The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [52]
Finally, position the litter boxes so they offer a welcoming entrance and escape route. This is important to prevent a cat using a litter box from being startled or tormented by a second cat or visiting dogs or guests. Be sure to escort your kitties to each new litter box location so they are aware of their bathroom options.
And one more tip: if you have dogs, especially those bent on sneaking a “snack” from a litter box, place a baby gate across the doorway to the room containing the litter box. I use a gate with vertical bars and position it about six inches above the floor. My cats have the option of leaping over or slinking under the gate, and it keeps my 60-pound dog, Chipper, from making any surprise visits. Vertical bars are better than horizontal ones that might serve to help a smart dog scramble up and over the gate.
New House, New Problem
Q I have a three-year-old, neutered, domestic short-hair named Winston. My husband and I recently moved from a two-bedroom condo to a four-bedroom detached house. I noticed no urine in the litter pan, so I started looking and found that Winston had urinated on an unpacked box in a spare room. We moved a mattress down to the basement so we could have something to sit on until we get a couch, and Winston urinated on that as well. The problem is, we are ordering a new couch. How can we make sure he doesn’t urinate on it?
A Cats behave like the Zorros of the companion-animal world. They like to leave their mark on their home turf. Most of the time, they do this by rubbing scent glands from their feet, cheeks, face, and tail on various places inside the home. But sometimes they mark with urine to proclaim ownership or to communicate to other cats within the household or to those lurking outside the back door.
Indoor cats protect their territory just as carefully as outdoor ones. Home represents a place of safety and comfort. Cats also crave routine and abhor change. It is not unusual for a cat in a new home to react by “forgetting” his previous toileting habits. Winston is doing what comes naturally to a nervous cat — he is marking his new territory with his scent as a way to feel more at home. The items you mentioned contain familiar smells from your condo that Winston misses, and to boost his confidence, he may feel the need to reinforce his markings on them.
Veterinary studies identify several common causes behind urine marking: interactions with other cats outside the home, interactions with cats inside the home, limited access to the outdoors, relocation to a new home, and changes in an owner’s daily schedule.
Although cats of either gender will urine mark, intact males are most likely to do so. They use their strong and pungent urine as a way to attract females in the surrounding area. Fortunately, your cat has been neutered, which tones down the odor.
Please rule out any possible medical condition that may be responsible for Winston’s changes in bathroom habits. If he is healthy, then the next strategy is to make your new home more welcoming to Winston.
Start by providing new litter boxes and fresh litter. Clean the litter boxes daily. Limit Winston’s access to various parts of the new house when you are not at home and definitely make the basement off-limits. Do not yell or hit Winston. You will only elevate his stress and probably prompt him to perform more marking. As he becomes comfortable in his new territory, you can gradually increase his access to the rest of the house.
Urine contains pheromones that communicate a cat’s health and mood. There is a product called Feliway that has been demonstrated to be effective in curbing behavior-related urine marking. Feliway is a chemical version