Another straw, another camel
I keep the bad stuff off the blog, for the most part. That is, until things reach a breaking point. (Have you noticed that? Though there’s bigger bad stuff that will never reach the blog because a person needs some privacy after all.)
The latest breaking point? Today we threw out our couch. It was a year and a half old and I liked it very very much. A month ago we threw out the loveseat where Billy proposed to me. Two months before that, we threw out an upholstered chair that I adored.
The common denominator = Oscar Madison, evil peeing kitty from hell.
It started when we came home from the hospital with Thumper. Or rather, it started in the four days that we were in the hospital, and the smell greeted us upon our return. Oscar doesn’t like change. He doesn’t like chaos, and above all, he apparently doesn’t like strangers in the house. Four days of labor at home brought chaos, stress, and “strangers” in the form of the doula and my mother, who wasn’t a stranger to the cat but had the temerity to be sleeping in the house, which apparently hadn’t been authorized by the cat. Then we all went to the hospital and now he was alone with two dogs, with Billy only coming home to sleep and a dog walker coming in to walk the dogs and pet the cat three times a day.
Not surprising that we came home to a pee-soaked couch. (And yes, we’re sure it was the cat. There’s no mistaking the smell of cat pee vs the much less offensive dog pee.) We washed the slipcovers. We soaked the cushions in enzyme spray. We covered the couch with scat mats. We hoped he would settle down. He sort of settled down in that he switched from the couch where we sat to the upholstered chair where my mother would sit when visiting once a week.
Out went the chair.
And then things calmed down when we started letting him go outside in the backyard. And then Sadie moved out and he REALLY calmed down and we had a nice little family vibe going for a while there.
But then we started showing the house, to sell it. And so there were strangers coming through ALL THE TIME. We tried to keep him outside during the open houses, but he’d always sneak back in. Exit the loveseat.
And it took a while to sell the house, so there were a lot of showings, so in spite of the scat mats, now exit the couch.
(Nature’s Miracle only does so much. Things get to a point where there’s just no saving the thing. We put the couch out on the street yesterday afternoon, and a little while later through the open window I overheard a couple walking past and wondering why such a nice couch was being thrown out. Talking about how they could get it home. And then the guy sputtered, “Whoa!!! It stinks like cat pee!”)
We love the cat, but damnit, I kind of feel like it’s my right to have a couch. Clearly the cat doesn’t like change…well…hella big change coming up with a cross-country move. That’s temporary, but we’re moving away from all our friends and family, so that means we’re going to have a lot of visitors. So we can’t have a couch in Portland because everytime we have an overnight guest we’ll have to throw out a piece of furniture?
I don’t know what to do with the cat. Honestly, he loves to be outside, he’s a mighty hunter…I’d love to find a farm that would take him. I can’t keep going the way things have been going…just can’t.
And no, it’s not a kidney or uti issue. He got a clean bill of health in the midst of all of this. The vet, normally fantastic, just handed us the business card of an animal psychologist. Yeah, I’m sure THAT’S covered by our family insurance plan.
Sigh.
A little bit angry at the cat. Can you tell? When I found him on the street I had no intention of keeping him, but we did and we do love him. But I also love to sit on furniture that doesn’t smell like cat pee. Why is he making it so #&@$*) to keep him?
Ideas? Advice? Someone who wants to adopt him who thinks they can get a better handle on the situation?
No, seriously. Anyone want to adopt him?
would a leather couch with a machine-washable slipcover work? I know you’re vegetarian but I don’t know how you feel about leather. If that’s ok with your sensibilities, you could scotchguard the couch so it’s waterproof, then have a microsuede slipcover that you toss in the machine with some vinegar if the cat gets mad. I’ve found that for our cats, for whatever reason, vinegar works better (and is cheaper) than Nature’s Miracle.
Posted by: jen
You can tryyyy Feliway, which is a cat-pheromone spray designed to calm down the cat. I imagine your vet may have suggested it already. We had a (female) cat who used to do similarly inappropriate pissing for a while, which seemed to be in response to having to live with a cat she didn’t want to live with. But then on later testing she turned out to have a uti (first test was negative), so it’s hard to tell how much was psychological.
Anyway, try the Feliway. It can’t hurt (other than the fact that it’s like $15). Ugh. Good luck. I’d be wanting to boot his furry little butt right out, no matter how much I loved him.
Posted by: Lizbon
Oh, Oscar, you ungrateful little wretch!
Sigh. Feliway also makes a pplug-in diffuser, which I used. No idea whether it helped the cats or not–they mellowed out, but it might have been just part of their learning to go with the flow. Plastic slipcovers? Anybody discovered a way to keep cats off furniture? A plastic room to which he is confined when not supervised?
Posted by: Anne
Stinks about Oscar. Unfortunately I have no advice for you but just had to comment because, dude, you said “hella!” I’ve never heard that from a mouth born outside of the west coast.
Posted by: yaiAnn
In my experience, a cat who starts peeing somewhere will always pee somewhere without a lot of intervention. You are a busy mom about to make a big change. Contact a local cat rescue – we have one in Anchorage, certainly you have one. They might be able to help you find a suitable home or take him off your hands until they do. Big fat bummer – I am sorry you are having to do this in the midst of such a huge life change.
Posted by: Holly Jo
I feel your pain 🙁 I’ve tried everything with our 3rd kitty, but unless she’s in a room by herself, she pees down the heating vents! She was fine in my office, until I moved my office to the house. We’ve tried Feliway, Nature’s Miracle, and she has a clean bill of health from our vet.
So I just want to send you huge hugs and some nose plugs.
Posted by: Michele
Is he neutered? I have had cats all my life and i never had those pee problems. I’m pregnant now and have two cats that never peed in the house or clawed the furniture.
Posted by: mio
Our two female cats did basically the same thing while we were in hospital for 5 days after having our daughter. They even hissed at us when we walked in the door with our new baby.
They kept showing their dissatisfaction by peeing every where but primarily on our bed! After a few trips to the vet to fix a UTI and a neutering things seemed to settle down with one of the cats. The other one will still on occasion for no apparent reason that we can tell pee on our bed. I have found that a scrub of Borax and Vinegar paste helps a lot. Leave it to dry out then vacuum it up.
Good Luck! I feel your pain!
Posted by: Mel
ok I have no advice, except that I’m in the process of writing a similar post about 2 cats wanting to suddenly kill each other and being told by the vet they may need to see someone about their behaviour….$$$$$$$….
Bugger.
Posted by: Alison
would a leather couch with a machine-washable slipcover work? I know you’re vegetarian but I don’t know how you feel about leather. If that’s ok with your sensibilities, you could scotchguard the couch so it’s waterproof, then have a microsuede slipcover that you toss in the machine with some vinegar if the cat gets mad. I’ve found that for our cats, for whatever reason, vinegar works better (and is cheaper) than Nature’s Miracle.
Posted by: jen
You can tryyyy Feliway, which is a cat-pheromone spray designed to calm down the cat. I imagine your vet may have suggested it already. We had a (female) cat who used to do similarly inappropriate pissing for a while, which seemed to be in response to having to live with a cat she didn’t want to live with. But then on later testing she turned out to have a uti (first test was negative), so it’s hard to tell how much was psychological.
