Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Susanne (urbantigers) on January 08, 2010, 10:18:44 AM
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Jaffa sprayed again this morning. It's several months since he last did it, but I'm at my wits end dealing with it. I just don't know what I can do to prevent it. I'm certain he doesn't have a uti - in the past I have taken a sample along to the vets to test and it has always been negative and with his history of occasional spraying to get attention, I'm sure this is the same. I dont' think it's the new litter either as he is using the tray fine and, again, it's not like he's just done it for the first time. He has never done this when I'm out or in another room - it's always right in front of me.
I woke up just before my alarm went off and Jaffa woke up too and jumped down from the bed and started whining for attention. I had no intention of getting up straight away so called him over to the bed for cuddles. He jumped up on the bed and got a bit of fuss. Jaffa tends not to sit still for cudldles often so as usual he walked around the bed, onto the bedside table etc and getting a fuss everytime he passed. At one point he did sit down for a bit so that I could stroke him. He started purring and seemed happy and content. Then he went under the bed and before long I heard the unmistakble sound of him spraying. I shouted at him (probably a mistake I admit, but understandeable!) and after a few "Jaffa No" he stopped and emerged from the bed. I hadn't actually known where he was, I could just hear him. I looked behind the bed and could see it was a bit wet on the wall and on the carpet. Mosi was on the bed but at the bottom and lying by the radiator (ie not getting any attention). I do think jealousy of Mosi getting attention can be an issue, but Mosi was not getting any and Jaffa was.
I'm so frustrated because it's like he just whines for attention whenever he wants it and if I don't leap up and give him 100% attention, he sprays. This morning he was actually getting attention so why go and spray? Last time he did this was several months ago and it was in the living room. I'd come in from work, given him some attention and then fed him. Then I put on the tv and ignored him and so he sprayed. I've always caught him in the act and before he gets much out so cleaning up isn't a huge problem, but today it was a pain as I can't pull the bed out without moving half the bedroom furniture - not really what I wanted to do at 6am! This is why I had the problem with him crying during the night and was scared to ignore him. He doesn't do that now and generally sleeps through until a reasonable hour, but it seems that unless I jump to attention the second he wants, he will show his displeasure in this way. Any ideas as to how I can deal with this? I don't have any feliway at the moment, but I'm not sure it's anxiety related. It really does seem to be deliberate attention seeking. Normally I would try to ignore attention seeking as I dont want to reward the behaviour. But it's instinctive to respond when he's spraying and I really don't want to just ignore him and let him continue when he's doing it.
He has done this about 6-7 times in the last 3 years or so it's not a regular thing, but it's often enough to make me anxious every time he's mooching around. I will now be scared every time he goes under the bed (he used to do it against the wardrobe so now I have magzines down there so that if he sprayed it wouldn't go on the carpet).
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So Jaffa was on the bed when you both woke up, but jumped off after the alarm? He possibly wasn't trying to get fuss then, but food or maybe to be let out of the room/house? (I don't know the situation with regarding letting cats in and out at your home. ;))
He's obviously trying to train you.....the cat next door sprays if he isn't let out immediately when he cries at a door. He;s also started going into my shed and spraying as a territory marker unfortunately..... :tired:
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So Jaffa was on the bed when you both woke up, but jumped off after the alarm? He possibly wasn't trying to get fuss then, but food or maybe to be let out of the room/house? (I don't know the situation with regarding letting cats in and out at your home. ;))
He's obviously trying to train you.....the cat next door sprays if he isn't let out immediately when he cries at a door. He;s also started going into my shed and spraying as a territory marker unfortunately..... :tired:
No, he did want fuss. He sleeps on the bed but when he wakes up he's not the kind of cat who will lie beside you being fussed. He gets up and wanders around the bedroom, on the bed, walking around the bed, standing on the bedside table and knocking things over with his chin (just by rubbing his head against them). He was on and off the bed. He probably did want food too but he knows he doesn't get that until I've showered, done the litter tray and made my packed lunch! He wants me to get up and follow him around and just generally give him my full attention. My lying in bed half asleep is not good enough. All the doors were open so he could go wherever he wanted and he doesn't go outside.
