Cat Behaviour...help?

[nikki-lou]

Why would a cat poo on my carpet? She's never done it before? She's a bit naughty and scratches the carpet - I just heard her scratchin in the hallway n when I went out she was trying to 'bury' it. :ac39:

[Bigmama]

I don't know much about cats specifically, but I know when my dog is season she does this, has your cat still got her bits?

[nikki-lou]

No shes been neutered - its out of character for her though. :confused:

[angel1980]

Have you changed the litter you use? Was the litter tray dirty?

I think it can happen due to stress sometimes, something makes them view their litter tray as a scary place, for example if they have been scared whilst using it.

Also there could possibly be a medical reason, if the cat is in discomfort it may go somewhere other than it's litter tray.

Hopefully it was a one off and doesn't happen again.

[nikki-lou]

Thanks hun! :kisshands:

My dp changed her litter this afternoon and he's said that as he was changing it she tried getting into it...so he moved her for a minute! I wonder if its that? How can I get her to use it again!? She didnt find a discreet place to do it...she went right in the middle of the hallway!!

She seems healthy, she's still got her appitite - she wont eat her meat anymore but I think she's gon off it since I bought her whiskers semi-dry food...she wolfs that.

Shes still scratching carpets..I hope she's not stressed out...she has no reason to be poor thing!

[angel1980]

Is it the same make of litter? If not then she may be being fussy! If it is, then maybe after she's had her next meal place her in the litter tray so she 'remembers' that's where she's meant to go! Talking calmly to her so that she's relaxed.

Has the litter tray been moved? If so, put it back, lol.

Erm if it carries on I'd get advice from a vet, and maybe a check up.

With the scratching, has she got scratching posts to use?

[nikki-lou]

Its the same litter, we havent changed or moved it! I'll put her by it when i feed her soon :happy72:

She has a scratch post and she uses it regularly...she just also uses the carpet unfortunatly! We're in rented accom n Im beginning to worry about it now. Dont wanna end up with bald carpets - I thought she'd grow out of it...but we've had her 4 months now! We got her from a rescue place n she's approx 1 now

[angel1980]

Hmm, she may be scent marking and with coming from a rescue centre she may be making sure that everyone knows the house is her territory!

Is it in one place of carpet or all over?

[angel1980]

Thinking about it, she may just prefer to scratch something horizontal, I think you can buy horizontal scratching mats.

[nikki-lou]

Its all over the house...she even scents us!! She's scared of goin out of the house so she's a house cat so I'm not sure what to do with her - obviously I don't want to give her up but this 'incident' tonight has really worried me!

[nikki-lou]

Thinking about it, she may just prefer to scratch something horizontal, I think you can buy horizontal scratching mats.

Oh i'll try to find one...i considered buying one of them big activity centres

[angel1980]

The rescue centre you got her from, could you call them for advice? The one I volunteer at has animal behaviour advisors working there to help with things like this.

[angel1980]

Oh i'll try to find one...i considered buying one of them big activity centres

Yeah give it a go! Worth a try :happy72:

[nikki-lou]

I've posted a message on their message board - hopefully they'll email me. They've been quite good so far...so they might help

[angel1980]

Good luck xx

[nikki-lou]

Thanks alot for takin the time uhn :kisshands:

[*debbie*]

http://www.petlifeonline.co.uk/Store/Cats/Care/No-Scratch-Cat-Spray?gclid=CJD6k-veho4CFQMfEgodsyxrEA

http://www.thecatgallery.co.uk/acatalog/For_Your_Cat_Behaviour.html?gclid=CK3UxYrfho4CFQ0e EgodmhV7EQ

hth 20061010

[nikki-lou]

Thank-you hun...I'm def going to have to invest in something! haha little bugger that she is! :laugh:

[beebybaby]

Hi just been reading about your probs with kitty..Hope i can give you some advise as we have had cats for 18 years (42 cats in that time and 5 litters!!) we have 5 cats now, and 1 was from a rescue centre. He was the one that was a pain!!! He had problems using the litter tray...even when it was spotlessly clean. We ended up buying 2 because he was so fussy, that when he used the litter for a number 1 he would do his number 2 on the floor. He would only use the litter once, so with the help of litter tray 2 he now uses both!! We also use some powder, that we got from tesco, its a scented powder you sprinkle in the litter so it smells nice for the cats. He used his trays a lot more after that.

Also buy her/him lots of toys and spray catnip on them (as well as the scratch posts) this will attract her/him to the toys and posts to scratch and hopefully not the floor. scratching can be just for 'filing' their claws, like we cut our nails.

I think the litter incident may have been a one off as it sounds like she was bursting. oh, another thought, dont put the tray near her food, she might not use it if its near where she eats. My cats have 3 seperate places, eating, toileting and sleeping.

Hope this helps

[beebybaby]

Just thought, if she is a shy cat like you mention, try buying her an igloo cat litter tray. Its like a cat carrier shape, and has a door that swings both ways allowing her to go in out out easily. She may be shy and might prefer a more private way to toilet...just a thought.

[nikki-lou]

Thanks for that :kisshands:

She's not a shy cat really she'll 'go' when we're stood right next to her sometimes (like she's making a point of "this is my tray") So far *touch wood* its been a one off doin it in the hall - however she keeps jumpin out of her tray before she's finished doing her business and it ends up on the floor. She'll wee in her tray and stay til shes finished but number 2's no chance! We're going to get a covered tray to see if we can prevent this, hopefully she'll stay in until she's done! Her toilet is at the other side of the room to her food! I think she's just bein a fusspot coz she's even choosing not to eat her meat now & its the same meat she used to wolf down when we got her. She'll only eat biscuits these days

On the scratching situation...She's still scratching...she has lots of toys and a scratch post covered in catnip! She drives us mad with the scratching coz the landlord wont appreciate bald carpets :laugh:

She's so cute n cuddly but shes def the boss!!! :laugh:

Thanks again hun for the advice! I'll try the Tesco stuff and a covered tray - just waiting to buy her a big activity centre so hopefully that'll help with the scratching! :crossfing

[beebybaby]

No problem hun, if you need any more advice you can always ask me...pm me if need be.

Dont worry too much about her not eating her meat, my 5 are on dry food, but its a complete food, so even if your kitty prefers dry food thats fine. She will still get all nutrients she needs. Make sure she has plenty of water, and buy her the special cat milk, as a lot of people dont realise that cats are Lactose intolerant, so cows milk gives them an upset tummy!!

other bonus's with dry food is you just need to 'top up' her food bowl, it does not attract flies in the warm weather or 'dry out', and it does have a more pleasant smell than meat.

Good luck hun and if you need anymore help, give us a shout xxx **5**