Anyway, try the Feliway. It can’t hurt (other than the fact that it’s like $15). Ugh. Good luck. I’d be wanting to boot his furry little butt right out, no matter how much I loved him.
Posted by: Lizbon
Oh, Oscar, you ungrateful little wretch!
Sigh. Feliway also makes a pplug-in diffuser, which I used. No idea whether it helped the cats or not–they mellowed out, but it might have been just part of their learning to go with the flow. Plastic slipcovers? Anybody discovered a way to keep cats off furniture? A plastic room to which he is confined when not supervised?
Posted by: Anne
Stinks about Oscar. Unfortunately I have no advice for you but just had to comment because, dude, you said “hella!” I’ve never heard that from a mouth born outside of the west coast.
Posted by: yaiAnn
In my experience, a cat who starts peeing somewhere will always pee somewhere without a lot of intervention. You are a busy mom about to make a big change. Contact a local cat rescue – we have one in Anchorage, certainly you have one. They might be able to help you find a suitable home or take him off your hands until they do. Big fat bummer – I am sorry you are having to do this in the midst of such a huge life change.
Posted by: Holly Jo
I feel your pain 🙁 I’ve tried everything with our 3rd kitty, but unless she’s in a room by herself, she pees down the heating vents! She was fine in my office, until I moved my office to the house. We’ve tried Feliway, Nature’s Miracle, and she has a clean bill of health from our vet.
So I just want to send you huge hugs and some nose plugs.
Posted by: Michele
Is he neutered? I have had cats all my life and i never had those pee problems. I’m pregnant now and have two cats that never peed in the house or clawed the furniture.
Posted by: mio
Our two female cats did basically the same thing while we were in hospital for 5 days after having our daughter. They even hissed at us when we walked in the door with our new baby.
They kept showing their dissatisfaction by peeing every where but primarily on our bed! After a few trips to the vet to fix a UTI and a neutering things seemed to settle down with one of the cats. The other one will still on occasion for no apparent reason that we can tell pee on our bed. I have found that a scrub of Borax and Vinegar paste helps a lot. Leave it to dry out then vacuum it up.
Good Luck! I feel your pain!
Posted by: Mel
ok I have no advice, except that I’m in the process of writing a similar post about 2 cats wanting to suddenly kill each other and being told by the vet they may need to see someone about their behaviour….$$$$$$$….
Bugger.
Posted by: Alison
I think your idea of finding another home for him is a good one. We need to be responsible with our pets, but just as you found with Sadie, sometimes it doesn’t work out and there is no reason to keep a pet at the expense of your family just because the world makes you feel guilty about it.
Once an animal starts peeing inside, you’re doomed – they don’t break the habit easily.
Posted by: liz
No help with taking the cat ‘cuz we’re too far away, but check out http://karmakitties.com. She has been going through the same thing (first baby at home, beloved cat peeing all over in aggressive fashion) and she is also guilt and grief-stricken at having to unload the cat. Not easy.
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport
um … maybe he doesn’t want to be kept? Cats are very old souls, and even though you rescued him, maybe he only wanted to be rescued in order to survive – now that he’s surviving just fine, maybe he needs something else to pique his feline interests… in your nabe I KNOW that there are a LOT of cat rescue groups, and I’m sure that there would be a fast taker for a big red boy – some cat lovers like the challenge, and it’s definitely NOT your time in life for this particular one.
convoluted, yes, but just my thoughts on the subject!
Posted by: margaret
I’m so sorry about the wrath of Oscar. I’ve never had a cat (severe allergies to kitties), so I can’t offer advice/helpful hints, only sympathy.
It’s much harder to keep a cat confined to certain rooms than it is with a dog, isn’t it? What with their ability to use their claws as skeleton keys on locked doors and to crack safes, I can imagine it’s nigh on impossible.
Posted by: Steph VW
We have 2 cats, 14 years old, which have been kept in one part of house for about 1 year now due to this issue. The male cat had been peeing on laundry the kids had in their baskets in their rooms, dishtowels on kitchen counter, any rug I had in the kitchen/family room area etc. He did have a UTI – got that taken care of but for some reason he has not broken the habit 100%. Once in a while he will pee on a school backpack or a rug – don’t know why. We have carpeting in our bedrooms so I couldn’t risk them being free. The last straw was when he let it all go on my daughter’s bed! Had to throw that out – the cats are now confined. It is the kitchen/familyroom area of the house – plenty big but it is a pain to always remember to keep the doors shut etc. And why should I have to do that to begin with? Anyway – good luck – I vote that you find a farm. If he likes to be outside he will be just fine there.
Posted by: Connie
I’m sorry to hear this…I just wrote about a similar problem we had (http://karmakitties.com/blog2/2007/07/10/devastated/)
although in our case, he was leaving giant piles of poop everywhere. It was one thing when he was just going on the rug, but then he started going on our bed, after the baby had just napped there. The last straw was when I caught him in the act, in the baby’s crib. Giving him up was the worst thing I’ve ever had to go through but at some point your home & family has to come first. We gave it 6 months, the vet couldn’t find anything wrong with him and he just kept getting progressively worse about it. We took him to a rescue society which placed him in a foster home to await permanent adoption, so at least he’s not living in a cage. Still, it’s an awful choice to have to make…
Posted by: Bertha
gotta remove that end parentheses at the end of my link, sorry
Posted by: Bertha
I had 2 cats (lovely gorgeous loving cats) who would poop on our couch everytime we left the house for an overnight visit somewhere. We’d had them for 2 years when this behavior started and believe me, I tried everything. Since I didn’t want to be a prisoner in my own home (and couldn’t afford to kennel for every simple overnight visit to my parents’ in NJ), I had to get rid of them. I couldn’t live that way anymore! A small animal rescue org took them both and they were very quickly adopted by someone who doesn’t go out much. Good luck!
Posted by: Kim
My most recent cat, Queen Elizabeth, moved up to Boston with my room-mates a few months ago. She’s been peeing on their couch and, more recently, moved on to the bed – while they are in it. They’re not home a lot, and have been traveling, and I think she’s just unhappy with them. But you can’t just sit down and have a talk with a cat, you know? My couch still smells faintly of pee from my months living with her.
I’m sure that Oscar will find a good home. You’re not only doing the best to be a good mom to Thumper, but to Oscar, too. It’s tough.
Posted by: Jessie
I think your idea of finding another home for him is a good one. We need to be responsible with our pets, but just as you found with Sadie, sometimes it doesn’t work out and there is no reason to keep a pet at the expense of your family just because the world makes you feel guilty about it.
Once an animal starts peeing inside, you’re doomed – they don’t break the habit easily.
Posted by: liz
No help with taking the cat ‘cuz we’re too far away, but check out http://karmakitties.com. She has been going through the same thing (first baby at home, beloved cat peeing all over in aggressive fashion) and she is also guilt and grief-stricken at having to unload the cat. Not easy.
