Help me save my cat, who is on my very last nerve...

[Anonymous]

We have had one cat for years, but two years ago the kids talked me into more kittens from a neighborhood litter. We ended up taking two kittens, thinking that they'd be friends with each other and keep the older cat company. All three are incredibly social, friendly cats. All three are spayed / neutered and in good health. but the older cat and the male one of the two kittens are like oil / water - they have never gotten along and at this point, after two years, I don't think they will.

I can deal with the occasional hissing and fighting, but the younger cat has started spraying. I think it's a dominance thing. I've spent the last six months cleaning cat urine on almost a daily basis. My closet. My shoes. The radiator. A spot near the wall in the kitchen. I've gone through all sorts of anti-cat urine cleaning products and dozens of rolls of paper towels. I've consulted a vet (who recommended we get extra litter boxes - which we did), the internet (which said to buy cat calming diffusers, collars and sprays, which we did) and books (which said to pay more attention to the pisser to ensure he feels secure, which we do). I feel like I have tried everything and it hasn't helped and I cannot imagine dealing with another 12 years of cat piss.

I've never given an animal away, but I don't know what to do. The spraying cat is a really affectionate, neat cat except for his battle with the older cat and his spraying. He doesn't deserve to die at a shelter - but I'm so freaking tired of cat piss. Has anyone out there been in this situation and found a good way to solve it? I find myself googling for cat retirement homes and other non-existent solutions, but maybe there's another way.

[Anonymous]

Prozac, for the cats, not you. Talk to your vet about medicating all 3 and moving to medicating just the male kitten once the spraying subsides.

[Anonymous]

I have a peeing dog, and put diapers on him. Are there diapers for cats? Medications? If you separate the two in different areas of the house, does he spray?

No judgement from me if give him away - he might do wonderfully in a house without any other pets!

[Anonymous]

Well I have a sister whose cat sprayed for years and she, like you, was at her wit's end.

In the end (after MANY MANY MANY MANY failed devices, treatments, strategies, etc.) what worked for her was the following:
(1) The cat is on some sort of anti anxiety medication. I don't know the name but it is some cream that she rubs into his ear (so it's topical, because this cat would not tolerate injections).
(2) The cat did used to have times during the day when spraying was more likely (dusk, etc.). So my sister got into the habit of simply putting the cat out into the garage at those trigger times. The cat would be fine (happy even), and it seemed to calm it down.


Sorry you are going through this. I totally understand how it would be impossible to live with. My sister went through four living room sets before she finally found the answer (and finally decided to only buy cheaper furniture until the cat passes on).

[Anonymous]

PS, if you feel like it would be helpful, I could even give you her name and phone number. Maybe I could ask Jeff to share just with you. she literally had this problem for years and even went so far as to contact that guy Jason Galaxy (my cat from hell show producer), and she tried dozens of devices like you.

[Anonymous]

Get rid of the cat!

Signed dog person

[Anonymous]

OP here. I'll ask the vet about prozac. That hadn't come up in previous conversations. Thanks for the suggestion.

And dear dog owner, I would give him away if I knew how to do it ethically. I feel like giving him to a shelter is like signing a death warrant. I keep hoping he'll run away but no such luck, plus he's chipped. I agreed to cats because I thought they were easier, but I'm totally going back to dogs once we survive this disaster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'll ask the vet about prozac. That hadn't come up in previous conversations. Thanks for the suggestion.

And dear dog owner, I would give him away if I knew how to do it ethically. I feel like giving him to a shelter is like signing a death warrant. I keep hoping he'll run away but no such luck, plus he's chipped. I agreed to cats because I thought they were easier, but I'm totally going back to dogs once we survive this disaster.

Of course you can do it ethically. Start by asking on your listserve. Contact shelters. If he's young and this is his only issue, he'll stop spraying in a different environment and become very adoptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'll ask the vet about prozac. That hadn't come up in previous conversations. Thanks for the suggestion.

And dear dog owner, I would give him away if I knew how to do it ethically. I feel like giving him to a shelter is like signing a death warrant. I keep hoping he'll run away but no such luck, plus he's chipped. I agreed to cats because I thought they were easier, but I'm totally going back to dogs once we survive this disaster.

Of course you can do it ethically. Start by asking on your listserve. Contact shelters. If he's young and this is his only issue, he'll stop spraying in a different environment and become very adoptable.

But for heaven's sake try the prozac first. It might work. The cat has anxiety and there are meds for that.

[Anonymous]

We are on our last nerve with a cat over the same issue and I am doing daily Prozac liquid meds with her and sad to say it is the only thing keeping her alive (ie it works) because my husband had HAD it with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are on our last nerve with a cat over the same issue and I am doing daily Prozac liquid meds with her and sad to say it is the only thing keeping her alive (ie it works) because my husband had HAD it with her.

Why is that sad? You found what worked. That's good news. No one is criticizing the OP for this problem -- of course it would be difficult to live with a cat spraying on everything. Even a saint would crack. But it is worth trying to find a solution where the cat can be kept alive and live a good life.

[Anonymous]

This happened with my elderly cat and we lived with it for about 3 years before he passed away. It was horrible. We couldn’t have people over and our house wasn’t our own.

We recently took my sick relative’s cat and I was incredibly ambivalent and a hair away from giving her to the no-kill shelter but she is a sweetheart and we’re giving it a try.
My DH and I both agreed that we’ll never live with cat piss again; we had to take up every single rug in the house, covered furniture with tarps, etc. If our current cat starts similar behavior, we will euthanize; I don’t think the no-kill shelter takes cats that pee outside the box and she would be unadoptable. Bringing her to the vet to be peacefully euthanized is better than her dying alone at a shelter. But we will not keep the cat under those circumstances.