Published by: Ingrid King. Last Updated on: June 26, 2023 by Crystal Uys
Updated April 2018
Please note that Jackson Galaxy no longer works with private clients, and he will not answer questions left in comments on this post.
You can find a wealth of information about all aspects of caring for cats on his website and in his newest book, Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life With Your Cat.
Feline Behaviorist Recommendation
If you are looking to work with a feline behaviorist, I highly recommend Mikel Delgado http://www.felineminds.com/ and Daniel Quagliozzi https://gocatgosf.com/ Both offer remote consultations.
About the author
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital manager, and veterinary journalist who is passionate about cats.
My two cats are two years old. They are sisters (same litter) and have always gotten along beautifully. I have noticed that Annie sometimes defers to Heidi. Heidi might be the alpha cat, but she has never been aggressive toward Annie.
Heidi recently ate several yards of cotton lace, had abdominal surgery to remove it and was away from home for 6 days. Annie growled and hissed at Heidi when she came home. I thought that Annie was reacting to a “hospital smell”. Now, I realize that she enjoyed being an “only” cat those 6 days.
Heidi was placed in a large mesh and canvas pet playpen and Annie can walk up to it, if she wants to. Each day, Annie has been moving closer to the playpen on her own. She does not growl, but watches Heidi for a while, occasionally twitching her tail. Annie growls only when I am sitting beside the playpen attending to Heidi. I sweet talk to Annie as I talk to Heidi. Today (Day 5) Annie growled only once and I noticed that she walked up to the playpen on her own for the first time and was not aggressive. I hope that she is mellowing out. I am not forcing an interaction and am letting Annie come to terms with Heidi on her own.
In the meantime, I am sweet-talking to Annie and giving her lots of attention, the same as always. I do reprimand her when she growls at Heidi–I do not yell at her. Heidi gets her stitches out in 3 days and will soon be allowed normal activity. What else can I do to make Annie feel more secure–I do not want a cat fight while Heidi is still recovering.
What you’re dealing with is a classic case of non-recognition aggression https://consciouscat.net/2013/07/08/non-recognition-agression-in-cats-a-case-of-forgotten-identity/ You’re already doing the right thing by separating the cats and gradually and slowly re-introducing them to each other. I’m a little concerned about you using the playpen – while you don’t mention how Heidi reacts to Annie approaching the pen, I would worry about this set up creating a constant low-level stress for Heidi. You may see a flare up of aggression from Annie once Heidi returns from having her stitches removed, so be prepared to separate the cats again. All my best to you, this is a challenging situation, but your patience will make this work out in the long run.
Heidi has a 4″ abdominal incision and must not jump at this stage of her recovery. There is no way for her to jump in this playpen. When I am attending to Heidi in her playpen, Annie is nearby, usually 3 feet away. Annie has approached the playpen twice on her own , but stayed 1 foot away from it. There was no growling from either of them. While I have Heidi out to give her medication, Annie has gone inside the playpen and checked it out the last 2 days. She did not disturb anything or urinate on anything. I did a lot of reading on this matter last night and I know that this re-introduction can take a long time. I am willing to be patient and won’t force it. Thank you for your response.
It sounds like you’re on the right track, Patricia.
There’s a woman on TikTok that went through the same thing… She has 2 cats, Veronica and the baby boo. Veronica is on the chunky side and can’t keep her nether regions clean. So, her owner brings her in to get cleaned up and shaved. She came home after said cleaning and the baby boo became hugely aggressive towards her. It took a while but they’re fine now. I’m glad you’re taking your time and attending to the needs of both of them. Keep up the great work mama cat.
I really need advice! I’ve gone to 3 different vets and none seem to be able to tell me what’s wrong with my 17 year old cat, other than bad arthritis and a bowel infection (and was stopped up) He’s had an enema, a cortisone shot, laser therapy and is taking both prednisalone and gabapentin (also tried probiotics) . What’s happening is that he’s hiding all day, but especially right after he eats, as if it’s the eating that is causing the pain, so he doesn’t eat much. When he chooses to move, he’s ok, though he has a slight limp, he’s still able to jump up. Now I believe he’s suffering from anxiety because of his being sick (going to vet several times and taking meds, which he hates). It seems he’s depressed about the fact that he’s hungry but can’t eat and I’ve tried every variety/brand of food, including prescription! There have been no other environment changes, yet he seems to sniff around as if it were new, so I’m guessing he’s losing his senses (I know his hearing is deteriorating). Vet said it could be anxiety, but he wouldn’t know what to prescribe for him. So, my question is, should I try another vet (1 of the 3 he’s seen was an emergency vet!) or can you recommend something else I could try? I did try hemp oil and I’ve got the comfort zone diffuser (which used to work) I am ready to let him go, but the vets have said he’s “treatable” so I’d feel guilty if I haven’t tried everything first! He has always been a high stress cat by the way! Please help 🙂
Hi I have a 10 year old male desex ragdoll who is a totally indoor cat. I give him twisted up chanttell/pipe cleaner sticks for his enjoyment. He loves playing with them. I would like to know why he takes them to his dry food bowl after? I do always make sure that the ends are folded over so that he can’t hurt his mouth. I would also like to know why he goes up into one bathroom and tells his mates through the air duct that he has been to the litter tray.