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport
um … maybe he doesn’t want to be kept? Cats are very old souls, and even though you rescued him, maybe he only wanted to be rescued in order to survive – now that he’s surviving just fine, maybe he needs something else to pique his feline interests… in your nabe I KNOW that there are a LOT of cat rescue groups, and I’m sure that there would be a fast taker for a big red boy – some cat lovers like the challenge, and it’s definitely NOT your time in life for this particular one.
convoluted, yes, but just my thoughts on the subject!
Posted by: margaret
I’m so sorry about the wrath of Oscar. I’ve never had a cat (severe allergies to kitties), so I can’t offer advice/helpful hints, only sympathy.
It’s much harder to keep a cat confined to certain rooms than it is with a dog, isn’t it? What with their ability to use their claws as skeleton keys on locked doors and to crack safes, I can imagine it’s nigh on impossible.
Posted by: Steph VW
We have 2 cats, 14 years old, which have been kept in one part of house for about 1 year now due to this issue. The male cat had been peeing on laundry the kids had in their baskets in their rooms, dishtowels on kitchen counter, any rug I had in the kitchen/family room area etc. He did have a UTI – got that taken care of but for some reason he has not broken the habit 100%. Once in a while he will pee on a school backpack or a rug – don’t know why. We have carpeting in our bedrooms so I couldn’t risk them being free. The last straw was when he let it all go on my daughter’s bed! Had to throw that out – the cats are now confined. It is the kitchen/familyroom area of the house – plenty big but it is a pain to always remember to keep the doors shut etc. And why should I have to do that to begin with? Anyway – good luck – I vote that you find a farm. If he likes to be outside he will be just fine there.
Posted by: Connie
I’m sorry to hear this…I just wrote about a similar problem we had (http://karmakitties.com/blog2/2007/07/10/devastated/)
although in our case, he was leaving giant piles of poop everywhere. It was one thing when he was just going on the rug, but then he started going on our bed, after the baby had just napped there. The last straw was when I caught him in the act, in the baby’s crib. Giving him up was the worst thing I’ve ever had to go through but at some point your home & family has to come first. We gave it 6 months, the vet couldn’t find anything wrong with him and he just kept getting progressively worse about it. We took him to a rescue society which placed him in a foster home to await permanent adoption, so at least he’s not living in a cage. Still, it’s an awful choice to have to make…
Posted by: Bertha
gotta remove that end parentheses at the end of my link, sorry
Posted by: Bertha
I had 2 cats (lovely gorgeous loving cats) who would poop on our couch everytime we left the house for an overnight visit somewhere. We’d had them for 2 years when this behavior started and believe me, I tried everything. Since I didn’t want to be a prisoner in my own home (and couldn’t afford to kennel for every simple overnight visit to my parents’ in NJ), I had to get rid of them. I couldn’t live that way anymore! A small animal rescue org took them both and they were very quickly adopted by someone who doesn’t go out much. Good luck!
Posted by: Kim
My most recent cat, Queen Elizabeth, moved up to Boston with my room-mates a few months ago. She’s been peeing on their couch and, more recently, moved on to the bed – while they are in it. They’re not home a lot, and have been traveling, and I think she’s just unhappy with them. But you can’t just sit down and have a talk with a cat, you know? My couch still smells faintly of pee from my months living with her.
I’m sure that Oscar will find a good home. You’re not only doing the best to be a good mom to Thumper, but to Oscar, too. It’s tough.
Posted by: Jessie
We have a couch that Angus, our boy-cat, decided to pee on … and the solution we picked (b/c we like the couch enough to keep it) was to eviscerate the cushion, removing all the foam, wash the outside thoroughly with soap and everything, and take the cushion to an upholsterer to be restuffed. We found one in the Yellow Pages. Good luck!
Posted by: meg
I’m sorry to hear about the cat. I had a cat for years that I adored who started peeing all over. First on my handbags, then the rug, and a chair. My limit was the bed. The vet told me it was her attitude and once she started it was unlikely to stop. I cried my eyes out when I dropped her off at the shelter. I told them I was giving her up because I was moving; afraid that if I told them the truth she would never get adopted.
Posted by: dsfcolangelo
I’m sorry to hear about the cat. I had a cat for years that I adored who started peeing all over. First on my handbags, then the rug, and a chair. My limit was the bed. The vet told me it was her attitude and once she started it was unlikely to stop. I cried my eyes out when I dropped her off at the shelter. I told them I was giving her up because I was moving; afraid that if I told them the truth she would never get adopted.
Posted by: dsfcolangelo
Wait. What happened to Sadie?? I think I missed a post. 🙁
Posted by: Libby
Oh no. I went through almost this exact thing. We have two cats and got a 3rd. She was cute and sweet (to us), but had been returned 2x to the place where we got her and had a broken tail. (Warning signs!!) So we decided to take her home and love her and she *terrorized* the two other cats. Then she started peeing. First the bed went in the trash, then my daughter’s bean bag, then the huge down-filled sectional (that we got from my mom — we couldn’t have afforded it!) Soon the floor was being peed on and I just couldn’t take it anymore. But we let it go on. We covered all the furniture with all kinds of things and used all kinds of sprays and such. It was really awful and stressful and heartbreaking. Eventually we had to take her to a shelter — we researched all kinds of shelters and found one that said they would find her a home that didn’t have other cats.
I wish there was a product that would solve this problem, but believe me, I looked and I spent a fortune trying every remedy. I’m so sorry you are going through this — I know how awful it is.
Posted by: Julie
Prozac worked for us (we gave it to the cat, although at times I’ve seriously considered swiping a tablet or two). We tried Feliway, multiple cat boxes, closing off most of the rooms in the house. Administering Prozac was the last alternative before making the crabby old beast live in the garage full-time. But it seems to have worked, and we were able to wean him off it within a few months without any spraying relapses. It was *not* easy to administer, though.
Posted by: Becca
We’re having problems with our cats, too–not peeing, but scratching. They have ruined our couch and are starting to work on an antique chair that I reupholstered a few years ago. After we move, we plan to restrict them to rooms with no upholstery–I’ve had these cats so long that I can’t imagine giving them away. But peeing is a whole different ball of wax. Would there be a way to restrict him to a part of the house where he couldn’t do much damage?
Posted by: Tracy WW
I would, but I’m pretty sure one of my three dogs would eat him before he could take them all out. Have you tried kitty tranquilizers for the times surrounding the change?
Posted by: Carrie
My husband had a cat for 8 years that I hear was a terror. She lost an ear when she was very young (from a neighbor’s bow & arrow), and never mentally recovered. She was jealous of all women, and would pee and poop in the bed, if he brought any home with him. He tried anti-anxiety meds, but nothing worked. For a while, he even tried slepping in a futon/piece of foam that he’d roll up in the morning. All in an effort to keep the cat. He did eventually put her down, several months before we met. And as bad and as guilty as he felt, from all descriptions I’ve heard, it sounds like the best choice.
I know that trying to find a balance is difficult, but I think that your health and sanity need to be a priority. Especially with the pending move. It’s all about making choices to improve or maintain your quality of life. The older you get, the choices will only get bigger.
Not that I recommend putting him down. But alternatives can take a long time to work themselves out. Better to start working on solutions sooner rather than later.
oh, btw. Just finished the Yoda Sweater this morning. I’ll post a picture shortly. I did it in Lemongrass with the same yarn, and it’s just adorable.
