# Cat has behavior issues



## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

My oldest cat is very moody, and will often lash out with claws and hissing towards me or my wife. He is often peeing outside the litter box, on the walls, in corners, in the laundry basket, etc. We've ruled out a UTI, but he did have one early this year. He is honestly getting to be too much to handle, and no one seems to know how to make him stop acting like this. I really need suggestions. I live in a rental property, so damage is something I need to avoid at all costs.


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

How old is he?


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Shenanigans said:


> How old is he?


18 months this week.


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## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

is he neutered?


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

mimitabby said:


> is he neutered?


Yes, all of my cats are neutered, and NOT declawed.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

You said he had a UTI earlier this but you've ruled that out for this time.... how did you rule it out?


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Ruled it out via the vet last month. She asked me about symptoms, I said no to all of them.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

But she didn't take a urine sample to see if he had crystals or bacteria?


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

No, he was on meds for at least two months. His symptoms went away. TBH, another 220 bucks to make sure he doesn't have a UTI is kind of not in my budget right now.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Peeing outside the litter box - that has to be one of the major symptoms of a UTI, though, right?


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Was he always like this? When did the behavior start? SOMETHING is bothering him.....


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

marie73 said:


> Peeing outside the litter box - that has to be one of the major symptoms of a UTI, though, right?


Yeah, that's one of them, but he's not straining to pee or going to the litter box all the time like he did when he had it. The only thing the vet really told me is its a psychological thing. He associated the litter box with the pain from the UTI. I remember right around the time he got it, he started going right next to it, and it never really stopped, but his straining stopped maybe 6 weeks (maybe less) of being put on those meds.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

It still sounds like he's in pain from something if he's lashing out.....


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

MowMow said:


> It still sounds like he's in pain from something if he's lashing out.....


He's usually not lashing out, but at random I'll walk by and he bats at me with claws and I can't really get near him without him trying to swat at me, for a while. The peeing is what I am worried about.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

You could try putting him in a small room (bathroom) with the litterbox and try retraining him. Or a large cage to retrain him.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

MowMow said:


> You could try putting him in a small room (bathroom) with the litterbox and try retraining him. Or a large cage to retrain him.


Do you think he needs training again? I mean he still uses it a good majority of the time, just at random he'll back into a corner and pee...he also stands in the litter box and pees up against the wall rather than squatting.


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## D'Lynn (Jun 18, 2011)

My six-month old girl started peeing outside the box. Turned out she likes a box to poo in and another to pee in.


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## wondercat (Oct 11, 2011)

athomas said:


> Do you think he needs training again? I mean he still uses it a good majority of the time, just at random he'll back into a corner and pee...he also stands in the litter box and pees up against the wall rather than squatting.


The peeing against the wall not squatting also worries me, We had a cat like that in the shelter and he had UTI. Poor baby seems something is hurting him, if not all the time sometimes. I think putting him in a bathroom or a big cage to get him retrained is a good idea.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

wondercat said:


> The peeing against the wall not squatting also worries me, We had a cat like that in the shelter and he had UTI. Poor baby seems something is hurting him, if not all the time sometimes. I think putting him in a bathroom or a big cage to get him retrained is a good idea.


Possibly, but I don't have room for a big cage, and he will trash the bathroom... Maybe I'll just bite the bullet and get him tested for a UTI again.


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

Do you have a litterbox with high sides? Sometimes Harli gets in the litterbox and backs up against the box & she used to go over the side of the box. So I got a litter boxes with higher sides and also taped a plastic placemat on the back of it. For a litterpan, some people use clear storage boxes with a cut out opening on the front.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Nan said:


> Do you have a litterbox with high sides? Sometimes Harli gets in the litterbox and backs up against the box & she used to go over the side of the box. So I got a litter boxes with higher sides and also taped a plastic placemat on the back of it. For a litterpan, some people use clear storage boxes with a cut out opening on the front.


One of them is totally covered, like a fort, and the other one is a litter pan.


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## BoBear (Sep 8, 2011)

Typically when there is this type of change in behaviour, it is due to pain of some sort or anxiety. Is the cat shedding excessively? Does it frighten easily? 

