Anyone with a Cat HELP!

[michelle8702]

My husband and I just brought home our new baby boy about 5 week's ago, ever since then our cat Sophie has been really jealous and has started to poop outside of her catbox! It smells awful to by the way I always know right when she has done it. She has her own room with a floor to ceiling cat tree and all of her toy's, This room is only accessible to her and to my husband and I! (Dozer Eats cat poop) YUCK!

I just wanted to know if anyone has any other suggestions we have changed her litter and bought her one of the covered cat boxes and also put the deoderizer in with it too!

 

[bommy]

hi michelle

sounds like your puss is a little jealous...the only thing i can think of trying is a water squirter & when she goes outside the litter tray squir her & scold & praise & reward when she does the right thing..

 

[gmacleod]

I would certainly NOT start squirting your cat with water - the poor animal is terrorised enough already. LOL OK, terrorised is perhaps a little strong, but the basic problem with cat behaviour after a dog is introduced to your house is fear. Why exactly that translates into a refusal to use the litter box, I don't really know, but its not that uncommon. But cats don't eliminate out of "spite" or "jealousy" any more than dogs do - its just not how animals think.

Perhaps her sudden aversion to the litter box has something to do with the new puppy getting into it (as they inevitably do) for 'snacks'. You said Dozer ate cat poop - so does that mean you've shifted her box to a different room, or that you've since found a way to stop him getting access to that room?

I think you need to think about what has changed for your cat since you got Dozer, and to work on making her feel secure enough to return to using her litter tray. A lot of cats feel so threatened by the new dog that they end up hiding away in just one or two rooms, and sneaking out to eat when things are quiet. Those are usually the ones for whom the litter tray becomes a problem too, especially if the puppy has surprised them in it.

You could certainly do a search here. You're far from the first person to have this problem after a new animal has been introduced to your house. You may well find some useful advice in previous posts by others who've gone through the same experience. Good luck

 

[michelle8702]

Lol

I am sorry I wasn't specific the new baby is a skin baby!!! LOL! Dozer has been here since before we got Sophie (the cat)! She is used to the dog and after the first "snack" from the litter box we put up a child's gate so she would have that room all to herself when she needed some time "away" from Dayton (2 year old skin kid) Dozer (almost 5 month old boxer) and just the regular commotion in the house!

My new baby (skin) was born on August 25th! Ever since then I am finding her little poop's all over her room, No where else though!

She is a Daredevil with Dozer and Dayton she taunt's them until they chase her and then she run's full speed for her room! It is too funny she is still a kitten too! Hence the reason that she isn't yet spayed! Do you think It would help if we spayed her? We were planning on it anyways when she was a bit older but I wasn't sure if this is related!

 

[mancin]

Did Sophie get a lot of attention before the baby came? When my husband (boyfriend at the time) moved in w/ me, one of my cats started peeing on everything. She usually peed on his clothes, and even peed on him when he slept! I was very frustrated. I had taken her to the vet to verify that she didn't have a bladder infection, and they told me that she was probably just stressed out or jealous. I admit she probably didn't get as much attention from me when he came down, and she rarely got attention from him. Now that we both fuss over her when she's around, she's gotten much better.
Hope you find some resolution!

 

[gmacleod]

ROFL!! A skin kid, hmmm? I'm pretty used to introducing cats and dogs and getting those two to live harmoniously, but know rather a lot less about cats and babies

Generally though, when cats start that sort of thing, the answer lies in a stressed or fearful cat. Since you've already got a toddler, you wouldn't think that a new baby would be that much of an issue for her, but perhaps it is. Making a big effort to give her attention and include her in things may help, as may multiple litter boxes.

Here's a few previous threads that came up with a search. Posibly you'd find others with different search terms. Good luck - hope you find the answer quickly
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/search.php?searchid=93140

 

[Gypsy'sMom]

You mentioned that you changed litter - maybe the cat doesn't like the new litter. Our cat has done that in the past, if we have used a different brand or style of litter - he won't go in the box until we go back to the same type of litter he likes. So now that is all we buy.

He is also very particular as to where the litter box is placed - he will only use the box if it is in the bathroom! It doesn't seem to matter which bathroom. He has a nice big covered litter box in the basement that he doesn't use.

 

[Kylie_L]

You could go to your vet, i had a friend whos cat would pee on the counters and on top of the fridge and her vet gave her a pamplet of different thigs she could do to make things better and it worked GOOD LUCK!

 

[tatev94]

I was told by a few people to get an additional litter box & put it in another room. They said it's a territorial thing (whether it's another cat, dog or kid doesn't seem to matter according to them.)

It might be worth a try.

Paula