Posted by: Megan
We have a couch that Angus, our boy-cat, decided to pee on … and the solution we picked (b/c we like the couch enough to keep it) was to eviscerate the cushion, removing all the foam, wash the outside thoroughly with soap and everything, and take the cushion to an upholsterer to be restuffed. We found one in the Yellow Pages. Good luck!
Posted by: meg
I’m sorry to hear about the cat. I had a cat for years that I adored who started peeing all over. First on my handbags, then the rug, and a chair. My limit was the bed. The vet told me it was her attitude and once she started it was unlikely to stop. I cried my eyes out when I dropped her off at the shelter. I told them I was giving her up because I was moving; afraid that if I told them the truth she would never get adopted.
Posted by: dsfcolangelo
I’m sorry to hear about the cat. I had a cat for years that I adored who started peeing all over. First on my handbags, then the rug, and a chair. My limit was the bed. The vet told me it was her attitude and once she started it was unlikely to stop. I cried my eyes out when I dropped her off at the shelter. I told them I was giving her up because I was moving; afraid that if I told them the truth she would never get adopted.
Posted by: dsfcolangelo
Wait. What happened to Sadie?? I think I missed a post. 🙁
Posted by: Libby
Oh no. I went through almost this exact thing. We have two cats and got a 3rd. She was cute and sweet (to us), but had been returned 2x to the place where we got her and had a broken tail. (Warning signs!!) So we decided to take her home and love her and she *terrorized* the two other cats. Then she started peeing. First the bed went in the trash, then my daughter’s bean bag, then the huge down-filled sectional (that we got from my mom — we couldn’t have afforded it!) Soon the floor was being peed on and I just couldn’t take it anymore. But we let it go on. We covered all the furniture with all kinds of things and used all kinds of sprays and such. It was really awful and stressful and heartbreaking. Eventually we had to take her to a shelter — we researched all kinds of shelters and found one that said they would find her a home that didn’t have other cats.
I wish there was a product that would solve this problem, but believe me, I looked and I spent a fortune trying every remedy. I’m so sorry you are going through this — I know how awful it is.
Posted by: Julie
Prozac worked for us (we gave it to the cat, although at times I’ve seriously considered swiping a tablet or two). We tried Feliway, multiple cat boxes, closing off most of the rooms in the house. Administering Prozac was the last alternative before making the crabby old beast live in the garage full-time. But it seems to have worked, and we were able to wean him off it within a few months without any spraying relapses. It was *not* easy to administer, though.
Posted by: Becca
We’re having problems with our cats, too–not peeing, but scratching. They have ruined our couch and are starting to work on an antique chair that I reupholstered a few years ago. After we move, we plan to restrict them to rooms with no upholstery–I’ve had these cats so long that I can’t imagine giving them away. But peeing is a whole different ball of wax. Would there be a way to restrict him to a part of the house where he couldn’t do much damage?
Posted by: Tracy WW
I would, but I’m pretty sure one of my three dogs would eat him before he could take them all out. Have you tried kitty tranquilizers for the times surrounding the change?
Posted by: Carrie
My husband had a cat for 8 years that I hear was a terror. She lost an ear when she was very young (from a neighbor’s bow & arrow), and never mentally recovered. She was jealous of all women, and would pee and poop in the bed, if he brought any home with him. He tried anti-anxiety meds, but nothing worked. For a while, he even tried slepping in a futon/piece of foam that he’d roll up in the morning. All in an effort to keep the cat. He did eventually put her down, several months before we met. And as bad and as guilty as he felt, from all descriptions I’ve heard, it sounds like the best choice.
I know that trying to find a balance is difficult, but I think that your health and sanity need to be a priority. Especially with the pending move. It’s all about making choices to improve or maintain your quality of life. The older you get, the choices will only get bigger.
Not that I recommend putting him down. But alternatives can take a long time to work themselves out. Better to start working on solutions sooner rather than later.
oh, btw. Just finished the Yoda Sweater this morning. I’ll post a picture shortly. I did it in Lemongrass with the same yarn, and it’s just adorable.
Posted by: Megan
My sister had 2 cats. They were both hunters and often brought their “catch” of the day into her home. The last straw was when the female cat (Lily) “shared” her latest catch with THE BABY!! My sister brought both the cats to a farm, where they got a long fine, where they won’t be harmed or killed. It was a win, win situation. I would consider a farm, especially if he’s an outside cat who can hunt for himself.
Posted by: Michelle
My Kouros is on Prozac for aggressive behavior. We couldn’t have him jumping and biting so unpredictably with a baby on the way. It was prescribed by the Cornell University Animal Behavior Clinic. This was an easy place for me to go, because we only live an hour away from Ithaca and the vet school.
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/abc/
They make NYC metro visits for a higher fee ($200 plus city transit costs), if that’s something you see as worthwhile. I was nothing but pleased with my experience with the staff there. They’re very serious about what they do- I filled out a 12 page history and emailed it to them prior to setting up the appointment! I’m sure you could at least have a phone consultation with Dr. Albright to discuss other options. I think urination problems are VERY common in their experience- and of course it was the one thing we hadn’t had any problems with with Kouros. I’m sure they can provide some sort of help.
Feel free to email me if you want any more info. We have been so pleased with the results of our visit!
Posted by: Susan
I’d go Prozac too, and keep putting feelers out about adoption. I hear you — that peeing thing is the true reason Digit’s almost always been allowed out — if he doesn’t get out, he pees on EVERYTHING in anger, up to and including my bed WHILE I’M IN IT. No freaking way. That’s a smell that just makes your soul bleed, isn’t it? (She says after cleaning up a lake in the front Digit-recovery room — thank god it’s a concrete floor.)
Posted by: Rachael
The Last thing you need is this. It sounds like you are right on the money in terms of Mr. Kitty’s behavior, you have had a lot of changes and stress in the last year and frankly some cats can’t cope or don’t bounce back from huge changes. It sounds like the reality is that after a move across the country this behavior will more than likely continue. A good no kill shelter who may be able to foster him and find a home that has no kids and a calm home life may be the best thing for him. Good luck, I know that this decision will be hard but really may be the best thing for all of you.
Posted by: Toni
Farm cats have a hierarchy and introducing a new one would surely end in the new one being forced out, or killed.
Posted by: Dee
Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Cat Litter. I read about it on Crazy Aunt Pearl’ blog, and tried it with my 17 year old cat, who was peeing on the couch. (I blame my daughter’s miniature pinscher dog for his stress). He uses it! Yee Ha! I also read thay cats don’t like the smell of citrus so if you can spray lemon or orange scent on your new furniture it may help.
Posted by: brenda
Seems as though you and Oscar have come to a fork in the road: you’ll take one, he the other. After a while you just have to look at your real priorities. I’ve lived with cats for 39 years and adore them, but I, too, learned that you have to be level-headed and hardhearted when a cat crosses the line. Good luck. Glad everything else (that we know about) is working out so well.
