Please help me keep my tomcat! Any advice??

Question

OK, here's the deal. The "tomcat" is actually Sgt. Cheekypuss, a 3 year old neutered male cat who lives with us. My son and I adopted him as a kitten when we lived in Illinois.

Whilst in Illinois, Cheeky got to go both indoors and outdoors as we lived in a rural setting. Regardless of this freedom, Cheeky still used the indoor litterbox and spent a fair enough time indoors. We got him neutered at about that time when cats should be neutered.

Since moving, we cannot let him out anymore as the city has strict policies on pets. He got out once and animal control picked him right up and we had to pay like $200 to get him out of "jail". Cheeky seems to have adjusted to indoor life just fine, and when I take him outside to play in his cat run (I bought this so he could at least get some fresh air), he wants nothing to do with it.

However, Cheeks goes through these almost "monthly" cycles where he poos on the living room floor in the night. He'll do this for about a week.

My husband is ready to get rid of him. I am ready to get rid of him, but I know how hard it is to ensure another safe home for a cat. Furthermore, he is my son's cat and my son will be absolutely crushed if he has to go.

I'll check in and periodically answer any questions that might come up as well. I'm at my wit's end. Thank you for reading this.

I have tried disciplining him and I have tried locking him in the bathroom at night with his litter box. It doesn't work. If I lock him up at night, he'll just wait until in the morning to lay a big one for me to find and clean up. We have also thoroughly cleaned the carpets, and he won't just go in one place either--so I don't think "smell" is a factor. He does make sure that he goes in the living room---probably because he knows that we are sure to see it.

I should probably mention that yes, he does live with another cat, but she is a spayed female, and they have been living together most of their lives. They also get along quite well.

I've checked this "cycle" of his. Even though it occurs approximately monthly, it isn't lunar.

Lady in Red: That's what we thought at first. But we've been up here for 3 months and he seems to only do this one week out of every month.

Rookie: Great idea. However, we've tried various types of cat litter and got them 2 litterboxes as well. Doesn't seem to matter. :(

ulikhawaiin: But then why doesn't he go out in his cat run? He seems scared of the outdoors here.

Christykelley: LOL! Thank you, that was very sweet. And yes, those tomcats are charmers indeed!

Answer 1

sounds like your cat is being facisious or however you spell it. cats have been known to do things out of spite and maybe this is the reason that it is happening. seems as though,Cheeky, doesn't like the fact that he can't go out as he gotten used to it already and taking a poo in the living room is probably his way of saying "hmmmf i'm mad". so i don't know if you could really train a cat to not do such things because they have their own mindset on things and how they should be, but i don't know much about cats except that!!! sorry i couldn't help much!!!

Answer 2

I do have something to try. My cat just ended 3 months of peeing on my bed, the floor, and our living room couch. We were in the exact same position as you -- ready to give up but not being able to bear the thought of taking her back to the shelter. Here's what we tried (among other things) that fixed the problem: Added a second litterbox next to the first one. The first one continues to have litter in it, and the second one just has a liner and a couple pieces of folded newspaper in it. I think the whole problem was that litter doesn't feel comfortable to her when she pees for whatever reason, and providing a "soft" place to pee was exactly what she needed. I don't know if that would hold true for poop too, but it's worth a try! I hope it works .... I definitely sympathize with the problem.

Answer 3

There is a very good book called "Cat Detective" by Vicky Halls which deals with all sorts of cat behavioural problems. It's a British book but I'm sure you can get the equivalent kind of book in the States. Have you tried putting another cat tray in the living room at night? Cats can be put off using their trays for a large number of reasons like they have grown a bit too big for them, they don't like a change of litter, they don't like the deodoriser etc. Sometimes they don't like to pee and poo in the same place. If you want to keep your kitty, and it sounds like you do, it might be a good idea to consult a cat behavioural specialist - it will work out cheaper than paying a fine! Your vetenerian should be able to recommend a reliable, local person. Good Luck!

Answer 4

This is no question a behaviourial problem - Sgt. Cheekypuss is reacting emotionally to the move and the new surroundings.

EDIT:
One of mine had a similar problem adjusting to our home:
Maybe you can try to provide each cat at home with its own "space". Use favorite resting areas to determine it. Or provide separate litterboxes near each space if possible. Possible cubicles, boxes, shelves, crates are effective for this.

