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Cat/Pet Question & Help
We have two cats that we adopted as kittens about 5 years ago. They are brothers and we love them so much. But, recently Jack has started acting up. It began when we moved last April. Since then he has cried non-stop at the door, presumably because he wants to go out (not an option since we have coyotes in the area). His crying/meowing has gotten worse the past few months.
Then, he started getting more aggressive with his brother when they wrestle. Twice he has scratched Tripper deep enough to bleed. And now he is peeing all over the place -- most recenly on my bag of drycleaning clothes. I save them to go on one big trip so I probably had $500 worth of work clothes that he just destroyed. He a;sp peed in my closet and I had to throw away 10 pairs of shoes.
This weekend, he jumped on Ryan and scratched him across the face.
Ryan is at the end of his rope and wants to find Jack a new home, but the thought of that makes me so sad. Ryan thinks Jack must be unhappy though. But, I can't think about separating Jack & Tripper either because they are real brothers and are always together. Plus, I love Jack.
I don't know if any of you have any answers, but I just don't know what to do.
Re: Cat/Pet Question & Help
First of all, is Jack's pee so potent that you have to throw away what he pees on? I've found that some soaking in Nature's Miracle (up to 2 weeks if necessary) has been able to remove the pee (not just the smell) from all sorts of items.
Second of all, is there NO way you can let Jack outside-- maybe on a leash? Or are there toys or even string you can give to Jack to play with? It sounds like he has a high prey/hunting drive and he currently has no other outlet for it than to beat up his brother and Ryan.
I don't know if any of that helps, but that's what I would try first...
I agree! Nature's Miracle is awesome.
We are constantly battling cat pee. If we leave an item of clothing on the floor Tickles will pee on it. If there is something new in the house then Boyd will pee on it.
We use Natures Miracle and mostly I find that if I wash things in cold water the smell comes out. Using hot water will set the smell in.
Boyd has been diagnosed with containment stress, which I think is hysterical. Crazy cat.
This is the first batch of clothes he's peed on, but when he did my shoes I had to get rid of them. I tried airing them out of a week to no luck. But, I washed the clothes in white vinegar last night and it helped a bit so I'll see if I can do it again today & then take to cleaner.
We do let them outside on our porch, but he'll still scream & scratch at the front door, even when the porch door is open. He certainly has a high drive for something!
Has he been neutered? I would talk to your vet. Since this is kind of a sudden change he may be having a problem of some kind. Or he may just have spring fever.
One of my cats would always crowd the door whenever you opened it. She kept trying to escape so we waited for a cold, rainy windy day and brought her outside on a leash. That lasted about 5 seconds and she realized that outside is not a place she wants to be. She has never tried to get out since!
My only thoughts are to get them fixed if they aren't already and to keep his nails trimmed short. If he's already fixed, obviously that isn't the problem, but if he isn't, it might help. I know my cat can still be a real pain even though he's fixed and he tries to hump any other cats he comes in contact with. The claws being short certainly isn't going to change any behaviors, but it will save your skins and anything else he might go at.
When cats start marking territory, it's a nightmare. It's a horrible vicious circle that is hard to break and very icky. Tyson will retaliate if we don't clean his box enough and then it starts a terrible, smelly cycle of peeing in the same spot repeatedly until we can get it clean with an enzyme based cleaner and a lot of scrubbing. We've had to replace carpets due to his antics.
Oh, and like a PP said, if the peeing this is new, it might be a sign of illness. Tyson used to get UTIs all the time, often induced by stress, and he'll pee in the sink or tub. (It's very polite of him!) But he might just decide anywhere you'll find it is a good place to get your attention.
And yes, with a move and baby, that's a lot of change for a cat, so some extra attention might go a long way after a trip to the vet.