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Cat Forum / General Topics / March 2006Help with cat and unacceptable behavior...
I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for a fairly annoying situation... We have a cat, Sally. We've had her since the day she was born, as she's from a litter of kittens my cat had (accidently) back in September '04, so she's about a year and a half old now. She's spayed. She was a strictly indoor cat until she would constantly sneak out, and it got so we could not keep her in anymore. I'm not a fan of cats outside, but we now keep her in our back yard with a tie out lead. About 6 months ago, or so, she started digging and peeing in the house plants - anything she could either reach from the ground or even the plants that are up higher, like the ones on the piano. Anything big enough for her to dig in, she'd make a mess in. Quite often she would dig and we'd wake up in the morning or come home during the day to cat pee in plant dirt and the dirt all out of the plant around the pot. THIS behavior is NOT at all acceptable. Just getting rid of the cat or getting rid of the plants is not an option at this point, as we'd like to keep her as part of our family and keep the house plants as well. We want to do what we can to break her of this habit. She refuses to use a litter box, just out of nowhere, and she uses the plants, boxes of toys or outside. Is there ANYTHING we can do? Can she be 'kennel' trained - as the case with a dog? Should we repot all of the plants with new soil or will that be a pointless waste of money? Is there anything on the market to stop cats from peeing in places they shouldn't - something that actually works? No one's sure where this bad behavior has come from. We've had the plants around for as long as the cat. If nothing works, then we might have to start looking for a better home for her, because it's not just the plants, it is also boxes of toys as well. We can get rid of the plants, but we really can't get rid of the toys, and to be honest, I'm getting tired of sweeping up dirt and finding the cat in the plants, and I'm getting more fed up when I have to constantly toss Lego and other toys in the bath tub to wash and sterilize them so they're not filled with cat urine. Should we try a new, different litter box totally? New litter? ANYTHING? We just can't figure out why she's doing this and we've had very luck trying to break this habit for a couple months now. Anything that's worked that we could try would be greatly appreciated! >About 6 months ago, or so, she started digging and peeing in the house >plants - anything she could either reach from the ground or even the plants >that are up higher, like the ones on the piano. Anything big enough for her >to dig in, she'd make a mess in. Quite often she would dig and we'd wake up >in the morning or come home during the day to cat pee in plant dirt and the >dirt all out of the plant around the pot. You need to get her to the vet NOW. She could have a urinary tract infection; these are very painful. Anytime a cat stops using it's litter box, is cause for concern. If she has a build up of struvite crystals, it can cause a blockage although that is much more common in males. Please call your vet and get her in asap. Anna > >About 6 months ago, or so, she started digging and peeing in the house >>plants - anything she could either reach from the ground or even the [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Anna Is there any other symptoms that may come with this? Something that I could have noticed but not taken note of? I will call and see if this could be the case, see if we can actually get her in asap, just to be sure. >Is there any other symptoms that may come with this? Something that I could >have noticed but not taken note of? >I will call and see if this could be the case, see if we can actually get >her in asap, just to be sure. Very hard to see, but another symptom could be blood in the urine. What you normally do is take your cat to the vet early in the am after taking her box away for the night so that her bladder is full and they take a urine sample from her. Anna > >Is there any other symptoms that may come with this? Something that I > >could [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > sample > from her. I called and am waiting until they get back to me. They said it sounds like it could just be behavior picked up somewhere, but they said they would call back when they had a time available. The only problem with that is she does not use the box anyways. She uses the plants. I notice in the morning when there's dirt scattered all around the plants. She won't use the litter box, and she goes in the night, she uses the plants. We do have a cat carrier for her and no other animal but her has been in it (we have a separate one for the cat, the dog and the chinchilla) so should I try and keep her in the crate over night? I know that's how we're training the puppy because dogs won't mess in small spaces, so he's learning to hold it until he's let outside. Is it worth a try for the cat as well? Even to keep her in it until she sees the vet? If she's not using the litter box at all, you might try a different type of litter at the same time of adding a deterrent on the dirt. She may not like the litter you're using for some reason. Rhonda > The only problem with that is she does not use the box anyways. She uses > the plants. I notice in the morning when there's dirt scattered all around > the plants. If it's not medical and you want to keep the plants (we have very few plants because we have so many animals) -- I'd try putting something over the dirt. We've put aluminum foil over it with pretty good success. You could also try a screen or a grate. One other thing that might help is rocks on top of the dirt, completely covering it. Those are actually pretty trendy, too. Good luck, Rhonda > About 6 months ago, or so, she started digging and peeing in the house > plants - anything she could either reach from the ground or even the plants > that are up higher, like the ones on the piano. Anything big enough for her > to dig in, she'd make a mess in. Quite often she would dig and we'd wake up > in the morning or come home during the day to cat pee in plant dirt and the > dirt all out of the plant around the pot. > If it's not medical and you want to keep the plants (we have very few > plants because we have so many animals) -- I'd try putting something over [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Rhonda