Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: msrisotto on November 23, 2009, 21:07:40 PM
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Hello all, I'm new here so please be nice!
I have a beautiful, nearly 5 month female kitten called Jellybean I'd attach a photo but can't figure it out, duh :-[
We've moved into a house and have been here about a month now (we'd had her a week before we moved).
She's an indoor cat and currently living in our living/dining room full time. I wanted her to have the run of the house while we weren't here but she can't be trusted.
She started off by peeing by the patio door in the living room. This stopped when I put a second litter tray in this place. I haven't been able to fix the other issue though. When i'm in the house, i let her out the living room and she's been peeing on the doormat at the front door (she used to defecate there but she's switched to peeing). So i washed it with a biological solution (Soaked the mat and scrubbed) and put orange peel on it to deter her. When the peel is a day old, she'll go back to pee on the mat. I can't put a tray there as we'll step on it when we walk through the front door and she doesn't mind if she goes in the corner on in the middle and it's a big mat. She didn't mind walking on tin foil when I put that down.
I've had a Feliway plug in diffuser since we moved in, i bought it to help her feel relaxed during the move. I've recently bought the Feliway spray (She's costing me a blimmin fortune!) and i sprayed that on and around the door mat but saw her squatting there soon after!
The previous owners didn't have any pets.
WHY is she still attempting to pee on the doormat?
Would putting her food bowl there help? It's a big doormat so she'd be able to avoid peeing in her food whilst still peeing on the mat.....
I'm desperate for help so thanks in advance!
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:welcome: to Purrs, msrisotto: glad you found us. Everyone will be nice to you on this forum: we don't tolerate unpleasantness :hug:
That being said, many other people will be able to advise on this issue better than I, and they will be along in a moment,
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what happens if you take away the doormat? or is that not possible?
is there anything going on just outside the front door which might make her feel she needs to mark her boundary?
the fact that she also peed by the patio doors does make it sound like a boundary issue
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:welcome:
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:welcome: to Purrs ;D
If this is one of the brown coconut fibre mats I think they feel that its litter and I had a problem with this and the only real solution is to remove it I am afraid.
They are very hard to wash completely to get every bit of smell out and I would be tempted to douse it with bio powder rub it in on both sides and leave it out in the rain to get it really soaked, then use a hose on it or buckets of water to get all remenants of powder and smell out,, put it some where to drip dry ..........that will take for ever if you are here ........sigh........ and then sniff!
If it smells clean then douse it all over with Simple Solution from PAH and leave hanging to dry.
Then try it on the floor again.....if she still uses it as a tray the only way is to get a different sort I am afraid.
Is she neutered yet cos if not she will calm down as soon as she is...........well soonish after ;D
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Hi and :welcome: to Purrs msrisotto ;D
Glad you've found us.
I know your cat is still very young but this link from our guides section may have some helpful info:
http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,26577.0.html
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Thanks SO much for replying! My OH is getting so peed off (pun intended!) he's mentioned getting a different cat, as if that's an option! He's not a cat person (yet..... though she's not helping!)
The doormat is built in so while it can be removed, there's bare concrete under it so it would have to be recovered with either a different door mat or wooden style floorboards to match the rest of the house - a big job if she's just going to pee on it again so a bit of a last resort.
We've just moved in so I have no idea whether it's coconut fibre. I've just had a quick google and i think it is rubber or pvc backed coir 'cos it looks most like this (http://www.shrubs.co.uk/ekmps/shops/shrubscouk/images/manor-pvc-backed-coir-door-mat-40cm-x-70cm-jl-17659-p.jpg)
She hasn't been neutered yet - i'm praying that'll cure it!
I've read a few of the stickies here about spraying and i'm not sure she is because she's squatting? I think it says they don't squat when they spray? I took her to the vet who said she's a healthy cat but how would she know if she's got a UTI? She didn't look like she did much apart from feeling her body a bit.
Oh, we live in a very quiet square with half a dozen houses so there's not much going on outside. I have seen a big cat spraying in our garden but you can't see that from the front door and she doesn't meow or anything when she looks outside.
I might soak it in a bath of bio solution. Where would I get Simple solution from PAH? I've heard i can use surgical spirit which may be easier and cheaper to get hold of.
