I am fed up with my cat! Please help (sorry it's long) :(

Taralindsey

Taralindsey

O.G.
Apr 25, 2007
6,352
19
#1
I have this cat, Brodie. He is 7 years old and he was neutered when he was 6 months old. We love him, but he is ruining our house, specifically my new laminate wood floors that cost me about $7,000!! He sprays, and just flat out urinates on the floors and sometimes I don't catch it in time and it is making my floors swell up at the seams and it looks terrible. Not to mention the smell:tdown: I have done everything I can think of to fix this. We have 2 litter boxes, for our 2 cats.. but they still use each others.. Change them out often.. special urinary tract food... I use natures miracle to clean up. I have taken him to the vet 2 times about this and all they had to offer me were these things you plug into the wall like a glade plug in, that releases good [SIZE=-1]pheromones.. They don't seem to help.. He does not have a urinary tract or bladder infection.

the only thing I have not tried is medication... Our vet said that he may need something like a kitty xanax, because he thinks our cat is very stressed.

Back story.. Brodie did not just start doing this. He started spraying after I had my first baby, 2 years ago. The vet said that my cat is stressed because he doesn't like the kids. He also doesn't like our other cat(female) very much, but the other cat was here first and never made him spray before. I just don't know what to do. We just bought this house.. These cats are indoors only also..

So, what are your thoughts? I have always said that I would never surrender an animal because it was clawing my furniture and all that, but he is ruining my whole house! I have cleaned up 2 sprays just today, he is driving me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Should I consider a new home for him (but who would want a cat that sprays?), or make him an outside cat (although I don't know how that would go because he is accustomed to indoors)
I just know that I can't deal with the spraying anymore. Other than the spraying I love him and I can can't imagine not having him around:crybaby:


Anyone have any suggestions? Please?
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I forgot to add that he has also sprayed on other things besides the floors... shopping bags that are sitting on the floor.. my granite counter tops (!) kids toys ... friends' things like keys, bags, and shoes (!) (it's really embarrassing, and I have had to pay to replace things, of course.. he has even sprayed the headboard of my bed and my wedding album!

I'm surprised I haven't murdered the cat!
 
#3
At this point, making him an "outdoor cat" would be a death sentence. He has no idea how to function outside, and in a month he would either be killed by another animal, the elements, or a car. Is he neutered? I've heard that that can help cats who spray incessantly. Your vet mentioned that he was stressed out because he doesn't like the children, maybe you could find him a home that has no kids?

Other than that, try putting him on medication. It sounds like it's a difficult problem to deal with, but you haven't exhausted all the avenues so there's still hope. Good luck.:heart:
 
#4
^^^

Thanks for your replies so far, and yes he is neutered, and has been since he was 6 months old. He started this whole spraying thing a little over 2 years ago and it's just getting worse.
 
#6
Sorry to hear about that, must be awful. I cannot recommend this book enough, it has an extensive chapter on inappropriate toiletting (as well as tonnes of other info and fascinating insight into kitty behaviour). It certainly sounds like the cat is stressed so you might need to find a way to address it. Try not to get angry with him because that'll only make him more anxious and the problem worse. Good luck!
 
#7
At this point I would try to find him another home where he will be happy. If you let him outside his lifespan will be greatly shortened and who know how much he will suffer. Find a no kill shelter and take him there. In the right home he might never spray again. I know it's hard I went through it. But after he has found a new home and is happy it will be worth all the pain.
 
#8
oh my... i was in the same predictament a few years ago! our cat would occasionally potty on a piece of funiture when he got upset... then, when we moved to a brand new house, the problem got worse. like you we have 2 cats (both males). he ended up ruining countless pieces of furniture!!! ugh. like you we took him to the vet. no medical problems. both the hubby and i were so fed up... do we try to adopt him out? would he do this in the next home? would they abuse him? make him an outdoor kittie? well, he, and the other cat have both become indoor/outdoor cats. they go in and out through the dog door. i was so stressed out at first, but both of our cats stay around the house, they never stray off too far. we really don't have any urinating problems anymore. we just figured that keeping him, and letting him come and go as he pleases would be the best choice for our family. there is a chance that a cat could have been spraying in you house before it was done being built... i do wish you the best of luck tho.
 
#9
dont give up on him, he is stressed and maybe showing some dominence over the other cat, I say put him on kitty valum, or read up on it some more. my frinds cat liked to spray her bathroom rugs and he was pissed cause he wasnt getting enough attention and she would dicipline him and it made it worse. try the meds.
 
#10
Is there any reason why you couldn't build a cat house outside? You know, a big one with places to play, a sleeping and feeding area etc. If that isn't possible I would find him another home. A cat spraying in your home cannot be doing much for you or your child's health and that would be my main concern.
 
#11
Animals are like people. Though they share the same basic characteristics of their species, they have their own coping mechanisms in domestication. Sounds like he is stressed and there is not much you can do. Male cats naturally mark their territories but even more so when they feel threatened or are intimidated. Neutering a cat does not take away the territorial instinct or the marking instinct. There are countless numbers of books on this subject. I suggest you read anything you can get your hands on and try everything short of harming the cat that you can. Not everything works for every cat. You will have to figure out what will work for him and still you may not ever find a solution. It may be something so hard wired in him that you may have to find him a more suitable and loving situation for him. As long as he is adopted by a loving person or family to his liking, he won't miss what was stressing him out so. Good luck.
 
#12
My mom had a cat when I was born, and boy, that cat hated me! He had been my mom's 'baby' until I came along and he was feeling really stressed. He hated me with a passion and would spray everything of mine, including ME!!

When I was about 5-6 I made friends with the cat myself. He refused to come anywhere near me and would spray anything I offered him. However eventually he became friends with me and stopped spraying. My parents weren't very concerned about the spraying because they had him checked out, and also he was an indoor outdoor cat and would just spray me, my stuff, my food etc.
 
#14
I am in a similar situation with my cat peeing on things (not sure that he is actually spraying) and I have taken my cat in to get checked and he has no health problems. He is a very anxious and stressed out cat but my vet does not believe in medicating for this condition to calm him down. A holistic vet recommeded a herbal rememdy to reduce the stress he feels called Rescue Remedy. I read up on it on the web and a lot of people saw good results in their cats using this herbal remedy. Unfortunately, it has not done a thing to help calm Sydney down.
 
#15
I am always wary of trying to rehome cats that spray - you never know how another person may react to the behaviour. You are good enough to surpress the urge to beat him senseless - not everyone is that strong and tolerating.

My cat started peeing everywhere due to a bladder issue - which I understand is not your issue - but the vet suggested locking her in the bathroom with a bed and her litter box for 2 weeks. We would visit her, feed her, water her and love her in the bathroom during this time. The point was to show the cat that the litter is the place to happen (without all of the fun new smells and distractions in the rest of the home). It worked - I highly reccomend your trying this approach to solving your problem.

GOOD LUCK!!
 
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