Regarding confinement in aportable kennel with litterbox, with appropriate corrections to stop further inappropriate behavior which will be particularly beneficial for transient stress induced problem. You'll need to choose an area that can be a permanent location of litterbox. Keep Sgt. Cheekypuss confined to this area 4-6 weeks when not under your direct visual supervision.

If he is using box regularly for 4 to 6 weeks, gradually give access to larger and larger areas of your home, one room or hallway at a time allow 1 week of good behavior in the new area before adding the new room. Never increase access area until you are 100%
certain cat's use of litterbox is 100%. If accident occurs, re-evaluate the situation to make sure litterbox problem or something else didn't trigger his response. Then begin entire confinement procedure over again and double intervals for
relapses.

Answer 5

My suggestion would be to get the cat a leash and harness. I think the problem with the cat run is that you take the cat out and put him in there. If you have ever watched a cat the first time they go out they do it very slowly. They peek out the door and they creep around at first very cautiously to smell and familiarize themselves with their surroundings. Let him wander around the yard on the leash and then gently guide him to the cat run. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

I need the answer to this question. What I do with my cat is I lock him up in a large dog crate, or the bathroom for a few days to get reacquainted with the litter pan.

He has food, water, toy & Litter pan.

Answer 7

Oh, honey, MY heart goes out to you and Sgt. Cheekypuss!! Isn't it heart breaking for you, to not be able to just let him roam free, as he used, too? My only suggestion to you would be, to take him to your nearest park, and find a nice peaceful, quiet place, he can adjust too, and spray, leave his little markings all around like cats do.. Then, just keep taking him to this same spot, so he doesn't get to feeling "Clostrophobic" and irrational . That's all you need is for your cat to continuely be Meowing until your nieghbors complain, or something like that, or start knocking things over, to get your attention, that he wants out... I, met this really "Cool" Tom Cat, smoking in my Mom's back yard, who used to come visisit me, when I smoked back there, and one day, he came up to me with a sniffle in his little nose, and he wouldn't stop rubbing and meowing against my legs... so, I went in and told my mom, I have to have this cat! He's sick , and got the sniffles, and he's emotionally attached to me, all these times he's come to visit me.. Lo' and behold I took in this cat, to my apartments, and he was thee coolest cat!! He'd roam at nights, and want out every night to do whatever Tom Cats, do, then come home, in the mornings, to eat, and sleep, and be petted by me, until he wanted to roam again! And he was on a time clock, he knew when it was time to come home, and when to leave..Mind you, this was "HIS-time clock" not ours!! Ha!Ha! See what a cool cat he was?!! So, I know how easy, it is to fall in love with those Tom Cats!! So, my suggestion to you, is to just find some sort of "Nature area" somewhere in that city, to take him , where there's no people around, for him to get used too...But, unfortunately its not like the "Old days" when you could just let him out the door to roam, whenever, he needed too, hoh?! My sympathy's, but "Where their's a Will, there's a way!" Trust me, on this one.. Good-Luck, to you, and Sgt.Cheekypuss!!! Smile, it'll get better, and easier, one way or another...

Answer 8

I have a cat who has a crippled paw.I put him on a collar and stake him on a long rope out back for a hour or so everyday.He used to poop under my vanity.This seems to have stopped that.

Answer 9

Inappropriate elimination (urinating or defecating outside of the litter box, and/or spraying) is the most common behavior problem of older cats. There are numerous causes for this behavior, many of them medical, so a cat who has inappropriate elimination should be examined by a veterinarian. Laboratory tests will need to be performed in most cases.
Contributing factors to inappropriate elimination

Medical conditions: Medical conditions which result in an increased frequency of urination or defecation may be the underlying cause for this behavior problem. These conditions include: colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver disease, and feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). Medical conditions which cause pain urinating or defecating, or make it difficult for the cat to get in and out of the litter box, may also result in inappropriate elimination. Such conditions include arthritis, FLUTD, anal sac disease, loss of vision, and some forms of colitis. Treatment of these medical conditions may help to resolve this behavioral problem. In addition, using litter boxes with lower sides, placing the litter box in the area in which the cat spends the most time, and increasing the number of litter boxes may be helpful.

Stress: Stress can be a major cause of inappropriate elimination in cats of all ages. Stressors such as moving, changes in routine, or changes in the makeup of the family can result in inappropriate elimination. Reducing these stressors or decreasing their impact on the household will benefit your cat (and probably you, too!). For instance, when moving, attempt to keep the cat in a quiet portion of the home when packing and during the actual moving day. At the new residence, confine your cat to a quiet room at first (probably a bedroom), placing her food, water, litter box and favorite sleeping material (bed, sweatshirt, etc.) in the room. Spend time with her in that room and feed her and clean the litter box at the usual time. Gradually let her become accustomed to the rest of the house.

