I can't deal with my cat anymore!!! help!!

Question:

>>Before you call me an animal abuser i’d like to let >you know that this would be a last resort idea because i know that no >one would be able to put up with her. >I’m afraid I have no suggestions, but I do understand your

situation, having been there myself. >When my wife and I married, she had a 12 year old cat, Molly, and a dog. >I had a dog, Petey. Petey and Molly couldn’t get along, and the

cat terrorized him, scratching, >biting etc. It was a horrible situation. Petey, loved by

everyone for being a great and friendly >dog, is extremely docile and couldn’t learn to defend himself.

His terror had him shedding and >vomiting constantly. Molly was mean and pissed everywhere.

$2500 worth of carpeting shot to hell. >While I know there are people who would put down their

neighbors before putting down a cat, I will >agree it sometimes has to be. For obvious reasons, the regulars

in the newsgroups are extremely >pro-cat, so you might get flamed, as I’m sure I will. We tried

all the newsgroups for suggestions >and adoptors, and could find no new home for 12 year old

Molly. We tried everything we could think >of, to no avail. >Sadly, sometimes animals make themselves impossible to live

with, and finding no one to adopt her, >you have to do what you have to do. >Shortly afterwards, we adopted a kitten from the shelter, and

he is fitting in just fine. YOU MAKE ME SICK! YOU PUT YOUR CAT DOWN!! WHY THE FUCK DIDN’T YOU THINK TO JUST SEPARATE THEM INTO SEPARATE ROOMS?? YOU’RE A FUCKING IDIOT AND YOU DON’T DESERVE TO HAVE A CAT!!! Got questions? Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have a female cat who’s six years old. The problem that I have with > her is that she has decided to relieve herself on the carpet, rather > than her litter box. She doesn’t have any urinary tract problems, she > pees on the carpet because she feels like it and now i’ts just not the > dining room carpet, she’s soiling the bedrooms as well. I have tried > scaring her with a plastic bag, yelling at her whenever i find her on > the spot, even rubbing her nose on her mess. The whole house smells > badly and I just don’t have the patience to deal with her. I love her > but after years of urinating wherever she pleases i’ve really had it. > I have thought of sending her to the pound but i’m afraid that she > won’t get used to a new family or even worse, that they may abuse her > because of her soiling problem. THis is why i’m considering > euthanizing her. Before you call me an animal abuser i’d like to let > you know that this would be a last resort idea because i know that no > one would be able to put up with her. > Please help! IF you have any ideas pls let me know!!! > Before you buy.

I won’t call you an abuser, but I will say that you are using what I consider to be abusive tactics with her. Rubbing her nose in her mess will not teach her a thing and is highly offensive to me. I understand that you are frustrated, but scaring her or otherwise trying to punish her is not going to help. Your best bet is to consult a behaviorist and get some suggestions to retrain her. Since this has gone on for a long time, the retraining will take a long time, too. I hope you do not give up on her, but give her another chance instead. It takes kindness, love, and patience to deal with this kind of a problem. I hope you will use all of these to help your cat. Good luck! Eva

Response:

Listen to Eva. You cannot punish a cat and expect it to understand what it is you are doing. It doesn’t work, period. All you are succeeding in doing is making the problem worse and stressing the poor cat to even greater limits. Back down and know the animal is not doing this because it wants to. There is a reason, medical or behavioral. It can be corrected. This is the place to get started. Lot’s of advice. Start by having the cat examined for any urological disorders. You say it has none but do you really know for sure? Euthanization is not an option. Paul – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I hope you do not give up on her, but give her another chance instead. > It takes kindness, love, and patience to deal with this kind of a > problem. I hope you will use all of these to help your cat. > Good luck! > Eva

Response:

