Maeby i got a cat. Your advice, give me it. EDIT: WATER BOTTLE AT THE READY FYI

[Coren]

Its kinda sounding like a territorial issue to me if shes peeing on everything. Have you tried removing your other animals for a few days to see what she does??

You could also look at training her to use the toilet instead of a box. Since it would remain clean for her.

I actually purchased one of those toilet training things. After a few months, she got tired of it and stopped using it, even if I left her alone in the bathroom with it on the smallest setting. She'd pee on the floor in the bathroom rather than hop up there to pee.

[Ashmada]

You mentionned having a backyard, have you tried training your cat(s) to pee/poop outside?

I've always had cats* (though rarely by choice), only ever had a litterbox when they were kittens: when the adult cats want to pee or shit, they just ask for the door.
At night or when there's no one home, they're outside as well.
No kennel, fence or anything of the sort.

The advantage is that it's easier to train the cat to ask for the door than to train it to always urinate/defecate in a specific, small predetermined spot.
With an adult cat, a couple of days to a week usually suffices.
The other advantages are that you have no litterbox to clean and nothing to buy.

Obviously, if you live near a very busy road (though tbh, adult cats usually know to avoid cars) or have cat-killing neighbours (the fools), that might not be viable.

*currently, officially 2 (Fatty and Bitch) and a deaf stray (Guy) that never stopped leaving the proprerty at some point (but usually stays in the yard, Fatty doesn't let him enter the house)+the neighbours' cats and a few other strays wandering around/chasing squirrels/drinking from the pond.

[MaachaQ]

I had a cat back in the US that began peeing in weird places, even though she had a clean litter box and was allowed to go outside whenever she wanted. This behavior started around the time we moved in with my parents with our 2 kids; the cat had been living with my parents for at least a year before we moved there, since our new apartment hadn't allowed pets. The behavior did not stop after my family moved out of my parent's house (to Korea and had to leave the cat behind), and my parents eventually got fed up and took her to a shelter. They didn't tell me when they did it, so I have no idea what happened to her. Chances are they took her to the pound, meaning I'm 99% sure she was put down as an older cat with behavior problems. I can't help you with your situation, but I agree that having an outside pen is a far far better solution than taking her to a shelter.

Poor Wakaba, I miss you T.T (she's the brown tabby, the B&W belonged to my college roommate and is still alive and well)

[Coren]

You mentionned having a backyard, have you tried training your cat(s) to pee/poop outside?

I've always had cats* (though rarely by choice), only ever had a litterbox when they were kittens: when the adult cats want to pee or shit, they just ask for the door.
At night or when there's no one home, they're outside as well.
No kennel, fence or anything of the sort.

The advantage is that it's easier to train the cat to ask for the door than to train it to always urinate/defecate in a specific, small predetermined spot.
With an adult cat, a couple of days to a week usually suffices.
The other advantages are that you have no litterbox to clean and nothing to buy.

Obviously, if you live near a very busy road (though tbh, adult cats usually know to avoid cars) or have cat-killing neighbours (the fools), that might not be viable.

*currently, officially 2 (Fatty and Bitch) and a deaf stray (Guy) that never stopped leaving the proprerty at some point (but usually stays in the yard, Fatty doesn't let him enter the house)+the neighbours' cats and a few other strays wandering around/chasing squirrels/drinking from the pond.

I'm about 8 houses down from a 5-lane highway, and I'm on the only entrance to a 400-house neighborhood. Cars are definitely a concern. The bigger concern is other animals, though.

I have attempted to train her to go outside to pee/poop, but I could never get her to go reliably to the door. She was just fine peeing wherever she felt like.

[Plow]

Putting her in a room-size cage is better than just dumping her outside to fend for herself or having her put down? I should probably just stop wasting my time discussing this right now....

Do you not understand that the reason shelters put them down is so they don't have to live shitty lives in cages or as strays?

I read a LOT of the reviews on that collar. It has just barely over a 50% review (figure you cannot give a 0-star review, so it has 2.5 out of 4). A lot of the negative ones were major issues. Only a few of the positive ones mention fixing pee problems. I did like the one guy's suggestion to cut it into pieces and attach that to their normal collar.

4 of the first 10 reviews say it fixed peeing problems for them. 1 of the first 10 says it didn't work for them.