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And he's only sprayed 6-7 time in three years?
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Blip's attention-seeking behaviour is to scratch soft furniture and she does do this from time to time in similar circumstances. Based on this, my hunch is that Jaffa wanted food.
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And he's only sprayed 6-7 time in three years?
Yes. Maybe 7 or 8 but it is just an occasional thing. He never did it before then and I know Mosi is the ultimate cause. But I'm a bit baffled as to why he would do it this morning when he was receiving cuddles and was purring away and seemed like a happy contented cat. But he is demanding and has a special attention seeking whinge that he uses several times a day and which means "I'm here and I want attention. Get out of bed/off the chair and come over to me and fuss me".
Based on this, my hunch is that Jaffa wanted food.
Maybe. But how do I stop it? I'm not leaping out of bed at 6am to feed him. esp as that would just cause him to whine earlier and earlier. As he has wet food, leaving it in a feeder is a non starter. He has his supper at 11pm or sometimes a bit later so it's not like he's starving.
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Based on this, my hunch is that Jaffa wanted food.
Maybe. But how do I stop it? I'm not leaping out of bed at 6am to feed him. esp as that would just cause him to whine earlier and earlier. As he has wet food, leaving it in a feeder is a non starter. He has his supper at 11pm or sometimes a bit later so it's not like he's starving.
I usually put Blip's wet food breakfast in an automatic feeder with an ice pack beneath it and it's fine. I do this because Blip also likes to eat early (04.00 in her case). She hasn't agitated for food any earlier and we've been doing this for about nine years.
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Yep, was going to suggest a timed feeder. ;)
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Now that I come to think of it, it is usually in the mornings before breakfast that he does this so it is probably food. Although he has done it in the evening a couple of times after eating, so not food then.
Trouble with a timed feeder is that I can't be sure which cat eats what, and tbh I dont want him having breakfast too early. I'd have to feed them again before leaving for work as they don't get another meal until I'm back from work. Most of the time they are fine. While I've been off work over xmas, they've not been waking up until nearly 7am and I'm happy to get up at that time to feed them then go back to bed.
We all woke up at about 5.30am this morning (not sure who woke who) and I'm afraid I shut the pair of them out the back. I am in work today so had to get up 6ish but no way was I getting up at 5.30 and I knew I couldn't relax while Jaffa was mooching about after yesterday. To his credit, he didn't moan or whine about it at all and I ended up sleeping in :scared: In fact, we had no whining or crying at all about anything even when I got up. It was as though the little lad knew he had to make amends, bless.
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No re-occurance but I confess I've reverted to shutting them out of the bedroom the minute they wake up while I go back to bed for a little longer as I know I couldn't relax lying in bed dozing with Jaffa wandering around the bedroom. Poor boys suffered with this on friday evening as I was very tired so decided to go and have a lie down about 8pm. The boys followed me as expected but then Jaffa went under the bed and started sniffing at the same place (I did clean it with biological washing powder and surgical spirit) so the pair of them were ushered out into the back room. I expected to just doze for a bit but next thing I knew I was woken at 11.30pm by crying. Poor lads had been shut out all that time.
This is one of those occasions when I wish I could talk to him and ask him why he does it. It's so frustrating not knowing why but I suspect you are on the right lines with food. But Jafa always wants food.
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Franta is a whiner and an attention seeker and due to him being ill I have tried to make sure he has food available all the time and Ducha too cos he doesnt eat enough.
I leave food down in bedroom overnight, both wet and dry and water and up to about 3-4 weeks ago was having to get up at around 0530 to put new food down but this now has stopped , so food goes down when I go to bed, couldbe 0200-0300 and then no more until I finally get up and right now is working fine, maybe cos its dark until late and also cold.
How old is Jaffa now. my guess is that he is around 10? If so he is moving into a time of life where this will get worse not better and agree with Christine this is food oriented and he is telling you he is hungry, not unreasonable at this time of the year.
Another thing that has changed is your heating situation and this may have confused him a bit.