Hi, looking for some kind of answer that I cant find, I have a cat that found that our home is just perfect for her, when she first started coming around she had an old flea collar on, I got that off, and she is fixed, so I know someone owned her, she also has always been pretty fat, have never seen any discharge from anyplace, and now that she is getting use to everything inside she is running playing eating very well, I have no idea how old she is, she was very timid and still is a little, but one night she decided to run in the door when I had it open and hasnt left since, been hanging out here for a few months, maybe around 5 months, and living inside for for about 2 months now, that is all I know for her background, now for the question, she has never been able to meow, she always crokes, I have looked for answers all over the net, and cant come up with anything at all that fits her case, she is very fat healthy, happy, learning how to play and gets along with my other 2 cats. like I said before, no discharge coming out of nose eyes or mouth, ears are clean, she eats well, loves to eat she is a very large cat and loves her food. what could be going on this has me very confused
I need some suggestions. My middle aged cat Goofy has a few issues that I am trying to figure out. She always thinks she is hungry. I got her an automatic feeder which helped a little, but she still sits and waits for it to open an hour before it’s time. She eats too fast and throws it up. (wet and dry) She is an indoor cat, but sometimes I will let her go out on the patio. I am on the second floor. She loves the sun. She gets dry skin so bad that she digs in the summer. She gets a shot when it gets bad. That seems to help until the next time. She also runs around the house like something is bitting her. I think these are related. She also does not like to be petted for more than 30 seconds. She will then start to bit or bat your hand.
Hello, I really, really need help with my cat. She doesn’t want to poop in the litter box, but she pees in the litter box. She also is always sleeping on a plant pot. She doesn’t move away from it other than to drink water or eat her food. Whenever I sit on the couch near by, she quickly but gingerly moves to sit on my lap or to sling herself over my shoulder just to lay down. I don’t know what’s wrong. She doesn’t want me to move her once she’s on me and decides to go back to the plant pot when I get up. She also does a sad meow. Please help, this behavior happens randomly for long periods of time and thanks for reading.
I am in a situation where I need advice from Jackson as soon as it is possible for him or a member of his staff to respond. we have an elderly cat (about 15 yrs) and we are giving a home to our friend’s elderly cat (20plus) as she has passed. These cats are both females The older cat has been declawed and our cat has her claws along with attitude. Any suggestions on introducing them and care without conflict?
Hi,
We have a 5 year old female that was injured when she was very young. She had a broken hip and spent 13 weeks in a cage recovering. That Mede her very anxious and unsecured. She is very unhealthy attached to me as back the I was studying and unemployed and I was all the time with her home while she was recovering. She also has issues with hands and we think it is because the vets kept her on a cage very offensive for her x-rays and recovering. Vets agreed that she might have an anxiety issue but they did not give us any recomendable of what to do with her. She was living with an older cat cat but when this one passed away we bought a young Siberian cat to keep her company otherwise while we are at work she gets very anxious and vocal. The problem we have is that if I pay attention to the new cat she g yes jealous straight away and attack’s him. Do you have any recommendations of what we can do to make it better. We have tried feliway diffusers but they do not work with her at all. Regards Laura
Your logo is exceptional! I’m needing one. Will you share your artist with me?
Because I’ve watched your show, I knew how to train a sweet, starving stray that showed up on my doorstep to stop biting my hands when I tried to scratch her neck and chin. After 2 months with me, she’s become quite the snuggler but shows me love by biting my face. How can I discourage this behavior? You do all of us cat lovers and the cats of the world a wonderful service!! THANK YOU!!