By the way, she is absolutely determined to pull off any kind of button i happen to have on!! What's the big deal with buttons?! Crazy cat.....
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I've just read the link janeyk posted and she really doesn't look like she's spraying as she's squatting on a horizontal surface, definately no quivering of the tail and spraying the pee around. However, as she used to defacate there, and currently sprints to the mat whenever possible to go, it does still seem territorial.
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she can probably smell strange smells coming in from outside - there is a spray called feliway that can help
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Yeah, I've got the spray. I sprayed it last night and she attempted to wee on the mat 5 minutes after! I sprayed it again this morning and she had a sniff and left though.
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it takes a little while to work - hopefully it will reassure her - also spaying will help
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If it does work, how long do i keep spraying it every day for? It's expensive stuff and uses up fast :Crazy:
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hopefully just until you break the habit but picking that mat up will help as well!
also the point made about the litter is a good one as well, if you use a large litter it might hurt her feet as she gets bigger and heavier - like walking barefoot on Brighton beach!
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hopefully just until you break the habit but picking that mat up will help as well!
also the point made about the litter is a good one as well, if you use a large litter it might hurt her feet as she gets bigger and heavier - like walking barefoot on Brighton beach!
By picking the mat up, do you mean changing it? or just cleaning it?
I was thinking about changing the type of litter, am using wood pellets at the moment (as that is what she used when i got her) so will probably get catsan or something similar.
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Try a finer clumping litter ;)
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Okie dokey, will report back when we've tried the finer clumping litter.
She's got 2 litter trays (Likes to alternate where she does her no.1s and 2s >:(), think it'll be ok to change one of them totally all at once and see if she prefers that or should i take a more graduated approach to switching?
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If she is used to the smell of wood-based litter maybe try OkoPlus, which is clumping but soft like giant breadcrumbs! You could either try changing one tray entirely, or mixing the two litters together.
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Hi,
Just a quick update. I've bought the okoplus litter which she is using. I removed the mat for cleaning and she squatted on the bare concrete :(
She went to go in the bathroom upstairs too which is a new one.
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She's driving me nuts.
She is supervised whenever she leaves the living room now so never actually gets to pee by the front door but it appears that she isn't put off by orange peel, ground pepper, feliway spray and diffuser nearby or having a different type of litter. Not bothered by being sprayed with water either. Tried feeding her nearby and she still attempted to pee in the same place. What else can I do?
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not sure if you have already said - has she seen a vet, she could have an infection
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She has been to the vet but she didn't do any tests or anything more than give her a quick once over and said she seemed perfectly healthy. Should I press for more?
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I would if it were me I think
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When she goes to urinate, I take her to her box and she goes in there instead! Doesn't seem to mind.
Just read something disturbing!:
A WORD ON FEMALE HORMONE TREATMENTS
In the past, female hormones (common brand names: Megace, Ovaban, and depoprovera) have been used to control inappropriate urination. These treatments have not shown as wide success as the newer medications listed above plus they have been fraught with serious side effect potential (mammary cancer and/or induction of diabetes mellitus). We recommend that these hormones be used only as an alternative to euthanasia.
It pictures Feliway! Goodness.
Anyway, Jelly is due to be neutered in January. I'll talk to the vet again about possible UTI type issues. I guess I will just bide my time 'til then.
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I don't think you should wait until then, if it cystitis it is painful
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I see your point but she isn't always peeing outside her box and it doesn't look painful at all to her.
Do you think it would be expensive to take her to the vet?
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depends where you live, my vet charges £28 for a consultation but I know not everyone pays that much, if you are on benefits you can use the pdsa, they are just as good
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I'm not on benefits but am a full time student. I really appreciate your advice so thanks!
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not sure if this helps - haven't been a student for a long time lol
To be eligible, pet owners need to live within the defined catchment area of a PDSA PetAid hospital or PetAid practice and must be receiving financial help with their housing costs through either Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit. This means that one in five UK households is eligible for help by PDSA.
Use the PDSA finder to discover the location of your nearest PDSA PetAid hospital or if there are PDSA PetAid practices in your area.