I realize that vets can be expensive but I would recommend ensuring there isn't a pain issue happening. If that is ruled out then I would suggest talking to the veterinarian about anxiety medication. One of my cats was on anti-anxiety medication for just over a decade and it made a significant difference in his quality of life. No more fearing everything including his own shadow, no more excessive shedding, no more litterbox issues, no more biting and no more need to be held all the time. He became social and relaxed for the first time in his life and it cost me about $0.12 a day. Clomecalm was the drug of choice and I have no regrets taking that route. The other option was to have him euthanized but in stead we both enjoyed another eleven years together.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

BoBear said:


> Typically when there is this type of change in behaviour, it is due to pain of some sort or anxiety. Is the cat shedding excessively? Does it frighten easily?
> 
> I realize that vets can be expensive but I would recommend ensuring there isn't a pain issue happening. If that is ruled out then I would suggest talking to the veterinarian about anxiety medication. One of my cats was on anti-anxiety medication for just over a decade and it made a significant difference in his quality of life. No more fearing everything including his own shadow, no more excessive shedding, no more litterbox issues, no more biting and no more need to be held all the time. He became social and relaxed for the first time in his life and it cost me about $0.12 a day. Clomecalm was the drug of choice and I have no regrets taking that route. The other option was to have him euthanized but in stead we both enjoyed another eleven years together.


He doesn't scare easily and doesn't shed more than a normal cat. He's a maine **** so he has a lot of hair, but it's not excessive shedding.

I'm pretty sure the peeing on the walls is related to him possibly still associating the litter box with his UTI earlier this year.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Have you cleaned all the areas he's peed on with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle? 

The backing up to a wall and going on the wall sounds more like spraying than peeing, which could be territorial. Anything change just before this started like bringing another cat or dog in? Strays in the yard? New person in the house?


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

doodlebug said:


> Have you cleaned all the areas he's peed on with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle?
> 
> The backing up to a wall and going on the wall sounds more like spraying than peeing, which could be territorial. Anything change just before this started like bringing another cat or dog in? Strays in the yard? New person in the house?


I haven't done that yet, but cleaning the areas is a good idea, I think I have a jug of that stuff somewhere.

This honestly started when he had his UTI in March.

New cat last December, and another in September. No new people.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Does Nature's Miracle stain very light colored walls?


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Well now he peed in my dresser drawer, all over my clothes. I'm seriously a half a step away from giving him back to the animal rescue where I got him from.


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## Penny135 (Apr 6, 2011)

omg! I would be having a hard time too. :sad


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Penny135 said:


> omg! I would be having a hard time too. :sad


Yeah, he just won't stop.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

How does he get along with the new additions? It seems like this may be stress related due to new cats in the house. UTIs are very often brought on by stress. 

Do you have 3 cats total? How many litter boxes? Are they cleaned daily? Is it possible one of the other cats is guarding the boxes and not allowing this cat to use it (especially if they're all located together). 

This really sounds like a response to the living situation/other cats. It's not his fault...he's telling you there's a problem. Unfortunately this is the only way he has to communicate and it's up to you to figure out what the issue is...with our help, of course. 

So, please tell us more about the relationship between the cats, between you and anyone else living in the house and the cats...where the litterboxes are etc. etc. Maybe we can spot something that is off.

Also...have you changed litter brands or type during the time that this has been an issue?


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

doodlebug said:


> How does he get along with the new additions? It seems like this may be stress related due to new cats in the house. UTIs are very often brought on by stress.
> 
> Do you have 3 cats total? How many litter boxes? Are they cleaned daily? Is it possible one of the other cats is guarding the boxes and not allowing this cat to use it (especially if they're all located together).
> 
> ...


He's not big into playing with them, but he cleans (licks them all over) them all the time. He also kneads blankets and rubs up on everything. Three cats total, 2 litter boxes. Until January, we live in a 1 bedroom apartment. Come January we're moving into a 3 level 3 bedroom townhome. So tons of room, and more litter boxes. No, nobody is guarding a litter box.

The cat's relationships are just fine. They love each other, no fighting. Just playing. Cat litter has always been the big tubs of stuff from Target.

