Just a suggestion from a long time multiple cat keeper (you never
own them). Keep the litter box clean and full. We use a plastic
mortar mixing bin that you can buy at Lowes or other similar places.
Fill it with clumping litter and then put the bin and litter into a
large box tipped on its side so that it can be easily accessed by
the cat and you to clean it. That way the litter that is thrown out
by the cat while scratching stays fairly contained. Vacuum that
litter which does escape on a daily basis. Our box happens to be in
my shop so I can monitor it. Good Luck. Rob
Hello Dr. Judy,
Just wanted to say thanks for sharing the article and words of
wisdom. I have always admired veterinarians because their patients
(like babies) cannot speak, making diagnosis an art.
Judy in Kansas, where temps nearly reached 60! If this continues, I
can get the outside Christmas lights down.
The no-pee here product is called feliway but if this is new behaviour the cat should be taken to the vet.
I haven’t had success with Feliway for inappropriate urination, but
it works 100 percent to stop scratching on a particular piece of
furniture if sprayed on it every 2-3 weeks.
IMO even if it is not a new urination behavior, the cat should still
be seen by a vet. IMO the causes of urination problems are often
neglected by weary owners who assume that what caused it last time is
causal this time, too - not a safe assumption. The approach that I
find works best for true behavioral urination issues is fluoxetine,
which also can relieve pain, and so might play a palliative role in
interstitial or idiopathic cystitis.
Best regards, Lorraine
Maybe you would have looked at ears closer than to just off hand say
a cat has ear mites just put this gunk in and they will be fine. Mine
had ear polyps that not a vet in 5 years caught. We moved here to
Florida and the vet immediately caught it. Bad news because it had
developed into cancer.
Findy liuved another month. It tore me to little pieces to hold her
while I had her put to sleep. I couldn’t abandon her at that last
moment. The only way I got home was to think of a copper Xmas
ornament I would make for her as a memorial. It is one of my best
sellers. I even donate many of them to local cat rescue groups. Keep
looking beyond the obvious to what is reallyh happening. This cat
lover appreciates your attitude and work.
Aggie trying to type through the darn tears again.
the looking for something soft to pee onto is not really new.
Some people with this problem put washable fabric or disposable
carpet remnants in the kitty pan.
I’ve never had a cat that would use pine-chip litter. The pine resin
can be an irritant to their nasal passages, and they put their noses
right down next to the litter when they do the preliminary digging.
Lorraine
Aggie, I have held all of ours too in their last moments - some 7
cats and two dogs. And every time, I feel my heart has been ripped
out of my chest. Good for your for not abandoning your little fur
spirit. It is the least we can do for them after they gave us
everything they had.
Barbara in a January thaw on the Island
may GOD bless you agnes. could you email me a picture of one of these
ornaments, if I can handle the price ill get one. ive both a home
studio, and one @ the pawnshop I work out of. wouldn’t mind 2, one
for home, and one for shop. GOD bless you again, from a cat lover.
Aaron
Thanks to all who emailed me off list. It was appreciated.
Something did happen once in San Francisco area. I had taken over
the kitchen nook as my work bench area, I kept my catnip in the top
right hand drawer. One morning I came out to the kitchen and all
three cats were sprawled out on the floor, quite content and purring
loudly. I don’t know which one managed to get the drawer open, but
the remains of a sandwich sized baggie was laying torn to shred in
the middle of the fur pile of cats. That cat nip was scattered
through the kitchen nook, kitchen proper, hallway, and family room.
It also looked like not only still clinging to their fur, but the
drool they had produced while consuming said nip was resurfacing many
of my projects on the bench top. All projects were still in proper
place, just coated. So parents. teach your kids to not eat cat nip!
My nippers had to be weaned.
Aggie
Oh Aggie. So sorry for your loss. Hubbie and I have broken hearts
and tears from those times we lost a beloved pet.
Judy in Kansas