Snafu's antics are pretty well documented and raved about here at Cat of Nine Tales, but what we don't talk about much is his....inappropriate urination. I just had to use that phrase once, but we all know we are talking about a peer. Our dearly departed Moseley was a peer and since I've returned to work, Snafu has become one too. He does not get along well with the other cats and his fear and anxiety prompts him to spray his cry for dominance all over our house. After our useless attempts to repel, dissuade, avert and medicate him, he is totally banned from the bedroom.
We even put blue plastic sheets over our bed to prevent the pee from soaking in. Of course he just stopped peeing on the bed and seemed to go double time under it along the wall and under my bureau (see it in the background of this photo) where BJ loved to hide.
So, no more bedroom...to put him outside in the cat enclosure, which requires crossing through the bedroom, he gets "air-lifted" in and out.
We've been dealing with Snafu's habit for about a year now and he joins Nick who is also a peer, albeit far less often than Snafu. Nick feels compelled to mark and defend his territory and generally gets upset when the neighbor's cat comes calling. But, one pee begets another so the both of them are treated equally.
We have committed to supervising Snafu at least 80% of the time he is out of his room. Oh, yeah, remember the music room we converted from Moseley's room after his passing?
It's now Snafu and Nick's room.
We can't watch them when we are gone to work and overnight so they go into their room.
Nick is good natured about it, and even asks to go in his room, but he does have to put up with Snafu roughing him up on occasion. Even though Nick is nearly 15 lbs and Snafu is just over 8 lbs, I find tufts of white fur on the floor some mornings.
They have several beds and hidey crates, a two level cat tree, two litter boxes, two feeders, one fountain with spring water, a bowl of tap water and a large window for viewing and fresh air. They also have a toybox for knocking over and their very own Feliway dispenser.
When we come home from work, we let them out.
~Lisa Co9T
Awwww boys, sorry to hear that you are locked up, but I guess you gotta keep the house smelling fresh. Just think of it as your batchelor pad.
ReplyDeleteWe had spraying/marking/inappropriate urination here. It started when Momma stopped letting Gandalf and Grayson outside anymore a year ago, but got really bad when we moved to the Swamp in February. It took Mom about 3 months to get it completely stopped.
ReplyDeleteThere are many posts when Momma was really frustrated and asking for advice... But here's the last post which Momma summed up what she did and what she thinks really helped the most.
Well, guess this happens sometimes!! At least they have a cool place to hang out together!
ReplyDeleteOur Zoey has her own room that she is confined to most of the time because she doesn't get along with Wally and she terrorizes him. Not the most ideal situation, but it works....
We have the same problem here sometimes too. But I am lucky in that I can let the cats here outside. I think once they smell the other pee, they just keep peeing themselves. I don't know what the answer is except what you have done. Put them in their room which I do sometimes too.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great day.
#1 says she really feels for you. The two girls started to spray this past spring and it became really quite unbearable. They ended u being confined to the back room and cat run until we could get them on the pill. No problem since but that won't work for Snafu...
ReplyDeleteOur vet just gave us something to keep Yuu-Chan calm (he doesn't pee in odd places but he's had a hard time dealing with Bibi since he's been sick). It's called Zylkene and is supposed to be effective for inappropriate peeing as well. It's a peptide derived from milk and quite harmless. Not sure about availability in the US though....
Sorry to hear you guys are jailbirds when your beans aren't home. Mom and dad are having pee'ing issues with Cricket. She's been going on their rug in the bedroom and computer room <--- where the litterbox is. Mom found that Lemon Juice gets the smell out but dad is SO not happy with her. She's really gotta knock it off, but dad knows how much Wren loves Cricket, so he's being tolerable, we're not sure how long it's gonna last though. she's trying to be the Alpha Cat in the worst way and Pandora is NOT having it, so we think it's a bratty thing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with PoppyQ, you're own bachelor pad is the purrfect way to look at it!
ReplyDeleteOh dear! Peeing is a big problem indeed. I've heard other cat parents use calming collars to assist with this as well. I know the "Daily Gs" used them, and it seemed to help.
ReplyDeleteThe domination thing is very difficult to overcome -- it's an instinct. It's no wonder Snafu is the way he is, being so dominant and all. If only he could find peaceful and unsmelly ways of dominating!
Our Domino rules with a whap of the paw -- and sparingly -- only when necessary.
Hope you can find a long term solution to the peer problem.
Well it's good that you are making the best of it and that the boys have their own room.
ReplyDeleteHi...we're back...we see that The Pompounette mentioned zylkene. We don't know anything about that, but our animal behaviorist recommended anxitane which sounds similar.
ReplyDeleteAs far as calming collars, we didn't have much luck with them and Zoey actually chewed hers off.
Welcome back!!! It's great to see all at Cat of Nine Tales back up and running - yay!!
ReplyDeleteAwwww hugs to Snafu and Nick! What a pair of very handsome cuties! Me and Charlie are glad that you have all under control - hopefully once they're not so stressed and less anxious, they'll be better!! All the best!
take care
x
A room of their own seems like a necessary solution to a problem like this, but maybe some of the suggestions from other commenters can help as well. When my human sister brought a new boyfriend home to visit a few years ago, I peed AND pooped on his bed after he left! Mom wonders if it was my stamp of disapproval, or a sign I felt insecure with a stranger staying with us, or something to do with the smell of the new comforter. Anyway, I am kept out of that room now, in case I "remember" where I peed once before.
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Ronrons
Kika
Oh dear I am sorry about the peeing and can see why you have to put them in their own room. They have got space and everything they need so its not a bad thing. Hope you can find an answer.. HUgs GJ x
ReplyDeletePoor fellas. Rosie still occasionally pees on things and poops on the rugs. I wonder what goes through their feline heads.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the boy's behavior issues, but they have it soooo good=we like what Poppy said about the bachelor pad!!...kisses...Calle, Halle, Sukki
ReplyDeleteWell at least they have a cool place to hang out in. Were guessing yoo've tried everything to stop the spraying but maybe DailyGs posts might help. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteWell, it certainly seems there's a lot of peeing going on in the CB that wasn't being talked about!
ReplyDeleteI too, am a pee-er but since Mom put a calming collar (about $15) on me, I haven't done it. It's cheap enough to give it a try for you guys.
Max S.
We're glad there are just 2 of us here (though it was fine there were 3 of us). It simplifies things. But we mean we dont have territorial peeing fights.
ReplyDeleteAyla has a slight spraying problem when she is in heat, but theres not much she or we can do about that.
Our Madison is a pee-er too.
ReplyDeleteThis is why he lives in the workshop with Cecilia. Madison will pee on the floor if another male cat uses his box, but he's ok sharing it with Cecilia. Go figure.
We think it's cool that the boys have their own bachelor pad, but hopefully they can be integrated back into the family at some point in the future.
We found that when we had Stanley Steemer come in to clean our carpets, it made us all happier.
aw, sorreh guys. but at least you has your own cool dudes-only apartment!
ReplyDeletethat sounds complicated and our Mrs H wishes you well and isn't fortunate to have fellow bloggers who can share advice. Our Mrs H is counting her blessings. Love Darcy and Bingley xx
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