My Sisters Cat PEES on walls and anything in her path

[corarose]

My Sister dumped her 17 year old Cat on me and Sammy is nasty. Sammy has always been a dirty Cat and I can't take it anymore.
When I am watching her she goes in the litter pan and when you turn your back she pees on anything in her sight.
I can't take it anymore this Cat is filthy and I am getting sick of her messy habits.

She's a sick cat but she has always had a bad habit of marking territory.

I would never put this cat to sleep but I have come close to entertaining that Idea.

Is there anything that you can do to stop a cat from peeing on things.

[XanaDUer]

1. Do you think it is getting worse because of her age?

There is a product called Bitter Apple that keeps pets away from stuff you don't want them near. You may have to douse the house in it, from the sounds of it.

LC

[corarose]

4. Sammy "Ramona" is a very sick Cat

She weighs about 3 pounds and I am not kidding you. She use to be a BIG FAT cat and she has thyroid problems. She is on medication for her overactive or under-active thyroid but she keeps loosing weight and the Vet can't do anything for her.

I delivered Ramona when she was born and I am attached to her but she has a disgusting problem.
She has ruined so many things and my Dad's room is starting to smell like Cat pee.

[fob]

2. A simple tactic we used - The only thing is the cat has to hate

water or getting wet, which fortunately is most cats.

Load up a squirter bottle with water, it should have a good 5 to 10 foot range, and sit where you can keep the "target" in sight. When he goes to pee, POW, let 'em have it! It really only takes a few times to train them, the more they hate water the faster it works. The key is to be on top of the situation and hit 'em the second they start the unacceptable behavior and to be conssitent for the first several times. It works for scratching too!

fob

[Don_G]

3. Urinary Tract Problems?

Or a bad attitude. You might consider a water pistol and baptize her every time you catch her at it.

[corarose]

7. If I squirted her with water she would probably fall over

She is so skinny that she can barely stand up. I don't have the heart to put her down and she is my Sisters Cat.
This Cat has always had a bad problem and her Sister was worse then she is.

Baptize her...that's cute!

[corarose]

12. She was tested and she's alright in that area

She has Thyroid problems.

[CatWoman]

14. Cora -- my Male does that

and the doctor put her on valium to help calm her down.

I've even caught her peeing in the commode a couple times (tho I'd never complain about her peeing in there).

[corarose]

17. Valium?

I am taking her back to the Vet in a couple of weeks for another check up and I will ask him about Valium.

Your Cat pees on the toilet? That's talented and he deserves a treat for that.

[CatWoman]

25. One of these days I need to get a picture

:D

[demnan]

5. Ok, I'm an expert on cats "Thinking outside the box"

This cat was abandoned, she obviously has issues. They have stuff you can buy to spray and discourage cats from peeing on things. A towel is a better thing to put under a cat box than a fluffy rug because they are easier to clean.

You say this is a sick cat, like sick humans, sometimes cats are not good in their toliet habits. Just think of your dying grandmother peeing and shitting in her bed - and that is probably the stage the cat is at. Add to that, she was abandoned by her person.

I wouldn't rule out putting her to sleep. If she's miserable, and you're miserable that may be the most humane solution.

[XanaDUer]

8. Yes, if she is really ill,

she may be in pain. It's vet time, imo. And, sad as it is, maybe time for the eternal sleep of peace.

[KoKo]

20. Agree, demnan...cats are so fastidious about bathroom habits this one is

in total distress. The cat is miserable...can't clean itself or deal with it's toilet problems. It's not good to blame the cat......we all could be in that shape some day....It's better to put the cat down.

It could be kidney problems or whatever.....but cats are such "clean" animals that when they have problems....it 's serious. They don't mean to be "dirty" it distresses them...but their sense of smell (kidney/liver failure) may make them make mistakes in places they wouldn't before.

I'm sorry this has happened to you. Can you put the cat in a "closed space" so that it's close to it's box....or at least that you can clean easily.....until you can solve the problem with your relative?....That might be the best for you and the cats's health and peace of mind.

[corarose]

24. Believe it or not she is the boss of the other two cats

She pushes them around and she bosses them. She has life in her and I will not put her down as long as she has life in her.

She Meows at them and they take off running and she tries to chase them.
They don't harass her they know she is sick.

[Divernan]

6. I feel sorrier for the cat than I do for you.

17 years old, sick and dumped by her owner on someone who loathes her. What was your sister thinking of? I'm sure the cat knows how you dislike her. Unhappy cats pee on things to show you how they feel. Plus, if she's sick her control may get away from her. Can't you get your sister to take her back?

ON EDIT; Wow, three pounds? I had one tiny cat who was down to six pounds from chronic illness when I had to have her put down. It was a terribly hard decision to make, but she was miserable and in pain. What has the vet said about euthanizinag this cat?