Posted by: Luise
Don’t know if this will be helpful or not as Apollo is my first kitty, but he was also a street kitten. He never learned to cover correctly in his litter box as this is a skill that is learned from mama cats apparently at a very young age. He tries and its very cute, but he just doesn’t get it that the hardwood floor outside of his kitty box won’t magically cover what’s inside. While he does use his box it has to be cleaned out every day, sometimes twice a day as he will not use it when there is uncovered excrement in it. It may be possible that during these times of stress and excitement that you’re inadvertently not cleaning out his box as much as before and while you cannot tell the difference, maybe he can????
Hope it all works out for you and best of luck with the move!
Posted by: Zoe
I’m not sure I could say anything you’ve not already read, but I wish you weren’t going through this. 🙁
My theory is that some cats just don’t want to be living in a house with a baby. Scooby, one of our cats (for 8 years!) started biting Jacob shortly after we were home. We tried our best to keep him away from the baby for 6 months, his attacks growing more and more aggressive… eventually the vet told us our only option was to put him on anti-depressants. That seemed ridiculous to us, so we found him (and his companion) a home with some child-free friends of ours. They’ve written a few times, and he’s apparently back to his old happy self.
In some ways I wish you had our problem, because it’s a *lot* easier to be motivated about finding a cat a new home when he’s going to hurt the baby. I would have had a tougher time making that decision, if it was “only” pee. But having come out the other side of it, there’s no doubt in my mind that you should find Oscar a new home. Nobody’s happy, and you can’t fix the house the way he wants to live. Someone else can, though.
Posted by: Amy
My sister had 2 cats. They were both hunters and often brought their “catch” of the day into her home. The last straw was when the female cat (Lily) “shared” her latest catch with THE BABY!! My sister brought both the cats to a farm, where they got a long fine, where they won’t be harmed or killed. It was a win, win situation. I would consider a farm, especially if he’s an outside cat who can hunt for himself.
Posted by: Michelle
My Kouros is on Prozac for aggressive behavior. We couldn’t have him jumping and biting so unpredictably with a baby on the way. It was prescribed by the Cornell University Animal Behavior Clinic. This was an easy place for me to go, because we only live an hour away from Ithaca and the vet school.
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/abc/
They make NYC metro visits for a higher fee ($200 plus city transit costs), if that’s something you see as worthwhile. I was nothing but pleased with my experience with the staff there. They’re very serious about what they do- I filled out a 12 page history and emailed it to them prior to setting up the appointment! I’m sure you could at least have a phone consultation with Dr. Albright to discuss other options. I think urination problems are VERY common in their experience- and of course it was the one thing we hadn’t had any problems with with Kouros. I’m sure they can provide some sort of help.
Feel free to email me if you want any more info. We have been so pleased with the results of our visit!
Posted by: Susan
I’d go Prozac too, and keep putting feelers out about adoption. I hear you — that peeing thing is the true reason Digit’s almost always been allowed out — if he doesn’t get out, he pees on EVERYTHING in anger, up to and including my bed WHILE I’M IN IT. No freaking way. That’s a smell that just makes your soul bleed, isn’t it? (She says after cleaning up a lake in the front Digit-recovery room — thank god it’s a concrete floor.)
Posted by: Rachael
The Last thing you need is this. It sounds like you are right on the money in terms of Mr. Kitty’s behavior, you have had a lot of changes and stress in the last year and frankly some cats can’t cope or don’t bounce back from huge changes. It sounds like the reality is that after a move across the country this behavior will more than likely continue. A good no kill shelter who may be able to foster him and find a home that has no kids and a calm home life may be the best thing for him. Good luck, I know that this decision will be hard but really may be the best thing for all of you.
Posted by: Toni
Farm cats have a hierarchy and introducing a new one would surely end in the new one being forced out, or killed.
Posted by: Dee
Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Cat Litter. I read about it on Crazy Aunt Pearl’ blog, and tried it with my 17 year old cat, who was peeing on the couch. (I blame my daughter’s miniature pinscher dog for his stress). He uses it! Yee Ha! I also read thay cats don’t like the smell of citrus so if you can spray lemon or orange scent on your new furniture it may help.
Posted by: brenda
Seems as though you and Oscar have come to a fork in the road: you’ll take one, he the other. After a while you just have to look at your real priorities. I’ve lived with cats for 39 years and adore them, but I, too, learned that you have to be level-headed and hardhearted when a cat crosses the line. Good luck. Glad everything else (that we know about) is working out so well.
Posted by: Luise
Don’t know if this will be helpful or not as Apollo is my first kitty, but he was also a street kitten. He never learned to cover correctly in his litter box as this is a skill that is learned from mama cats apparently at a very young age. He tries and its very cute, but he just doesn’t get it that the hardwood floor outside of his kitty box won’t magically cover what’s inside. While he does use his box it has to be cleaned out every day, sometimes twice a day as he will not use it when there is uncovered excrement in it. It may be possible that during these times of stress and excitement that you’re inadvertently not cleaning out his box as much as before and while you cannot tell the difference, maybe he can????
Hope it all works out for you and best of luck with the move!
Posted by: Zoe
I’m not sure I could say anything you’ve not already read, but I wish you weren’t going through this. 🙁
My theory is that some cats just don’t want to be living in a house with a baby. Scooby, one of our cats (for 8 years!) started biting Jacob shortly after we were home. We tried our best to keep him away from the baby for 6 months, his attacks growing more and more aggressive… eventually the vet told us our only option was to put him on anti-depressants. That seemed ridiculous to us, so we found him (and his companion) a home with some child-free friends of ours. They’ve written a few times, and he’s apparently back to his old happy self.
In some ways I wish you had our problem, because it’s a *lot* easier to be motivated about finding a cat a new home when he’s going to hurt the baby. I would have had a tougher time making that decision, if it was “only” pee. But having come out the other side of it, there’s no doubt in my mind that you should find Oscar a new home. Nobody’s happy, and you can’t fix the house the way he wants to live. Someone else can, though.
Posted by: Amy
Ugh. No advice to give, though I feel your pain. My 17 year old cat LOVES my kid, won’t leave her alone, is more affectionate than he’s been in years, and still pees on her bed. And the couch. What started as stress-related whatever has, unfortunately, become habit. I like my couch, too, but I don’t know how much longer it can be a member of our family.
If you get any fabulous suggestions, please share them!
Posted by: Lynn in Tucson
I’m sure you’ll make the right decision for you. With the upcoming move, things will only get more stressful and chaotic.
Two of my cats had peeing issues when they were kittens, which went away until we moved…then started up again with a vengeance. No pillow was safe, though fortunately there was no peeing on bare floors. For a while, all soft cushiony things were banished to one room that could be shut. We also got a automated litterbox- the combination of breaking the habit by removing the furniture and having an always clean litterbox seems to have done the trick.
Posted by: Lyssa
Oh I went through this with my cat, Destiny. She pee’d and pee’d on my couch. The one I really, really liked and had to fight for from Ikea. The one I eventually got for free. She ruined it and yet never pee’d anywhere else (well she did pee on my bed a few times but no where else). Nothing ever cured her and I did try the animal psychologist. Of course now she has kidney disease and is dying which makes me wonder if it was a kidney thing even though I had her urine tested oh so many times. Did your vet do a blood test? I wish I had a solution. Mine was to yell and scream and keep tape on all my furniture. All of my friends LOVED that! You couldn’t sit on my furniture, you could only admire from afar. My best to you and the evil cat pee-er!