Thanks for your replies. SHe has been having this problem for years. She just doesn’t likie to use her litter box. I guess she just finds the feeling of carpet more comfortable than litter, and i’ve tried so many different brands. The nose rubbing and yelling have been my last resort (the nose rubbing idea was given to me by the shelter..the yelling is my own idea out of desperation). This is what i’ve tried in addition to these: Locked her in the laundry room during the day and let her wonder around the house supervised. Then took her to the bedroom at nite or back to the laundry room. I have also tried scaring her everytime she gets to her favorite pee areas (dining room). I am loving to her whenever she’s anywhere in the house, but I yell at her the moment i see her going to the dining room hoping that she’ll be scared of even thinking of going to living room. My husband picks her up and puts her in her catbox and doesn’t let her out unitl she’s done something there, praising her afterwards. I have spent hundreds of dollars on enzyme cleaners and the house doesn’t smell badly anymore. It broke my heart to leave her in the laundry room 8 hours a day so I decided to let her out again during the day, unsupervised, only for her to soil the same areas and stinking them up again Why have i dealt with her this long? Because I thought that you just don’t give up a pet that easily. She knows that she’s doing wrong when she soils the carpet, since she runs and hides when she does. You may be thinking i’m a monster for even suggesting euthanizing her, but that’d be better than her spending the rest of her life in a cage in view of the public (she’s extremely shy) or worse, being returned by another family who wouldn’t be able to deal with this problem. Of course i’m far from even taking this idea to action, but the fact that has crossed my mind is a sign of how desperate I am at this point. I do want to work things out wiht her, I’d be so happy if she changed her filthy ways. A question haunts me: is it possible for animals to be mentally retarded just lke some humans are? Before you buy.

Response:

Of course. You wouldn’t kill a little girl with Down’s Syndrome, would you? Your kitty is in desperate need of love and understanding. I know it can be difficult. If you can’t deal with the challenge, please see that she is placed in the care of somebody who CAN be patient and help her. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Thanks for your replies. SHe has been having this problem for years. >She just doesn’t likie to use her litter box. I guess she just finds >the feeling of carpet more comfortable than litter, and i’ve tried so >many different brands. The nose rubbing and yelling have been my last >resort (the nose rubbing idea was given to me by the shelter..the >yelling is my own idea out of desperation). This is what i’ve tried in >addition to these: >Locked her in the laundry room during the day and let her wonder around >the house supervised. Then took her to the bedroom at nite or back to >the laundry room. I have also tried scaring her everytime she gets to >her favorite pee areas (dining room). I am loving to her whenever >she’s anywhere in the house, but I yell at her the moment i see her >going to the dining room hoping that she’ll be scared of even thinking >of going to living room. My husband picks her up and puts her in her >catbox and doesn’t let her out unitl she’s done something there, >praising her afterwards. I have spent hundreds of dollars on enzyme >cleaners and the house doesn’t smell badly anymore. It broke my heart >to leave her in the laundry room 8 hours a day so I decided to let her >out again during the day, unsupervised, only for her to soil the same >areas and stinking them up again >Why have i dealt with her this long? Because I thought that you just >don’t give up a pet that easily. She knows that she’s doing wrong when >she soils the carpet, since she runs and hides when she does. >You may be thinking i’m a monster for even suggesting euthanizing her, >but that’d be better than her spending the rest of her life in a cage >in view of the public (she’s extremely shy) or worse, being returned by >another family who wouldn’t be able to deal with this problem. >Of course i’m far from even taking this idea to action, but the fact >that has crossed my mind is a sign of how desperate I am at this point. >I do want to work things out wiht her, I’d be so happy if she changed >her filthy ways. >A question haunts me: is it possible for animals to be mentally >retarded just lke some humans are? >Before you buy.

Response:

> It’s bad enough that you killed your cat; *must* you recommend, or suggest, > or even *hint* to others that they should consider doing it, too???

I killfiled "husband", because he’s obviously clueless about cats and cat behavior. I did find it telling, though, that the wife’s pet was the one to be removed (by death) and not his. I also wondered which was the older animal, the dog or the cat. My money is on the cat. Did you happen to detect a little "control" issue with this guy? Just curious. I hope he never starts having urinary problems when he gets older like so many people do. At least, his wife (if she’s still his wife) will know how to resolve the problem. lisaviolet~~proprietor

Response:

> Sadly, sometimes animals make themselves impossible to live with, and finding no one to adopt her, > you have to do what you have to do. > Shortly afterwards, we adopted a kitten from the shelter, and he is fitting in just fine.