[corarose]

15. I don't have the heart to put her down

She has a sebaceous gland above her eye that keeps filling up with fluid and we lance it about every two months.
They said that she's not in pain but I think that she is in pain because her eyes spin all of the time and her head shakes.

I can't put her down but she needs to be put to sleep. I don't have the heart to do it.

She use to be a seeing eye cat do our blind dog. She led our Dog around for years and I have it on Video.
She is a very smart Cat and I can't put her to sleep but it needs to be done.
She tips over and gets back up and you know she is not doing good at all.

[teknomanzer]

9. I work for a pet product company...

called 1800petmeds. Bitter apple works for dogs but not cats, it keeps dogs from chewing on things like furniture legs and etc. What you need are two different products. The first and most obvious is a product called GetSerious pheromone and odor remover to clean up the mess. It is Item #4010 it costs about $12.99. The other product is called Feliway. It is especially made to deter cats from marking things it is item #2585 it is $39.99 a little costly but effective and may be worth every cent to you. You can order these online at www.1800petmeds.com or over the phone at 1-800-738-6337. Good luck.

[corarose]

10. She has lived with me for many years

She was my Baby Boy Garfield's daughter and I love her. Her Sister died 2 years ago on Christmas Eve. I love Ramona but she has some bad habits that she has had since she was a kitten.

Mama Cat was my very first Cat and she was my Baby also. Mama Cat was a stray cat and she died in my lap. I can't put this cat to sleep she is part of my other two cat's that I loved so much and they are both gone. I loved her sister Mia also but Mia was my Dad's cat.

Ramona will live her life out with me. I don't yell at her but I hate seeing cat pee running off of something. It makes me want to :puke:.

Little AL & Valentino both go in the litter pan but Ramona has nasty habits.

[Blue-Jay]

11. So what?

You should invite me over for a few days. I do all that stuff.

[flamingyouth]

13. Sounds like the cat is very sick

Too sick, if you catch my drift.

There is a product called No-Go that you can spray on places where she has peed. The thing is, unless you use something like this, she can still smell the pee and think it's okay to keep going there.

Winky was doing this before we got her illness under control. I basically doused the entire house in this No-Go stuff and it seemed to work.

Sounds like this kitty is too old and sick, tho.

[teknomanzer]

16. I think no-go is for dogs...

It may work for a cat but I'm not to0 sure about that. You can give it a try... It is item # 10576 for $12.99 at the same place I mentioned before.

[flamingyouth]

19. Worked for my cat

The bottle I have has a cat and a dog on the bottle, so they market it for both.

[corarose]

21. I had two Poodles that peed on everything that they came in contact with

I put my Sweater on one day when I worked in the Computer Programming Dept. at a Hospital and I felt like water was running down my back.
The sweater was soaked in pee and I don't know if it was dog or cat pee or both.
I ran out of the Hospital and I never went back to work at that place. Ramona might have been the one that peed on my sweater.

[TEXASYANKEE]

18. Poor kitty.

Sammy is peeing outside the box (most likely) because she associates the litterbox with pain. She is obviously in a lot of pain. And only 3 pounds?? Has a vet checked her for anything other than a thyroid problem? Renal failure perhaps? It is a tough decision, but if Sammy is in pain, she may prefer to go peacefully than to continue this torment. Please think of what is best for the cat.

[newyawker99]

40. Congrats TEXASYANKEE!! 900 posts

:toast:

[Rhiannon12866]

22. This is the best solution I am aware of, corarose!!!

If this cat is spraying, you must try Feliway! I got it for my cat, who is very skittish, because it's also supposed to calm cats, but its chief use is to eliminate spraying behavior.

It is a synthetic cat pheromone, like cats have in the glands on their cheeks. Did you ever see a cat rub his/her cheeks on things or people? This is saying ``this is mine'' and the pheromone emitted is quite calming to the cat.

What you need to do is to clean the areas that the cat has sprayed very thoroughly, then spray Feliway, twice a day, wherever the cat has marked as well as prominent objects once a day. It's supposed to eliminate spraying in 30 days. It is odorless and will not stain.

I got mine at PetsMart, but it should be available at any pet supply place. Marking was not my cat's problem, but I have heard good things about Feliway eliminating spraying. Often spraying can be triggered by a change that the cat doesn't like and he may just be stressed in a new environment.

Good luck with this and let me know how it's working, corarose! You know that you want to give this poor abandoned kitty another chance!

http://www.feliway.com/html2/shop.php3/index.html

[corarose]

27. Thanks

I am going to order a bottle of that stuff.

