My Cat

[mumof3]

:Hello2:

I have had my cat for 12 years, she was from the cat protection league. She is still a 'young' cat, she has got years left in her yet!
The problem is as she gets older she seems to be picking up more bad habits. Last year we discovered to our horror that she had been using a corner in our lounge for urinating. We have solved this by providing a litter tray but she uses the litter tray day and night, she has never liked going out at all. I wouldn't mind her using it constantly if she was getting on in years or had any trouble walking but she's very agile.
She acts like she's a disabled cat!
She is very manipulative now as well, if we don't provide her with fresh food at her whim (she licks the gravy off then wants it chucked and replaced!) she asks to go out but doesn't need to, I know cause I watch her, stands outside the door for a minute then howls to be let in, yes howls, she sounds like a dog more than a cat!
We have had her wake us up regularly in the middle of the night for food etc.
She also does have the occasional accident of the other kind right outside our bedroom door.
My partner wants to get rid of her as he says she is no pleasure anymore, she's just a pain. But I feel she is mine, I got her and feel I would be letting her down if we let her go. I love her but have to admit sometimes she drives me round the bend!
I'm worried that if I agree and let him take het to the C.P.L that I will go to pieces.
It's been pointed out to me that I wouldn't need to go through the grief of her passing on if we give her away but I just can't decide what to do.
Has anyone got any advice for me?
Thanks

[Ravenfire]

TBH if my DH said that to me about one of our cats I would give him a swift kick up the rear. At the end of the day she is getting old and cranky just like we all do with age and I guess although she may seem agile to you she is starting to feel her age.

The best people to speak to would be your local vets who would probably give her a once over and give you advice on what you can to. TBH I think they will just tell you its all to do with her age and that it would be very difficult to change her.

Believe me if you gave her away not only would you grieve for her but I believe you would feel very guilty as well, particularly as you have had her for so long.

[Netty]

"My" cat, at my parents is about 16 now, and the other week couldn't move her back legs, Mum took her to the vets and we thought it would be her last trip, but he checked her over and said she was very healthy for her age. Gave her a course of steroid injections over a couple of weeks and she is (almost) fine now. Still a bit stiff, but walking and jumping.

She will go out again, but then comes in to use her litter tray :angry-smiley-044: and is also meowing more than she ever has, so is driving mum mad at times - but they couldn't be without her.

I say keep the cat, and if you have "known" her longer than your dp ....... :P

[mumof3]

Hi Ravenfire and Netty,
Thanks for your replies. We are moving next week and my other half was wanting her to be gone before we move into our new house.
I think I'll have to break the news to him that she is staying.
I wanted to ask other cat owners about their cats habits.
My cat Sophie is very fussy with her food and I buy her Whiskas sachets and Whiskas crunchies. I try to add other brands now and then to keep it interesting but Whiskas is her favourite.
Even though she prefers it she has an odd habit now that she never used to do. When she is eating she takes the food out of her clean bowl and puts in on the floor! Some she eats but I always find pieces of meat beside the bowl. It is horrible and I don't know why she does it?
Does anyone know what she might be trying to tell us?! I'd really like her to get out of this habit as it's messy and unhygenic but thought it would help if I knew why she was doing it.

Thanks

[Ravenfire]

Hi

My cats are the same and they also arent keen on the gravy flavour. We find that the male of ours picks his out of the bowl and then eats it from the floor, its quite funny to watch him scoop it up, and they are very fussy about brands as well, and they will only eat satchets not tins, dont know why, think its tastes fresher!

Keep a supply of the flash floor wipes in as it only takes a second to wipe by the bowl. Try her with foods such as fresh chicken and tinned tuna for variety.

[Girlzmum]

My cat refused to eat the jelly stuff - it had to be gravy!

[mumof3]

Hi to all,
Thanks for your replies. I do give her the jelly sachets as well now and again as she gets bored with the same and she does like it but not all the time. I didn't know other cats did this, I thought it was just mine that leaves her food outside of the bowl, weird isn't it? She never used to.
Whenever we have chicken I give her some, she goes mad for it when I'm cooking it but when I give it to her she often turns her nose up at it, tuna as well, when she can smell it she whines for it but walks away from it when she's given it!!!!
:ac39:
When I picked her out from various cats all those years ago the CPL told me she was a very talkative cat. I didn't really know what she meant at the time but soon found out how vocal she is! If she's outside out of her own choice when she decides she wants to come in she howls immediately, not a gentle cat miow, a howling one, that's in the first few seconds of waiting. People would think she'd been out there for ages!

When we move next week I think we will get a cat flap fitted, might make life easier for us all! Actually the two doors of the house are the front door and the other doors are french glass doors that lead into the back garden so I can't can I?
Just realized this!

[Wundatigga]

Hi there only just saw your thread and whave a similar thing with our cats (who live with my mum).. erm both of them are toms and the older one (AppleJack) who is a very fit 15yr old always has to lick the gravy off the food so we give him jelly and he has to have fresh chicken etc where as my younger cat (Ozzie) whos 3 loves tuna but no other fresh meats!! Also AppleJack comes in to use the cat litter (if its provided) and Ozzie would sooner be outside come rain or shine especially if we're there with Ruben.. it just goes to show the difference between! Also both of our cats prefer to eat thier food off the floor (well they not get food bowls out in the wild!!) and usually Ozzie will run off under the table to eat his!! They are strange and wonderful creatures and yes i do feel like you shouldn't get rid of her just for the odd mishap!! I mean shes part of your family!! You wouldn't get rid of your child just cos he kept crying.. or being sick.. would you?? Hope your dp takes the news that shes staying ok!!