It's just weird, because none of the others have the issues he has. They have never gone to the bathroom outside of the litter box, no matter how dirty it got.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Have you tried re-training him? Suggest you get another litter box and put it in the bathroom. Try some _Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract_ litter. Confine him to the bathroom at night while you're sleeping, put a blanket on the counter for him to lie on. I think you stated previously you have 3 cats and 2 litter boxes. The usual advice is 1 litter box/cat + 1 box. In a small apt. this is difficult to have, but I think you should try an additional box. He may have decided he doesn't want to share a box with his other 2 companions.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

catloverami said:


> Have you tried re-training him? Suggest you get another litter box and put it in the bathroom. Try some _Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract_ litter. Confine him to the bathroom at night while you're sleeping, put a blanket on the counter for him to lie on. I think you stated previously you have 3 cats and 2 litter boxes. The usual advice is 1 litter box/cat + 1 box. In a small apt. this is difficult to have, but I think you should try an additional box. He may have decided he doesn't want to share a box with his other 2 companions.


We can't get another box until we move. The apartment already smells like a cat box anyway, no matter how often we change it.

Moving to a 3 story, 3 bedroom townhome with a 2 car garage soon so we have more room, obviously. I think we'll retrain him then since we only need one bathroom of the two, and we can confine him to the one for a few days. Does it only take a few days? Or should I not keep him in all the time? We used to keep them in the bathroom overnight because of the neighbor below us banging on the walls when they ran around. This cat got into the habit of peeing where the litter box was in the bathroom over night, which may have started this.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

They put him on antidepressants or something and he hasn't peed outside the litter box since!


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

That's good news....problem solved. After you move, and he has adjusted well and is comfortable in his new home, I think I would _gradually _take him off the antidepressants and see if that fixes it without medication.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

catloverami said:


> That's good news....problem solved. After you move, and he has adjusted well and is comfortable in his new home, I think I would _gradually _take him off the antidepressants and see if that fixes it without medication.


Well my wife found out today that he's been peeing under her desk. So the medication has not been working. Argh!!!


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Until you move into your new place, I would keep him in the bathroom at night with a litter box, and leave the litter box there. It may decrease his wanting to pee under the desk.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

catloverami said:


> Until you move into your new place, I would keep him in the bathroom at night with a litter box, and leave the litter box there. It may decrease his wanting to pee under the desk.


This peeing started when we kept him in the bathroom at night. I'd rather not encourage this behavior.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

He's still peeing EVERYWHERE. Earlier today he peed all over one of their house things. The antidepressants aren't working.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

He has now peed in so many places that he is forgetting how to use the litter box correctly... he is leaving the scent of urine all over, and it is difficult to remove that scent so that it is undetectable to a cat and it will cause him to return to those spots over and over again. You need to confine him... I know you said he'd trash the bathroom but why not remove the things he will damage? With his own litter box, and not a lot of space, he will not want to pee all over because he will be dirtying his small living space and cats are naturally very tidy creatures. Hopefully he will begin to remember his litter box manners but it could take several weeks.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

RachandNito said:


> He has now peed in so many places that he is forgetting how to use the litter box correctly... he is leaving the scent of urine all over, and it is difficult to remove that scent so that it is undetectable to a cat and it will cause him to return to those spots over and over again. You need to confine him... I know you said he'd trash the bathroom but why not remove the things he will damage? With his own litter box, and not a lot of space, he will not want to pee all over because he will be dirtying his small living space and cats are naturally very tidy creatures. Hopefully he will begin to remember his litter box manners but it could take several weeks.


Well the fact that the bathroom is so small and I'd be cleaning it of the litter all over the floor every morning is kind of a pain in the butt, especially when I don't sleep as it is, and I have to get up early for work - just would add one more thing to do, when I have 3 cats to feed, and two to medicate, along with getting ready for work. Not to mention, the bathroom fans (attached to the lightswitch) have a burning smell when left on for too long, one actually set an apartment on fire a couple months ago. See the problem with doing that?

The issue could be this - when I first moved here, I had two male unneutered feral cats, that peed everywhere. Could that be it? This cat is neutered but still pees. We are moving at the end of January to a new townhome, maybe that'll fix it since there isn't cat pee anywhere?


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## Penny135 (Apr 6, 2011)

How about a nightlight in the bathroom at night. He could see and it would be safer.