[Rhiannon12866]

28. I just cannot believe that neither of the vets suggested it

It's readily available and not exactly a secret! I found it! Also, I called the toll-free number and talked to someone at the company about my cat. The woman I got was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. She must have talked to me for half an hour!:o

I am so grateful you found my post. Don't blame the poor cat. He's just really stressed because he finds himself in a new environment in his old age. My cat, Angela, found herself in the same situation when my uncle died and I adopted her and my perfect Rhiannon. Fortunately, all Angela did was hide behind the couch for the first couple of months!:-)

Let me know how things work out with this, corarose! You know that I care!:hi:

[Lorien]

34. Feliway works for many cats!

I forgot about feliway, but it probably is the best place to start. It worked for one of my cats (my other solutions are below).

[Rhiannon12866]

42. Thanks, Jen6! I was not using Feliway for a cat who sprays,

but know this is its chief use. My cat was abandoned and spent a long time on her own so is still quite skittish even though she is safe and well cared for now. I tried the Feliway, among other things, because I learned that it has a calming effect on cats under stress.

I am so sorry to hear that you lost your cat. I lost my precious Rhiannon nearly two years ago and still miss her terribly. I also both of my dogs (cocker spaniels) within six months of each other and am devastated. My vet bills have been horrific because I would have moved Heaven and Earth to save them. I really do know what you're going through and truly sympathize.;(

Last November, when I brought my rescued cat to the vet, X-Rays revealed her heart to be slightly enlarged. The vet hoped it was caused by hyperthyroidism, which he could treat. This proved not to be the case. He offers alternative treatments that are not necessarily on offer at a traditional practice. (Rhiannon and both of my dogs received acupuncture and were given herbs, for example.) He suggested liquid hawthorn extract, a couple of drops in her water daily. This is available at health food stores. When I brought her in last week for a check-up and dental surgery, X-Rays revealed her heart to be completely normal. The vet attributes this to the hawthorn. If you have a cat with heart problems, this is something you might want to look into.

Again, my condolences on the loss of your beloved pet!;(

[Divernan]

23. You have avoided answering the question: What does the vet recommend?

If she/he has suggested it is time to put this pet out of her suffering, you are putting your interests in delaying the final loss of her over your cat's suffering. She could get much worse very quickly and suffer intensely for hours while you're asleep or away. I think having the strength and courage to hold a beloved pet while the vet gives them an injection is the last gift we can give our pets in exchange for the years of love, loyalty and joy they have given us. I know personally how painful it is to go through with it. I have had to do it three times. I howled like a banshee driving home alone from the vet's.

[corarose]

26. I have taken her to 2 different vets and they both say that she is old

I already know that she is old but that is what they keep telling me. I have asked them if she is in pain and they keep saying they don't think so.
When her eyes spin around in her head I know something is not right with this cat because that's not normal.

They haven't suggested putting her to sleep.

[Rhiannon12866]

29. Let me know how the Feliway works, corarose

If you continue to have problems, tell me more about it. I am always at the vet with one or another of my guys and he doesn't mind all my questions. In fact, he expects them, so I could ask him something for you. He really is very good.:-)

Also, he shares my political views and I have sent him links from DU.:-)

One day when I was taking my dog in for acupuncture, I asked him about a post I had just read on DU. He saved a kitty (``Should I Take My Vet's Advice?'') from getting medicine that could have been toxic for her.:o

Being old is not an illness. There must be something specific. My beloved dog, Barney, was 18, but we just dealt with one symptom at a time. He was my love.;(

[VOX]

30. Basic questions: How many cats in the house and how many litter pans?

Are they scooped out often? Are they in places with minimal human foot traffic or noises? Cats are excruciatingly fastidious about their bathroom habits (they basically want what we want -- privacy and a clean place to go). If there aren't enough litter pans (most vets say one pan per cat), or if the litter pans are dirty -- this often paves the way to the "outside the box" problems.

Sounds like your cat is probably beyond this, but I thought it might worth asking.

Please remember, the cat is not doing this to *you.* (Even though you are unfortunately the recipient of the smell and mess.) There is a reason the cat is doing this. It may be pain, or illness, or stress, or she have some very bad habits, or some combination of these.

If the cat is indeed in pain, I would urge you, as difficult as it is, to put the cat's feelings first, and consider cancelling her suffering humanely.

[Rhiannon12866]

39. That's another excellent point! I read an article once in my ASPCA

newsletter called ``Litterbox as Letterbox.'' What it meant was that anytime a cat's litterbox habits change for the worse, it means he/she is trying to tell you something. It's up to you to figure out what that is.:shrug:

I still believe that this kitty is older and is unhappy at the sudden change of environment. My Angela went through the same thing, but, fortunately, worked through her adjustment by hiding behind the couch. It takes patience to work these things out. I wish I had known about Feliway, at the time. I hope it works for corarose.:-)

[corarose]

43. I have a very small apt but they each have a litter pan

It's kept clean at all times. I hate the smell of dirty kitty litter and it wouldn't be good on the cats to not FLUSH their toilet.

