Strange cat behaviour
Discussion
We have two cats, and the elder one is being a bit odd at the moment.
She's about 13 now, and very set in her ways. She doesn't like children, and doesn't like big loud groups of people - in either scenario she'll hide on top of the fridge in the utility room.
She doesn't spend much time outside these days (unless we're out there), tending to only bother wandering out to go to the toilet. We shut our cats in overnight as there are foxes around us, and several local cats have been attacked. They're OK with it.
Last week, we forgot to open the cat flap before leaving for work. Pacha, the elder cat, decided to poo in the kitchen sink - she's prone to cystitis, and often wees in the kitchen sink to show us she's ill. Never had her poo in it before though.
Since then, she's had a poo in the sink pretty much every day - I'm assuming it is every time she's needed to go. Also found some on the dining room floor.
Now, she's quite capable of going outside and doing it, and it's only been since the day that the cat flap was left shut.
So why is she still doing it? The only other change is that we put a fresh Felliway plug-in in for the fireworks recently, which is probably more than 6 months since the last one.
Have got an appointment with the vet for Wednesday, but I'm unsure as to whether it's behavioural or medical - any thoughts?
She's about 13 now, and very set in her ways. She doesn't like children, and doesn't like big loud groups of people - in either scenario she'll hide on top of the fridge in the utility room.
She doesn't spend much time outside these days (unless we're out there), tending to only bother wandering out to go to the toilet. We shut our cats in overnight as there are foxes around us, and several local cats have been attacked. They're OK with it.
Last week, we forgot to open the cat flap before leaving for work. Pacha, the elder cat, decided to poo in the kitchen sink - she's prone to cystitis, and often wees in the kitchen sink to show us she's ill. Never had her poo in it before though.
Since then, she's had a poo in the sink pretty much every day - I'm assuming it is every time she's needed to go. Also found some on the dining room floor.
Now, she's quite capable of going outside and doing it, and it's only been since the day that the cat flap was left shut.
So why is she still doing it? The only other change is that we put a fresh Felliway plug-in in for the fireworks recently, which is probably more than 6 months since the last one.
Have got an appointment with the vet for Wednesday, but I'm unsure as to whether it's behavioural or medical - any thoughts?
I would imagine that it's easier for her to use the sink. The great outdoors has been forbidden to her for half the time so using the 'domestic amenities' is more of an option.
In the very cold winter last year the hinges on my catflap broke, and being snowed in I could only get a different kind that was much noisier and needed more force. My cat simply wouldn't use it. We coped until I was able to get another good one. So habits can be broken and easiest options taken. All I can think of is that you try to encourage your cat to use the catflap again, even if it means getting on your hands and knees and making stupid noises!
In the very cold winter last year the hinges on my catflap broke, and being snowed in I could only get a different kind that was much noisier and needed more force. My cat simply wouldn't use it. We coped until I was able to get another good one. So habits can be broken and easiest options taken. All I can think of is that you try to encourage your cat to use the catflap again, even if it means getting on your hands and knees and making stupid noises!
"Easier" is definitely true.
To be honest, even if the cat flap wasn't closed at night, she wouldn't go out. It's the young one that might, and even she (3yo) rarely does on the odd occasion it's left open.
She tends to s
t in her own garden, ffs. I guess we'll have to encourage her to go back outside.
To be honest, even if the cat flap wasn't closed at night, she wouldn't go out. It's the young one that might, and even she (3yo) rarely does on the odd occasion it's left open.
She tends to s
t in her own garden, ffs. I guess we'll have to encourage her to go back outside.My guess would be she can smell she has been there before so is just revisiting what she now sees as her toilet area. Remember, just because you can't smell anything now doesn't mean she can't, to overcome this you can either buy a specific pet odour remover or just google for concoctions you can make yourself.
bexVN said:
She maybe sl arthritic meaning not as comfortable to go through cat flap and has now discovered an alternative due to necessity originally.
Do you have a litter tray for them.
She's definitely capable of going out, but has decided not to.Do you have a litter tray for them.
Twice tonight she has tried to poo indoors in front of us. She sometimes wees indoors in front of us to let us know that she's not well, so I'm wondering if the pooing is the same thing. Vet booked for tomorrow pm.
Output Flange said:
bexVN said:
She maybe sl arthritic meaning not as comfortable to go through cat flap and has now discovered an alternative due to necessity originally.
Do you have a litter tray for them.
She's definitely capable of going out, but has decided not to.Do you have a litter tray for them.
Twice tonight she has tried to poo indoors in front of us. She sometimes wees indoors in front of us to let us know that she's not well, so I'm wondering if the pooing is the same thing. Vet booked for tomorrow pm.
)in the meantime pop a litter tray next to the cat flap and encourage her here. its then easier to retrain the cat to poop outside once she has got the all clear from the vets.
this gives her a better alternaitive to the sink.
I also heard that bleach will encourage cats to pee over the residual smell, so clean with washing liquid should be fine. soem say a biological wash liquid or something.
this gives her a better alternaitive to the sink.
I also heard that bleach will encourage cats to pee over the residual smell, so clean with washing liquid should be fine. soem say a biological wash liquid or something.
paulmurr said:
After I clean using bleach my Ava will go batst crazy on my hands, grooming them madly. I dunno why, I can only imagine that something in the bleach somehow smells like cat tinkle or something.
One of ours does this to the point where if the floor is being cleaned with even mild bleached water she will chase after and rub herself all over the cloth whilst you're trying to clean. Her sister couldn't care less however. Bizarre stuff goes on in cats heads.t crazy on my hands, grooming them madly. I dunno why, I can only imagine that something in the bleach somehow smells like cat tinkle or something.Well, vet visited, abscess lanced, and she has now returned to her slightly grumpy self.
Without needing encouragement she went back to having a poo outside yesterday too, so hopefully it was a laziness thing and she's now realised it's not really on to st in the kitchen sink.
We shall see...
Without needing encouragement she went back to having a poo outside yesterday too, so hopefully it was a laziness thing and she's now realised it's not really on to s
t in the kitchen sink.We shall see...
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