor 2-3 nights in a row, no exaggeration). Again, this only happened at night when we were sleeping, not during the day. This happened for 3 nights, and all 3 nights she also pooped on our bed where we were sleeping!
The 4th night Callie left a present for us on the top of our couch (a favorite resting spot for both cats) and she peed on the bed. (This was the first time ever to poop or pee on the couch). Fortunately we woke up and found it not too long after it happened so the odor and stain was mostly removed from the couch. Now we put down towels on the couch. Again, the next night there was a present on the couch (this time on the towel in a different location) and bed wetting again. By now, the past two nights the diarrhea is now gone, but she’s obviously still trying to get a message across.
After all this happened, the past 3 nights we have kept her locked up at night in the bathroom and she poops on the counter among various other places to let me know she doesn’t like being locked up. Unfortunately we can’t have her keep doing this every month or two. I am asking for any final thoughts or ideas before we have to find a new home for her.
Over the past 4-6 months of this, we have observed the following:
•\tThank god we have hardwood floors throughout our house!
•\tShe has been to the vet and tested for UTI – results were negative.
•\tI have never seen a cat be able to poop-on-command like this before!
•\tShe is very territorial of the resident cat, Hobbs. If Hobbs is lying on your lap, when Callie realizes it, she’ll jump up next to you to scare away Hobbs, then proceed to lay on your lap in his place. This happens all the time. Also, this past time when Callie peed on the bed, it was in the same place were Hobbs was lying by our feet all night (seemingly as a way to mark her territory).
•\tWe have spoken to the vet on several occasions and she is out of suggestions. The last option she gave us was to speak with the behaviorist at $78/hr session. Even at that, it would most likely be several sessions with what seems like a very low outlook of success.
•\tCallie is potty trained and has no trouble using the litter box on a regular basis. This is obviously a behavior issue to “get back” or tell us something. We have two litter boxes, but have never seen an issue where one is not allowing the other to use it. Sometimes they even share boxes.
Lastly, now that the cats are very friendly to each other, how do you think the resident cat will react when/if the other is removed to another home?
Any help or ideas are welcome. We would love to keep both cats, but can’t keep going on like this.
Thanks for your help!
Dave
I am asking for some help as a last ditch effort before we (unfortunately) have to find our kitty a new home.
After a month or two, the bed wetting was back again. We would lock her up in the bathroom (only when these issues arise) so that it is not all over our house and only confined to the one room (easy cleanup). She began to poop all over the bathroom (where she was previously kept at night). This happened several nights in a row. She would even poop in the living room right before it was bedtime in preparation for what was about to come. We let her out and the problem stopped.
Several months went by and now it has happened again. This time what tipped it off was we began feeding canned pumpkin to Hobbs the resident cat (per the vet, as a natural fiber). Callie got into the pumpkin and couldn’t control the diarrhea so it went all over the place in our living room (little drops in about 50 different places on the floor 2-3 nights in a row, no exaggeration). Again, this only happened at night when we were sleeping, not during the day. This happened for 3 nights, and all 3 nights she also pooped on our bed where we were sleeping!
After all this happened, the past 3 nights we have kept her locked up at night in the bathroom and she poops on the counter among various other places to let me know she doesn’t like being locked up. Unfortunately we can’t have her keep doing this every month or two. I am asking for any final thoughts or ideas before we have to find a new home for her.
Over the past 4-6 months of this, we have observed the following:
•\tThank god we have hardwood floors throughout our house!
•\tShe has been to the vet and tested for UTI – results were negative.
•\tI have never seen a cat be able to poop-on-command like this before!
•\tShe is very territorial of the resident cat, Hobbs. If Hobbs is lying on your lap, when Callie realizes it, she’ll jump up next to you to scare away Hobbs, then proceed to lay on your lap in his place. This happens all the time. Also, this past time when Callie peed on the bed, it was in the same place were Hobbs was lying by our feet all night (seemingly as a way to mark her territory).
•\tWe have spoken to the vet on several occasions and she is out of suggestions. The last option she gave us was to speak with the behaviorist at $78/hr session. Even at that, it would most likely be several sessions with what seems like a very low outlook of success.
•\tCallie is potty trained and has no trouble using the litter box on a regular basis. This is obviously a behavior issue to “get back” or tell us something. We have two litter boxes, but have never seen an issue where one is not allowing the other to use it. Sometimes they even share boxes.
Lastly, now that the cats are very friendly to each other, how do you think the resident cat will react when/if the other is removed to another home?
Any help or ideas are welcome. We would love to keep both cats, but can’t keep going on like this.
Thanks for your help!
Dave