– It’s sad that your wife’s cat was a "disposable" entity. Animals don’t "make themselves impossible to live with". From the sounds of things, Molly was able to get along well for the first 12 years of her life. When you came into the picture with your dog, she obviously felt threatened. (They say cats are such a good judge of character!) YOU made it impossible for Molly to live with you – not the other way around. How sad that she had to pay with her life. Personally, I agree with lisaviolet…..If I were the wife, you’d have been gone. Marlene You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive. http://members.home.net/sassy34/HomePage.htm

Response:

My female cat started using the carpet instead of the litter box shortly after I got the second male cat – both male cats are neutered. She does not like these two male cats and I have four litter boxes (3 cats) but I don’t think she likes using the litter boxes that the two males have used. I solved the problem by housing her in the bathroom for awhile. She had her perch so she could look out the window and her bed, food and water and her own litter box. The bathroom has tile floor so she had to use the litter box or the cold floor. She used the litter box and I kept her in this for about two weeks. I left her out for play periods after I was sure she had used the litter box. She loves this private room now and used the litter box in the bathroom and has the run of the house. I have three bathrooms so having her in one of them isn’t a problem. If this doesn’t work and you still want to get rid of her why don’t you try a country place with a barn so she could be out all the time.

Response:

What you do not understand is that for some of us "pro-cat regulars" as you put it, our non-human animals are members of our family. We would no more kill our incontinent grandmothers as kill the non-human animals we share our homes with for behavioural problems. "Inappropriate elimination" is not a terminal illness and killing an animal for it is entirely inappropriate and ethically indefensible. Your description of the relationship between Petey and Molly, your mentioning of the carpet cost, blaming animals for making "themselves impossible to live with", and stating that the kitten you got "is fitting in just fine" tells me not only that we, mercifully, have very different values but that you did not at all understand Molly’s distress. I am very sorry that she had to pay with her life for your ignorance and messed-up priorities. M. …snipped… >$2500 worth of carpeting shot to hell. > While I know there are people who would put down their neighbors

before putting down a cat, I will > agree it sometimes has to be. For obvious reasons, the regulars in

the newsgroups are extremely > pro-cat, so you might get flamed, as I’m sure I will. We tried all

the newsgroups for suggestions > and adoptors, and could find no new home for 12 year old Molly. We

tried everything we could think > of, to no avail. > Sadly, sometimes animals make themselves impossible to live with,

and finding no one to adopt her, > you have to do what you have to do. > Shortly afterwards, we adopted a kitten from the shelter, and he is

fitting in just fine.

Response:

