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Hi! So, I'm not new to cats, but with each new cat comes new issues I guess....
My husband & I went to the shelter & adopted a cat on Saturday... he's about 3 years old. They didn't have much info on him... a stray that was dropped off. He had his ear clipped, so at some point he was a TNR. He was the friendliest, happiest, rolly-polliest cat I ever saw though so we scooped him up & brought him home to begin a life of spoiling
We put him in a seperate room from my other cat (who still hasn't stopped hissing ) so we could observe him a bit. We noticed he uses his litter box (he doesn't cover the pee, but he will cover poop). However, yesterday we came home from work and we moved over this little blanket we left him and noticed the floor was wet! He peed on the blanket! Why would he do that? He most definately knows his box (and it wasn't full). We were thinking "marking his territory". I never had a cat that once peed outside the box so this is new territory for me. How on earth do I get him to not do that? I'm afraid to let him out of this room now or he'll go around marking up my whole house (my house I only bought about a month ago & had the floors refinished! ). Any advice?!
We're taking him to the vet tonight so I plan on asking them too just wanted to hear what ideas you guys might have!
First, it is good that you are taking him to the vet. He could have a urinary tract infection, and often signs of that are inappropriate urination. Rule that out first.
Can you add a second litter box to the room he is in? Some cats like to urinate in one box and poop in another (ours do). Also, make sure to use plain, unscented litter. If the box you currently have is a covered one, add an uncovered one. Some cats don't like covered boxes.
You can buy a diffuser called Feliway and plug that in. It is a pheromone that was made for urinary issues. You can buy these in any pet store or most vet's offices.
Make sure to clean up any urine with an enzymatic cleaner (like Nature's Miracle) to remove the scent. You can buy these also at pet stores and some discount stores.
I second everything above, also you may want to grab a calming collar. They use pheromones to help calm nervous cats (I use them when we move), it will last about 30 days which is all they usually need for transition.
EDIT: You may want to grab a collar for both, it may not help that the other one is still growling at him.
First, it is good that you are taking him to the vet. He could have a urinary tract infection, and often signs of that are inappropriate urination. Rule that out first.
Can you add a second litter box to the room he is in? Some cats like to urinate in one box and poop in another (ours do). Also, make sure to use plain, unscented litter. If the box you currently have is a covered one, add an uncovered one. Some cats don't like covered boxes.
You can buy a diffuser called Feliway and plug that in. It is a pheromone that was made for urinary issues. You can buy these in any pet store or most vet's offices.
Make sure to clean up any urine with an enzymatic cleaner (like Nature's Miracle) to remove the scent. You can buy these also at pet stores and some discount stores.
Let us know what the vet says. They should get a urine sample to test for bacteria and crystals. Fed a wet (canned) diet to ensure a healthy urinary tract.
It is perfectly normal for the resident cat to be hissing. It takes time, weeks or months sometimes for a cat to accept a new comer. The feliway will help with that too, but don't be concerned about hissing or growling on either side, it's just communication between them.
Let us know what the vet says. They should get a urine sample to test for bacteria and crystals. Fed a wet (canned) diet to ensure a healthy urinary tract.
Very good advice! My male fully blocked earlier this year 2 times within a month. First time he was on a 75% dry food diet (I had done this since the beginning of time and owned almost all males also with no issues), so imagine my shock to find that my cats have all been dehydrated. Now he is on an all canned diet with water added to the food and I do not feed him anything with carrageenan and no fish. We have had no more issues! I just nod and smile when the vets ask if he is still on his S/O food. He is not, he lost a whole pound eating quite a bit of that overpriced garbage. Sorry for the ramble, I am quite passionate about this topic.
Very good advice! My male fully blocked earlier this year 2 times within a month. First time he was on a 75% dry food diet (I had done this since the beginning of time and owned almost all males also with no issues), so imagine my shock to find that my cats have all been dehydrated. Now he is on an all canned diet with water added to the food and I do not feed him anything with carrageenan and no fish. We have had no more issues! I just nod and smile when the vets ask if he is still on his S/O food. He is not, he lost a whole pound eating quite a bit of that overpriced garbage. Sorry for the ramble, I am quite passionate about this topic.
Let us know how it all goes!
What made you stay away from the carrageenan in cat food????? This caught my eye because I have digestive troubles with carrageenan and now have to completely avoid it in my own food! I did some research and saw this isn't completely uncommon. I was in Petsmart recently scoping out some other potential wet foods we could feed our cats and noticed carrageenan in some of them & it made me wonder if cats could have an issue with it like people could.
Oh and yes, vet agrees is a marking issue and/or nervousness. Definately giving those suggestions above a shot! We'll be introducing him to the house slowly I think. I don't want to overwhelm him.
My resident cat has been hissing less so i'll take that as progress. He actually attacked me the other day because he smelled the new guy on my clothes! But yesterday it didn't seem to bother him so i'm hoping he's getting used to his presence.
I too avoid carrageenan and fish with my cats. And carrageenan for myself. Carrageenan can cause inflammation in the intestine. It makes me, and two of my three cats, sick. HATE that stuff, LOL.
Glad he's okay. Did the vet do a urine analysis. That's really the only way to know for sure. With a male cat coming off of shelter food (probably dry I mean) and the stress of a new home, I would definitely want his urine checked, because those are both causes of urinary tract disorders in cats.
What made you stay away from the carrageenan in cat food????? This caught my eye because I have digestive troubles with carrageenan and now have to completely avoid it in my own food! I did some research and saw this isn't completely uncommon. I was in Petsmart recently scoping out some other potential wet foods we could feed our cats and noticed carrageenan in some of them & it made me wonder if cats could have an issue with it like people could.
As catsmom mentioned, it can cause inflammation. Also to note, since there isn't very good regulation on animal food, there is no guarantee the manufactures are using food grade product.
The difference you ask? It's pretty big. "You would think something that comes from seaweed is natural and healthy, right? Think again. There are two kinds of carrageenan – degraded and undegraded. According to the Cornucopia Institute, the International Agency for Research on Cancer recognizes degraded carrageenan as a “possible human carcinogen,” based on research showing that it leads to higher rates of colon cancer in lab animals. Carrageenan processors claim that food-grade carrageenan falls entirely in the undegraded category; however, one study showed that not a single sample of food-grade carrageenan could confidently claim to be entirely free of the potential cancer-causing material."
Source: Carrageenan: should it be in your cat’s food? | The Conscious Cat
Be careful with animal food, one flavor of one brand can have it where the same brand of a different flavor will not! I cannot say for sure what the actually helped my boy, the change in diet or added water. But what I do know is the main difference between the RX food they gave me and his regular diet was this ingredient, which led me to research more. I would have gladly just kept him on the RX food no matter the expense, but my buy still ate but lost a whole pound (I could feel his spine as he is already lean), I don't think he was getting the appropriate amounts of fats and proteins from the food they wanted him on. He has since put back on most of the lost weight and his coat is so SOFT!
Glad your vet thinks it is just emotions or habits, but I still hope all this info helps you or someone else!
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) so we could observe him a bit. We noticed he uses his litter box (he doesn't cover the pee, but he will cover poop). However, yesterday we came home from work and we moved over this little blanket we left him and noticed the floor was wet! He peed on the blanket! Why would he do that? He most definately knows his box (and it wasn't full). We were thinking "marking his territory". I never had a cat that once peed outside the box so this is new territory for me. How on earth do I get him to not do that? I'm afraid to let him out of this room now or he'll go around marking up my whole house (my house I only bought about a month ago & had the floors refinished! 
). Any advice?!
