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What Would You Do - Deal With It or Say Goodbye?

by BearHitch, Nov 29, 2008 12:04PM
Okay here is my situation... I have 4 indoor cats: Tucker (almost 3 years), Bruce (2 1/2 years), Nate (7 months) and Dinah (9 months).  About 2 months ago we adopted Dinah and Nate from the Humane Society.  Now, Bruce and Tucker are my beloved cats, I have had them all of their lives.  Dinah is a Siamese and is a cat who sits on your shoulders all of the time - very sassy and well, quiet.  Nate on the other hand is a trouble maker but adorable and quite the cuddler- you just can't stay mad at him.  He is very good with my toddler who just adores him.  Over all, Tucker has adapted well to the kittens but Bruce has not - in fact, they brought pink eye home with them and he has been sick with that for awhile... so I guess he might if he wasn't feeling sick.  Anyway, here that's the background, here's the problem.  

One of these cats is pooping throughout my house.  Its not all of the time, but for instance I came home after being at family's for Thanksgiving to find 5 land mines and cat pee on my xmas tree skirt.  They have clean litter boxes as we just cleaned them out this morning only to find one of them just recently pooped in the backroom.  There is no special location or apparent reason for this behavior, and it started a few weeks ago.  I am almost certain that it is not Bruce or Tucker, and we are fairly sure its not Dinah.  We are 85% sure it is Nate as he retailiates when you tell him not to be on the counters and such.  

We spent $100 to adopt Nate and Dinah and and I hate to lose that money, and I really enjoy Nate's company and how he interacts with the other cats and my son... but I am not so tolerant of a cat randomly deciding to poop (I am a little more tolerant of that than cat pee because as everyone knows - that is a smell that doesn't come out) throughout my house.  Like I said, they have 2 huge litter boxes, we keep them clean... there really is no reason for this behavior.  But I feel bad thinking about giving Nate back because he had been there for several months with no interest in adoption... I just don't know what to do.  

If this was you, would you give up both cats to make it fair since I am not 100% sure, give up just Nate, or just deal with it and hope to catch the culprit in action and deal with them accordingly?  
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0%
 (0) 
Give back both kittens
0%
 (0) 
Give back just Nate
100%
 (13) 
Alternative Idea (please post idea)
13 Members voted
Member Comments (23)

by dominosarah, Nov 29, 2008 12:48PM
Do i win anything for being the first one??!!!

I really dont know what to tell you as i am a beginner here in the world of cats.  I would hope this behavior of Nate will stop.  I just couldnt imagine taking him back and leaving him.  That would break my heart.  I know you cant have messes like that around either.  Someone will come on that knows something and will have some good ideas for you.  

As for my prize.........no land mines please!!!!!!              sara

by BearHitch, Nov 29, 2008 01:10PM
Sorry no prizes today  :)  

I surely do not want to take him back at all, we are rather attached to him but I also can't have this kind of thing going on.  The last think I need is my son eating cat turds that I didn't see  :S  EW!  Plus I am pregnant, and so when it comes to cleaning up cat poop I try and avoid as best as possible... It is just a difficult situation.  If I didn't have kids it might be different, but it really isn't healthy to have this going on on an almost daily basis, but since we haven't caught any of them in the moment I don't know who to punish... plus I know that cats do not respond well to being punished after the fact because they don't know what they did wrong.  Its complicated  :(

by April2, Nov 29, 2008 01:31PM
How do you know it's the new kitties? It could be one of the older cats reacting in stress to the newcomers. I'm saying that because it happened to me. My older cat started peeing and pooping out of her box when I brought a kitten home because she was so stressed at the new addition. And the kitten kept jumping on her, etc., so I don't know if that kept her out of her box too.
I think it just takes time for them all to adjust to each other and figure out a pecking order. Things settled down a lot at my house after awhile. It did take awhile though.

It's up to you whether you feel you need to take back the new kittens. Just realize that it can take time for all the animals to get used to each other should you bring home a new pet.
Best wishes.

by BearHitch, Nov 29, 2008 01:53PM
Well, here is my reasoning... I am pretty sure its not Dinah because I see her use the litter box and you can always tell when shes been in there because her paws kind of stink.  So I rule her out for that.  I am pretty sure it is not Tucker because he has adapted great to the new kittens and has never done that sort of thing before, I also see him using it often as well.  Nate I personally can't say I've ever seen go in there but I do know he uses it at least sometimes because his paws have stunk previously.  Bruce is sick, and doesn't really move much except to the litter box so I am pretty sure it is not him.  Of all the cats only Bruce doesn't seem as adapted (he won't sleep on my bed anymore) but he is so sick I don't think he'd be doing that.  Its not diahrea like to pin it on him either.  I don't know... I guess I could be wrong that it is Nate but I just have a sneaking suspicion given his independent attitude and fiestiness that it would be him.  

I've had them for almost 2 months and this is a newer behavior, it didn't start when they first came home.  If it was adapting, I guess I would've expected it then :S

by PrettyKitty1, Nov 29, 2008 06:46PM
Hi BearHitch,

Just because you see your cats using the litter box doesn't mean that the ones you see using it aren't pooing on the floor. Cats can do both when they're sick and/or stressed. The first thing we should do here is rule out, be sure who is indeed having the "little" accidents. You do not have to get rid of your cats.