Mia's litter box is in the bathroom. I have such a small apt. I had no other choice. I took a regular sized rug and put it under the front of her litter box so it is out quite a way from the box. When Mia gets out the litter stays on the rug. I clean it about every other day and I dont have litter everywhere. The litter box is also a hooded one. I use Fresh Step litter if you need any choices. 

Hope you find something that helps soon!


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Your unneutered feral cats that peed everywhere explain a lot! The pee likely never got cleaned up properly, and even tho you may not be able to smell it, your cat can. At 18 mos. old your boy is coming into his own, and even tho the tomcat smell didn't bother him when he was younger it may be now. That's my take on it. You should get a black light from a hardware store and go over your apt thoroughly. It will show up any pee that was missed in a cleanup. Use the Nature's Miracle liberally. This may help in the short term, but I would still keep him confined in the bathroom at night. An old towel or blanket will catch a lot of litter off his feet---leave your cleaning until later rather than taking the time in the morning. Be very careful you don't leave open any drawers....that's just an invitation for a cat that's peeing everywhere. My hubby makes me annoyed because I've told him countless times that he can't leave his shoes on the floor or leave the closet door open, as our girl Alkee chews the laces (and sometimes swallows them which is dangerous for her to do=intestinal blockage). And yet he still "forgets" to put his shoes on the rack or keep the closet doors closed. So don't blame the cat for peeing in your drawer. I hope you can get him retrained to his litter box. Did you try putting some _Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract_ on top of his litter?


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Well, this doesn't even matter anymore. My wife's making me get rid of him. So, back to the no kill animal rescue he goes. Let's hope some nutjob doesn't pick him up next.


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## Lilabootz (Aug 4, 2011)

Sorry about the issue you are having. Unfortunatley, I have battled with behavioral issues myself and they are extremely stressful. 

All I kept seeing in your posts was that you live in a 1 bedroom apartment with 3 cats, I don't know if that is correct or not, but is probably a large contributing factor to your cat urinating everywhere. Cats are extremely territorial and your cat may have anxiety. I know you tried an anti-depressant but not all of them work. They esspecially don't work when you are not doing behavioral modification as well. 

But, I am sure by now you have given him away and hopefully he is doing well in his new home. I am glad you are taking him to a No-Kill shelter because if he went to a regular shelter he would be euthanized.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Lilabootz said:


> Sorry about the issue you are having. Unfortunatley, I have battled with behavioral issues myself and they are extremely stressful.
> 
> All I kept seeing in your posts was that you live in a 1 bedroom apartment with 3 cats, I don't know if that is correct or not, but is probably a large contributing factor to your cat urinating everywhere. Cats are extremely territorial and your cat may have anxiety. I know you tried an anti-depressant but not all of them work. They esspecially don't work when you are not doing behavioral modification as well.
> 
> But, I am sure by now you have given him away and hopefully he is doing well in his new home. I am glad you are taking him to a No-Kill shelter because if he went to a regular shelter he would be euthanized.


Actually we still have him we are trying to find a home via friends from church. Hopefully we don't find one until we move in tomorrow and I can prove my point to my wife. The space is an issue, coupled with the fact we had two feral male cats peeing all over right before we got him. Her argument is that he isn't peeing where they did and he didn't start until recently.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Lilabootz said:


> All I kept seeing in your posts was that you live in a 1 bedroom apartment with 3 cats, I don't know if that is correct or not, but is probably a large contributing factor to your cat urinating everywhere.


Not a factor *at all*. Vertical space is far more important. My little 2-bedroom house is smaller than most people's apartments, and it's fine for four cats.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

marie73 said:


> Not a factor *at all*. Vertical space is far more important. My little 2-bedroom house is smaller than most people's apartments, and it's fine for four cats.


Yeah maybe, might just be territorial. He's just spraying. He uses the box normally. But, he's going with a family member tomorrow.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Sometimes, we'll just never know what the problem was. I hope the new home works out. atback


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

marie73 said:


> Sometimes, we'll just never know what the problem was. I hope the new home works out. atback


Yeah I mean the cat was kind of forcefully taken from me....but that's a whole different argument.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Well I hope it works out well for everyone....the cat, yourself and your family (including your other cats) and the family friend who took the cat.


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