Hi Jackson,
My husband and I are expecting our first child and are very excited for our family to grow. We have 2 cats, a Male tabby and a female calico. They have been our fur babies for a while now and we probably spoil them more than we should. The female is 5 and the Male is 4. I was wondering if you have any tips on introducing them to our newborn when the time comes. My friend brought her 4 month old over and when she started to cry my female cat came running with her tale puffed. In my opinion she just seemed scared because we do not usually have children in our home. However I did not let her get to close because I was unsure of what she would do if she got to close. My Male cat is very lazy and kind of scared of most new things so he never even came out of the room to see what was going on. Do you have any tips for us to relieve an expectant mothers worries?
Hello Mr. Galaxy,
We have 2 cats (a female and a male) and one male dog.. we originally had our female, who is now 6 years old. We got our male cat when he was 8 weeks old and out female was 4. The male cat and dog will both be 2 in a few weeks. Out cats both got a long almost all the time before we got our dog(ho we haven’t even had a year yet). Since we got our dog, our male cat won’t leave out female cat alone. He also wakes up every morning at 6am and stars running around and crying nonstop. It is causing a lot of issues in the house and a lot of tension between me and my fiancé. I play with all of them one and they all get one on one time. I just don’t know wat to do anymore, please help.
Jackson I need help, I’ve got a 1 year old maincoon kitten who keeps peeing on rugs and my fiance’s clothes we can’t seem to get her to stop. Please help us.
Is it always the same rugs? Does your fiancé have a relationship with the kitty already? I don’t know if you will get a response here but you can email me and I will tell you what we did in this exact situation. It’s the advice Jackson gave for the situation. lvn_lisa at yahoo if you want to ask me
I have an 8 year old cat, Ethel Mae. I have had her since she was very tiny and had to be bottle fed. She does not like strangers at all. At every vet visit, she has to be sedated in order to provide any kind of care. She has never had a litter box problem until now. She goes in her box, but every time, pee goes over the side of the box. She has been overweight at 15 lbs. for a couple of years. She is now on a prescription diet with a probiotic every day.
She has had two very thorough check ups at the vet in the last year due to her not eating for several days. The vet found nothing major in these exams. Of course, weight is a concern, and her throwing up often with no fur balls visible. She has a new, larger litter box and has lost two pounds. Ethel Mae is Mostly an inside cat, only being able to go outside in our small garden-home backyard. With all of this information being provided, I will refer back to the question, why might pee be going over the side of the litter box when my cat urinates?
It’s possible that your cat has arthritis, and squatting is painful for her. Since she’s overweight, the additional weight increases pressure on her joints, aggravating any possible issues. https://consciouscat.net/2015/04/27/how-to-recognize-and-treat-arthritis-in-your-cat/
I have 20 years old cat and same issue for the last 1-1.5 years. She can’t squat , she doesn’t squat when urinating. Perhaps it is arthritis , as was suggested to you earlier. So the urine goes over the edge of the litter box. I tried so many litter boxes and nothing worked. I ended up buying clear plastic box in Target with high walls and cutting out the entrance into it. Don’t put top on the box, leave it opened, without the cover. This solution helped for awhile. Lately my cat start getting accidents because she doesn’t turn around, e.g. not facing the entrance to the box. Maybe she is disoriented , I do not know. So she gets into the box and urinates where the opening is (cut out). So I put the “puppy training absorbing pads ” next to the entrance to the litter box. When/if accident happens – pad absorbs everything and I throw it away, no extensive cleaning required. Taking care of the old pet is a lot of work and a lot of patience , so stay strong 🙂
try a different type of litter, I had to switch to silicone and try a few brands for my cat. I use fresh step and it absorbs the urine, when it gets supersaturated and stops working it’s time to change it. I do have to stir it and follow the directions tho. For my cat’s box problems I had to remove the high walls and stop using clay. He’s fine with a normal box and fresh step silicone tho. poor boy got returned to the shelter multiple times for litterbox issues 🙁
My cat has started to jump on counters. He has never done this before. We moved about 4 months ago. He has towers in the house. One is very close to the kitchen. I am wondering if it is because of the move. I have also noticed his joints cracking. I would think that would keep him from jumping on things like this, but now I am wondering if he is trying to tell me something from this new behavior. He is set to go to the vet this week. Any thoughts or suggestions as to why he is now doing this?
Hi we have two cats they get along great our bengal just started peeing outside his box they are both fixed the bengel also meows every time my boyfriend leaves the house they have tons of toys cat trees boxes a lot of attention littler boxes are scooped daily we have 3 and washed every few months and replaced offen when we think they might have scratched them to much any help would be great thank you
This article should help, Chris: https://consciouscat.net/2015/08/24/litter-box-issues-a-round-up-of-solutions-for-a-frustrating-problem/
Hi, this is a general question for a weird problem that I am having extreme trouble finding any useful information on and I will take any advice. Is it possible for a cat to have nighttime anxiety? I have a cat that we found as a kitten at work and I took her in. 3 years later she started getting super anxious at night and will hiss and swipe at my ankles any time she gets startled (which seems to be every other night). I live in studio apartment so we definitely have a space problem. The weird thing is she is an angel during the day and always wakes me up purring. It’s like Jekyll and Hyde. I got some safe space to try off amazon and also use a feliway plug in. How do I discourage this behavior? I’m worried about her quality of life, but moving to a bigger place isn’t an option for me financially. I also got her hidy hole things at the suggestion of the vet, but she wont use them. The vet suggested actual anxiety meds, but I don’t want to drug my cat. I really don’t want to send her to the shelter either, but I hate the nightly battles. 🙁
You may want to consider working with a feline behaviorist. If you can’t find anyone local to you, I can recommend Mikel Delgado http://www.felineminds.com/ and Daniel Quagliozzi https://gocatgosf.com/ Both offer remote consultations. Jackson no longer works with private clients.
Thanks, I did make another appointment with my vet. I’m just worried it’s going to be bad news, or else super expensive testing. (I’ve heard horror stories) I’m going to ask her about the behaviorist! I live in Indiana so a lot of people think of cats like livestock instead of furbabies (we also have a big feral cat problem so the shelters are always swamped). I’m really scared if she went to a shelter she’d just automatically get put down so I’m leaving that as a last resort. I did take her to the vet before, but they couldn’t find anything physically wrong, and actually told me I was taking great care of her.
Have you tried giving her Composure tablets? Recommended by my vet and available on Amazon. Ingredients are Thiamine (B1), colostrum calming complex ..Biopeptide Blend and L-Theanine
mr galaxy i really need your advice about my female cat can you help me she is called oreo she has just turned 3 and she pees on my daughters bed and i would like to know why she keeps doing it can you help me thanks
Jackson no longer sees private clients. YOu need to take your cat to the vet as soon as possible to rule out medical issues. If there is no medical reason for the behavior, I would recommend working with a feline behaviorist. If you can’t find anyone local to you, I can recommend Mikel Delgado http://www.felineminds.com/ and Daniel Quagliozzi https://gocatgosf.com/ Both offer remote consultations.
Hi Jackson. I have a 15 month old tortie. We adoptec her when she wad 3 months old. I would love to adopt anotner kitten but Im not sure how Mia will react to another one. She is very attavhef to me.
We have 4 cats, 2 female, 2 male and two dogs. I recently found a mama and kitten. I have decided to keep them. Everyone says it won’t work. They say I need to get rid of mama or baby. Say mama will always protect baby and there will always be terrible fights with the existing cats.. Please telllme there is hope for everyone to live together
As long as you introduce the new family to your existing pets slowly and gradually, there’s a good chance everyone will get along. You’ll probably need to go very slow with introductions, and be patient. Back up a step if things don’t go well, and enlist the help of a behaviorist if needed.
Hi, I’m hoping you might have some advice for me. About 3 months ago I adopted a sphynx from a shelter. He’s estimated to be about a yr old & neutered. He has a tendency to bite/attack pillows, blankets & stuffed animals and he’s starting to put holes in everything. I have been trying to keep stuff picked up but I have 3 small kids. I have “catified” as much as I can afford currently & play with him for 30 minutes to an hour every evening. He has his own cat tree, multiple scratching posts, a pop up tent & tunnel, solo toys (mice, balls), a turbo scratcher, a few wall mounted shelves (which he doesn’t really use), and I also feed birds in my yard so he can watch them. I’m also not really sure how I should correct him when I see destructive behavior…for now I’ve been telling him “no” then picking him up & moving him to an appropriate toy or scratcher. He also likes to cuddle with me under blankets at night & will be very calm & then nip me in the leg outta no where. I’m not sure if these cuddling nips are just hard love bites or he wants me to move over or what. I’ve generally found if I put my hand in between my leg & his mouth it usually stops him. For now the nipping isn’t major but I don’t want it to turn any to anything more aggressive either. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
You may want to post your question here, Kayleigh: https://consciouscat.net/2018/01/10/ask-cat-behaviorist-mikel-delgado-food-obsessed-cat-biting-cat-medicating-cat/ Mikel answers our readers’ behavior questions once a month.