Hi again, You have still not given us much to go on. You have not answered any of the pertinent questions and from your post it sounds as though all you have done is try different litters and punish her in one form or another. That is not going to resolve the problem and as I have indicated earlier, rather than solving anything, it will only result in a continuation and aggravation of the problem which you continue to witness. You are merely training her to fear you and areas of the house where she should be free to go without any stress. By doing what you are doing, you are reinforcing the behaviour and creating more stress for her. The last thing she needs. You state that she doesn’t like the box; then why *force* her to like it? Why not sleuth out what might be wrong with it for her and provide her with what she might like and use? Here again are some of the pertinent things to think about: Has your cat *very recently* been examined by her vet specifically for urinary tract infection and/or crystals and any other physical problems which might be contributing to this behaviour? It sounds as though you only have one box for her. Provide her, at least, with a second one in another location, but one which should be also quiet and easily-accessible (from her point of view). Is the box kept immaculately clean? Does she have to share the box with another cat? Is she ambushed in that location by any other animal in the house? Is the box next to any appliance which could startle her as it comes on? Is the box somewhere where there is a lot of human traffic? Is the box difficult for her to get to or far away from everything? Is the litter you use scent-free? It does not sound from your posts that you have tackled this problem methodically and that most of the basic things have not been tried. I hope you will read everyone’s helpful advice and stop punishing this poor kitty who is so desperately trying to tell you that something is wrong. M.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Thanks for your replies. SHe has been having this problem for years. > She just doesn’t likie to use her litter box. I guess she just finds > the feeling of carpet more comfortable than litter, and i’ve tried so > many different brands. The nose rubbing and yelling have been my last > resort (the nose rubbing idea was given to me by the shelter..the > yelling is my own idea out of desperation). This is what i’ve tried in > addition to these: > Locked her in the laundry room during the day and let her wonder around > the house supervised. Then took her to the bedroom at nite or back to > the laundry room. I have also tried scaring her everytime she gets to > her favorite pee areas (dining room). I am loving to her whenever > she’s anywhere in the house, but I yell at her the moment i see her > going to the dining room hoping that she’ll be scared of even thinking > of going to living room. My husband picks her up and puts her in her > catbox and doesn’t let her out unitl she’s done something there, > praising her afterwards. I have spent hundreds of dollars on enzyme > cleaners and the house doesn’t smell badly anymore. It broke my heart > to leave her in the laundry room 8 hours a day so I decided to let her > out again during the day, unsupervised, only for her to soil the same > areas and stinking them up again > Why have i dealt with her this long? Because I thought that you just > don’t give up a pet that easily. She knows that she’s doing wrong when > she soils the carpet, since she runs and hides when she does. > You may be thinking i’m a monster for even suggesting euthanizing her, > but that’d be better than her spending the rest of her life in a cage > in view of the public (she’s extremely shy) or worse, being returned by > another family who wouldn’t be able to deal with this problem. > Of course i’m far from even taking this idea to action, but the fact > that has crossed my mind is a sign of how desperate I am at this point. > I do want to work things out wiht her, I’d be so happy if she changed > her filthy ways. > A question haunts me: is it possible for animals to be mentally > retarded just lke some humans are? > Before you buy.

Response:

Have you tried putting pieces of carpet in the litterbox? An important question, has she EVER used the litterbox consistently? And a second important question, how did your vet determine there was no medical problem? Did he do a urinalysis? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Thanks for your replies. SHe has been having this problem for years. > She just doesn’t likie to use her litter box. I guess she just finds > the feeling of carpet more comfortable than litter, and i’ve tried so > many different brands. The nose rubbing and yelling have been my last > resort (the nose rubbing idea was given to me by the shelter..the > yelling is my own idea out of desperation). This is what i’ve tried in > addition to these: > Locked her in the laundry room during the day and let her wonder around > the house supervised. Then took her to the bedroom at nite or back to > the laundry room. I have also tried scaring her everytime she gets to > her favorite pee areas (dining room). I am loving to her whenever > she’s anywhere in the house, but I yell at her the moment i see her > going to the dining room hoping that she’ll be scared of even thinking > of going to living room. My husband picks her up and puts her in her > catbox and doesn’t let her out unitl she’s done something there, > praising her afterwards. I have spent hundreds of dollars on enzyme > cleaners and the house doesn’t smell badly anymore. It broke my heart > to leave her in the laundry room 8 hours a day so I decided to let her > out again during the day, unsupervised, only for her to soil the same > areas and stinking them up again > Why have i dealt with her this long? Because I thought that you just > don’t give up a pet that easily. She knows that she’s doing wrong when > she soils the carpet, since she runs and hides when she does. > You may be thinking i’m a monster for even suggesting euthanizing her, > but that’d be better than her spending the rest of her life in a cage > in view of the public (she’s extremely shy) or worse, being returned by > another family who wouldn’t be able to deal with this problem. > Of course i’m far from even taking this idea to action, but the fact > that has crossed my mind is a sign of how desperate I am at this point. > I do want to work things out wiht her, I’d be so happy if she changed > her filthy ways. > A question haunts me: is it possible for animals to be mentally > retarded just lke some humans are? > Before you buy.

Response:

> >Before you call me an animal abuser i’d like to let >you know that this would be a last resort idea because i know that no >one would be able to put up with her. > I’m afraid I have no suggestions, but I do understand your situation,

having been there myself. > When my wife and I married, she had a 12 year old cat, Molly, and a dog. > I had a dog, Petey. Petey and Molly couldn’t get along, and the cat

terrorized him, scratching, > biting etc. It was a horrible situation. Petey, loved by everyone for

being a great and friendly > dog, is extremely docile and couldn’t learn to defend himself. His terror

had him shedding and > vomiting constantly. Molly was mean and pissed everywhere. $2500 worth

of carpeting shot to hell. > While I know there are people who would put down their neighbors before

putting down a cat, I will > agree it sometimes has to be. For obvious reasons, the regulars in the

newsgroups are extremely > pro-cat, so you might get flamed, as I’m sure I will. We tried all the

newsgroups for suggestions > and adoptors, and could find no new home for 12 year old Molly. We tried

everything we could think > of, to no avail. > Sadly, sometimes animals make themselves impossible to live with, and

finding no one to adopt her, > you have to do what you have to do.

It’s bad enough that you killed your cat; *must* you recommend, or suggest, or even *hint* to others that they should consider doing it, too???

Response:

It is *possible* that almost any living thing with a brain can have some kind of mental problems, but I think, if your pet does have mental problems, it was probably from years of what I would consider -emotional abuse. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > A question haunts me: is it possible for animals to be mentally > retarded just lke some humans are? > Before you buy.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> While I know there are people who would put down their neighbors before > putting down a cat, I will > agree it sometimes has to be. For obvious reasons, the regulars in the > newsgroups are extremely > pro-cat, so you might get flamed, as I’m sure I will. We tried all the > newsgroups for suggestions > and adoptors, and could find no new home for 12 year old Molly. We tried > everything we could think > of, to no avail. > Sadly, sometimes animals make themselves impossible to live with, and > finding no one to adopt her, > you have to do what you have to do. > It’s bad enough that you killed your cat; *must* you recommend, or suggest, > or even *hint* to others that they should consider doing it, too???

What do you expect from people who define themselves solely by their marital status? <gag> Looks like they got a two-for-the-price-of-one frontal lobotomy as a wedding present…. Helen

Response:

The idea of rubbing an animal’s nose in its own waste is outdated. Back in the days when people didn’t know any better they thought that this kind of aversion therapy would work. It doesn’t, and you’ve admitted that. Here’s what rubbing her nose in it will do. It will confuse her and make her wonder why you’re being so cruel to her. She does not understand why you are doing this. Animals cannot put two and two together of, oh I peed here and now my owner is forcing my face into this disgusting mess. Gee maybe I did something wrong. They don’t get it. Unfortunately, there are still some well-meaning people out there who hang on to this terrible advice. She needs positive reinforcement, not negative. Continue to praise her when she goes in the box, as you have been doing. I’m sorry, but I have to agree with the person who said that yelling at her, trying to scare her, and rubbing her face in a filthy mess is only going to aggravate the problem, which if behavioral, is likely caused by stress. How is causing more stress going to help? I know that it can be frustrating. My cats have done it on occasion and there have been times when I just lose my cool. Those times I try to distance myself from them till I calm down, and then I deal with them, lovingly. Always always always treat your pets lovingly, even when you have to be firm with them. Do it in a loving way. This will do more good than any amount of yelling and other forms of punishment. Good luck. Dianne Got questions? Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

Response:

But have you been to the vet????? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Thanks for your replies. SHe has been having this problem for years. > She just doesn’t likie to use her litter box. I guess she just finds > the feeling of carpet more comfortable than litter, and i’ve tried so > many different brands. The nose rubbing and yelling have been my last > resort (the nose rubbing idea was given to me by the shelter..the > yelling is my own idea out of desperation). This is what i’ve tried in > addition to these: > Locked her in the laundry room during the day and let her wonder around > the house supervised. Then took her to the bedroom at nite or back to > the laundry room. I have also tried scaring her everytime she gets to > her favorite pee areas (dining room). I am loving to her whenever > she’s anywhere in the house, but I yell at her the moment i see her > going to the dining room hoping that she’ll be scared of even thinking > of going to living room. My husband picks her up and puts her in her > catbox and doesn’t let her out unitl she’s done something there, > praising her afterwards. I have spent hundreds of dollars on enzyme > cleaners and the house doesn’t smell badly anymore. It broke my heart > to leave her in the laundry room 8 hours a day so I decided to let her > out again during the day, unsupervised, only for her to soil the same > areas and stinking them up again > Why have i dealt with her this long? Because I thought that you just > don’t give up a pet that easily. She knows that she’s doing wrong when > she soils the carpet, since she runs and hides when she does. > You may be thinking i’m a monster for even suggesting euthanizing her, > but that’d be better than her spending the rest of her life in a cage > in view of the public (she’s extremely shy) or worse, being returned by > another family who wouldn’t be able to deal with this problem. > Of course i’m far from even taking this idea to action, but the fact > that has crossed my mind is a sign of how desperate I am at this point. > I do want to work things out wiht her, I’d be so happy if she changed > her filthy ways. > A question haunts me: is it possible for animals to be mentally > retarded just lke some humans are? > Before you buy.

Response:

You have received some very good suggestions, so I will not repeat them. Some thoughts however: please immediately *stop* any form of punishment around her elimination problem (yelling, scaring her, rubbing her nose in it). You are actually reinforcing the behaviour because your "methods" are creating even more anxiety and stress. You are mistaken, cats do not eliminate outside of safe, clean, easily-accessible, and comfortable litterboxes "because [they feel] like it" or by choice. They do so because something is wrong and you are not hearing her. It is difficult to understand that you have let this go for years. I can well imagine how stressed she is by now because she does not understand what it is that you are objecting to given what you are providing her (a stinky house and possibly not sufficient or clean or easily-accessible litter boxes in quiet areas with a litter she likes). If your whole house smells by now, it smells to her like it is one giant dirty litter box. No wonder she is upset. You have much work to do including cleaning up all areas with an enzyme-based cleaner. Do not use ammonia as it will attract her to the areas. Do not use vinegar; it will leave residues of the odour behind and she may just end up going back there again. Your cat does not have a terminal disease, therefore euthanasia is not the appropriate term to use even if it sounds more palatable. You will be having her killed for something that is treatable and, most of all, for something that was/is your responsibility to sleuth out and for which you bear responsibility for allowing it to go on for so long without resolution. Please take the advice you have gotten to heart. Have her thoroughly checked by her vet to rule out any physical problems. She deserves your love and compassion, nothing less. She has been telling you that something is wrong for years. It is high time for you to listen. Good luck, M.

Response:

>Before you call me an animal abuser i’d like to let >you know that this would be a last resort idea because i know that no >one would be able to put up with her.

I’m afraid I have no suggestions, but I do understand your situation, having been there myself. When my wife and I married, she had a 12 year old cat, Molly, and a dog. I had a dog, Petey. Petey and Molly couldn’t get along, and the cat terrorized him, scratching, biting etc. It was a horrible situation. Petey, loved by everyone for being a great and friendly dog, is extremely docile and couldn’t learn to defend himself. His terror had him shedding and vomiting constantly. Molly was mean and pissed everywhere. $2500 worth of carpeting shot to hell. While I know there are people who would put down their neighbors before putting down a cat, I will agree it sometimes has to be. For obvious reasons, the regulars in the newsgroups are extremely pro-cat, so you might get flamed, as I’m sure I will. We tried all the newsgroups for suggestions and adoptors, and could find no new home for 12 year old Molly. We tried everything we could think of, to no avail. Sadly, sometimes animals make themselves impossible to live with, and finding no one to adopt her, you have to do what you have to do. Shortly afterwards, we adopted a kitten from the shelter, and he is fitting in just fine.

Response:

If it is purely behavioural and her health has been checked out by your vet, I suggest asking your regular vet for a referral to a feline behaviorist in your area. They will be able to help you out. You might want to try isolating her to a single room with her litterbox and other necessities. WIth the litterbox close at hand, she will be less likely to take her "accidents" elsewhere. You also have to make sure that the spots where she has previously urinated or defecetated are cleaned EXTREMELY well with an enzymic cleaner (availabe at your local petstore or vet clinic). What may smell clean to you, may not smell clean to your kitty. Stay away from ammonia based products like bleach, as this may entice her to urinate more. You could also try a vinegar and water solution. Good luck, and please don’t euthanize her. This is a problem that canbe fixed with a little time and effort on your part! Kelly – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I have a female cat who’s six years old. The problem that I have with > her is that she has decided to relieve herself on the carpet, rather > than her litter box. She doesn’t have any urinary tract problems, she > pees on the carpet because she feels like it and now i’ts just not the > dining room carpet, she’s soiling the bedrooms as well. I have tried > scaring her with a plastic bag, yelling at her whenever i find her on > the spot, even rubbing her nose on her mess. The whole house smells > badly and I just don’t have the patience to deal with her. I love her > but after years of urinating wherever she pleases i’ve really had it. > I have thought of sending her to the pound but i’m afraid that she > won’t get used to a new family or even worse, that they may abuse her > because of her soiling problem. THis is why i’m considering > euthanizing her. Before you call me an animal abuser i’d like to let > you know that this would be a last resort idea because i know that no > one would be able to put up with her. > Please help! IF you have any ideas pls let me know!!! > Before you buy.

Response:

> Sadly, sometimes animals make themselves impossible to live with, and finding no one to adopt her, > you have to do what you have to do.

You’re so right. Hubby and his dog woulda been out the door. Plenty of fish in the sea. Only one Molly. But that was a promise I made to myself before I got married. Love me, love my cat(s). — lisaviolet~~proprietor a sample of what you will find at the best little cathouse in cyberspace cathouse : http://www.lisaviolet.com/ live cam 1: http://www.lisaviolet.com/camera/webcam.html live cam 2: http://www.lisaviolet.com/bensden/weather/wx.htm free games: http://www.lisaviolet.com/ben/ free cards: http://www.lisaviolet.com/postcards/ free email: http://www.lisaviolet.com/email.html

Response:

> <snip for space> > but after years of urinating wherever she pleases i’ve really had it. > I have thought of sending her to the pound but i’m afraid that she > won’t get used to a new family or even worse, that they may abuse her > because of her soiling problem.

Abuse her? You mean, more than yelling at her, rubbing her nose in her own feces, and scaring her half to death? Your methods of trying to train her not to pee on the carpet are probably going to just make the situation worse. On top of it all, your cat, is probably scared to death of you. If you really can’t deal with this anymore, please take her to someone who can. Don’t kill her. It’s not her fault that you are not training her properly. I can not add to any of the suggestions- people have already made plenty of great ones. All I can say, is that you are going to have to undo everything emotionally that was done to this animal, and even with all the suggestions you were given, it is NOT going to be an overnight fix. It is going to probably take awhile to try to really train her the right way, and you sound like you are at the end of your rope, so I doubt your ability to correctly handle this situation.. although I it is not uncommon for me to be wrong. Good Luck, I hope it works out. If all else fails, please try to find a no kill shelter in your area. If you can’t find one, the people in this newgroup can surely help. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Before you buy.

Response:

Sorry..I gooned up on item (d) in my list of stuff. On kitty litter, try a "softer" type of litter if you aren’t using that already. And as Beth said, litter box size, placement and type (covered vs. uncovered) are important aspects also. — Jaalinta Got questions? Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

Response:

> I have a female cat who’s six years old. The problem that I have with > her is that she has decided to relieve herself on the carpet, rather > than her litter box. She doesn’t have any urinary tract problems,

When was the last time you had her checked for this? If it’s been a while, it might be worth having her checked out again. > she > pees on the carpet because she feels like it and now i’ts just not the > dining room carpet, she’s soiling the bedrooms as well. I have tried > scaring her with a plastic bag, yelling at her whenever i find her on > the spot, even rubbing her nose on her mess.

And obviously none of those tactics have worked. The key, I think, is detective work and prevention, not punishment. > The whole house smells > badly and I just don’t have the patience to deal with her. I love her > but after years of urinating wherever she pleases i’ve really had it. > I have thought of sending her to the pound but i’m afraid that she > won’t get used to a new family or even worse, that they may abuse her > because of her soiling problem. THis is why i’m considering > euthanizing her. Before you call me an animal abuser i’d like to let > you know that this would be a last resort idea because i know that no > one would be able to put up with her.

