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Conference misery::feline

Title:	Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:	purrrrr...
Moderator:	JULIET::CORDES_JA

Created:	Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1079
Total number of notes:	28858

968.0. "Pissing contest" by WRKSYS::MATTSON () Wed Jan 03 1996 09:30

    I have two eleven year old cats, male and female littermates. Both are
    neutered. Last May, we acquired two kittens, not related, also a male
    and female. Ever since then there have been various territorial wars.
    The latest wonderful development has been, quite literally, a 'pissing
    contest.' We don't want to get the kittens neutered yet, because we
    wanted to raise a litter of kittens. But I'm wondering if this is
    related to the kittens coming of age. To date, one or the other of the
    male cats has peed (1.)In my briefcase (2.)In my guitar case (3.)On the
    kitchen counter (4.)Into the stove burner (5.)In any bowl or pan left
    on the counter (5.)In baskets containing clean laundry and various and
    sundry other random spots. This is absolutely true. The briefcase stunt
    was particularly annoying. I have always loved cats, but this is taxing
    my limits. My husband is starting to say, 'They go or I go!' Has
    anybody ever encountered a problem like this? Will neutering the
    kittens end the problem? Is there any other solution?
    
    Thanks,
    Anne

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
968.1		PADC::KOLLING	Karen	`Wed Jan 03 1996 09:50`	11
	First, take the cats to the vet to have them checked for a urinary tract infection, that's always the first thing to do in a case like this, as those infections can quickly become very dangerous to the cat. Second, yes, I suspect the actual problem is the kittens starting to reach sexual maturity, which makes them seem like rivals and brings on the territorial stuff more. So, neutering will help. Don't forget to use a product like Nature's Miracle to remove the urine odor, which will reattract the cats to pee in the affected area if you don't (NM is available in pet stores or your vet will carry a similar product.)
968.2		PADC::KOLLING	Karen	`Wed Jan 03 1996 09:51`	4
	p.s. How do you know it's one of the male cats peeing? In my house,. it's the one female who does this when she's territorially upset.
968.3		USCTR1::MERRITT_S	Kitty City	`Wed Jan 03 1996 09:59`	17
	I believe neutering could also solve the problem and I recommend that before they get use to spraying everything that you get them neutered/spayed immediately. The sooner you neuter/spay...the less chance you'll have on the problem becoming a behavioural problem and continuing through adulthood. As well as...there are so many kittens born that are unwanted... if you really want to bring up a litter of kittens please contact a shelter and become a foster Mom for a pregnant female. That way you can watch the joy of birth...keep the kittens until they are 12-14 weeks old..and return them to the shelter to ensure they are placed in good homes. It can be very difficult to find kittens homes on your own....and fostering is a GREAT way to enjoy the birth of kittens without adding to the already over-population of cats. Sandy
968.4	fix early	DELNI::PROVENCHER		`Wed Jan 03 1996 12:25`	5
	The kittens are about 9 months old or so? Definately time for the "operation". They have reached sexual maturity and the other cats know it! Do it now, the older cats will probably stop the behavioral problem. But, if they aren't fixed early, there is a whole host of problems which could result..
968.5	Females do spray	OHFS01::POMEROY		`Wed Jan 03 1996 22:49`	6
	My female also is the one who marks territory when she is in heat. Usually we put in a place by herself for a few days she dosen't spray in her own room. She only does this when she is in heat the rest of the time she is her usual controlling self. Dennis
968.6	Works for us.	NWD002::KITWIN		`Thu Jan 11 1996 08:57`	18
	We have 5 cats, there were no problems until we introduced Morris, an 11 year old into the house (He was #4). Since than the dominant female (Lassie who we've had for many years) began "marking" her turf. Morris doesn't really pay any attention which helps. All were "sexually adjusted" when we got them, so we know it has nothing to do with tension. I all just appears to be jealousy on Lassie's part. They are getting used to each other more and more, so it's getting better. Every time we catch her, we hold her nose to the puddle, take her to the bathroom and dunk her in the tub for a reprimand, than we take her over to a litterbox to show her where she should do it. That is another MAJOR point. Make sure you have at least one litter box per cat. They may not actually claim one, but having a free one always available helps. And make sure they are cleaned every day. There is nothing a cat hates more than going to a box with the new cat's stuff.
968.7	Another female sprayer!	WMOIS::FLECK_S		`Fri Jan 12 1996 08:53`	11
	My female, pumpkin, also marks her territory. I think it started happening when I got another dog and one of my other cats had run away. I haven't found any spots lately, but it seems like once the smell is in your house its almost impossible to get rid of. I do clean the spots I know of with Natures Miracle, but I know that there is areas that I'm unaware of by sight. Funny thing is that now she flirts non-stop with this dog! What a ham! Sue, Pumpkin, Crunch, Bo,Mandy and Bird
968.8	Peeing	LUDWIG::BARROWS		`Sat Jan 13 1996 12:37`	11
	I have a 7 year old female (Resin), my husband had her for 3 years before I came into the picture. After awhile she started peeing everywhere you can think of!! She was jealous of me. Now, she sleeps with me and cuddles with me. About 2 years ago we got another cat (Yip-Yip), she started peeing again but Yip-Yip, being unneutered, would pee right over her spot, this went back and forth. The only way I stopped was spinkling red pepper all over the areas they chose to pee. They are just beginning to stand the sight of eachother now. K.T.