Thanks! 🙂
I have a neutered male cato, just turned 1 year old, named Monster. He is of feel stock. His mother brought him to us when he was about 2 weeks old and laid him at our door. He was very sick and I didn’t name him at first because I thought he wouldn’t make it. We took him to the vet several times for meds and fed him goat milk with a syringe. His mother came to the door daily to see if he was still alive…..Fast forward. He was named speedy Gus because of his speed. But he is so MEAN. I have scars on my arms, legs and body from attacks. Ĺast night I went went back to the bedroom to turn the window fan on just like I do every night and he attacked me again. He ripped my forearm and blood was dripping off the ends of my fingers. I hadn’t done anything, not even looked at him. One point you need to know, i’m the only one this cat likes. He runs and hides from everyone else. Even my husband, though occasionly Monster will get in his lap. Monster is very possessive/protective of me. If another of the cats or a dog comes to be petted he will tear them up even if they are in my lap. My grandkids are moving in with us for 9 months and i’m afraid what he will do to them. We decided last knight to put him down but I really want to try to fix what’s wrong if possible. Do you have any ideas?
I would recommend working with a feline behaviorist. Jackson no longer sees private clients, but if you can’t find anyone local to you, I can highly recommend Mikel Delgado http://www.felineminds.com/ and Daniel Quagliozzi https://gocatgosf.com/ Both offer remote consultations.
Jackson I have a one year old tortie that is obsessed with the two built in book cases on either side of my window. She climbs up and knocks everything off. Im going crazy. I play with her to distract her but then she just goes back up. Ive tried everything I can think of. What can I do?
I would put a cat tree near the book cases or replace one of the book cases with a cat tree.
Hello! I live in a big, relatively quiet house, on a farm. Our farm is big but all of our animals are well trained and we have learned how to keep all of them safe and happy. I have a problem. two problems. I have a 5 year old female tortie cat who was rescued. She used to be feral. She now has her shots, and is neutered. Her name is Momo. She likes: playing with feathers, and being around you and near you, but doesn’t like being held for more than two minutes. She is friendly to new people IF properly introduced, and using treats, and vocal appearance. She will come to me and meow when commanded. She appreciates petting on the face and head nudges. She uses a litter box properly I have had her for two days. Now.. I have another cat who lives indoor/outdoor. She is a barn cat. She is 9 years old, Her name is Sofie. Sofie is an elderly, loving lap cat. She will sleep on you/ beside you. She is affectionate to me, my mom and dad. She is accepting of new people all the time. People love her. She is curious, but still playful even in her age. Momo has been smelling Sofie’s scent the entire time in the house. Momo always has a twitchy, nervous, slightly swaying tail. She is exploring every little crevice and corner of the house with me monitoring her. HERE’S THE PROBLEM- Momo is afraid of Sofie. upon introduction, (the 2nd day) many howls happened. I only let Sofie in for a short time and both of them did not like the other. I fed them at the same time, and separated them through a door. Any time they would start howling I’d pet them, or vocally tell them to stop. and they would. I opened the door. I pet them at the same time, calming Momo by playing with her with a feather, and by giving Sofie food and petting. They both would start to smell and then I would make their attention on me. Sofie was more open to Momo, but Momo seemed to have trust issues and tried to hide. I closed the door again and they both ate their meal fully, right next to each other, smelling each other, but with the door closed. I brought Sofie back in the house for a short while so that she would know she is still loved… but momo is afraid. Sofie will hiss at momo. momo will growl. How can I keep introducing these two, and have them get along? how can I help them know they BOTH have territory of the house and the outdoors? Is that possible to attempt? I have seen cats live together in harmony as indoor/outdoor cats. How can I show Momo she is loved, and safe, and how can I sow Sofie she is still loved, and safe??
Hello, I need your help! I have a 3 yo female who doesn’t like people other than us. She’s a good cat but not very affectionate. Keeps to herself. 2 mo ago we got 8 week old bro & sis. Very friendly and good. Older cat hates kitties. We did all the slow meeting, keeping in separate rooms. She is still growling and hissing and hiding. The kitties keep trying to meet her but keep their distance. Older cat has run of house at night. Kitties are getting closer to cat but she still kisses, growls, swats. Any ideas to help them all get along?
