litter box problems, nail clipping and other sordid details of being a cat owner...

[sujean]

So i have a question about animal behavior that no matter how many animals i have (5 currently), i have yet to become the pet psychic...

although not as interesting or heated of a discussion as whether to declaw or not-which i am of course, being a mother of 4 cats, am totally against declawing...oops did i let the proverbial cat out of the bag and spur another heated and fruitless discussion about whether to declaw a cat or not?

the way i see it, when we discuss, as humans, about how horrible it was that joe warrior got captured in the heat of battle and then tortured by having his fingernails ripped out one by one, no one argues that it wasn't a horrible experience nor do we have someone compare it to getting a vasectomy-because the last time i checked, there aren't any vets out there who have perfected the art of vasectomy on cats or dogs. rather we spay or neuter them b/c let's face it, is the cat or dog really going to decide after 15 years of having been sterile that "hey, i've decided to have a litter again so sew me back up, doc, we're going for the whole kit and kaboodle. i believe granny kitty over there is ready to have another litter at 10 years old..."

but i digress. i suppose after reading thread after thread from idiots asking whether or not their "children" should have their fingernails removed well, i get a bit aggrevated.

now that i have your attention...

some of you have followed my saga about one of my 4 darlings pooping outside of the litter box. i thought (in my brilliant motherhood), i figured it out and she was pooping outside of the box b/c she didin't like to poop without a nightlite on. well, you guessed it, she started again...so it took me all this time to figure out who was really the culprit (sue me, my babies don't like to do their business when i am staring at them!)

so for days i have a video camera taping the scene of the crimes. of course, she's not falling for it and is a good girl for days. Well, tonight, i caught her red handed. and let me tell you, she as not being secretive about her pooping no-no!! while i enjoyed a glass of wine with by dear patient husband, nina walks right over to her no-no spot, pops a squat, and let's one loose!!

Well, this is my issue now that i knwo who the culprit is. when i went to clean it up, i noticed there were quite a few tapeworms in the feces. do you think she is now to the point of saying, "look, i tried to give you a hint and you haven't gotten it so here's my s***brick and look at the worms! now take care of it!!!"

Do you think she has deliberately pooped in front of me outside the box to show me her tapeworm?? help me understand why she is pooping outside the box!! i need sylvia the pet psychic!!!

[krdahmer]

how many litter boxes do you have?

[sujean]

i have 4 cats and 4 boxes. let me tell ou what we have tried:

-we started with 2 boxes, which everyone was fine with until recently. so we added another, then another. we are now at 4 boxes
-we have tried different types of boxes, hooded, non hooded, one with a door, one w/o a door, a dome chaped box, a square box...
-we have put the boxes in different places (in case of the need for absolute privacy)
-we have put all types of litter boxes and litter in the spot she poops. (keeping in my mind that if i move the boxes to another location, she follows the box and poops a couple of feet away from the box...no matter the location)
-we have chenged to different types of litter (in case she doesn't liek the texture, or brand, or scent vs. non scent)
- we have cleaned the boxes 2-3 times a day-to make sure of absolute cleanliness-i thought i might start using them b/c they were becoming cleaner than my own toilets!!)
-we have praised her for when she does use the box
-we have scolded her for NOT using the box
-have given her her own room for ABSOLUTE privacy (leaving my office to float in the living room...)
-we have given her extra attention (for fear that she was not getting enough and was lashing out)

*sigh* the list goes on as to what i have done to make this behavior stop.

[Sneaky2006]

So I take it you're going to the vet about her worms, right?
After you get that taken care of, then see if she still wants to poop out of the box.... it very well may be the cause!

[sujean]

clearly my vet has gotten a visit from the herd here. of course, he gave me pills the size of new hampshire to shove down 4 cats throats (piece of cake, right?) however, he has suggested to treat them for fleas (b/c that's where tape worm comes from) for a month before administering these pills as they are expensive and difficult to give to cats. so we are waiting one more week before we must do the deed...

[krdahmer]

LOL....man can I sympathize.... I have one more day of "administering" pills to my three!!!

I tried the 'hide it in the food' method...but these critters are too crafty for that! It's easiest to show them the treats they will get as soon as they are done with me shoving the pill down their throats!!! LOL The 'distract and shove' method!!!

Anyhow good luck to ya...

[Lucky Rescue]

LOL - your post is very entertaining.

Yes, the tapeworms could cause the out-of-box pooping experience of the yucky kind!

You need to treat the worms asap before this pooping becomes an ingrained habit with her!

[sujean]

Surprisingly (or not) I have not had incident since the night of the deed...in my shock of finding my poor nina doing the deed on my new flooring, i must have startled her (with a loud yell of "NINA!! HOW COULD YOU???? NOOOOOO!!!!" and a prompt direction to the litter box).

well, it could also have something to do with the fact that I put their food bowls on the spot to discourage the behavior with the thoughts that this may be where they have to eat from now on (of course i know better b/c i can't have them eating at the front door forever...). Nina was reluctant to eat there at first (with good reason!! she poops there!!) but she is eating just fine. Furthermore, i am hoping that while the food has subsided the behavior, it will not change location!!

[chico2]

Thank's for the laughs,you are hilarious

[sujean]

well, thank you, i try...i will post again after our first round of pills, that should prove to be beyond hilarious...