Every other negative is about it being a non-breakaway collar, or a lady that didn't want her cat to have to smell it because she wouldn't want to (hint: it's designed to be a pleasant scent for cats).

Guess what? All of the issues with it being a collar are fixed by trying the dispenser version.

http://www.amazon.com/Feliway-Plug-I...supplies_img_c

^ first link I found, it was pretty tough, right at the top of the page for the collar

Do you think I'm taking this lightly? I have tried almost every suggestion you can find online to fix her problem, including attempts at retraining her numerous times, adding litter boxes (I had 4 at one point in a 2000sq ft house), using an automatic litter box, isolating her from the other animals, sprays that supposedly keep her from peeing in certain places (unless I douse the entire house in it, she just found new spots), leash-training her to go outside and pee (failed), cleaning her messes thoroughly with enzyme shit (again, just goes in new corners), etc. Unless you are volunteering to adopt her, putting her outside or taking her to a shelter are the two realistic options I have left. Since I don't want to take her to a shelter where she'll be put down in a few days (the no-kill ones around here are overfull), keeping her in a super-sized cat pen is as good as I can do to keep her from pissing on my house AND to keep her safe.

Yeah, it's too bad there's nobody sitting around trying their damnedest to get you to try other options, I'm sure if there were you wouldn't be "taking them lightly" and blowing off their suggestions because you don't understand, or care enough to find out about, basic animal biology.

I didn't make the original post so that a few people that know everything in the universe could come lecture me. It was basically to solicit advice on how to make the best, most comfortable cage/pen possible. I'm well aware that having free run of the house is better, but she blew that chance after peeing on my shit for 5 years straight, despite my best efforts. My kid takes precedence over the cat.

First, you asked if it was a terrible idea specifically, and it is. However, I would have said so even if you hadn't asked.

If you think I'm a dick, that's fine, if it actually helps a cat have a better life, then that's awesome.

[Plow]

or you could try:

paw gel: http://www.amazon.com/Nutri-Vet-Pet-..._petsupplies_7

treats: http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Naturals-C..._petsupplies_1

more treats: http://www.amazon.com/Vetri-Science-..._petsupplies_3

lysol-type spray: http://www.amazon.com/Feliway-Behavi..._petsupplies_3



should I go on? like, seriously, do you want more options?

if "she blew her chance" and you're not going to try, please find her a new home

[BaneTheBrawler]

I think your attitude put him off is all, Plow. At first I thought the hutch would be a good idea but tbh the more I think about it the less I agree with it. Even if you only put her in there while you're at work/asleep, that's still roughly 16 hours a day. Even if you make it large, it's still not going to have any of the open spaces your house will have, and she's going to be separated from her friends. That being said, if you allow all the animals free access (in/out whenever they want via catdoor or something) to this hutch thing, it might still help. It would increase the area in which she's liable to pee (Thus reducing the peeing in the house, statistically) and perhaps you can use it to train her. Put all the litterboxes in there, something like that.

Also, try the gadgets Plow's suggesting. Worst that happens is you waste a little bit of money. You're spending more than that on a hutch, anyway.

[Plow]

An enclosure just to let them get outside part of the time is a fantastic idea, if that's all it's for. Just not to keep one in as her primary home.

check this shit out

http://catioshowcase.com/


http://catioshowcase.com/wp-content/.../2011/05/6.jpg

[Coren]

Something along those lines is what I'm after. I don't have a 5000 budget, but that's the idea.

I think it's funny that while you think a cage is the Worst Idea Ever, you're OK with drugging your pets. Nearly every single link you've sent me is some kind of "calming" drug. There's a reason why I've never really considered them even though it's easy to find 80 varieties of them: it's to drug your damn cat. Is drugging her really better than putting her in a cat mansion with all that shit in the pictures for half the day?

[Kalmado]

Sorry Coren, but I'ma jack your peeing issue portion of this thread! My year or so old cat (vet said she's around 14 months, we adopted) is your typical playful crazy kitten. She's also a maine coon calico so she's badass! So, potty problems... the first month we had her there were no problems at all. I had been using Feline Pine pellets as that's what I used with my previous cat. After about 5 weeks, she started peeing on the bed in our guest bedroom. Then, she started peeing on our bed. We took her to the vet and of course health wise she's fine. We started making sure the box was cleaned at least once a day. She stopped peeing on both beds. After a week, we noticed she was still using her box, but would occasionally pee right next to the box. So, we got a second box. Things were good for a few weeks. We changed up the litter too and started using the cat attract litter which was good, but she still occasionally pees right next to the box! She isn't declawed(sp?) and I've noticed she paws the hell out of the sides of the boxes. We bought one of those rubber mats and put it in front of one of the boxes and she'll pee on that sometime too.

We just don't get it. She's the only pet, has food/water always, tons of attention, etc. She doesn't pee anywhere else, only right next to the box. It's as if we have to clean the box every time right after she goes. Maybe we will. Anyone have any ideas why this happens or is this strictly our cat being a moody priss about her box/litter?

[Alolbont]

Sounds like shes just picky. Couple things to try, look into a larger litterbox, I use a large booda dome which has a built in ramp and a nice deep place for digging. I also use johnny cat xl liners since its an awkward shape. I would try changing the litter up again as well. Im a huge fan on fresh step naturals. Clumps well and no smell.

For both of you, how often do you change the litter and clean boxes, not just scoop. I change my litter out once a week and then take some bleach spray and wipe it all down.

Also the picking thing is normal. My newer cat will literally spend 5 minutes picking the liner bag or scratching the sides to clean his paws.

[Kalmado]

We haven't done the best job replacing all the litter with fresh and then bleaching the boxes. I'll look into the dome w/ramp. That sounds awesome! We actually stopped using the liners because of how bad our cat claws the bags, all the litter just goes out the bottom of the liner anyways!

[Plow]

Something along those lines is what I'm after. I don't have a 5000 budget, but that's the idea.

I think it's funny that while you think a cage is the Worst Idea Ever, you're OK with drugging your pets. Nearly every single link you've sent me is some kind of "calming" drug. There's a reason why I've never really considered them even though it's easy to find 80 varieties of them: it's to drug your damn cat. Is drugging her really better than putting her in a cat mansion with all that shit in the pictures for half the day?

So should I bother explaining to this dude or just give up? I feel really bad for the cat ><, dude has no understanding of the mental aspects of animal care whatsoever.

[Coren]

So should I bother explaining to this dude or just give up? I feel really bad for the cat ><, dude has no understanding of the mental aspects of animal care whatsoever.

You should just give up. Clearly I want to torture and sacrifice her to the flying spaghetti monster.

What you say just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. You appear to honestly believe that drugging her or having her put to sleep is better than keeping her in a 16ft wide, 8ft tall playground. And the best part is you're a giant asshole about it. So yes, fuck off, and take your condescending bullshit with you.

[Plow]

Tell you what, I'll just put it like this:

Your statement about not wanting to "drug your cat" is akin to a parent of a child with iron deficiency anemia refusing to give the kid iron supplements because they don't want to "drug their kid."

Anyway, I'll say one more time: Please find your cat a new home. What you're planning is straight up wrong, and it's clear you not only don't understand, but actively refuse to try to understand why.

[Plow]

You should just give up and piss off. Clearly I want to torture and sacrifice her to the flying spaghetti monster.

Feel free to call the ASPCA and tell them about your plans, don't forget to give them your address.

[Kalmado]

when i moved to florida from Ohio I drove with my old cat. 22 hours. I drugged my cat with stuff recommended from a vet. My cat was a peach the entire trip. I'm a bad man for doing that!

[Plow]

This isn't even close to like that, I'm actually not a fan of that kind of stuff but it's a pretty well accepted practice these days. Was kind of a bitch to find a vet that would do grooming and stuff without gassing my kitty.

Basically the main reason cats will pee in strange places is that it puts their pheromones in the air, which comforts them. The collars, dispensers, sprays, etc. are all just mimicking those pheromones that the cat is trying to fill its environment with by pissing everywhere. It's not really a drug at all, though a lot of them will also include plants that cats like to also be like aromatherapy basically.

[Ddz]

I skipped the 2nd and 3rd pages but I'd remove the food and water bowl from the carpet area. That'll ruin your rug after some time with food and water everywhere. Cute kitty dole!

[Isawa]

Off topic, but what's a good way to get a kitten to calm down and/or not scratch during the night?