Posted by:
PHMadameAlto
at Fri Jan 21 21:57:23 2005 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by PHMadameAlto ]
Sounds like Sammy does have some issues that need to be addressed. Here is some advice for litterbox problems which might be of interest to you:
He needs to go to the vet for a check up ASAP.
If all is clear on the health front, then the problem is behavioral. You will need to take steps to retrain the cat to the box. Basically you need to confine the cat to a room like a bathroom, or a large cage with only food, water, bedding and the litterbox. As he begins to use the litterbox consistantly you can expand his space. There is more information at this link: Litterbox Problems
Cats need easy access to boxes and you may need to put several boxes around the house. In muliple cat households there should be one box per cat plus an extra! Be sure to keep all boxes very, very clean. Scoop at least once a day! There is also a litter called "Cat Attract" which might help.
You need to thoroughly deodorize wherever the cat has been peeing. Petastic is highly recommended as is Heaven's Own. It is the smell of the "accidents" that causes a cat to reuse the place.
Check into using Feliway, a spray that mimics the happy scent cats leave when they rub their check against something. You can get it from your vet or from Cat Faeries at http://www.catfaeries.com If you visit the website, you will see a phone number that you can call and for a fee discuss your cat's problems with someone. The person who does this is very knowlegeable and it may be worth the $$ for you. Feliway is also available in most large pet supply stores. There is also a plug-in with Feliway that can help.
Finally, if all else fails, ask you vet about using an antianxiety medication such as Buspar or Prozac. These very often work, however the decision to prescribe them will rest solely with your veterinarian who will be able to monitor the dosage and side effects.
>>Hi! >> Yeah I went onto the website and am seriously looking into the Feliway product. I will get it. Sammy is also spraying inside the house. We have tried all sorts of ways to stop him, he knows he's doing wrong but still does it. He paces and then he gets so wound up he sprays. I know it's because one of my cats is about the same age as Sammy and so they have territorial issues. I'm okay with the spraying and just clean up after him, I've learnt to let it go, there's no way I'd get rid of Sammy! >> The pacing almost seems like some mental thing. I don't think it's a territorial thing. I personally think he's a little bit nuts. I'm not kidding. I've seen inbred purebreds and sometimes they have some weird personality issues. He paces and there is NOTHING anyone can do to stop him....... >> Thanks for your advice; >> Michelle -----
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