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He's done it again - grrrr!!** This time it was in the bathroom in the shower. better place for cleaning at least. Same situation. I woke up just before 6am and the pair of them were on the bed snoozing and not agitating for anything. Obviously they stirrred when they sensed movement from me so I gave them both a bit of fuss, with Jaffa getting the most. My alarm was set for 6.10am so I fussed Jaffa until then and got up as soon as the alarm went off. I then gave them more fuss in the living room. Went into the bathroom and Jaffa was mooching around as usual so I talked to him and fussed him everytime he came close enough for a fuss. While I was washing my teeth, he walked along the edge of the shower so I stroked what I could reach of him (only really his tail). I talked to him for the next minute or so and actually thought he had walked out of the bathroom. But when I looked around the shower curtain, he was spraying the back of the shower unit >:( >:( He didn't agitate any further for food or anything and actually sat nicely on the bed beside me while I got dressed.
I think you are probably right about the food but I'm not sure I want to go down the auto feeder route yet. Apart from anything else, it's a small flat and I would be woken by the sound of the auto feeders opening. And if he got used to them opening at 5am or 5.30am then I'm sure he'd start agitating for it earlier. He didn't have his supper (a full pouch) until 11.30pm last night so while he might want something to eat, he can't be overly hungry. Jaffa doesn't have dry food, but if I left any food out overnight it would all go in one go before bedtime. Jaffa is not a grazer! Plus, with 2 cats on different foods, I can never be sure who is eating what if I leave food out. Jaffa has a mix of senior and all stages food whereas Mosi obv doesn't have the senior and is allowed some stuff that Jaffa isn't allowed cos it's high in phosphorus (eg hi life).
Gill - Jaffa is 12.
** this is driving me mad but Jaffa is still my purrfect boy and I love him unconditionally.
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. Jaffa doesn't have dry food, but if I left any food out overnight it would all go in one go before bedtime. Jaffa is not a grazer! Plus, with 2 cats on different foods, I can never be sure who is eating what if I leave food out. Jaffa has a mix of senior and all stages food whereas Mosi obv doesn't have the senior and is allowed some stuff that Jaffa isn't allowed cos it's high in phosphorus (eg hi life).
Have you tried Susanne? it may initially but once he knows that there will be food there all the time he may not bother wolfing it all down. It is difficult though when cats can't eat the same foods and sometimes difficult trying to fathom out what is going on too and must be frustrating :hug:
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I wish I could suggest something hun :hug: :hug:
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I think you are probably right about the food but I'm not sure I want to go down the auto feeder route yet. Apart from anything else, it's a small flat and I would be woken by the sound of the auto feeders opening.
One thing I can say is that the one we have is very quiet and would have to be in the same room to wake you up.
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mine dont make a noise opening
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Mine make a noise as they rotate. Other feeders I've tried dont' work as Mosi just nudges them around the kitchen. These are heavy duty digital ones. The kitchen isn't far away from the bedroom so I'd hear them unless I was deeply asleep. I left dry food down when Jaffa was a kitten but by about 6 months he was gobbling the day's supply for him and Magpie before I'd even left for work. He will eat and eat. If there's food down he will scoff it. I might have to try it but I try to avoid them when possible as it is because I need to make sure Jaffa doesn't eat the wrong stuff. I'm conscious of his age and the fact that his kidney values were borderline a few years ago (due to dehydration before a dental) so I'm careful not to give him anything bad for an older cat.
This is one of those occasions when I just wish they could talk. I'd love to have a chat with him about it and just ask him what he wants! I hate to think of him being unhappy or wanting something and me being too thick to understand what he's trying to tell me.
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I so agree with the last sentance and always wished that JKOcka coukd talk to me as I do with all the current cats.
I wish I could tell Sasa that she doesnt need to runaway from me and that strokes are nice, Misa I wiould tell that other people can be nice too especially when he is with me.
As for the birmans I would love to know why they wont eat and what they would prefer and that pills can help cos think both of them are pre or crf now but no point upsetting them with blood tests and vet trips cos cant pill either of them and neither eat enough regualarily to put anything in food. Franta and pron Ducha would have to be sedated and thats a very bad idea for Franta and probably Ducha.
I have a catmate double feeder which runs off a battery for the clock and the dishes just pop open when the time is right.
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I have a catmate double feeder which runs off a battery for the clock and the dishes just pop open when the time is right.
That's what I used to have but it's not Mosi proof :shify:
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Oh dear LOL
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Does he like a clean tray to pee in, is mosi beating him to it for first wee?
If you cant trial food then try other things, extra tray, offer another litter type, feliway etc
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Jaffa doesn't really care if a tray is clean or not. He'll come and use it when I'm cleaning it (before I've scooped anything out). I am thinking of adding another tray in the bathroom and getting some feliway, but I don't really think he's doing this due to litter tray avoidance. I think he's just being a stroppy :censored: and trying to get my attention. It works.
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Jaffa strikes again >:( Last night immediately after his supper (so can't be for food). I was in the bathroom taking my face off ;) and he came in then walked along the edge of the shower and behind the curtain. Now he doesn't normally go there so I suspected given that was his place of choice last week and was able to distract him before any action. But then I continued what I was doing and he went into the hall and sprayed the front door. I caught him before he got much out which is helpful with the clean up but still frustrating. I wondered if it was the litter he doesn't like as he spent some time sniffing the tray before he would condescend to use it afterwards. I hadn't cleaned the tray since the morning (and was actually leaving it a few minutes as Mosi had done a bit of a smelly poo :sick:). Maybe he didn't fancy using it after Mosi had stank it out, although he's never normally shy at climbing into a dirty tray when I pull it out to clean it. The frustrating thing about all this is that I still think it's attention seeking. I dont' want to tempt fate by saying it, but he's never done it when I'm out. He uses the tray happily then. And he always does it when I'm close by (when he went under the bed this morning I ran into the kitchen and made a noise out there in the hope that he would abandon any ideas if I wasn't close by :rofl:).
Maybe I should give up with the WB litter and go back to using clay plus get another tray. But he did start doing this way back when I was still using clay. And he does still use the tray. And he doesnt do it if I'm not present which does imply it's a message specifically for me except that I don't know what he wants. I cant' give him more attention than he already gets. Maybe he's a bit p'd off (excuse the pun) now that I'm back at work after xmas and new year. Given the bad weather, I was at home a lot then and the week before last when we had the heavy snow so he had round the clock attention.
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do you think you should see the vet as its happened a few times in short succession? I know my friends cat was doing it and had a low level bladder infection
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just a long shot, but you say he isn't shy of using the tray when you pull it out
I had a cat who hated to use an enclosed tray or one pushed into a corner, so I had to keep it out in the open
would it be worth investing in two or three cheap trays and leaving them around in different locations to see which he uses?
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Plus what trigger said yes I would try going back to the original litter.
It may not be attention seeking , that may just be down to timing. One of mine missed the tray today which was a pain but they sit so close to the edge!
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just a long shot, but you say he isn't shy of using the tray when you pull it out
I had a cat who hated to use an enclosed tray or one pushed into a corner, so I had to keep it out in the open
would it be worth investing in two or three cheap trays and leaving them around in different locations to see which he uses?
You could be on to something there. I use a covered tray in the corner of the room. This morning I cleaned the tray as soon as I got up to give him an opportunity to use it when it was pulled out into the middle of the room and with the lid off, and he used it straight away. think he is worried that Mosi is going to ambush him. The past day or 2 Mosi has taken to ambushing poor Jaffa from his cat cube. I actually flattened it before I left the house today so that he couldn't pull that trick for the rest of the day.
I am going to keep an eye on him and if he does it again I will take a sample to the vets. He is due a general check up soon anyway and I think he would benefit from a visit. But I don't like taking him to the vet unnecessarily because it really stresses him out. I am also going to get another tray to put in the bathroom and will get one without a hood.
I a
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THis sounds like a plan and hope it works :hug:
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You mentioned having a new tray and I wonder if that could have been a trigger
Parki was most upset when her litter tray was put inn new place and started peeing on the sofa cushions and clean washing. She has been ok ever since litter tray returned to normal place
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You mentioned having a new tray and I wonder if that could have been a trigger
Parki was most upset when her litter tray was put inn new place and started peeing on the sofa cushions and clean washing. She has been ok ever since litter tray returned to normal place
Not a new tray, new litterl. I actually think he's fine with the litter now. Touch wood (famous last words) there's something about him at the moment that seems a bit more settled. He seems to be using the tray ok and doesn't come to use it when I pull it out as much (presumably because he doesn't need to go and isn't holding on waiting for me to pull it out). I am still going to get the 2nd tray but it will be a week or so before I can get all the stuff in the bathroom shifted and the new tray in place. I am also going to get some feliway and am thinking of getting some cystease as it did occur to me that he might have had mild cystitis (he has had cystitis in the past but then he was making frequent trips to the litter tray) and it won't hurt to give him that.
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Good news,long may it continue ;D
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I must stop panicking that he's spraying all the time though. Last night I couldn't see where he was and immediately assumed he was in a corner somewhere spraying :-[ I called his name a few times with increasing urgency and the poor lad came bouncing out of the litter tray with a "I came as quickly as I could" look on his face. When I looked in the tray, he'd done a poo which he normally covers but he hadn't covered this one and let's just say it was a little scattered :rofl: I must have called him as he was mid action and the poor thing had got it out as quickly as possible then come out of the tray and trotted up to me without bothering to cover or anything. Poor lad!
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Poor Jaffa :-[ :doh:
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Yes definately stop the panicking cos he will pick up your stress :hug:
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No more spraying so fingers crossed we are past this little episode. Trouble is, Jaffa's a friendly little lad and walks around with his tail up most of the time. He also does the pleased to see you, quivery tail thing so he often looks as though he might spray when he in fact has no intention of spraying. Every time he's backed into a corner with his tail up, I think he's going to spray. But of course he doesn't. I try to distract him if I think he might be as I think spraying can easily become a habit if they do it a lot.
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;D Fingers crossed xx
I love the quivery tail, you know they are really pleased to see you then :Luv:
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Well Jaffa has cystitis now. Or at least he did have yesterday. He used his tray normally but shortly after he started going to it and producing hardly anything. I still have some metacam left from the first time he had it but was wary of giving that as it says throw away after 6 months and it's been open for over a year. I rang the emergency vet and asked if it would be ok to give some to Jaffa as a vet visit would just stress him out more and I knew he wasn't blocked as he'd done a normal wee only a couple of hours previously. He said that as a vet he would he couldn't actively encourage using out of date meds, but that it should be ok and that I should give him a half dose. I did that and as when he's had metacam before, it worked almost instantly. He is fine now, but I do wonder whether cystitis has played a part over the past few weeks. Poor lad. This is the third bout of cystitis he has had in 15 months. I am definitely going to get some cystease and some feliway. I think it is caused by stress as Jaffa is easily stressed. I think he was feelign a bit uncomfortable yesterday when Mosi jumped on him. Then the bin men came to empty the bins (the big communal ones that make a bit of a racket when wheeled along the ground) followed by a neighbour doing some work on his motorbike. Just ordinary, everyday sounds but if Jaffa was feelign a bit stressed to begin with then they happened and then Mosi jumped on him again, I think that just pushed him over the edge. He is using the tray fine today and he and Mosi are ok today (I think Mosi picks up on Jaffa feeling unwell or stressed and takes the opportunity to dominate him).
p.s. the on duty vet had a very sexy voice, maybe I should have taken Jaffa for a visit just to be on the safe side........ ;)
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Poor Jaffa. I hope he feels better soon. Ive got Amber on cystease and as she had 3 attacks in the last year the vet said to leave her on one a day permantly from now.
love
Tab
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Hope that Jaffa is better soon :hug:
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Aw bless him.... Hope he feels much better soon! :Luv2: :hug:
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Is it worth trying him on Zylkene too? especially if you think its stress related. I didnt have much luck with it, but I know others have. :hug:
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Would it be worth Jaffa trying Zylkene help too?
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Is it worth trying him on Zylkene too? especially if you think its stress related. I didnt have much luck with it, but I know others have. :hug:
Hehe great minds think alike
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Poor Jaffa :hug:
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I had never thought of zylkene but that might be worth trying too. Jaffa can get stressed easily. He copes with most everyday stresses ok (including Mosi) but sometimes a sequence of events can make him a bit jumpy and I can see him getting a bit wound up. Then all it takes is for me to drop something and make a loud noise or Mosi to jump on him and he gets a bit stressed about it all.