Alternatively, to confirm what help is available in your area or whether you are eligible for free treatment please use the email enquiry form or call 0800 731 2502 our staff will be happy to help.
http://www.pdsa.org.uk/eligibility.html
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Ok, So she seems to be going in the litter tray which i put in the place she usually goes on the doormat. what do I do now? Gradually move it towards a more convenient place?
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It can be a habit thing so placing her tray in that spot then gradually moving it away as you are doing is a good plan. But do it gradually over a couple of weeks at least... slowly, one bit at a time.
Also DO get registered with the PDSA and get her checked over as soon as you can. Don't wait for neutering (I take it you've got a CP or RSPCA voucher arranged for neutering?). There are a number of medical complaints, including kidney problems, which can cause this kind of thing.
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I do have a CP voucher arranged for neutering but i'm not eligible for PDSA Petaid. I have pet insurance with morethan so i'll see if that will help. Thanks for your reply x
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Thanks to everyones advice, the inappropriate urinating has stopped!
We haven't managed to put the original doormat back as she will pee on it immediately but have put a temporary, different material one down and she doesn't pee there anymore. I really think removing the tray liner helped as well as she digs A LOT and was catching her claws in the liner before.
Many thanks for the advice! x
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Good news indeed, msrisotto. Did her spaying go according to plan?
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Good news indeed, msrisotto. Did her spaying go according to plan?
I dunno, I guess so, I didn't know it was going to be so distressing!
For 3 days afterwards she was still very reluctant to move. She used to follow me all around but I had to carry her upstairs as she really wanted to be upstairs with me but struggled to get up each step, it was obviously painful. The cone was a nightmare, she clearly hated it and couldn't eat with it on without help despite the vets saying she could. She was so miserable! I was devastated for her!
On day 3 I could see what looked like internal bleeding through the patch of shaved fur so I took her to the vets, they said it was bruising, gave her painkillers and she was back to her normal self on day 4. She's fine now. Bloody cats! She put me through it, I was exhausted! Is this normal?!!
Thanks for asking!
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you've been well and truly trained up to be a worried and doting owner, I can see :evillaugh:
glad the worst seems to be over though
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I've never had to deal with a newly-spayed cat but I should think we'll have some experts along in due course.
Glad you're all fine now, anyways :hug:
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I've dealt with lots of newly spayed cats. :evillaugh:
No, your experience is not 'normal'. I suspect what you've gone through is more depression due to the use of the buster collar. I've met lots of cats who 'freeze' if forced to wear a collar and I can't say I blame them as it must feel like they are about to be strangled. :doh: My personal suspicion is that vets insist on them as it bumps up the bill. :innocent: We usually chuck them in a cupboard as soon as we get home. I've got quiet a collection now! :evillaugh: Buster collars do have a good use for cats inclined to worry away at wound sites but most cats actually don't need them, certainly not with a routine spay anyway. :tired:
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I am 100% wrapped round her little finger you're right!
Thanks, the collar only cost £3 so not bumping up the bill massively but anyway yeah, she was miserable. Much happier now though!
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Thanks, the collar only cost £3 so not bumping up the bill massively but anyway yeah, she was miserable. Much happier now though!
Cost of buster collar to vet - 65p, resold to client for £3, profit £2.35 times 20/25 clients per week equals Friday night curry and bevvies plus taxi home for vet. :tired:
Glad to hear she's perked up though. ;) :hug: :hug:
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You're having one of your famous cynical episodes, aren't you, Pinkbear?
:evillaugh: :evillaugh: :evillaugh:
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I think it's more to do with the fact my vet greets me with the expression "You're my skiing holiday". :tired: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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Yep, as I said :rofl:
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Julie, you could do what I do and tell the vets I dont need another collar, I will put it on when I get home - or in the case of the cat I knew would be a problem, I took it with me in the morning!! My vets charged £1.65 last time I needed one. Bruising is unusual in spays, although I have had one cat who ended up with a shaving rash - I had had her glued to avoid a collar, and cos of the rash she had to wear one anyway!!
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Glad the doormat problem was solved!
It could have been the collar upsetting her but like desley i havnt seen routine bruising, maybe it wasnt such a light fingered surgeon.
I think it's more to do with the fact my vet greets me with the expression "You're my skiing holiday". :tired: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
:evillaugh: