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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

326.0. "Marking Territory - any cure?" by PUFFIN::BLODGETT () Fri Sep 12 1986 10:41

    I have a 5 year old male cat (fixed) who from time to time marks
    his 'territory'.  This happened to be my living room carpet and
    despite numerous cleanings has had to be thrown out.  I am now
    left with an ugly floor, but fearful to put down more carpeting.
    This is for the main reason that after I pulled up the living
    room carpet, he found another to his liking and started marking
    that.  I change the litter boxes (2) every other day so I don't
    think that it's a litter box problem.
    
    I very seldom caught Brewster in the act of marking his territory
    but know that it was he.  Because of this and the fact that I do
    have carpeting in other parts of the house, both Brewster and July
    (my female) are banished to the basement while I'm not home, and
    also at night.
    
    Does anyone have any ideas on how to break Brewster of this habit
    or are they destined to live more than half their life in the
    basement.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
326.1Not Really Marking Territory, PerhapsINK::KALLISFri Sep 12 1986 12:2911
    Usually, when a cat urinates on carpet, it's the sign of an emotional
    problem.  My wife's cat, Sammy, used to do that when he felt he
    was being neglected.
    
    If the cat were unfixed, there could be another reason.  But a fixed
    male is crying for attention -- and help.
    
    Love helps a lot.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
    
326.2DSSDEV::TABERCuidado -- es llamas!Fri Sep 12 1986 13:2313
When a cat has reached maturity before getting fixed, however, he will
continue to spray.  My (fixed) cat did it up to the day he died.  The 
only thing that I found that helped was letting him be an outdoor cat. 
He'd go mark bushes and the tires of my car and so on, but wouldn't 
spray inside the house (unless he wanted revenge for something I did to 
him -- then he'd stare me squarely in the eye and spray while I watched. 
Rotten cat.)

One of my friends has a lovely story about the time her cat sprayed an 
electrical outlet, but even that didn't cure it of the habit.  My guess 
is that they'll remain cellar cats unless you'll let them be outdoor 
cats.
					>>>==>PStJTT
326.3Just a guess...KOALA::FAMULAROJoe, ZK02-2/R94, DTN381-2565Fri Sep 12 1986 16:562
    Did you have the cat checked by a vet?  He may have some medical
    problem.  That is what was the problem with one of mine.
326.4Tyger never did that...USRCV1::FOLEYMike Foley @SYO, Field ServicingSun Sep 14 1986 02:538
    The consensus of opinion here is something other than "marking",
    my wife's fixed male Tabby never pulled that stunt, altho when the
    kidney problems (that eventually got him) started, life got REAL
    interesting.
    
    (He did pee on my leg several times right after I met my wife though!)
     
    .mike. (with .martha. looking on)
326.5PSW::WINALSKIPaul S. WinalskiSun Sep 14 1986 21:529
Our family had two unfixed toms while I was growing up, and neither sprayed
in the house.  However, these were outdoor cats.  They marked trees and
auto tires and whatnot outside.  I don't know how they would have behaved
had they been indoor cats.

This might be an early symptom of Feline Urinary Syndrome (FUS).  Might be
worth checking with a vet.

--PSW
326.6Another vote to have your cat checked for FUSVAXWRK::SKALTSISDebMon Sep 15 1986 01:248
    My Argus (fixed) started doing this and the next thing I knew he
    was blocked (very severe bout with FUS; I almost lost him). And
    every time he starts to spray, I wisk him off to the vet who confirms
    that he's about to have a relapse of FUS.
    
    I also suggest that you have you vet check your cat out for FUS.
    
    Deb
326.7Behavior - SprayingDELNI::WIXFri Sep 19 1986 18:524
See also reply 69.9.

					.wIx.