Little Al won't go in a dirty litter pan.

[sleepyhead]

31. another thought or two

Sometimes cats that are treated for hyperthyroidism go into kidney failure from the treatment. The reason is that the medication decreases blood flow to the kidneys and inhibits their function. That would cause increased, possibly inappropriate urination. Has the vet checked her kidney enzyme levels and done a urinalysis? Maybe it's not really her fault - maybe the problem is physical.

Another possibility at her age is senility. I had a cat that lived to be almost 20 and became senile in her later years. There is a medication that can help with that - it's not approved for felines in this country but perhaps your vet can prescribe it for you if he or she feels it might help.

[grasswire]

32. absolutely.

Hyperthyroidism and renal failure go hand in hand in cats. I know what I'm talking about. My 16-year-old cat has both. I really resent the way you are talking about this cat of yours, Cora. Eyes spinning around in its head?? Falling down and being unsteady on its feet??

You know the cat is suffering. Get some help for it or put it down. You're being cruel.

Let me tell you what I've done for my cat over the last several months. He also has lost considerable weight and has trouble keeping food down. I make homemade chicken broth when he can't eat anything else, and give it to him with an eyedropper if I have to. He likes to drink water out of my cupped hand, so I get up several times a night and take him to the bathroom and let him drink warm water out of my hand. I try dozens of different things to tempt him into eating -- everything I can think of. I take him outside and we sit in the sun because he can't go out alone. I clean up his throwup. I pill him every day, and sing to him to make it easier.

I love that cat dearly. But the moment I think he's suffering, he's going to be assisted from this earth with every shred of dignity and compassion I can muster.

Do something to help that animal now.

[newyawker99]

41. Hi sleepyhead!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Lorien]

33. What I did

My 15 year old half Turkish Angora passed away two months ago, and he died of cardio myopathy that was brought on by hyperthyroid disease (he weighed 5 pounds). It was devastating as I, too raised him from a tiny kitten. He also had started marking when he first became ill (before he was diagnosed). At first I controlled it with a Scat Mat-it gives a small static shock if they touch it ( it worked for my fathers cats,but it would likely be a bad solution for your kitty, as hyperthyroidism can weaken the heart over time). Later, I put my kitty on prozac! I had it made up in liquid form-it wasn't too expensive because it was such a small dose. The last year of his life was one of his happiest-the prozac really got rid of his life long anxieties, and his pissing outside the litter box stopped all together.

Yikes! I just read post #15, and it sounds like you cat has cardio myopathy too. Please have her heart checked-if you put her on meds soon enough, she may improve.

[grasswire]

35. so sorry...

...to hear about your loss, Jen. I'm going to be facing that with my fur buddy one of these days. One day at a time, some better than others, but on a definite decline.

One thing I learned when trying to stabilize Chester is that a cat who is having trouble eating and vomiting can take Pepcid AC, and it works!! Chester gets 1/4 chewable tab every day. I give it to him followed by some warm water from an eyedropper. I withhold any food for about an hour to give it time to work. It's such a relief.

Another thing I learned was about a dietary supplement called Nutrical, available at Petsmart (maybe other places too). It's a paste, and provides HUGE amount of calories for pets who aren't feeding well. I give Chester a teaspoon or so every day. It's palatable, so he usually will lick it off my finger. Or I put it under his upper lip and he licks it off.

[Lorien]

36. Thanks grasswire

I was so sad to read your post too-I know exactly how you feel right now. It's incredibly difficult. Please PM me if you need to talk.

I wish I had known about the Pepcid AC, though towards the end, Peewee would not eat anything, even if I smeared it on his lips.I think he wanted to go, but I wasn't ready to lose him. We struggled together with his disease for over a year, I'm just glad we put him on the Prozac.it only became truly awful during the last three weeks, but as I noted above, the Prozac really did wonders for his spirit throughout the ordeal. I wish I had had some for myself at that time-I've never experienced a loss as painful.

I brought a new kitten home a few weeks later-probably too soon for me, but my remaining cat was miserable without his best friend (as was I). Oberon, or "Obie", the Maine Coon kitten has been a real joy, and Miro, my other cat, is doing much better. Nothing will ever replace Peewee, but there is always room in the human heart to love a new "fur child".

I'll keep Chester in my prayers, he's lucky to have you.Prayers for Ramona too.

[grasswire]

37. here's a site for owners of cats with renal failure

It's very useful and comforting, too.

http://www.felinecrf.com/

[Zuni]

38. a couple things

Get an enzymatic deodorizer, which wipes out the smell of urine. Cats tend to go where they have gone before, so spray that in areas where she tends to go.

Unfortunately, a 17 yr old cat may not even realize what she is doing. kind of like a 100 yr old human. Possibly the poor thing is incontinent.