ready to kill the cat?

Question

I have 2 kittens who are brothers, I have had them since they were 1 week old (sometime in may). They both use the litter box, however one of them wants to pee in the dogs food bowl. I dont understand why, or know what to do about it. He only does this when the bowl is empty, has never done it while food id in the bowl, so when its empty I put it up. Then one day last week i came home from work int he morning and there was a plastic grocery bag in the kitchen floor the cats had been playing with the night before and while putting my things down the cat came and peed on this bag right in front of me. No clue why! I clean the litter box everyday and they both use it no question. Any ideas of why or what to do?

Answer 1

He may have a urinary tract infection...before getting to worked up and trying all these behavioral tricks...and getting really frustrated make sure there is no medical reason he is doing this. Bring him to the vet to rule it out! also, is he neutered?? He might be reaching sexual maturing and is now spraying...or "marking" if thats what you wanna call it...this will not stop unless you get him neutered. And iof you let it go on too long, even neutering him may not help...it may become a learned behavior...Good luck!!!

Answer 2

sometimes its a territory type thing. My cats did the same thing at first, I had to put a second litter box out. and even though they both used both boxes the peeing stopped. now they tend to use one box for number 1 jobs and the other for number 2 jobs...its kinda funny how they do that...
But give the 2 box thing a chance it may help. They boxes can even be near each other, I've always had both boxes in the same room.

Answer 3

Cats are naturally clean creatures. Teaching them to use the litter box encourages this inherent instinct. Most kittens and cats easily learn to use their litter box ... and they will usually continue to use it unless it gets too dirty.

Urinating in odd places can be the result of either a behavior problem or a medical problem and sometimes the difference is not always clear. Cats often urinate in unusual places to get their owner’s attention when they are feeling unwell. Further, cats often urinate in unusual places in an effort to reassert their claim to territory, a need which can arise from psychological stress which can then easily lead to a diseased state. Other cats will display this behavior for purely behavioral motivations without illness. And still others have simple litter box aversion.
There are many causes for this behavior, including psychological stress. It may be hard to determine exactly why a cat is urinating outside of the litter box and it is important to carefully observe all signs associated with this behavior. First, though, it’s important to have your veterinarian evaluate your cat to rule out any medical issues, such as inflammation of the bladder, before undertaking a long term behavioral approach.
Some cats who are not using the litter box do so because they are marking their territory. This can occur in either male or female cats. It is more common in cats in multi-cat households, especially if there are five or more cats, and in unneutered cats. It can also occur when an inside cat is frequently bothered by the appearances of an outside cat at the windows. In this case, limiting access to views of that other cat can help. Neutering cats can also help a great deal.

Here are some questions to consider:
• Has your cat been declawed? Declawing is a painful, mutilating surgery, and phantom limb pain can linger for years. A rough substrate in the litter box will cause severe pain to the nerve endings in a declawed paw, and the cat will associate pain with the litter box. Always use "gentle" litter for declawed cats, such as one of the newspaper-based litters (PaPurr or Yesterday's News are both good).
• Have you recently moved? - This is a biggie. Your cat will feel very insecure in new surroundings and it will take some time for his comfort level to return to normal.
• Is there a new baby in the house? Cats are very jealous of their attention and he will need lots of extra love and cuddling so he knows that he is still first in your heart. (You may feel a little differently, but humor him, okay?)
• Is there a new cat in your home? A new dog? The above applies equally to these situations, and in the case of another cat, make sure it has its own litterbox. Cats hate to share, particularly if they've never had to before. The general rule of thumb is one litter box per cat plus one extra. Don't ask why-- it just works.
• Is his litterbox meticulously clean? Have you ever had to relieve yourself in one of those portable facilities at a fair, when the deodorizer has failed its job? Cats are every bit as disgusted as you were and their sense of smell is better, by far. I rest my case.
• Have you changed your brand of litter? Cats tend to be creatures of habit, and any changes should be done gradually. In the case of litter changes, just sprinkle a bit of the new litter on top of the formerly used brand. Then gradually add more until the cat has accepted the change.
• Have you moved the litterbox? Likewise, cats are used to their normal routines.
• Has another cat in the household recently had surgery or been ill? I know this sounds strange, but the odor of anasthesia and medication can linger and create fear in your other cats.
• Is it possible any form of trauma has occurred when your cat was using the box? Such as attack or intimidation by another cat? Again, a cat will avoid any source of discomfort, whether it be physical or emotional. His mind will link the location with the trauma.
These are all questions designed to make you think like a cat. Consider the things that might make you uncomfortable in the same situation. If one of these questions makes you pop to attention, your problem may be solved quickly by elimination the source, i.e., switching back to his old brand of litter, or moving the litterbox back to its original place. However, if the problem has been longstanding, you may need to dig deeper and the retraining may take a bit more time.

Answer 4

I used to have a cat that did something similar, although he used to pee in the dogs water bowl. I found this very funny as I did not like the dog.

Also he is marking his territory and with him peeing on the plastic bag in front of you, he is trying to get your attention.

Be patient with him, he is most likely jealous of the other animals that you have.

GOOD LUCK.............

Answer 5

I have had indoor cats for 20 years now. The best thing I can say is to rule out reasons for this behavior. Spay or neuter, and have the cat checked out medically. Everytime I had a problem it was solved by one or the other. I hope everything works out. :)

Answer 6

Are the male cats fixed? Sounds like the one cat is marking his territory. You need to have them fixed.

Answer 7

I'd guess to claim his territory, but I'd call the vet & ask for some help

goood luck

Answer 8

Have them fixed, it will solve the problem.

Answer 9

don't kill any thing!