[mumof3]

Hi Wundatigga,
Thanks for letting me know about your cats. From the replies so far it seems that my cat is quite normal after all!! It sounds like you've found what they like but I seem to juggle with my cats food daily. She loves the smell of chicken and tuna but she often walks away from it when I offer it to her.
It's like she only wants what she thinks she can't have! We've thought about putting her dinner on one of our plates!
I told my dp last night and he said he already knew! He has accepted it and said he hasn't said anything recently to me about it cause he knew I couldn't do it!
So she's staying.
:D

[Wundatigga]

AWW THATS GREAT NEWS HUN!!!!

So glad dp has come to his senses!!!!!

Yeah our cats are the same when we are cooking but it's only AppleJack whho will actually eat any of it!! I think Ozzie prefers to catch his own fresh meat lol!!!

Anyways take care and :luck: with the move!!

[mumof3]

Hi Wundatigga,
Thanks for the good luck, I need it, we only knew the date of moving three weeks before the actual date! I'm not panicking yet but probably should be!!
I have the cat box at the ready! Bit concerned as the people who are currently living there have a dog and when we moved in this house there had been a dog and it sends Sophie a bit dolally!! Don't know how well she is gonna take this move, we've moved three times and I hope she can cope with it again?!
The dog scent will be there for a while won't it? She only really settled here when we replaced the carpets and flooring as it needed it but this new house doesn't.
Just have to wait and see I suppose, fingers crossed.

Take care,

:D

[Girlzmum]

Originally posted by mumof3@Mar 18 2005, 04:20 PM
If she's outside out of her own choice when she decides she wants to come in she howls immediately, not a gentle cat miow, a howling one, that's in the first few seconds of waiting. People would think she'd been out there for ages!

799199


My cat used to do that as well, I stood one day talking to my neighbour after getting home from work and she sat outside my door giving off. Then when she realised I wasn't rushing over to let her in she came over to me and gave off to me again!
She died when I was pregnant and I really want another cat but madam loves animals and she'd torture it!

[Ravenfire]

mumof3 how about investing in a big bottle of febreeze to see if that helps to get rid of the smell? Failing that hire a carpet cleaner but put biological washing powder in it instead of detergent or cleaning fluids. This is recommended because it doesnt just mask the smell but gets rid of it and its also the best thing to use for washing your carpets.

[mumof3]

Hi Colette and Ravenfire,
Colette, it's so good to hear she isn't the only cat that does this! No-one I have ever spoken to about it identifies with me about it. The more I hear about other peoples cats the more reassured I feel!! I truly believed it was just her that displayed this sort of behaviour!!
Ravenfire, I am definitely gonna take your advice. I have a friend who has already offered her carpet shampoo machine. I'll try what you said, it sounds good.

Thanks to both of you! :D

[mumof3]

Hi Colette,
I am really sorry, I have re-read your post and realized what an idiot I had been!! :o
I'm sorry for your loss, it must be painful, I can only imagine at the minute, I haven't lost a personal pet to me and dread the day Sophie dies.
:grouphug:
So please don't think of me as unfeeling,I was quite rushed at the time and didn't take it all on board. :sign07:
My sympathies are with you and one day 'madam' will be older and you can again have another feline to make a friendship with. :D

All the best,

;)

[mariesmummy]

Hi
I just saw the bit about the cat flaps and thoughtthta I woudl let you in on our arrangements.

When we moved in there was a cat flap in the kitchen window, and one in the wall in the study. I got rid of the kitchen one pretty quick (all those foot [rints on the kitchen work surface - Yuck) and toots now goes in and out of a holewhich is 2 feet off the groud in the wall. (well when we wont open the door for her that is).

On the out side there is a boxed in ramp as it goes through the dog run, but on the inside she just jumps up and down.

She is about 11 or 12 years old and goes nuts for salmon and tuna, and will miaow if you go near her bowl - whether or not she has food (she has biscuity type ones - i can't be doing with wet food).

On another note, you would love to speak to my MIL - she has about 10 cats and they have a 'varied' diet - some eat biscuits, some eat cooked chicken and others will only eat freshly cook white fish - she has at least 5 bowls in her kitchen - and that's not counting the table scraps that they get!

[Girlzmum]

OMG! Don't worry about it at all! She had taken very ill and she passed away quickly. Unfortunately it was while I was in America visiting my dh (he worked there for 3 months when I was pregnant) and the vet put her into the freezer so I could see her when I got back. Now when I think of her I see this frozen cat stuffed in beside the peas!!!!!! I know that isn't how it was but it was exactly what I thought of when the vet told me and it's stuck!

[mumof3]

Hi Mariesmummy and Colette,
Mariesmummy, what a strange place for a cat flap, in the kitchen window? Not surprised you got rid of it. To be honest we've seen the house a few times but until we move in this Friday I'm not sure where one could go but we'll figure something out. Your MIL having ten cats, omg! I think Sophies hard work and she's just one cat!
Sounds like they live the life of riley!!!

Colette, I'm glad you aren't upset. :D I can imagine what your cat must have looked like in the freezer! I think my memory of my cat would be the last time I saw her as well. It was well meant obviously but not exactly the lasting image you want in your mind!

All the best,

mumof3 :D

[Wundatigga]

Hey there

.. i never reealised your cat was called sophie and when i first read the bit that said...

I have the cat box at the ready! Bit concerned as the people who are currently living there have a dog and when we moved in this house there had been a dog and it sends Sophie a bit dolally!!

... i thought you was talking about me as I'm Sophie!!!!

:D.. i was gonna say.. "how the hell you know dogs send me doolally??"

LOL What am i like??!! :D

[mumof3]

Wundatigga,


:clapping: LOL!!

What a laugh!!

:D

[bg18539]

You may want to call your local shelter and see if there are any pet psychiatrists who volunteer there time. We had a problem with one of our cats and they gave us a number we could call.

Never hurts to ask.