SOS need feline advice

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- BerberElla
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SOS need feline advice
OP - May 20, 2012, 03:39 PM

How do you get grown up cats to stop shitting in your house?

Inititally both my cats were litter trained and I had no problems, then when my brother brought a dog home the cats were too scared to come downstairs for awhile and they started shitting under the beds.

Once they adjusted to the dog they came back downstairs, but now they continue to do it.

They completely ignore the kitty litter and choose other places in my house.

First it was under the kids beds, meaning I was always cleaning and washing the carpet. Then because I read that no amount of cleaning the carpet will kill the smell that keeps making them return there, so I ripped all the carpets out and sanded the floor so they stopped choosing that spot.

Infact at this stage I thought they had just become cats who shit outside the house.

Then i bought a mat for my inside hallway and they started to pee on it. End of that mat.

And today one of the bastards did it in my bedroom.

I can't take this bullshit no more. Sick of cleaning up after them.

I read one one advice site that I should lock them in one room with their kitty litter and feed them and keep them there until they readjust to using the kitty litter, but I don't have a spare room I can do that in.

I did it in my kitchen, and for the 2 weeks they stayed in there, they used the kitty litter.

Moment I let them out they were back to using anything but that.

What can I do?

Inhale the good shit, exhale the bullshit.
- allat
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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #1 - May 20, 2012, 03:52 PM

Oh that sucks Berbs.. they do that when they're stressed. Can you take them to the vet to find out if there's something else wrong with them? Sometimes, they'll do that if they're sick, if their kidneys are having an infection or something.

Other ideas are to put some catnip near the litter box, pick them up and put them in the litter box, move their front paws like they're burying the litter and pet them gently at the same time (the idea being to have them associate pleasant feelings with going to the litterbox). At all times, avoid yelling or stressing them out more as that only makes them continue the bad behaviour. Also, if they go to the same spot again and again, it's probably the way it smells now to them because they already went there. Changing up the sheet/shampooing the carpet or using some kind of vet-recommended product in that spot may help deter the kitties from going there.

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- BerberElla
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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #2 - May 20, 2012, 04:49 PM

Will have to see if there is a charity vet locally as I can't afford a vet check right now. :(

Also think I can manage with one cat to do the paws etc in the litter box but my female cat is a bit more difficult, even putting her flea drops on she squirms and stuff.

Will also grab some catnip.

Not sure about how to deal with the smell, the area they have selected to go pee in the most is near the front door and that is wooden floor which I have bleach cleaned to try to deal with it. Will call my vet since telephone advice is free at least.

Thanks for the pointers. Fingers crossed I can get this under control.

Inhale the good shit, exhale the bullshit.
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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #3 - May 20, 2012, 05:30 PM

This is why I'll never get pets.

"we can smell traitors and country haters"

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- allat
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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #4 - May 20, 2012, 05:34 PM

They're worth it, pets I mean. Despite all the stress. They give you unconditional love and ask for very little in return and that love is priceless.

Just give them some time, Berbs. They also often respond well to calm talking, I think they can tell by our demeanour if they should be further stressed or not. Try the catnip and the directing them to the litterbox. Also, may help to move the litterbox to that area and let them transition back to litterbox.

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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #5 - May 20, 2012, 09:04 PM

Every few hours get ur cat and put her/him on the litter box. Even if they dont use it just keep them on there for a bit then let them go. Keep repeating the process till they eventually use it.

It worked for my neighbours cat so might work for you.

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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #6 - May 20, 2012, 09:56 PM

I caught Tiggy in the act of peeing on the carpet and gave him a sharp slap on the bum. He hasn't done it since.

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- allat
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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #7 - May 20, 2012, 10:53 PM

Instead of hitting or yelling, we use a simple $1 spray bottle that we keep filled with water. Just a quick spray just above their heads tells them what they just did was unacceptable. Simple water spray worked for us in disciplining all the cats we've had. Just seeing the spray bottle helps with the ones who know what it is now.

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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #8 - May 20, 2012, 11:03 PM

Quote from: billy on May 20, 2012, 05:30 PM
This is why I'll never get pets.

+1.
- Mandragoras
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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #9 - May 20, 2012, 11:29 PM

Cats in general hate the smell of citrus. You can try and put some orange and lemon peels in the places they like to use.
- Omaar Khayaam
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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #10 - May 21, 2012, 06:33 AM

When I was in my teens we had many cats and with all of them we had the problem of trying to potty train them. Our first cat used to squeeze in between the crockery cabinet and the wall. I had many attempts to pull him out. They all failed.
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Re: SOS need feline advice
Reply #11 - May 21, 2012, 07:53 AM

Quote from: BerberElla on May 20, 2012, 04:49 PM
Not sure about how to deal with the smell, the area they have selected to go pee in the most is near the front door and that is wooden floor which I have bleach cleaned to try to deal with it. Will call my vet since telephone advice is free at least.

Have you tried cleaning with stuff specifically designed for this sort of thing?

I had a similar issue once when one of my cats picked the living room in the old house to have a shit in and carried on doing it several times. We just left it closed, luckily we never used that room so wasn't too big an issue.

Can you leave a litter tray on or near the place where they like to poop?

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