There is a product called 'Feliway' which was designed to help reduce anxiety in cats, and thus decrease spraying or urinating inappropriately. Feliway contains pheromones from the cat's face. Pheromones are chemicals which are used to communicate with other members of the same species. You may notice your cat rubs her face and chin on vertical surfaces. She is leaving a scent there which contains these pheromones. The pheromones from the face have a calming effect on other cats. When Feliway is sprayed onto multiple vertical surfaces which your cat may spray, the cat receives this calming effect and in many cases, spraying will be reduced.

Substrate preference: Cats of all ages may develop an aversion to the litter box or substrate (material inside of the litter box). Some of the litters with a 'perfume' or 'antiseptic' smell may dissuade some cats from using them. Trying different types of litter including clumping litter, sand, newspaper, and no litter are things that could be helpful.

Box location: Some cats may not like where a box is located. It may be located too close to their food or water. It may be in a high traffic area where they cannot have privacy. It may be in an area where they can be easily ambushed by another cat. It may be on a different level of the house than where they spend most of their time. In addition to trying various substrates, also place extra boxes around the house to see if box location makes a difference. There should always be at least one more litter box than the number of cats in the household.

Sanitary conditions: Some cats are very particular. Some will not defecate in the same box in which they urinate. Others will not go in a box which has been used by another cat. Just as we do not like to use dirty bathrooms, neither do many cats. If the litter box is not cleaned regularly, they may decide to find a different bathroom.

Possible Solutions to Inappropriate Elimination

Have your cat checked by your veterinarian for a possible medical condition, and start treatment for the condition if one exists. If the cat is extremely stressed, talk to your veterinarian about some medications which may help.

If you have multiple cats and do not know which one is the culprit, your veterinarian can give you some fluorescent dye to feed one of the cats. The urine from that cat will fluoresce when exposed to a black light.

Place numerous litter boxes around the house. You do not have to use anything fancy: dishpans, large plastic containers or other items may work just as well. Try a larger litter box, some behaviorists feel litter boxes are often too small.

Use different substrates including newspaper, clumpable and nonclumpable litter, sand, sawdust (not cedar), carpet remnants, and no litter at all. Use unscented litter, since many cats do not like the scented kind. If you find the substrate that your cat prefers is not the one you do, e.g., carpet remnants, try slowly converting the cat back to litter. Place a small amount of litter on the carpet remnants the first week, and if all goes well, use more litter each week until you can finally remove the carpet remnants from the box.

Try different depths of litter. Many people put too much litter in the box. Some cats like only a small amount.

Clean any soiled areas with an enzyme cleaner designed for use on pet urine and stool. Regular detergents and other cleaners will not break down the urine or feces, and if the cat smells any urine or feces on a carpet or floor, the cat may continue to use that spot to eliminate. In some cases, the carpet or carpet padding may need to be replaced.

Clean the litter boxes at least once daily. Wash the litter box weekly. Do not clean the box with a strong smelling disinfectant, but rinse the box well after washing it.

Feed the cat where she is inappropriately eliminating. Many cats will not urinate or defecate in the area in which they are fed.

Use upside down carpet runners (the ones with the spikes on the bottom), heavy plastic, aluminum foil, double-sided tape, motion detectors, pet repellents, or scat mats to limit her access to the area where she inappropriately eliminates.

Try Feliway, as described above. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

Take your cat to the litter box frequently, and if she uses it, praise her, or even give her a treat.

If you catch your cat in the act of urinating or defecating outside of the box (or even using the digging motion), use a remote correction. This generally means doing something that will startle her. Tossing a pop can with a few coins inside of it and taped shut toward the cat (but not at her!) may get her to stop. Foghorns, whistles, and water pistols are other options. It is best if she does not associate you with the correction, but thinks it 'comes out of the blue.'

Do NOT punish the cat. Punishing the cat, including rubbing her nose in the soiled area will not help, and will probably increase the stress on the cat.

In some situations, it may be helpful to confine the cat to a small room with food, water, toys, bed, and litter box. Once she is using the litter box in the smaller area, gradually allow her into larger areas of the house.

Answer 10

PUT A TOWEL DOWN WHERE HE POOPS
A LITTER BOX
CARDBOARD
PAPERS