Help w/ older cat

[MizlurksaLot]

A little over a year ago a young female cat (about 1yo) started coming around our house looking for food/shelter. After about a month of this I decided she needed a home, I took her to the vet, got all of her shots, got her spayed and then brought her home. A few months after we brought her into the house, our older cat (he's 15 now) started peeing all over the house. We're pretty sure it's a jealousy issue, I know cats are very territorial and this cat may be even more so than most . I don't think it's a medical problem because if you catch him doing it he will stop, so it's not as if he has no control over it. We do have two litter boxes, but both cats insist on using both boxes (I don't know how to control that). My mom is getting really frustrated and is starting to consider giving him away (let me just say, I do contribute to some of his expenses and a pay for all of the other cats expenses). These cat's are a huge part of my life so giving either one of them up is not an option for me. The younger cat is my baby, and I grew up with the older one (plus, I feel like it's mean to give away a cat who's been with you so long). Is there anything we can do to stop him from doing this, that won't hurt him in anyway? I've tried everything I can think of, I even tried talking to him (I know it sounds crazy, but I really think he understands me sometimes.) Help please

 

[SalandJeff]

We had a similar situation when a cat (that had obviously been dumped because she was pregnant) and her little kittens started coming out of our woods into the yard. We started to feed them on the porch and one our indoor cats started going to the bathroom all over the house. As you said, it is a jealousy issue. Our indoor cats were about 15 at the time. We gave the outdoor cats to a friend with a barn who takes care of them. We just felt it was too traumatic for our older cats.
There is nothing you can do to stop the cats behavior. If you keep it confined to a basement or garage, that's not much fun for the cat. Why don't you try to find a good home for the young cat. And then when the older cat is gone, you can get a kitten.
Sorry I didn't have any better suggestions.

 

[MizlurksaLot]

unfortunately, as I said giving either cat away just isn't an option . It's not as if I just found this cat, I've had her for over a year now. I agree with you on the confining thing, that's not an option either! I love both my cats, and am basically unwilling to give either of them up. It's an odd situation, because for the most part they get along pretty well, the do have little squabbles occasionally, but they play together, eat together and even sleep together. Thanks again, I really do appreciate your input

Does anyone else have any ideas?

 

[DocRafiki]

* Try FeliWay pheromones to help calm the cats

* Use FeliWay spray in areas where he urinates inappropriately

* Use Cat Attract to attract him back to the litter box

* Add more boxes and clean daily

* Bring him to the vet. Your reasons for thinking it's not medical are not valid.

* Thank you for not giving them away. That's the way every pet parent should think.

 

[nhrenee]

We had a similar situation but it did turn out to be medical. My older cat actually had a kidney infection. Maybe you should have a urinalysis just to be sure?

 

[kilee]

We recently went through an issue w/ a "new" cat we got from the humane society. Our other cat was fine w/ the new addition. The new addition supposedly came from a house w/ other cats. Well low and behold this 4 yr old cat wouldn't use the litter box for ANYTHING. We set up 2 boxes, we tried different litter, we tried different style boxes. We took him to the vet. We bought books and tried at least 30 different "attractions" to the box. Nothing worked, he was urinating and deficating all over my house. After a few months of trying, we sadly took him back. It broke my heart, but when I was beginning to be unable to get the odors removed from the house- it was time to take action. I actually had to replace my carpeting because the smell was too absorbed. Also, the bottom line was once he began doing it on my son's bed! That is just disgusting and it was time.

Now, the vet at the Humane Society was very apologetic (not their fault). Anyhow, they said then when adult cats stray from a litter box for too long, it can sometimes get almost impossible to get them back. Don't know if that statement holds any water or not. I'm not a cat expert. Just know what we recently went through.

 

[MizlurksaLot]

Originally posted by DocRafiki

* Use FeliWay spray in areas where he urinates inappropriately

* Add more boxes and clean daily

* Bring him to the vet. Your reasons for thinking it's not medical are not valid.

First, do those sprays really work? My sister tried them and she said they didn't. We do only have 2 boxes but they are cleaned daily. Also, this cat has been to the vet since this started happening, and they seem to think it's a jealousy issue as well. Why do you say my reasons for feeling that it's most likely not medical are not valid?

Thanks everyone for your input and ideas