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I had never thought of zylkene but that might be worth trying too. Jaffa can get stressed easily. He copes with most everyday stresses ok (including Mosi) but sometimes a sequence of events can make him a bit jumpy and I can see him getting a bit wound up. Then all it takes is for me to drop something and make a loud noise or Mosi to jump on him and he gets a bit stressed about it all.
Sounds like Jess, Zylkene has worked so well for us.
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Zylkene never worked on the two tried here, what about using some lavendar, supposed to be calming! ;) :hug:
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Zylkene has worked on all the ones we have tried it on here at the Clan so may be worth a shot, also some rescue remedy in the water can't do any harm
Hoping that he gets over it soon :hug:
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How's Jaffa, Susanne? Blip is concerned too.
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Jaffa seems fine now. I'm still on tenterhooks and watching him like a hawk but he seems to be using the tray normally and doesn't have cystitis. I am still going ahead with the 2nd tray, cystease, feliway etc. but I won't be able to get it all until next pay day so fingers crossed he has no more little episodes until then.
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sounds positive susanne ;D
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sounds good :)
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well it's been a while now since he's sprayed or gone anywhere other than the litter tray. I am still nervous and may have averted a few incidents but I don't really know. Sometimes I think he's going to spray just by where he goes and his posture, but in reality he's probably just squashed into a corner and turning around normally. trouble is, I don't want to find out so tend to distract him and give him attention before he gets the chance to do anything. He does seem to be using his tray happily too. Quite often I will get it out for him to use without the hood and he doesn't want to because he's used it earlier or he just doesn't want to go! So he's not waiting for me to pull it out for him. At one point I do think he was holding on until I pulled the tray out and took the hood off. I get paid next week so will get the 2nd tray set up for him in the bathroom and get some of the other stuff too. The feliway is a priority and I think the cystease. I might get some rescue remedy to put in his water and then next month I am proabably going to get him some zylkene to try.
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Hope Jaffa will be fine now :hug:
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We had a minor setback on saturday (I stopped him in the act and am still not 100% sure he was actually doing anything!) but it was in an area he had been sniffing a lot previously. I think when he had cystitis he went a few places I hadn't found and if there was lingering scent, that might attract him back there.
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feliway and cystease have been ordered from vetuk so should be here early next week. I am going to put in an order with zooplus today too, so once I've got extra litter I can set up the 2nd litter tray.
He has tried to go outside of the litter tray a couuple of times this week but I think he is finding places that haven't been cleaned properly. When he had cystitis, I think he went a few places I didn't know about. Not so much that it stinks the place out (hence not knowing about them), but enough to have Jaffa snifffing some areas a lot and then trying to go there. I have cleaned one area thoroughly yesterday but think I need to move everything out and clean that whole area of carpet thoroughly and then clean the toys and stuff that are down there.
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After a good few weeks, he's done it again. I can't say I blame the poor lad after all the disruption he's had this past week with the flooding and subsequent "flood" of people coming in and out of the flat. I was a bit puzzled by the timing though. On Saturday night he had had his supper, I had done the hot water bottles etc., given them their bedtime treat and all that remained was for me to go to the loo, shut the bathroom door and get into bed. Whilst I was in the bathroom, I heard the unmistakeable sound of him spraying. He had sprayed the inside of the front door. I was puzzled because he'd been relaxed and purry all day and had spent the evening snoozing beside me on the sofa. I'm not sure what prompted him to do it then when he'd been fed and we were all about to go to bed. Then last night a little earlier (after his supper but before I'd done the bottles and given him his bedtime treat) he looked as though he was about to do the same but I managed to stop him in time. He was standing with his rear to the door, tail in the air and looked as though he was ready for action. I felt the wall and door but it's damp there from the flood anyway, so I'm not sure whether he got anything out then or not.
