My cats are scavenging garbage picking counter jumpers and they poop where they are not supposed to HELP!!!?

Question

What can i do ..everytime i clean my house it just gets dirty again fast..They have no manners!

Answer 1

Hi there...cats are instinctively curious and to better train them we need to provide an environment that is mentally stimulating for them. Consider first adding a few extra scratching posts/mats with different textures such as cardboard, sisel, carpet and the like scratching posts. Some cats are horizontal scratchers whereas others are vertical so be sure to include both.

To prevent counter top surfing consider using double-side sticky tape as cats dislike having their paws stuck to the tape and soon learn to avoid areas that are unpleasant, which is more beneficial than a water bottle squirt since you can't always be there to supervise your cat. Additionally, if there are food, dirty dishes on the counters while you are away, it's important to clear off the counters and wash dishes when you are training your cat.

Consider purchasing a garbage can that has a closeable lid so that the cat no longer can have access to the contents. This generally is the best alternative to keep animals out of the garbage.

To help discourage climbing of curtains and damaging other items consider trimming your cat's nails often and use a glue-on nail adhesive product called SoftPaws http://www.softpaws.com to soften the sharp nails.

Here's an instructional video on how to trim cats claws by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for Feline Health: http://www.felinevideos.vet.cornell.edu/trimming_claws/full_movie.shtml

Furthermore, cats who have issues with inappropriate housesoiling habits can be as a result of the following:
- changes with litter brands
- location of the litter box isn't private enough
- some cats like to have one box to defecate and another to urinate
- cleanliness (some cats are very finicky and prefer a super clean box)
- as a general rule there should be one litter box for each cat plus one extra as a back up
- cats over the age of 5-7 months reach sexual maturity will spray or defecate to mark territory. Spay/Neuter is the only way to resolve this. The longer cats continue these inappropriate habits it will become habitual and difficult to stop later.
- many cats develop feline-related disorders such as chronic renal failure (CRF), hyperthyroidism, diabetes, etc. either as a result of age, or hidden health disorders.

If all these have been ruled out, there's a chance that one or all of your cats may have developed another underlying medical problem such as something as simple as a lower urinary tract disorder: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_lower_urinary_tract_dis.html which can contribute to accidents (both urinary and feces) outside of the box. Cats will associate pain while using box and change their habits as a result.

Here's an article about why cats inappropriately soil outside their litter box by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/Housesoiling.html

House soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. It includes urination and/or defecation outside the litter box, as well as urine spraying.

Why do cats eliminate outside of the litter box?
One common misconception is that cats soil in inappropriate places for revenge. It is tempting to conclude, "He defecated on the living room carpet to punish me for leaving him for the weekend." But this kind of calculation requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that cats aren't believed to possess. Furthermore, this conclusion assumes that cats view their urine and feces as distasteful, when in fact they do not. It is only we humans who view it that way.

Medical Problems
So why do cats urinate or defecate on your bed or carpet? Medical problems are one possibility. Inflammation of the urinary tract may cause painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine, and crying during urination. An affected cat is likely to eliminate outside the litter box if he comes to associate the box with painful urination, or if he has an increased urgency to urinate. In addition, kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases often lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumors, intestinal parasites, and other gastrointestinal conditions may cause painful defecation, increased frequency or urgency to defecate, and decreased control of defecation. Age-related diseases that interfere with a cat's mobility (for example, arthritis, nervous system disorders, or muscular diseases), or with his cognitive functions can also influence his ability to get to the litter box in time. In short, any medical condition that interferes with a cat's normal elimination behavior can lead to house soiling.

Litter Box Aversions
Behavioral problems, such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences, or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling. An aversion implies that there is something about the litter box that your cat finds unsavory. It could be the box, the litter, the location of the box, or all three.

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Answer 2

You have to take charge, they are wild, you have to assume the Alpha position.
My wife is very good at that. We had 9 well behaved cats once.
Some one dropped off a tough old scarfaced female cat because they knew we were suckers, the cat would rub against you and purr, after 30 sec of petting she would wheel and claw, drawing blood. After the s 2nd time, my wife would pet the cat with her fist ready, as soon as the cat started to attack, my wife gave her a hard right jab to the nose. By the 3rd attempt, the cat said to herself "Every time I try to scratch these people my nose hurts, I don't think I'll do that any more" and she never did.
You have to be calm, firm and consistant. No means NO!, today, tomorrow, 'til the end of time.
Cats and dogs understand a few words, what is more important is inflection (firm) and attitude (I am dominant) and I will correct misbehavior every time. One new cat spotted the parakeet in her cage, the cat was in mid leap when my wife pushed him to the ground, NO!. The cat never bothered the bird after that.
My wife comunicates in the language of the pack leader, the animals understand the correction and thier position in the pack.
Watch the Dog Whisperer show, he realy clearly demonstrates what I mean.
We live in a wooded area, someone dropped off a domesticated racoon (they make horrible house pets), he found us, the suckers. We knew something was around because we kept finding poop in the planter boxes. He showed up one afternoon and shook hands, a sweet guy (she named him Marlin). My wife put together a house on the back deck, fed him rolls stuffed with peperoni (suckers) and put out a litter pan. I was watching when he went to the planter to poop, my wife scared us both, she snatched up this 40 lb racoon by the back of his neck, carried him over, threw him in the litter pan and scolded him "This is where you poop!!!! Not there!!! This is where you poop!!!"
The racoon and I looked at her like "This lady is crazy!"
He used the litter pan every time for the rest of his life.

Answer 3

Spray some water using a spray bottle. But make sure they
do not see the spray bottle. You need to time it when they are
in the act.