A little cat psychology??

[Inisfad]

I'm a new member, and it seems that a lot of these threads often end with advice to see a vet, etc. Well, I have a problem that is not medically based, so hopefully some members will have creative suggestions for this. I presently have 8 cats and 1 dog, all of whom were strays or abandoned, etc. The cat I currently have a problem with is Frisky, who was owned since she was a kitten, by a very elderly friend of mine, who was a real 'cat lady'. (Regrettably, this also meant that my friends house had that real catty smell, and her cat seemed to pee anywhere it wanted to.) This friend passed away 2 years ago, and having promised her that I would take Frisky, I did so. This took quite some time, as Frisky was not used to other people and was very nervous. It took about 6 months of going up to this friend's (now abandoned) house to feed Frisky 2x a day, until she got used to me enough to take her home with me. In any event, after about 6 months or so, Frisky seemed to fit in with my brood. However, she doesn't like to go out (and at the times that she does, she seems to scurry along the base of walls, etc., like a frightened mouse). FYI, I live on a farm so there is no traffic, etc. Anyway, I have a cat litter pan which is cleaned twice daily, but Frisky will not use the pan if anyone has been in it before her. She has found a place in the corner that she likes to use, so I put a special pan there, that only she uses. But, if she has used it once, she will not use it again. As I am away during the day, this often causes a problem, and Frisky will pee in other places while I'm away. This came to a head yesterday, when she peed on the keyboard of my computer. I know that she came from a home where, for years, she could pee anywhere, but I'm at my wits end and don't know what to do. Any suggestions?? (This seems to be a rather long-winded thread...sorry!!)

[vfrohloff]

Welcome to pets.ca! Firstly, I think it's great that you took in this cat. However, when you say it's not a medical problem, I'm wondering how you can be sure of that. Has she seen a vet? Urinary tract infections can go undetected for a very long time and can cause problems using the litter box. I'd take her to the vet for a urinalysis just in case.

So, if it turns out not to be a medical issue, how many litter boxes do you have in your house? You should have one for every cat plus an extra, so with 8 cats you should have at least 9 litter boxes. But, since you have a cat with peeing issues, I would suggest adding an extra one or two boxes. The problem with having that many cats is that cats can be very territorial, especially about where they do their business. Some cats won't go in a dirty box, other cats won't pee and poop in the same box, some won't go in a box where another cat has been (hence the need for multiple boxes), and some cats don't really care either way. Also, are you 100% sure it's Frisky doing the peeing? With that many cats in your house I would suspect that she may not be the only one doing it. Is there a way you can confine her to her own room while you are gone from the house? If you can do that, and put a few boxes in the room then she won't have the dirty litter box to contend with while you're out and it will get her in the habit of using a litter box every time she has to go. Also, if it is an issue of territory, putting her in her own room for a few hours each day will give her a bit of a break from the others. Some cats can't handle the stress of a multi cat household and just need to be away from it for a while to feel safe. What kind of litter do you use? I have had problems with some of my cats and scented litter, their noses are very sensitive and peeing in the litter box releases the odor of scented litter which, to a cat, may be a rather offensive smell. I use unscented clumping litter and find it works the best to attract the cats to use the box.

Good luck with Frisky, it's not an easy problem to resolve. Just keep in mind that she's not doing it to offend you, she's likely doing it because she's feeling insecure.

[Inisfad]

Thanks, Vfrohloff, for your suggestions. Frisky has been checked out with the vet and all ok there. I had to smile thinking about 8 or 9 litterboxes here, and must tell you that we live in Ireland in an unheated farm house (actually heat in 2 rooms - the kitchen and back pantry) so that no one (sometimes myself included) wants to venture out of the kitchen. It's a farm, so all of my cats except Frisky and one other, go out to do their business, except when they get caught short during the night. I put 'turf mold' in the box (we heat with turf/peat and the mold is like outside soil that you would find in your garden). As she's nervous, I think you're right about Frisky wanting to do her thing privately, but I do have a special box just for her in the back pantry. She has acclimated well with the other cats, and sleeps rolled up with them on the couch, etc. But she will pee in other places, even when her own litter box has just been cleaned. Usually it will be on a piece of newspaper that she finds by my chair, which normally is ok with me. But the computer keyboard!! I don't know what she was thinking about!!

[badger]

Tough problem, particularly when you have so many moggies. I wonder if you put shredded paper in her box, she would like it better, since she seems to be drawn to paper.
The computer keyboard caper is just inexcusable!! Maybe you could cover it with foil, which would make her pee splash back on her. They hate that and generally will avoid going in that place again. There are also sprays which repel them, sorry don't know any names.
Peat fires? Unheated rooms? I am dying of envy.