Posted by: Rebecca
Is it possible for him to live outside in Seattle year-round? You could get him a nice big dog house with one of those doors that only opens for animals wearing the magnet collar, and then he would have a safe, warm place to go.
I have had cats that needed to be outside cats. Even if there was a chance of something bad happening to them, they were better off outside and happy than inside and evil.
Posted by: gracielou
So sorry to hear about the pee problem – we went through the same thing when my son was born. Our cat peed in the heirloom (cherry wood, tree cut and crafted by the maker) cradle, borrowed from husband’s best friend! Luckily, we salvaged the cradle and just had to replace the little mattress. I don’t have a solution, only sympathy.
Posted by: Michele
I have a leather couch, and it is not any help against our female who is peeing on it. The tops of the cushions are leather, but there are still fabric sections between the cushions that will let the pee soak through. The cat has a UTI that we are treating, but the couch is beyond saving.
Posted by: Cindy
Peroxide works well to get out cat pee odor. I know that doesn’t help the behavior, but it does help to save furniture (and rugs, and bedding).
Posted by: Johanna
No advice, just condolences. My understanding is that once they start, they don’t stop. That sucks.
Posted by: Steph
Looks like you got an extra dose of evil with this particular cat.
In all my moves I’ve found that the cat(s) got SO freaked out that they actually calmed down for a couple of months. So moving has actually helped us deal with the demon-spawn-from-hell we choose to invite into our lives. Can you confine him to outside when he’s out and to the bathroom when he’s inside? When Peeps is particularly rotten I lock her in the bathroom. Did the same with Kasha. I wonder if we cat-people have cat-karma? Both of mine have woken me up at all hours but never had peeing problems (um.. knock on wood)
Good luck. That is a wretched smell.
PS. Really glad the house selling blues are looking up
Posted by: Serena
Ugh. No advice to give, though I feel your pain. My 17 year old cat LOVES my kid, won’t leave her alone, is more affectionate than he’s been in years, and still pees on her bed. And the couch. What started as stress-related whatever has, unfortunately, become habit. I like my couch, too, but I don’t know how much longer it can be a member of our family.
If you get any fabulous suggestions, please share them!
Posted by: Lynn in Tucson
I’m sure you’ll make the right decision for you. With the upcoming move, things will only get more stressful and chaotic.
Two of my cats had peeing issues when they were kittens, which went away until we moved…then started up again with a vengeance. No pillow was safe, though fortunately there was no peeing on bare floors. For a while, all soft cushiony things were banished to one room that could be shut. We also got a automated litterbox- the combination of breaking the habit by removing the furniture and having an always clean litterbox seems to have done the trick.
Posted by: Lyssa
Oh I went through this with my cat, Destiny. She pee’d and pee’d on my couch. The one I really, really liked and had to fight for from Ikea. The one I eventually got for free. She ruined it and yet never pee’d anywhere else (well she did pee on my bed a few times but no where else). Nothing ever cured her and I did try the animal psychologist. Of course now she has kidney disease and is dying which makes me wonder if it was a kidney thing even though I had her urine tested oh so many times. Did your vet do a blood test? I wish I had a solution. Mine was to yell and scream and keep tape on all my furniture. All of my friends LOVED that! You couldn’t sit on my furniture, you could only admire from afar. My best to you and the evil cat pee-er!
Posted by: Rebecca
Is it possible for him to live outside in Seattle year-round? You could get him a nice big dog house with one of those doors that only opens for animals wearing the magnet collar, and then he would have a safe, warm place to go.
I have had cats that needed to be outside cats. Even if there was a chance of something bad happening to them, they were better off outside and happy than inside and evil.
Posted by: gracielou
So sorry to hear about the pee problem – we went through the same thing when my son was born. Our cat peed in the heirloom (cherry wood, tree cut and crafted by the maker) cradle, borrowed from husband’s best friend! Luckily, we salvaged the cradle and just had to replace the little mattress. I don’t have a solution, only sympathy.
Posted by: Michele
I have a leather couch, and it is not any help against our female who is peeing on it. The tops of the cushions are leather, but there are still fabric sections between the cushions that will let the pee soak through. The cat has a UTI that we are treating, but the couch is beyond saving.
Posted by: Cindy
Peroxide works well to get out cat pee odor. I know that doesn’t help the behavior, but it does help to save furniture (and rugs, and bedding).
Posted by: Johanna
No advice, just condolences. My understanding is that once they start, they don’t stop. That sucks.
Posted by: Steph
Looks like you got an extra dose of evil with this particular cat.
In all my moves I’ve found that the cat(s) got SO freaked out that they actually calmed down for a couple of months. So moving has actually helped us deal with the demon-spawn-from-hell we choose to invite into our lives. Can you confine him to outside when he’s out and to the bathroom when he’s inside? When Peeps is particularly rotten I lock her in the bathroom. Did the same with Kasha. I wonder if we cat-people have cat-karma? Both of mine have woken me up at all hours but never had peeing problems (um.. knock on wood)
Good luck. That is a wretched smell.
PS. Really glad the house selling blues are looking up
Posted by: Serena
I have 4 cats (and 2 dogs) at the house, and no kids yet. I think I had about 6 or so major incidents with the cats where they peed (sp?) on the couch (twice), the bed (once), and a few bags of mine (now all thrown out). (Plastic)Bags are a fave of them so I keep them out of the way. I think the couch and bed had to do with the dog, angry pee because of her smell. I can’t figure out which one, I only know my oldest and only non-rescue kitty isn’t the one. The cats are mostly restricted to the big winter garden and “their” room (big space where my freezers etc are). I’m holding onto wood here, but it’s going better now and they spend a big more time in the rest of the house. I do however make sure they aren’t in when we go out, or at night.
I would advice you to find a shelter or a farm that’ll take him. Maybe more outdoors, or a “stable” family will help. I just don’t know about putting a cat on permanent drugs, as some said, some cats just need to be “only kids” or just outdoor cats.
Hope you find a solution!
Greets from Belgium!
Posted by: Emily
I don’t know about New York but here in DC we have a shelter that cats who aren’t suited for living in houses to be barn cats out of the city.
Posted by: Jayme
Lose the cat.
Posted by: Suzanne V. (Yarnhog)
It’s so sad that you’re having added stresses here when you should be looking forward to a happy move. just a few thoughts –
1) a no-kill shelter that cages is not necessarily better than euthanizing a cat that may never find a forever home due to in-grained bad behaviors be they biting, scratching, peeing or pooping
2) it’s not really fair to future adopters to not give the whole story on why you’re giving up the cat and it’s not fair to the cat to have to go through several homes and still have no change in behavior – then it just becomes someone else’s hard decision to make – okay I KNOW you would never do that but some do consider it.
3) outside domesticated cats are the #1 predators for songbirds whose numbers are dwindling already. AND are you really sure he’s capable of hunting successfully or defending himself successfully?? Euthanasia is certainly more humane than a cat who has beocme accustomed to an inside life getting in a fight with a experienced outsider and suffering wounded with no medical care/food/water.