One of them is trying to tell you something. After being 100% sure which cat is apparently misbehaving, the second step is to take it to the vet for check-ups, just routine stuff to be sure kitty isn't sick. I have to say, most of the time, a cat evacuating outside the litter box is behavioral. Might be the new arrivals. Cats don't usually like change because they're creatures of habit. So, perhaps the vet, after making sure this isn't related to any illness, can advice you on how to get rid of all that stress.

What products are you using to get rid of that awful smell?

by zodiacqueen, Nov 29, 2008 10:36PM
I agree 100% with Prettykitty and April.  The most likely theory is that it's Bruce or Tucker.  They/he feels like their home, their territory is being invaded by the new kittens.  SO, one/both is marking THEIR territory.  This is what animals do, including the wild ones.  Those kittens are seen as a major threat.  The pecking order will have to be settled between all of your cats, which may take time.  Once the pecking order is established then the "marking" will stop.

Also, when you have a multiple cat home, you need at least 2 litter boxes.  That may help.

I hope you will be open-minded about our opinions, since you asked for them.  By the way, what's wrong with Bruce?

by BearHitch, Nov 30, 2008 07:51AM
Oh I totally am oka with opinions, no worries.  Well it might be Tucker - found out that Bruce has the diahrea so probably not him.  I am not sure the vet was right but Bruce had pink eye which turned into coughing up snot and a dripping green snot nose- you can just tell he does not feel well at all.  So, they put him on an oral medicine and topical cream for his eye- the cream seems to be working, the other one a little but not as much.  We'll see in a week  :S  Thanks for the advice, I think we decided that we'll just give them more time.  

I think I wanted to get advice on here because I was getting pressure from my mother who thinks that it is unhealthy for me to be around cats pregnant with "all of those cat diseases that research have proven about!"  Gr... its hard to defend yourself sometimes when you're frustrated too.  Anyway, thanks again all!

by PrettyKitty1, Nov 30, 2008 11:23AM
A common reaction to pregnancy is urinating or pooping outside the litter box. Yes dear, cats sense hormonal changes. Even our smell changes and they don't like it. It stresses them and makes them nervous. A nervous or stressed kitty WILL misbehave. Your case might just be that your pregnancy is making ONE OF THEM do this. How far along are you? Some kitties misbehave at the beginning of it all. Then, when you're in your 6th or 7th month, the "accidents" are no more. The only explanation I can think of is that they smell/sense changes in our body. We tend to get more sentimental, aggravated, maybe we stop giving them the attention they're used to and we haven't even realized it because there is something exciting going on inside, something that's making us go through physical, emotional and hormonal changes. So, they are aware of all of this, and behave acordingly.

I'm hopeful, and very positive that this will end. Don't be afraid to be around them if they're indoors. Usually, cats' illnesses and diseases do not transmit to humans, and viceversa, especially if your pets are inside the house 24/7.

Good Luck, and congratulations momma!  :)

by zodiacqueen, Nov 30, 2008 02:42PM
The only concern for cat disease transmission would be toxoplasmosis.  As long as you don't deal with cat poop or pee, then you'll be fine.  OR, if you must-wear gloves.  

I think that your cats would be very happy with one more litterbox if you have only one.  And, I honestly believe that the pooping will stop with time.

by zodiacqueen, Nov 30, 2008 02:45PM
SORRY Bearhitch!!  I just reread your post and noticed that you did have 2 litterboxes.  I've read somewhere that there should be one litter box for each cat that you have-I think that's a bit much.  Maybe one more wouldn't hurt-hey, and it's cheap.

by Cougar1957, Dec 02, 2008 12:35PM
To: BearHitch
Having 4 cats and only 2 litter boxes is far short of what is actually needed.  Rule of thumb is 1 box for each cat, plus 1.  I know that's a lot, but when you think about how territorial they are this is precisely what's needed.  I have a suggestion, isolate the cats into their own area and their own litter box when you leave.  Have you discussed this situation with your vet?  He may also have suggestions.  You know, having a baby and this many cats can create a stressful environment for all involved.  Should you decide to remove any of the cats from your home, please...please...please place them in a loving home...do not return to the shelter as this is a one way ticket to the Rainbow Bridge.

by Lonelymom, Dec 02, 2008 01:42PM
To: BearHitch
Cats will poo and pee as a way to mark their territory. A cat that poos and then doesn't cover the poo is letting other cat's know that this is their territory stay out.  Personally my adult cat even though he is nuetured perfers to go outside to use the restroom. He will use the doggy door I put in to go outside relieve himself and then come back in. I recently adopted a kitten and since I got one of them and my mother got two and they were all sick. I ended up with all three until the medication is done. My adult cat has started using the litter boxes again and not covering his poo. Territorial thing. He is also spraying my laundry room since this is where he likes to sleep.

Give it time the older cats will come around to the kittens and all will be well again.

by BearHitch, Dec 02, 2008 04:13PM
The culprit was caught... it was in fact Tucker.  Very glad that I did not give my kittens back for sure!  I guess I'll just have to give it time until it gets worked out... I didn't know they could sense I was pregnant but that would make a lot of sense that he doesn't want another one crawling about  :)  5 litter boxes is not even possible in our house, nor is secluding them because it is very open except our bedrooms... and they are not having litter boxes in there!  

What is Rainbow Bridge, by the way?