Cats are wonderful pets, but it is true that without
care, they can destroy your garb. Here are some tips to keep your fabric
and garb safe.
The Basic Ideas
You already know this, but DO NOT punish a cat who is
eliminating outside his box. This doesn't work. It never works. Nobody's
ever made it work. You won't be the magic person who makes it work. Find
out WHY the cat is doing this, and fix the problem. Do not ever hit or
spray water at a cat who is caught even "in the act". That doesn't
make punishment work. Cats aren't like dogs. Being caught "in the act"
doesn't make a darned bit of difference. If you try any sort of
punishment, all you'll do is convince the cat you're a lunatic who must be
avoided. That may actually be your goal, but don't expect it to stop a cat
from peeing outside his box.
Cats are incapable of carrying out vengeance. Really. Their
brains are hard-wired and do not include any human emotions that complex.
If the cat is peeing on your garb, it's not because the cat is mad at you.
That's impossible. Cats prefer using a box. They only stop using it in
cases of medical need or psychological stress. That's it.
If your cat begins to urinate anywhere but his cat box, he
needs to see a vet as soon as possible. There are serious medical
conditions that routinely make cats do this. Your cat may be in pain.
If the vet gives your kitty a clean bill of health, look at
the cat box first. It needs cleaning every single day. If you have more
than two cats, you really need more than one box, in different areas of
the house. If you're not religious about this, then your cat will look
elsewhere for somewhere to pee. DO NOT get mad at a cat who is peeing on
your garb if the cat box is not maintained.
If the cat is male and not altered yet, do it. A whole male is
far more likely to spray because he's got lots of hormone-influenced
territorial concerns.
If you have more than one cat, you may need more than one box
(if you have three or more, you *definitely* do). Don't put them right
next to each other, and don't put either closer than 6' or so from the
food/water bowls. Cats never eliminate near their food in the wild. It is
stressful to have to do it in your house. Add up the stressors, and when
the cat has had enough stress, he'll go find greener pastures, like your
silk hoard.
You must get all the urine out of your carpet when accidents
occur. Urine tells a cat "you peed here once, so it's okay to pee here
again." Clean thoroughly using an enzymatic cleaner.
If the cat still pees elsewhere, put a cat box where most of the
messes are occurring. See if the cat uses that. It may be an indication
that he doesn't feel safe where his current box is.
Your cat also may be objecting to the feel of the litter
material. Some cats hate clay, some hate scoopable. Mine hate those green
pellet-type litters. A newly declawed cat may stop using his box because
the litter hurts his healing feet (use shredded newspaper here).
A cat who pees on a couch, table, or counter may be telling you
that he's super stressed out. These are "high places" that allow the cat
high visibility while in the vulnerable state of eliminating. A cat who is
doing this may be saying that he feels like he's being hunted to the point
that he can't even get to his box. Pay attention to the other animals (or
children?) in the house.. they may be harassing him.
If your cat box is covered, try removing the cover. It
concentrates smells and makes for very poor visibility. If the cat box is
in a tight corner, try moving it out to a more open spot. If you use lots
of strong-smelling disinfectants or powders in the litter, try stopping
(if you clean the box daily, you won't need these as much anyway). They
may be bothering your cat's sensitive nose.
Don't tempt fate. Keep your clothes and garb and fabric up off
the floor at all times. The more expensive your fabric, the more you'll
cry when it's ruined. Rubbermaid boxes are cheap and stackable.
If an accident occurs on your fabric or clothes, wash them
immediately. DO NOT WAIT. If you can avoid dry cleaning, do so -- the
chemicals will react funny with the urine, and don't remove the ammonia
catstink anyway. Nature's Miracle, available through pet stores, is great
for removing stink, and Febreze is good too. The yellow stain may be
harder to get out (dry cleaning won't help here, either), but the faster
you get to the stain, the easier it'll be.
Last but not least, you are not a bad person if your cat pees
outside his box. And always remember, this is NOT normal, and it is NOT
something you should have to put up with as a consequence of cat
ownership. Following these guidelines, I've been accident-free for four
years.
|
Resources for Owners
Pam Johnson-Bennett's remarkable book,
"Think Like a Cat". It will show you how to look at situations from a
cat's point of reference and address problems more effectively.
Feliway spray -- get it from pet stores and spritz it where a cat is
peeing inappropriately. It mimicks the hormones released when a cat rubs
his whiskerpads against things (your ankle, furniture, etc.). Cats won't
pee around their "nests", so the theory goes that the cat smells this
stuff and associates it with "nest -- cannot pee here".
Fishing-pole style cat toys. Using these helps reduce stress on a cat.
Be sure to make it act like a real mouse/bird/bug/whatever -- and let the
cat "win" often. Play with the cat at least a couple times a day.
Cats Love Change .. Not
Cats are not what one would term happy
about change. Dogs love to ride in cars and go to the park and run around
with strange dogs. This much change reduces most cats to gibbering piles
of slush. Cats are extremely sensitive to changes in routine.
With that in mind, if a cat's
behavior begins to be a problem, look at what's going on around his life.
Did your work hours just change? Did a new animal or person just enter the
picture? Did the next door neighbor just get a loud cockatoo that sits
right where the cat can see it? Did you change your brand of litter or cat
food? Rearrange the furniture? Go camping a lot? These may seem pretty
mundane, but they can be major stressors for a cat.
Changes in your emotional state can also adversely affect your cat.
Bereavement, breakups, and other changes can cause confusion and anxiety,
causing acting-out behavior. In this way, cats are much like human
children. If you find yourself in the middle of one of these states, try
to find time to play with your cat, and show him that you haven't really
been kidnapped by space aliens and replaced by a weird robot who smells
just like you. It'll help you in your own time of suffering, as well, to
play with the cat.
Moving to a new house can also be a major stressor. Be aware that that
much new territory can totally unhinge your cat. Give him time to adjust
to his new surroundings. Adding a new cat to the household can send things
into an uproar -- introduce a new cat slowly and gently.
Also be aware of how stressful moving the cat box can be. If you must move
the cat box for no behavioral reason (ie, the cat's doing just fine, you
just want the box moved), move it literally an inch a day till it's where
you want it.
Cats don't do sudden changes gracefully. Their mammal brains are
hard-wired to appreciate routine. Don't try to change that -- primitive
brains are rigid. Work with it instead.
|
