Cat lovers, can you help?

I think Jane10 talks sense. If poor kitty isn’t happy where she is (and as she’s soiling, she’s unlikely to be happy) it’s kinder to find her a less busy home. Not everyone wants a lively kitten, so hopefully she can be rehomed.

We returned one poor little cat to the breeder. We moved to a flat from a house, bought another kitten and our two grandsons were round most days. She was very highly strung and absolutely glued to me. She was weeing and pooing anywhere but the litter tray. It was awful. She sprayed a visitor! We were at our wit's end but the breeder rehomed her to an older lady living on her own and as an only cat. It was very sad but a happy ending on both sides.

Curlywhirly

Sue, I think you may be right, when the two children are together (ages 3 and 6) it's a mad house! The cat is a very sensitive little thing, and now that the 3 year old is a busybody like his older sister, it may just be too much for him. The cat is about 8 (he was a rescue, so not exactly sure of his age) and they got him before they had the children. They are reluctant to give him up for rehoming, as it seems cruel, but I don't really see how they can carry on with things as they are. I will suggest they visit their vet to rule out any medical reason. Thanks for all comments, much appreciated.

I bet the "mad house" is the reason the cat is doing this, especially as he's a rescue cat. Poor little chap can't cope with it.

It's not cruel to rehome him if it turns out that he's scared and unhappy. He could be calm and settled in another loving home where he would be quiet and content. But meanwhile the vet needs to rule out any physical problems.

What a shame.

Sorry, it was Jane10 that suggested the house might be too stressful!

Sue, I think you may be right, when the two children are together (ages 3 and 6) it's a mad house! The cat is a very sensitive little thing, and now that the 3 year old is a busybody like his older sister, it may just be too much for him. The cat is about 8 (he was a rescue, so not exactly sure of his age) and they got him before they had the children. They are reluctant to give him up for rehoming, as it seems cruel, but I don't really see how they can carry on with things as they are. I will suggest they visit their vet to rule out any medical reason. Thanks for all comments, much appreciated.

Has the cat been checked by the vet, Curlywhirly, just to rule out any physical cause? The vet might also be able to refer to an animal behaviourist.

Oh dear. This is bad. The cat isn't going to stop now. Yes. Shut him in the kitchen overnight. Maybe a busy household with 2 young children is just too stressful for the poor puss. As a last resort, rehoming might be in everyone's best interests.

I have chatted again with DS about the problem; he has tried the anxiety medicine, with no success; he doesn't think his cat is spraying, as he is urinating in places (walk-in wardrobe) where no other cat has been. He keeps weeing on a leather chair in the lounge, my son has unzipped the cushion cover and washed it(!) but the cat still returned to it (I told him maybe he needs to put the cat litter tray on the chair). The cat has urinated in all sorts of places - shoes, sports bags, pillows, it's getting ridiculous. As the cat is only weeing at night, he thinks (maybe as a last resort) he might lock the cat in the kitchen (where the cat flap is) each night. Not ideal, but with two young children in the house, he (and his wife) can well do without all the extra cleaning; they are at the end of their tether!

I have had some issues like this with one of mine and found that once she'd used a spot she'd revisit it - in the end we had to remove the carpet (it was in the conservatory) so yes a thorough deep clean with a specialist product which you can get from pet stores should help. I'd also suggest more than one litter tray - if he's in a 3 storey house is there somewhere he could put one on each floor and keep the cat in for a few days to get used to using them. Covered trays don't work for mine - I have a deep pan one which is about 9 inches at the back end and a round one (it did have a lid but they preferred it open) which is also quite deep.

My cat has been given thyronorm by our vet he said 1ml a syringe full twice a day it seems a lot queried it twice and told correct

After 21st December (the winter solstice) the days begin to get longer again - so not too far away.

My cat can come and go as she pleases but once she is in, around 7pm that is it for the night. She can shout and howl as much as she likes but it is for her safety.

I do not allow her open access day and night- there are foxes around. When she was younger she would bring home live mice- fortunately not rats because they did not fit through the cat flap- they were left on the doorstep.

I would never ever shut a cat outside- warmth and security being the main reasons.

No I wouldn’t shut her out she does love being warm, I have a double radiator and when it’s on she sits with paw down between where I would find it too hot to put my hand, yes I am her servant, she was a blue cross cat and now has a life o& luxury

Thankyou an automatic feeder is something I hadn’t heard of its worth a try, fortunately as a 77 year old i'me able to go to bed early and I don’t mind getting up early too, but so many hours of darkness, so looking forward to spring

honeypot43, no, don't shut your cat out. She may need to be inside, for safety - or just to keep warm.

My cat's just the same, likes fresh food, very early, then again at teatime. (She doesn't adjust when the clocks go back - so it's 5 am instead of 6 am).

My dog, though, just eats whatever she's given, anytime.

Remember, dogs have owners and cats have servants!

honeypot43 you could try an automatic feeder, the sort you put I've in to keep the food fresh, and with a timer on it.

I think there was a thread about them fairly recently, but I can't do links on this tablet!

My elderly black and white cat Jessy likes to be indoors, when she was younger she liked being outside. Now she wakes me every morning about 5am scratching on the bedroom door. She is happy when I get up and give her some food. She likes wet food and only if it’s fresh, so dry food won’t satisfy her. I sometimes wonder if I should shut her out at night in the garden but that seems cruel, any suggestions?

moggie57, a collar isn't needed, there are cat flaps available that can be set to recognise the cats microchip, if it has one.

but5 i would also get a blood test done at the vets in could be kidney problems too

intruding cats leave their scent .and yours is marking his territory... i would get a magnetic collar and cat flap .

Thank you all for your very informative suggestions. My son does live in a countryside location and I know they have been troubled by moles, but no badgers as far as I know. I will tell him about not using bleach and trying Feliway. Also, may be worth mentioning, we have taken our labrador to our son's house on occasion (3 or 4 times in a year) but our dog is only allowed in the hallway, and in the day their cat is always on the top floor of their house ( it is a 3 storey property). The cat has quite happily used a litter tray in the past (when they moved into their house 3 years ago and he was kept in, as advised, for 6 weeks). The poor cat, do feel sorry for him, he's a lovely thing and when he hears my voice, comes running downstairs and straight onto my knee for a cuddle.

Try cleaning floors and existing cat flap and outside with biological washing liquid or powder. What material is being used in the dirt tray? Our cats were very particular what litter was acceptable to them. We also invested in two dirt trays with a roof. One outside and one for inside. We had to shut our cat in our bathroom with first tray to try to break cycle - it worked. Would recent fireworks also be a reason for the fear aspect? I would suggest the feliway plug in too.

Squiffy

Just to add to the covered litter tray suggestion - our cat wouldn’t use it to start with as it had a flap/door, which was see-through plastic, but very dark. I removed the door and she was fine. Hope your son finds a solution that works.

Yes, I had to remove the flap/door too, Squiffy.

My cat was being chased home by two bullies. I had an electronic cat flap fitted and although it kept the bullies out, it took a second or two extra to work so my cat had her rear nipped which became infected so I had to change the catflap back to the old one.

I had this problem for years and then the cats owners moved so Tara now has the area to herself with the odd visitor.

I agree with others, this is territorial marking with the proviso that the cat isn't displaying any signs of illness.
1. Definitely a microchip activated catflap.
2. More than one litter tray (adding the poo as Phoenix suggests) but bear in mind some cats simply won't cooperate if they are used to going outdoors.
3. Try a plug in Feliway diffuser near where the cat spends his time - it reduces anxiety.
4. Clean soiled areas thoroughly but not with anything bleach based as it makes the cat return to that spot.