[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

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

3586.0. "Cat wants attention??" by SHAPES::WILLIAMSJ1 (Don't blame me.......) Thu May 10 1990 08:00

    Helllppp, I really am at the end of my tether.  I couple of months
    ago, I wrote a note in here about how stress of moving had caused
    my cat to start urinating all over the place.
    
    Well, thanks for the replies to that by the way.  All went well and
    things calmed down as it (I assume) got used to the neighbourhood
    cats.  However, I think I was wrong.
    
    Tabby is fine going outside now - she's got no problems on that 
    score.  And we've let her have various 'treats'.  Letting her go
    upstairs and lying on the duvet etc.  Given her lots of attention
    as usual.  However, yesterday because my better half has got a bad
    back we slept downstairs on the floor.  Everything was fine until
    the morning when she was lying on the duvet too chasing our hands
    under the duvet (y'know the normal type of cat games).   She then
    lied very still and it was then I realised she was urinating.
    I rubbed her nose in it and threw her outside.
    
    Got over that one, but this morning she did it again in the corner
    of the room when someone was watching her.
    
    I really am at the end of my tether.  WHY is she doing this when 
    people are watching especially lying on the duvet which is a treat.
    I really do have a lot of patience, but this is beginning to get to
    me, coupled with the scratching at the door, pulling the carpet up,
    swinging off the loudspeakers - I need help.
    
    PLEASE someone help me!!
    
    julia 
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
3586.1VAXWRK::SKALTSISDebThu May 10 1990 15:258
    Maybe she has a urinary tract infection and is trying to yet you know
    that something is wrong. Or maybe she was just so excited by playing
    that she lost control.
    
    Personally, I'd being her to the vet for a checkup.
    
    Deb
    
3586.2Easily stressed? Jealous?BOOVX1::MANDILEThu May 10 1990 17:3911
    Vet visit first - in case of a medical problem
    if everything's o.k.-
    Sounds like the break in routine (sleeping on the floor)
    disturbed your cat, just as it started to settle in.
    Seems maybe it is easily stressed?
    
    BTW, rubbing the cats nose in "it" doesn't do anything except
    give you a smelly cat.  They don't associate it with doing
    wrong.  (my vet told me this)
    
    L-
3586.3CRUISE::NDCPutiput Scottish Folds - DTN: 297-2313Fri May 11 1990 12:279
    I have a pamphlet on eliminative problems in cats and it stresses
    that punishment does virtuallly NO GOOD in this type of situation.
    I'll try to remember to bring it in on Monday and type some of it
    into the file.  I don't think it had anything new in it (for me) but
    it was good sound advice and offered some suggestions.
      Nancy DC
    
    p.s. the book also said that vinegar & water is a good deodorizing
    agent.  do not use ammonia
3586.4Something must have changed....IOSG::THOMPSONRNostalgia isn't what it used to beFri May 11 1990 14:2116
Sophie unrinated on our duvet after a visit to my mothers place, where the 
litter she was using was different to normal and was not as effective, so the
tray was very dirty.  It was before she'd learned to use outside, so she was
either desperate to pee, or reacting to the change in surroundings I guess.

It is strange that your cat was OK, and now all of a sudden has returned to its
old ways.  Think very carefully about its recent surroundings and behaviour.
Cats put their environment above everything else - if anything changes that
upsets them it can have undesirable consequences.  Has the only change been
sleeping downstairs?  Has a neighborhood cat suddenly started giving her 
trouble?  Does she still like being outside?

Other than that, I can only think that she must find your sleeping downstairs
disturbing in some way....

[Ruth]
3586.5CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Fri May 11 1990 17:246
    This reminds me that Holly has been fine about using the litter box
    for quite a long time now, but every morning I have to remove the
    pillows from the bed and put them elsewhere.  Otherwise....  I guess
    with some cats there are some things you just can't do.  If only
    they could talk....
    
3586.6CRUISE::NDCPutiput Scottish Folds - DTN: 297-2313Mon May 14 1990 12:1920
    re: .5 - We're doing some similar things.  I've had to put a plastic
    bag on top of the catbox-tent thing we got.  You may have seen this
    thing at catshows.  Its a nylon box with plastic tubular frame and 
    its big enough for a jumbo catbox.  The entry is on the side but
    our guys haven't figured it out.  We just leave the flap on the 
    front open.   Over the weekend I threw it in the washingmachine and
    then treated the area on which ?Bob? has pee'd with vinegar and water.
    He's still showing interest in the area so now I'm keeping a plastic
    bag on top.  Whoever it is, was very cooperative and pee'd on the bag.
    Easy cleanup.  
    
    Anyway, I'm at the point of covering some of the places that have been
    used and we do seem to be making progress.  In our case, the presence
    of Halley (Scottish fold queen) may have alot to do with this. Tho
    the problem started before she moved in.
    
    I guess you just take it one day at a time and keep trying to
    discourage them from using areas other than the catbox.  sigh...
      Nancy DC