I'm in need of some help with my cat's inappropriate elimination issues and I could use some new eyes on the subject. Pi would be a nice cat if he didn't insist on peeing out of the litterbox.
Basic Stats:
Behavior Summary:
In response to my discovery this evening, I set up the expen again and demoted him to confinement within while I figure out what to do. Any suggestions?? I'm trying to do right by my cat but hhis problem keeps expanding and I CAN'T/WON'T put up with a cat ruining everything I own.
With an upcoming move comes a few more options, namely giving him an area that he can't ruin no matter where he pees and thus where we can all be much less stressed. Our current top pick is him becoming DH's "shop cat" in his woodshop with an attached "cat run" for safe outdoor play. DH spends hours out in his shop each week and he and Pi get along better than Pi and I do currently so it seems like a win-win. Unfortunately we have to figure something out for the next 6 months; we are in a rental currently so no ability to build cat pens.
Anything I'm overlooking? Any tips/tricks that helped your cat?
Basic Stats:
- Adopted at 6mo, neutered at 10mo.
- Healthy DSH - ideal weight, no UTI or other issues
- Eats 1/4 cup Kirkland Chicken Adult cat food twice/day, in a treatball in the am and in his bowl at night
- Fresh water available at all times - consumes about 1/2 cup/day
Behavior Summary:
- used an expen to contain him for several weeks after coming home, then gave him free roam of my home office
- peed in a dish chair around 9 mo so restricted to expen again for about 6 months
- tried free run of the house for one week before discovering that he had been exclusively urinating in our papasan chair
- restricted him to my home office again, this time for about 6 months
- talked to cat behavior specialist via email, she suggested a preference test to determine if maybe he didn't like his litter and/or box.
- tested clay clumping, World's Best, A&H Essentials, crystal, and pelletted litters. Clay clumping won.
- compared litterboxes, pretty much a draw, tho he used one for pee and one for poop. Switched to covered box with clay clumping litter.
- Noticed that he peed in a dog crate about 8 weeks ago - chalked it up to his box being dirty and started cleaning it out more frequently (daily instead of the prior every 2 days).
- Noticed that he had peed on an envelope about 10 days ago, added a second litter box (open with same litter), all seemed aok.
- discovered today that he's been peeing in a box of papers - obviously has been using this location for at least a few days
In response to my discovery this evening, I set up the expen again and demoted him to confinement within while I figure out what to do. Any suggestions?? I'm trying to do right by my cat but hhis problem keeps expanding and I CAN'T/WON'T put up with a cat ruining everything I own.
With an upcoming move comes a few more options, namely giving him an area that he can't ruin no matter where he pees and thus where we can all be much less stressed. Our current top pick is him becoming DH's "shop cat" in his woodshop with an attached "cat run" for safe outdoor play. DH spends hours out in his shop each week and he and Pi get along better than Pi and I do currently so it seems like a win-win. Unfortunately we have to figure something out for the next 6 months; we are in a rental currently so no ability to build cat pens.
Anything I'm overlooking? Any tips/tricks that helped your cat?