The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [54]
With the new litter, open-style boxes, and sticky, citrus-smelling carpet, Cocoa returned to defecating in her litter box on a consistent basis.
Contributed by Alice Moon-Fanelli, certified applied animal behaviorist
My Cat Pees on My Bed
Q I jokingly refer to Benny, my three-year-old neutered cat, as Velcro because he follows me from room to room when I am home. He also sleeps on my bed each night, often settling down there before I do. Everything was fine until I adopted a small puppy named Gracie, who is about eight months old and very sweet. Benny hisses at her and doesn’t like it when Gracie tries to sleep on the bed at night. On a few occasions, Benny has peed on the bed. What can I do to get Benny to accept Gracie?
A Some high-strung cats or solo felines in a home become very attached to their owners. To paraphrase a Shakespearean quote, “Beware of feline jealousy — it is the green-eyed monster.” Benny is not about to let a mere mutt muscle in and challenge him as top cat of the household. Since your Pee Prince can’t engage in a conversation with Gracie, he tells her in the best way he knows, by marking the disputed territory with his urine.
My advice is to give Gracie her own bed in your bedroom. Motivate her to settle down there by leaving treats on her bed at night. Think of it as a canine version of the mints left on pillows in fancy hotel rooms. You may need to reinforce her new sleeping arrangement by calmly saying “Off” if she jumps on your bed. Usher her back to her own bed and reward her for lying down on it. Gracie should be content with being in the same room as you and her feline mate, Benny.
Reinforce Benny’s rank by greeting him first when you come home and feeding him ahead of Gracie. Benny will be definitely paying attention to all of this and will note that Gracie ranks Number 3 in the household. Time is your ally. As Benny sees that this cute pup isn’t leaving, but that he still reigns as “top dog” he will become more confident and not need to mark.
I also advise you to keep the bedroom door closed while you’re gone and until you go to bed to limit Benny’s access. To oust his urine odor from your bedding, clean thoroughly with a protein enzymatic cleaner available at pet supply stores or from your veterinarian.
Stymied by Stool Situation
Q We adopted a healthy 12-week-old kitten. At first, we kept him in the bathroom at night and when we were not at home. He peed in the litter box but pooped in the bathtub. Now that he is older, he has full run of the house. We keep the litter box clean, scooping it every day, but he still poops on the tile floor next to the litter box. I am tired of cleaning it up. What can I do to get him to use the litter box?
A The one saving grace is that your kitten is targeting easy-to-clean flooring surfaces rather than carpets or furniture. Having become accustomed to using the smooth tub, he is continuing to find a familiar surface. Your young but savvy kitten is trying to tell you that he is not jazzed by the litter box shape or size, the location, or type of litter. Too often, people forget that litter box usage needs to be addressed from the cat’s point of view, not the owner’s. Keep in mind that urinating takes less time than defecating. Your kitten may not like to spend a lot of time in the litter box and opt to defecate outside the litter box.
Perhaps the litter box is too small or too large or the litter too deep for his liking. Try adding a second litter box of a different size without a hood. Position this one near the “scene of his poop crimes” but do not put in any litter. Instead, leave it empty or place a liner inside to create a smooth surface to attract your kitten. You may discover that he appreciates this new feline bathroom customized to his liking.
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