DON’T get me wrong – I have 3 labs and I certainly wouldn’t easily make a decision to have one of them euthanized BUT I do know that with my 10 year old, if for some reason I was no longer able to care for her, there are only a handful of people I would allow to adopt her because she can be a little testy/snippy. I would seriously consider euthanasia but it would not be an easy thing. She would go to sleep peacefully rather than me risking her living out her final years chained to a doghouse or caged in a no-kill shelter.
3) it may be worth at least attempting some type of drug regimen that may ultimately be short-term through the move.
AHH – and I’m a regular reader – just don’t post much. You have such a giving heart with your rescues so I know whatever decision you come to will be in keeping with your love of Oscar!
Posted by: robin
OH Oscar – I went back and clicked on Cari’s link to when you arrived (I’d FORGOTTEN how long I been readin’ this here blog!!!!!!!) You are so loved, OSCAR, ya’ really gotta’ get it together. Oh, and it was fun re-reading the pregnancy announcement and looking back here at the cutey-patootie that resulted!!
Posted by: robin
I know EXACTLY what you’re going through. My mother used to say that cats are the only animal capable of spite. Anyone who hasn’t experienced the devestation of cat pee can never understand that the stuff could be used for chemical warfare, and never truly goes away. It only takes once to completely ruin a piece of furniture, or make a room uninhabitable. I feel for you. My only suggestion is cat Prozac ($$) or parting company. That really sucks.
Posted by: Paula
I’ve had cats all my life, and if I had that particular problem, that cat would have bought a one-way ticket to living outdoors 24/7. Once they start that territorial marking thing, it’s time to be territorial right back. And don’t let him mark you when you go outside either. Those affectionate head butts are his way of marking territory, and you need to establish some dominance in this situation. In my cats about a week of the you-may-not-mark-me was enough to establish my dominance when we had disputes. As for the trying to dash inside behavior, one good pop on the nose and he will stop dead in his tracks. Then while “stunned”, you can put him right back outside. If you pop that sensitive nose it really gets their attention, and will stop that unwanted charging back inside every time the door is opened. Good luck. I may sound mean, but I’ve had happy, well-behaved cats and intact furniture for over 30 years.
Posted by: Lee
Forgot to mention… are you keeping the litter box clean enough? You might want to clean it more often and give him a second box elsewhere in the house. Might give him extra incentive to go where he should. I’ve heard of other people that had cat peeing problems fix it that way. Especially if the litter box is upstairs and he is peeing downstairs.
Posted by: Serena
I recently moved and my cat has her own room now. 🙂 LOL I know how sad. Anyway I changed the cat litter on her and she wasn’t please so she peed all over the futon and a pile of clothes I had unpacked but not put away. I wish your fix was as easy as mine.
Posted by: Lisa
I have 4 cats (and 2 dogs) at the house, and no kids yet. I think I had about 6 or so major incidents with the cats where they peed (sp?) on the couch (twice), the bed (once), and a few bags of mine (now all thrown out). (Plastic)Bags are a fave of them so I keep them out of the way. I think the couch and bed had to do with the dog, angry pee because of her smell. I can’t figure out which one, I only know my oldest and only non-rescue kitty isn’t the one. The cats are mostly restricted to the big winter garden and “their” room (big space where my freezers etc are). I’m holding onto wood here, but it’s going better now and they spend a big more time in the rest of the house. I do however make sure they aren’t in when we go out, or at night.
I would advice you to find a shelter or a farm that’ll take him. Maybe more outdoors, or a “stable” family will help. I just don’t know about putting a cat on permanent drugs, as some said, some cats just need to be “only kids” or just outdoor cats.
Hope you find a solution!
Greets from Belgium!
Posted by: Emily
I don’t know about New York but here in DC we have a shelter that cats who aren’t suited for living in houses to be barn cats out of the city.
Posted by: Jayme
Lose the cat.
Posted by: Suzanne V. (Yarnhog)
It’s so sad that you’re having added stresses here when you should be looking forward to a happy move. just a few thoughts –
1) a no-kill shelter that cages is not necessarily better than euthanizing a cat that may never find a forever home due to in-grained bad behaviors be they biting, scratching, peeing or pooping
2) it’s not really fair to future adopters to not give the whole story on why you’re giving up the cat and it’s not fair to the cat to have to go through several homes and still have no change in behavior – then it just becomes someone else’s hard decision to make – okay I KNOW you would never do that but some do consider it.
3) outside domesticated cats are the #1 predators for songbirds whose numbers are dwindling already. AND are you really sure he’s capable of hunting successfully or defending himself successfully?? Euthanasia is certainly more humane than a cat who has beocme accustomed to an inside life getting in a fight with a experienced outsider and suffering wounded with no medical care/food/water.
DON’T get me wrong – I have 3 labs and I certainly wouldn’t easily make a decision to have one of them euthanized BUT I do know that with my 10 year old, if for some reason I was no longer able to care for her, there are only a handful of people I would allow to adopt her because she can be a little testy/snippy. I would seriously consider euthanasia but it would not be an easy thing. She would go to sleep peacefully rather than me risking her living out her final years chained to a doghouse or caged in a no-kill shelter.
3) it may be worth at least attempting some type of drug regimen that may ultimately be short-term through the move.
AHH – and I’m a regular reader – just don’t post much. You have such a giving heart with your rescues so I know whatever decision you come to will be in keeping with your love of Oscar!
Posted by: robin
OH Oscar – I went back and clicked on Cari’s link to when you arrived (I’d FORGOTTEN how long I been readin’ this here blog!!!!!!!) You are so loved, OSCAR, ya’ really gotta’ get it together. Oh, and it was fun re-reading the pregnancy announcement and looking back here at the cutey-patootie that resulted!!
Posted by: robin
I know EXACTLY what you’re going through. My mother used to say that cats are the only animal capable of spite. Anyone who hasn’t experienced the devestation of cat pee can never understand that the stuff could be used for chemical warfare, and never truly goes away. It only takes once to completely ruin a piece of furniture, or make a room uninhabitable. I feel for you. My only suggestion is cat Prozac ($$) or parting company. That really sucks.
Posted by: Paula
I’ve had cats all my life, and if I had that particular problem, that cat would have bought a one-way ticket to living outdoors 24/7. Once they start that territorial marking thing, it’s time to be territorial right back. And don’t let him mark you when you go outside either. Those affectionate head butts are his way of marking territory, and you need to establish some dominance in this situation. In my cats about a week of the you-may-not-mark-me was enough to establish my dominance when we had disputes. As for the trying to dash inside behavior, one good pop on the nose and he will stop dead in his tracks. Then while “stunned”, you can put him right back outside. If you pop that sensitive nose it really gets their attention, and will stop that unwanted charging back inside every time the door is opened. Good luck. I may sound mean, but I’ve had happy, well-behaved cats and intact furniture for over 30 years.
Posted by: Lee
Forgot to mention… are you keeping the litter box clean enough? You might want to clean it more often and give him a second box elsewhere in the house. Might give him extra incentive to go where he should. I’ve heard of other people that had cat peeing problems fix it that way. Especially if the litter box is upstairs and he is peeing downstairs.
Posted by: Serena
I recently moved and my cat has her own room now. 🙂 LOL I know how sad. Anyway I changed the cat litter on her and she wasn’t please so she peed all over the futon and a pile of clothes I had unpacked but not put away. I wish your fix was as easy as mine.
Posted by: Lisa
I don’t suppose the house in Portland has a screened-in porch…
Posted by: Anne
Feliway, multiple boxes, and cat attract litter combo worked for Byron. It’s worth a shot.
Posted by: greeley
Did I ever tell you about the time Buddy decided she didn’t like being at the cabin and let me know by crawling under the covers and pissing right on me! That was a nice wake up.
We stopped taking her to the cabin.
However she was having a stretch of pissing on the bed, the laundry, the dog beds etc. We determined that she hated having to share the catbox with Monk. So we set her up her own special box he can’t get in and change her litter frequently. So far so good!
It doesn’t help you out but I know what you’re going through!
Put wee Oscar up for adoption. He needs a quiet home with few changes. Maybe a nice older person. It’ll be the best for all of you.
Posted by: Ande
It sounds crazy, but we gave our older cat (who didn’t like change) amitryptilin. (Not sure of the spelling, but it’s basically an anti-depressant.) And well, it worked. You can do pills, liquid, etc. – the vet can tell you about it and you can order it from a veterinarian pharmacy (or perhaps fill it at the regular pharmacy. Humans can take it, too.)
I guess it just depends on your comfort level – do you want to pay for antidepressants for a cat? Or would it be best to find him a quiet home? Thumper’s growth is going to bring about a lot of changes during the next few months, and years, and Oscar might not like that! But the anti-depressants, and those Feli-way scent diffusers, might help, too.
Good luck! Oscar looks like our Ziggy. I hope you figure out a good solution. He may have to be a single cat in a single-cat family, with no kids.
Posted by: Bad Hippie
Hi,
Sounds like your kitty is stressed. I found a marvelous product recommended by feline behaviourist Vicki Hall. It helped my cats. It’s called “Feliway”. It mimics cat pheromones and helps calm stressed cats down. I found the plug in works better than the spray and you can use it while introducing cats to new pets/babies/furniture/homes. Hope it helps with Oscar. He looks like a beauty.
Posted by: Geeta Nadkarni
I’ll just throw in my support that sometimes it’s the best thing to admit it’s a bad fit. We almost adopted a cat when I was pregnant, but I opted to place her right off. I knew I wasn’t the right person for her, for cats in general. I’m a dog person (daughter of a breeder) and I don’t have the knack for cat psychology.
Posted by: sophiagrrl
AAAAArgh!! I have no advice, except go for the adoption thing. Seriously. You’ve shown remarkably restraint already, I think. And I say this as a life-long cat owner.
OK, one last ditch attempt.
OSCAR? STOP THAT ALREADY, DUDE!! Cuteness is NOT a licence to ill. Be a man and get over it. NOW. Or I will come over and paint you blue, like your grumpy namesake. See how you’ll like THAT.
Posted by: marrije
After being treated for a UTI, my sister’s cat used to pee all over everything. It continued peeing, so they isolated it in a crate, the large sized one for dogs, they blocked off part of the crate and put the kitty litter tray in that partition and the other side was designated as the cat’s sleeping/play area. They placed the crate in the family room, so that it could still see the other cats in the house (they had 3). I think they kept the cat in there for about a week, until it was trained to use the kitty litter again. After he came out, they would only put him back in if he had another accident. I think it only took a couple of weeks to retrain him, but he hasn’t had a mishap in over 3 years. He’s out and about with the other cats in their house. It’s a bit drastic but it helped their cat, they would’ve heartbroken if they had to let it go.
I hope you find thr right solution for you and your family.
Posted by: eyeleen
I don’t suppose the house in Portland has a screened-in porch…
Posted by: Anne
Feliway, multiple boxes, and cat attract litter combo worked for Byron. It’s worth a shot.
Posted by: greeley
Did I ever tell you about the time Buddy decided she didn’t like being at the cabin and let me know by crawling under the covers and pissing right on me! That was a nice wake up.
We stopped taking her to the cabin.
However she was having a stretch of pissing on the bed, the laundry, the dog beds etc. We determined that she hated having to share the catbox with Monk. So we set her up her own special box he can’t get in and change her litter frequently. So far so good!
It doesn’t help you out but I know what you’re going through!
Put wee Oscar up for adoption. He needs a quiet home with few changes. Maybe a nice older person. It’ll be the best for all of you.
Posted by: Ande
It sounds crazy, but we gave our older cat (who didn’t like change) amitryptilin. (Not sure of the spelling, but it’s basically an anti-depressant.) And well, it worked. You can do pills, liquid, etc. – the vet can tell you about it and you can order it from a veterinarian pharmacy (or perhaps fill it at the regular pharmacy. Humans can take it, too.)
I guess it just depends on your comfort level – do you want to pay for antidepressants for a cat? Or would it be best to find him a quiet home? Thumper’s growth is going to bring about a lot of changes during the next few months, and years, and Oscar might not like that! But the anti-depressants, and those Feli-way scent diffusers, might help, too.
Good luck! Oscar looks like our Ziggy. I hope you figure out a good solution. He may have to be a single cat in a single-cat family, with no kids.
Posted by: Bad Hippie
Hi,
Sounds like your kitty is stressed. I found a marvelous product recommended by feline behaviourist Vicki Hall. It helped my cats. It’s called “Feliway”. It mimics cat pheromones and helps calm stressed cats down. I found the plug in works better than the spray and you can use it while introducing cats to new pets/babies/furniture/homes. Hope it helps with Oscar. He looks like a beauty.
Posted by: Geeta Nadkarni
I’ll just throw in my support that sometimes it’s the best thing to admit it’s a bad fit. We almost adopted a cat when I was pregnant, but I opted to place her right off. I knew I wasn’t the right person for her, for cats in general. I’m a dog person (daughter of a breeder) and I don’t have the knack for cat psychology.
Posted by: sophiagrrl
AAAAArgh!! I have no advice, except go for the adoption thing. Seriously. You’ve shown remarkably restraint already, I think. And I say this as a life-long cat owner.
OK, one last ditch attempt.
OSCAR? STOP THAT ALREADY, DUDE!! Cuteness is NOT a licence to ill. Be a man and get over it. NOW. Or I will come over and paint you blue, like your grumpy namesake. See how you’ll like THAT.
Posted by: marrije
After being treated for a UTI, my sister’s cat used to pee all over everything. It continued peeing, so they isolated it in a crate, the large sized one for dogs, they blocked off part of the crate and put the kitty litter tray in that partition and the other side was designated as the cat’s sleeping/play area. They placed the crate in the family room, so that it could still see the other cats in the house (they had 3). I think they kept the cat in there for about a week, until it was trained to use the kitty litter again. After he came out, they would only put him back in if he had another accident. I think it only took a couple of weeks to retrain him, but he hasn’t had a mishap in over 3 years. He’s out and about with the other cats in their house. It’s a bit drastic but it helped their cat, they would’ve heartbroken if they had to let it go.
I hope you find thr right solution for you and your family.
Posted by: eyeleen