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Intro & Cat Issue (kinda long)
Hello! I'm not new to TN, but I am new to this board. I have been married for just shy of two years and my H and I are parents to two rescue cats, Oscar and Lucy. We've had them since they were about 12 weeks old and they are both 3 now. They are very different: Lucy is quiet and shy and Oscar is very talkative and outgoing. It might sound silly, but they are my children and I adore them.
The reason I'm here? In the past two weeks, we've been having an issue with Lucy using our bed as her litterbox. Luckily, it hasn't penetrated to our mattress, just to the sheets, duvet cover and down comforter.
We've taken her to the vet, only to be told that she has no medical issues and the problem is likely behavioral. We were given kitty Prozac, but it is very hard to give to her and it seems to really stress her out, so we only gave it to her for 3 days.
We have three litterboxes that are cleaned daily and are easily accessible to her throughout the house. The cats are fed a high-quality, grain-free food and are given fresh water twice a day (or when their water dish is empty). They get all kinds of love and attention and they have a bunch of toys to play with. We also have four large windows on our main floor that they can sit and look out of whenever they want.
There have been no significant changes in their daily routines since we moved the first weekend in November. This just started happening, so I don't think it's related to the move.
We have washed our bedding using Nature's Miracle and have sprayed it on our mattress, even though no urine was on it, to hopefully get rid of the odor. That didn't seem to work, because she did it again last night. We washed our bedding in a 1-to-1 water to vinegar mix, which I've heard can break down the ammonia in the urine to get rid of the smell. I am hoping this works.
I love these cats and consider them family, so getting rid of them is the absolute last thing I would ever consider doing. Has anyone else had this issue that could give me some ideas to try that we haven't tried yet?
TIA!
Re: Intro & Cat Issue (kinda long)
I second Cayla's suggestion on the pheromone plug-ins and spray (Feliway - buy it online; it's way cheaper than in stores). And also to keep an eye on Lucy as much as possible. I'd suggest using the spray right off the bat, because the plug-ins take up to 4 weeks for full effectiveness.
Did your vet specifically check for a UTI or bladder infection? I'm sure he did, just want to make sure!
I would probably also start blocking your room off from Lucy. It may very well be a behavioral thing (in which case, I really wouldn't know the slightest thing that could have set it off), and removing access to the thing she's fixating on could clear the issue up.
I would also suggest trying to find ways to give Lucy her Prozac. I have a cat who needed prednisone pills for a few weeks, and she now also gets a daily Zyrtec. After a couple of tries shoving the pill down her throat (and feeling awful), I decided to try giving her bits of treat and slipping her pill in with a treat bit. Gone, no problem. I then tried giving it to her right after giving her a bit of treat and before another bit; again, she gulped it right down. My cat is a total food wh0re though, so being able to just plunk the little pill into her wet food works for me, since I know she's going to be so fixated on inhaling the food she'll never even notice the pill. It might work for you, too!
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You've gotten good advice. I'm wondering exactly how they tested her for a UTI? They're possible to miss.
Feliway is great. With prozac you need to give either water or food immediately after. We have the zuke's soft chicken treats and hide our cats prozac in it. He's been eating them for months and still hasn't caugh on (thank goodness). Good luck!