Re: Cat!

Thanks for this advise....I've passed it on to my daughter....

Re: Cat!

Daughters cat comes in to use it's litter tray

Re: Cat!

My daughter's cat won't go outside....he refuses point blank....she bought a harness and lead when he was old enough to go out but he just lay on his side refusing to walk and allowed himself to be pulled along like he was playing dead! She's tried several times since but the reaction is always the same...it was so funny the first time he did it

Re: Cat!

Tess, like some others who have replied we have never had cats, but I would say that it's impossible to have a 'picture perfect home' if you own a dog, (or a cat) the two are mutually exclusive. Dogs especially suffer from 'seperation anxiety' and will chew things. I still have some screwdrivers which our Labrador chewed the handles , that was 30 years ago, but whenever I use them I think of her.

I agree that a check up a the vets might be adviseable, and don't forget that 'clawing' things is a natural thing for any feline creature to do to keep thier claws in good condition.

Non dog owning people who come to our house probably see things which they wouldn't accept but they are the loosers because they don't have the total, unconditional, loyalty which a dog owner has.

Re: Cat!

Just a thought - you said you had bought a play tower - does it have a scratching post attached? A lot of upright scratching post are no use once the cat grows - the cat become too tall - the post wobbles about - the cat becomes insecure and then won't use it. I have two cats and I have scratching posts that just lie on the floor - the cats can then stand securely astride them and strop claws to their hearts content. My furniture and carpets remain untouched.

As for litter trays - my cats both, obligingly, use the same tray. I fill it with silica crystals. If you buy these in a supermarket or pet shop they are expensive compared to other forms of litter - usually about £4:00p for a 3kilo bag. However - if you have a Home Bargains, Family Bargains or B&M near you - they sell the same thing for only £2:25p. The advantages of theses crystals are - they are light to carry, do not smell when used and any solids can be dropped straight into the loo as, unlike other litters, the crystals dissolve. My cat's litter box is in the loo so it is an easy option.

Re: Cat!

I didn't say that I wanted a picture perfect home.....far from it....but I don't want everything ripped to shreds either......so far he has destroyed 2 leather sofas which I've binned......the third one that he's ripped to shreds is still in daily use....I replaced the other leather sofa with a second hand fabric one as I couldn't afford to buy another leather one. He has clawed the door frame and wallpaper which I have patched up.....I'm no good at wallpapering but it's not too noticeable. It's this latest annoyance of toileting on the carpet that is really annoying me.....I guess I'll have to replace the carpet but what would be the point if he is going to do it again. That's why I'm trying to find a solution to the problem

Re: Cat!

The tower has scratching post all the way up it's height of about 4.5 feet....he lies on the top part daily....so it's not wobbly and I see him scratching at it most days.......he just scratches on the side of the leather sofa and the fabric one too!!

Re: Cat!

Well - the spray I mentioned or a little citronella oil will stop him doing that.

As for the soiling of the carpets - once a cat has left his mark he will continue to go back to that spot. You can buy a liquid - from pet shops - called 'urine off' which will remove all traces. Is his litter box somewhere private? Cats don't like to be watched when using their boxes.

Re: Cat!

I just couldn't put up with that.
If it were me I'd put the cat outside in a little cosy cat kennel - feed him and make sure he's comfortable but NOT let him in the house.
I suspect when/if your daughter moves to a new flat and takes the cat with her -if she has this to put up with, she'd soon get rid of it!!

You really didn't ought to put up with this Tess!

Re: Cat!

Cats just don't behave like that for no reason. Perhaps he is feeling unwelcome and trying to mark his territory. I still think a talk with a vet would be good.