Given how smelly and damp it is in the hallway, plus the people traipsing in and out, I suppose it's surprising he hasn't done this sooner but it is a bit of a blow as he's gone a while without doing it and coped last week brilliantly. I think it is definitely marking rather than urinating on this occasion and he is still using the litter tray normally. It wasn't very easy to clean as, although there wasn't much, because there is no carpet down in the hall, it had gone under the door. I could clean the other side of the door, but there's not enough room under the door to get my hand and the carpet gripper is there too. So I couldn't clean the under side of the door very well. Plus, someone was cleaning the corridor outside yesterday and it stank of bleach which would not have helped. I've sprayed feliway but I think it may be over powered by the damp, musty smell in the corridor (plus the bleach from outside).
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cats react sometimes to the smell of bleach, don't they? could this be why Jaffa chose that particular spot?
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cats react sometimes to the smell of bleach, don't they? could this be why Jaffa chose that particular spot?
Yes. When he went there on saturday evening though no bleach had been used. It was on Sunday when that occurred and I do think that may have been instrumental in attracting him back there yesterday evening despite my efforts at cleaning it properly. He will definitely be able to smell it under the door (I could smell it). I am going to put a cardboard box there tonight to prevent him getting too close to the door. The corridor smells a bit yukky in general though and he probably can smell all the people who have been in and out of the flat too.
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it will definately be the bleach and probably thinks there are other cats out there so is marking his territory
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I'm sure things will settle down again once everything is sorted, it's been a bit of an upheaval for him :hug:
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Whoever cleaned the corridor on sunday has used something that smells very strongly (probably because the corridor got wet too and was a bit smelly) and the bleach smell is really lingering. I'm cursing whoever it was!
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Just wondering what if any biscuits you feed Jaffa? My Mums cat had really serious cystitis and the vet said the worst thing to give him is Go Cat.
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Jaffa has wet food only.
Poor lad has a lot to cope with at the moment but he's doing really well. This morning they came to take away the bedroom carpet and someone also came to put some scaffolding up outside (nothing to do with me but they apparently need access to the window in one of the flats above) which caused more noise and disruption.
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He's done it again in the hall. sigh. I think the hall smells of all sorts and I had someone here on friday afternoon sorting out the door locks as they weren't working properly after the door got wet. I don't know whether it's that or something else. I clean the area very thoroughly when he does spray there. He was lying on the bed this morning having had his breakfast when i got up to see what Mosi wanted (he was whining) and that made Jaffa get up. I went back to bed (Mosi had knocked his spider under the sofa and wanted me to retrieve it :innocent:) but Jaffa didn't. After a few minutes he started whining and then I heard him spray the cupboard door in the hall.
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I can't remember but did you speak to the vet?
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I have spoken to the vet and although he had cystitis a while back, I'm certain this is behavioural. All the disruption and people traipsing in and out of the flat at the moment is not helping. I think he is picking up on my anxiety too. It had been a week since he last did it so Sunday's episode was frustrating. It's hard to know whether he's marking because it smells funny due to the damp, because he can smell all the people who have been in and out or just because he's feeling anxious in general. I gave the hall (including doors and wall) a thorough cleaning on sunday and then sprayed with feliway and put the dehumdifier in the hall to help get rid of any damp.
He woke up last night at 3.30am and, as I've been doing lately, I ushered them both out of the bedroom and shut them in the living room. Then I heard what I thought was the sound of him spraying so rushed into the living room but he hadn't done anything - I am just getting paranoid! I took the lid of the litter tray and encouraged him to use it (he did) so I felt a bit reassured that he didn't have a full bladder! I'm sure he'd have been able to squeeze a bit out if he wanted to mark anywhere :sick: but at least he wouldn't be leaving much. So I just relaxed and let him back in the bedroom and before long he settled down on the bed again. I need to relax around him and not assume he's going to spray all the time. The longer he goes without doing anything, the more I relax which is why it's such a setback when he does it.
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He sprayed the inside of the front door again yesterday. Poor lad. I can't say I blame him. I had the decorator in stripping the wallpaper in the bathroom and five minutes after he'd gone, Jaffa went to the door and got in spraying position. I stopped him then but when I got back from work he had sprayed it. The hall's full of funny smells (to a cat) at the moment. It still smells a bit damp and musty from all the water then there's the bleach from the corridor the other side of the door, plus any lingering smell from where he's been before (I try to clean it up the best I can but it can be difficult as I can't get my fingers under the door to clean the underneath if any has gone there). Then there's the smell of the workmen coming in and out. So hardly surprising really. I am spraying feliway there but it's not helping. He seemed quite relaxed when the decorator was here as I shut the living room door so that me, Jaffa and Mosi were in the living room/kitchen while the decorator did the bathroom. Jaffa just slept on top of the bookcase most of the time and ignored the scraping sounds. I think it's definitely just a case of marking due to all the unfamiliar smells. I think I will just have to put up with it for now and hope that once the decorating is done it will stop.