For now, we are waiting to hear back from the vet. We have an abundance of aquarium gravel, but I think she'd see that more as kitty litter? Or maybe we could try putting litter in the plants because she seems to not use it anyways. Foil might work. Bags, probably not, since this animals seems to love playing with bags of any sort! >> About 6 months ago, or so, she started digging and peeing in the house >> plants - anything she could either reach from the ground or even the >> plants that are up higher, like the ones on the piano. Anything big >> enough for her to dig in, she'd make a mess in. Quite often she would >> dig and we'd wake up in the morning or come home during the day to cat >> pee in plant dirt and the dirt all out of the plant around the pot. >> If it's not medical and you want to keep the plants (we have very few >> plants because we have so many animals) -- I'd try putting something over [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > use it anyways. Foil might work. Bags, probably not, since this animals > seems to love playing with bags of any sort! Try good old tape. I had two large pots with citrus trees in the living room my cat insisted on using for a littlerbox when I wasn't home. He used his litterbox any other time, probably trying to let me know he didn't appreciate me leaving when he'd rather cuddle for a nap, who knows, he's a CAT! Anyway, I just went back and forth across the top of the pots with masking tape so that there wasn't an opening large enough for him to get into the pot. Cats are weird. Usually if cats are peeing in the wrong place they are ill or you've ticked them off. More times than not it's because they are ticked with the current situation......whatever that is and you may just never know, other than she wants to be outside. We called it Urinary Retaliation around our house. I've owned quite a few cats, all of whom lived past 20 and I'll bet after you get her to the vet you'll find the only thing wrong is she doesn't like the management. Don't get me wrong, it's wise to rule out health problems just to be sure but you HAVE disturbed a routine she was happy (being outside) with and she's going to let you know that doesn't fly in her book. She got outside and LIKED being outside and LIKED digging in the dirt to pee, and now being indoors just doesn't suit......like I said, she's a CAT, not a little person so you aren't going to reason with her. Maybe put in a little cat door so she can go outside. I'm not a big fan of cats outside either but maybe you have a hardcore case. I had one cat that absolutely refused to come into the house *except* to use the litterbox, figure that one out! All my other cats have stayed inside all the time. She's spayed and has her shots. That rules out more kitties and disease. The only other two reasons to keep a cat in the house is for her safety and to help the song birds stop disappearing. If you go day after day shoveling up her dirt mess, your plants and the kids toys all smell like cat pee and you are constantly having to clean them I'd say she's pretty close to danger IN the house, too. Sending her off to somebody else will only stop her from digging in your plants, most likely you'll pass a problem cat that is still peeing and gets passed around until everyone is fed up and she ceases to exist. If you crate her up and she's ticked about that you'll get a double whammy, a yowling, ticked off cat that is peeing in more places. She is a CAT, if cats are not happy NOBODY is happy and they will retaliate if she thinks she's being unjustly punished or not getting her way. After you come back from the vet and if nothing is wrong, think about a kitty door so she can go in and out when she wants. Outdoor cats don't generally live as long, but she might be happier and you could quit shoveling dirt, sterilizing Legos and still have your cat. I think you just happen to have a stubborn cat who wants to be outside, period, no negotiation on her part so you are going to have to make concessions and decisions to make everyone's life easier. Val >>> If it's not medical and you want to keep the plants (we have very few >>> plants because we have so many animals) -- I'd try putting something [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > masking tape so that there wasn't an opening large enough for him to get > into the pot. Cats are weird. Cats are weird. They're so unpredictable and they all seem to have their own destinct personalities. I did pick up some plant spray stuff for cats. It says it has a bad smell to cats and makes them not want to go near anything sprayed with it. It does have a horrible smell and an even more foul taste (as I quickly found on when I went about spraying ALL the plants, even ones she hasn't touched - just to be safe) Maybe tape or something might also help to keep her away. > Usually if cats are peeing in the wrong place they are ill or you've > ticked them off. More times than not it's because they are ticked with the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > said, she's a CAT, not a little person so you aren't going to reason with > her. See, the funny thing is, she DOES go outside all the time. Sure, we try to tie her up, but that doesn't always happen, it seems. She either sneaks out of the house and I couldn't care less to run like an idiot after her, or she sneaks out of her harness and is gone like the wind. She's outside more than not lately, and this has been going on for a while. > Maybe put in a little cat door so she can go outside. I'm not a big fan of > cats outside either but maybe you have a hardcore case. I had one cat that [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > cat pee and you are constantly having to clean them I'd say she's pretty > close to danger IN the house, too. A cat door isn't an option for us at this time. We rent. I know the housing unit wouldn't be impressed if we either (a) cut a big hole in their door to have a cat door - and we also have a big door plus a metal storm door on both front and back or (b) remove their door with a door of our own to allow for a cat door. I kind of enjoy cats outside for the birds. I'm even less of a fan of birds than I am of cats! All the 'songbirds' we have here are those pesky bluejays that screech and horrible magpies that are basically the same! If she just went inside OR just went outside for bathroom breaks, I could manage that. The plants are my job around here, and DH does litter boxes ever since I was not able to when pregnant with our youngest. Now that I'm preggers once again, I'm glad he's kind of kept to doing kitty litter boxes, but, mind you, the darn cat doesn't use them anyways, and seems to pee in the plants. No pooping in the plants, just peeing. > Sending her off to somebody else will only stop her from digging in your > plants, most likely you'll pass a problem cat that is still peeing and [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Val One of the main reasons that I don't want to just ditch her on someone else is because this is the kitten that my son just fell in love with. It's kind of *his cat* (that I buy food for and paid a lot to get her shots and fixed and all that) and I don't think I could just pass her on to someone else just because I don't want to deal with her anymore. Now, the kids... on the other hand... lol I couldn't drop her off at the animal shelter, as I know she's not really a kitten so much anymore, and there's a real good chance she'd not find a new home and would be put down. I'm testing out this spray. I will try something to cover the plant dirt up with. I'm STILL waiting for the vet to call back, but I'll assume that's a good sign that they haven't called back right away because normally if they thought behavior/symptoms were a problem or a concern, they'd have us in right away. So, this might not be something that is a big issue to see the vet over. I'll wait and see. No harm in exploring all possible avenues. . > that is a big issue to see the vet over. I'll wait and see. No harm in > exploring all possible avenues. I successfully used large stones - 2 to 4 inches - placed in my plants' pots. Since it is the dirt that she likes, try mixing it with her litter, then slowly changing it over to the litter substrate only. I hope she is ok. -- Linda Temecula California Turn out the lights when replying Ditto. When one of my cats tried to use a potted plant as a litter box, I covered all the large plants with either polished rocks or a layer of large seashells. However, the real problem is probably medical rather than behavioral. I'm getting the feeling that the original poster doesn't like this cat very much and doesn't want to spend the money taking it to a vet. She wants a quick fix. Staking the kitty out in the yard is plain mean. Cats aren't stupid and know when they aren't wanted. > Ditto. When one of my cats tried to use a potted plant as a litter box, > I covered all the large plants with either polished rocks or a layer of > large seashells. However, the real problem is probably medical rather > than behavioral. Nope, not a medical problem at all, actually. We sprayed all the plants with this cat/plant spray, and we have put some soil in her litter box. > I'm getting the feeling that the original poster doesn't like this cat > very much and doesn't want to spend the money taking it to a vet. She > wants a quick fix. Staking the kitty out in the yard is plain mean. > Cats aren't stupid and know when they aren't wanted. Nothing to do with our cat. Your cat, my cat, that guy down the block's cat... I don't like cats much period. It's my (young) son's cat - that he took a liking to. No, I don't care much to put up even more money on this cat, but I don't hate cats, I just don't really like them, that's all. I've paid, so far, a lot more money for this cat, medically, than I have paid for myself. Spay, deworm, shots up to date, medication when she had an eye infection, once a year checkup, not medical, but her tags and registration, a fee to have the cat living where we live... And keeping kitty in the house is even more mean when she's clearly shown she does not want to stay in the house only. This, again, is behavior that came almost out of nowhere, once we had moved and there's all kinds of stray cats hanging around our back door. I WILL keep the cat contained in our back yard, as medical expenses are one thing that I will glady pay for, but I will NOT pay for the fines that can and do come with cats here that are allowed to wander and are trapped by the management, and when traced back to me, I owe big bucks. This same rule applies to our cat, as well as everyone elses' cat. This also applies for everyone's dogs. Tie the cat up in the yard when we're outside and not risk her getting run over by a bus or car on the busy bus route street we live on, or let her roam free to get poisioned by some random person - yes, this happened to a cat my parents had less than 2 years ago - picked up by the pound, picked up by the management where we live, the cons of letting her roam as she pleases DEFINITELY outweighs the pros. She will remain tied up, supervised by me or my husband, in our yard until we can figure out a way to make a small run that allows the cat some freedom but contains her in our yard. For this to be possible, though, the 2' of snow needs to melt some, we need to plan out something that will work AND we need to also work with the management here, as there are all kinds of rediculous rules and 'standards' for things erected in a back yard, and quite frankly, no pet, be it our cat or our dog, I wouldn't put my pet's out-of-nowhere need to roam free over my family's home. The joys of renting and not owning, I guess, but I am also not about to go out and buy a house because someone is crying I'm so mean by keeping the cat in our yard and following the rules set out long time ago for everyone who has lived here, currently lives here, or will live here in the future. If it comes down to eviction over the animal(s) and it's either get rid of the animal(s) or get out, the pets would have to go. Ooh, I am so cruel and mean, aren't I? Sorry my pets don't sit as high up on my list as my children and family. Just doesn't work like that for us, although I do know for a fact that many people do see their cats as equals to their children, but I've also found that these people are often childless or have grown, adult children. I would not pack up and uproot to satisfy my pet. Just not possible with 3 young kids, 1 more on the way. The only time I have seen this behaviour (pooing in pot-plants etc) was when the cat either ill with furballs, had fleas, had loose motions or the litter box had some fluid accidently tipped into it and the lower litter was moist. They seem to behave the best when everything is normal,..not sick and have clean litter. I;m not sure using a tether is the best thing for a cat. Just my opinion. Jason
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