Well, step one is to get rid of the odor. Who knows what got her started in the first place, but now that there are spots all over the house that smell like urine, she’s in all likelihood returning to them because she’s attracted by the smell. There are a number of products for this, but the one I like and use is Pet Odor Eliminator. Check your local pet supply stores and buy at least a couple gallons of this stuff, you’re probably going to use a lot of it. Follow the directions on the bottle and give all the spots where she pees a *really* good soak, then cover the spots with something to block her access to them so she can’t pee there again. You may have to reapply the P.O.E. a few times to get the smell completely out, especially if the pee spots have been there for a while, so be patient. This could take a couple of weeks or more. Step two is to figure out why she avoids her litter box, and make the necessary changes. It could be the size of the box, or its placement, or maybe it’s not kept clean enough for her, or she has an aversion to the type of litter you use, or she needs more than one box. There really are a number of possible explanations. You can find a lot of good advice at: www.poop-pee.homepage.com.

Response:

I have a female cat who’s six years old. The problem that I have with her is that she has decided to relieve herself on the carpet, rather than her litter box. She doesn’t have any urinary tract problems, she pees on the carpet because she feels like it and now i’ts just not the dining room carpet, she’s soiling the bedrooms as well. I have tried scaring her with a plastic bag, yelling at her whenever i find her on the spot, even rubbing her nose on her mess. The whole house smells badly and I just don’t have the patience to deal with her. I love her but after years of urinating wherever she pleases i’ve really had it. I have thought of sending her to the pound but i’m afraid that she won’t get used to a new family or even worse, that they may abuse her because of her soiling problem. THis is why i’m considering euthanizing her. Before you call me an animal abuser i’d like to let you know that this would be a last resort idea because i know that no one would be able to put up with her. Please help! IF you have any ideas pls let me know!!! Before you buy.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >I have a female cat who’s six years old. The problem that I have with >her is that she has decided to relieve herself on the carpet, rather >than her litter box. She doesn’t have any urinary tract problems, she >pees on the carpet because she feels like it and now i’ts just not the >dining room carpet, she’s soiling the bedrooms as well. I have tried >scaring her with a plastic bag, yelling at her whenever i find her on >the spot, even rubbing her nose on her mess. The whole house smells >badly and I just don’t have the patience to deal with her. I love her >but after years of urinating wherever she pleases i’ve really had it. >I have thought of sending her to the pound but i’m afraid that she >won’t get used to a new family or even worse, that they may abuse her >because of her soiling problem. THis is why i’m considering >euthanizing her. Before you call me an animal abuser i’d like to let >you know that this would be a last resort idea because i know that no >one would be able to put up with her. >Please help! IF you have any ideas pls let me know!!! >Before you buy.

First I’d ask why you’ve been letting her do this "for years"? Since you’ve verified she doesn’t have a urinary tract infection or some other physical cause here’s some advice: a) Clean the spots that she has peed on with something like "Natures Miracle" or "Simple Solutions". These products are formulated to breakdown and eliminate pet urine odors. Follow the directions on the bottle. b) How many litter boxes do you have and are they kept clean? You should have at least 1 box per cat plus on extra. They need to be conveniently located for the cat. The litter has to be kept clean. You need to keep the poo and pee scooped out. Also have you changed litter types lately? If so, that could be a cause. Cats are very particular about their litter. Try a "softer" smaller The type of litter box may play a factor also..some cats do not like the enclosed litter boxes. c) As a temporary measure put aluminum foil or kitty food bowls over the spots that the cat has been using. Either one of those methods will discourage the cat from using that area to pee. d) Crate-training may be an option. I’m not knowledable about this method, but I know of at least one other person on this NG who used it successfully. If all else fails, please consider placing her in a no-kill shelter vice having her PTS. Pee-ing outside the litterbox is a common problem but it can be solved with patience and good detective work on figuring out why the cat is avoiding the litter box. Please also visit Elsa’s "The Scoop on Pee and Poop" website. She has lot’s of information there also. Got questions? Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com