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Sounds like it's the upheaval Susanne, hopefully he'll be ok once things are back to normal :hug:
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Right then. I need to give myself a telling off cos I think I am partly to blame for this now as I've just discovered my previous cleaning up attempts where not as good as I had thought. At right angles to the front door is another door to a large cupboard that I use as a store place (think piles of junk! It's my equivilent of an attic!). He has sprayed against that door a couple of times and when I got home yesterday it was a bit wet there. Previously I had opened the door and made sure I cleaned inside the door as it tends to go under the door due to no carpet in the hallway and a fairly large gap under the door. When I was doing that yesterday I realised that more had gone under the door than I thought and that there was some stuff (bottom of boxes and some papers) that were soaked with cat wee! :sick: I think that instead of spraying the actual door, he was probably a bit further away and had directed it more at the gap under the door :sick: Obv it doesn't smell really bad until you get close up cos Jaffa's a neutered cat, but when I pulled some soggy cardboard out and smelled it all became apparent! So it seems there was some wee soaked stuff in the cupboard that had not been removed/cleaned up and obv Jaffa would be able to smell that. So that might account for some of the hall spraying we've had over the past few weeks. It is now thoroughly cleaned so hopefully that cause has been eliminated.
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Susanne, do you have one of the black light thingies to help spot any patches that may have escaped your notice? Might help a bit.. although hopefully sorting out the soggy papers :sick: will too!
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Well I'm very annoyed with Jaffa today. He sprayed in the hall last Thursday but nothing since then (the hall is the only place he has sprayed for ages). I admit I try to divert him if I see him heading off down the hall and if when he wakes in the night I go and pull out his litter tray and persuade him to use it then go back to bed knowing that he has an empty bladder ;D (he comes back on the bed fairly quickly). Last night we did the usual routine although he woke at 3.30am which was earlier than usual. I got up straight away, went into the living room, pulled out the tray and took the hood off (he does use it normally but I know he can rarely resist using it when I'm cleaning it). After a minute or 2 he obliged and did the necessary so we could all then go back to bed. Woke up again just before 6am and with my alarm about to go off. I lay in bed for a moment and watched him get down from the bed and go out into the living room/kitchen. I kept an eye on the door so that I could see if he went past in the other direction towards the place where he sprays. Soon I heard him whining - his usual "I want..." whine and almost straight away I heard him spray. sure enough, he had sprayed the cupboard door in the hall (he sprays either that cupboard door of the front door). I just know that it was sheer bloodymindedness. Yes he probably did want his breakfast but I was about to get it for him (and it was only just over 6 hours since he had his supper) and if I'd got out of bed straight away and given him some attention, he probably wouldn't have sprayed. But I feel as though he's holding me to ransom - if I don't jump to it the minute he calls, he will spray.
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My neighbours cat Smudge does the same. He doesn't have a cat flap so she lets him in and out, but if he goes to the door and she doesn't "do as he says" immediately he'll find a favourite spot and spray it. (Usually, the fireplace or one of the doors.) Drives her mad.
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Sam has been known to do that to get what he wants, and I did refuse to do what he wanted and it did seem to break the habit eventually, I haven't noticed any spots for a while now.
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Sam has been known to do that to get what he wants, and I did refuse to do what he wanted and it did seem to break the habit eventually, I haven't noticed any spots for a while now.
I suppose I should call his bluff, esp as I have no carpet in the hall at the moment. I ought to try to cure him of this before I get the new carpet laid. No further spraying since yesterday morning, although I did shut them both in the living room for a few minutes this morning when I woke up because I so wanted a few more minutes in bed without the stress of watching Jaffa! I do think it's become a bit of a habit now.