Hope you can help. I have 4 cats, 15, two that are just over 2 and one who is 18 months. The problem I am having is one of the 2 year olds. She was very timid when we brought her home from the rspca centre and kept her and her cage mate who is also a girl in for just about 7 months. She started to come on the bed for strokes but could never stroke her any other time. They started to go outside but Dina was still very scared and timid. Then she went missing for two weeks, we thought we had lost her but then she turned up. She would not come into the house so we put string on the door when she was eating in the kitchen and kept her in again. Since then, for the last 15 months she has been an outdoor cat but coming back daily for food. She will take treats from my hand but will not come in or let me touch her. We have provided shelter outside and I know that she does not use it. What can I do to tame her, make her feel safe enough to ome in through the cat flap like the other cats? I am not fussed about petting her but I fear for another winter with her outside and being cold. She looks healthy enough, albeit she is a semi long hair and needs a good brush. She has not been wormed, flead or had her injections. We have tried a cat trap but with 3 other cats it is near on impossible. Any advice gratefully received
Can an outdoor cat always become an indoor cat? I started bringing in a 1-year-old male cat last February, during the winter, for short periods of time. He has been neutered and had a rabies shot. He sometimes comes in now and naps for hours, eats and then wants to leave. He loves to play with his toys, loves to be picked up and hugged. But he always insists on leaving. He loves to be outdoors and is fascinated by it. Do I take that away from him and force him to be placed in a home where he would only be indoors? I had my own cats for 30 years, and my last 21-year-old cat just passed away. I now wish to travel and be away from my home so I no longer want to have my own pets, at least for now. My cat sitter, who does not live nearby, would not be of any help because this cat, Beau, does not always keep regular hours, coming in and out. I am panicking because when my mother passes away, I will be out of town, and I will be abandoning this cat! I don’t know what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Linda
As long as you provide an enriched environment, you can absolutely turn an outdoor cat into an indoor cat, Linda. You can find lost of information on how to provide stimulation for indoor cats in both of Jackson’s “Catification” books: http://amzn.to/2wuKOT6
Our family just took in a 5 year old male neutered cat, Milo. He was extremely aggressive when he first arrived. He somewhat found comfort in my son’s room but he would growl and hiss as soon as we walked into the room. I tried all the tricks from the show…. Waiting for him to come to me, sitting on the floor so I don’t hover over him, etc. He has made a little progress in the week he has been here. He comes out of the room, he is still very aggressive. He will come to us and rub on our legs, but sometimes he will bite our ankles out of nowhere. He also cannot tolerate hands. If he sees our hands, even from across the room, he will run in and attack. Is there still hope for him? I’m wondering if this precious boy was abused. I’m hoping one day he will see that we are not going to hurt him.
Hello. Try a bottle of Safe Space for cats by Jackson Galaxy Solutions. Or another great product is Rescue Remedy ( get the people version. it has the same ingredients and it’s less expensive). Tap the bottle in your palm for 50 taps to activate it. Then put a couple drops into his water each time you refill it. I have use it many times for anxiety in cats. From reading your description of Milo’s behavior, it seems to me he is afraid if hands because they hurt him. Try one of these products and give him some time. Might try wearing mittens for a little while til he is feeling less like he has to defend himself against The Hands. Hope this is helpful.
My 82 Y.O. Mother adopted a 7 week old kitten & after 7 months the Kitten jumped on her almost knocking her down. My mother gave the kitten to a family that is great with cats.. Recently, the son went away to college & wanted to get rid of cat. We offered to take cat back. The cat seems to almost be feral,. Not allowing anyone to pick up , Hold & pet. Runs off then comes back rubbing on my leg. What can we do to hold the cat?
Hi, and thank you.
i got into a home the second day I adopted a 4yr tortie. What a love. I had seen a previous cat but knew it was sick. Woke up thinking of her so yup she was there next day. So i adopted her as well-(another story,she was in fact very very ill) All things happen for a reason . Anyway my tortie use to sit in my lap for hours throughout the day. I changed/moved furniture. Swapped places. a recliner which is where we sat. Put a love seat recliner in it spot. the chair went in spot where love seat was. My tortie cat quit sitting in my lap. Gave me attitude. so i put them back. She has been in my lap twice since then. Has messes with me by asking to come up only to jump across to her post.
Do not think other cats health improvements being more out has or was reasoning….?? lol. Seemed more furniture rearranging…. lol.
Please any thoughts as i’m bummed no lap time with her anymore. Being empathic i feel she misses that bonding time.
Cats are creatures of habit and generally don’t like change. Moving furniture can definitely cause changes in behavior.
What do you think about a rolling walker being introduced to the home due to illness. Eva seems to be afraid of it…..she hides in the bedroom and seems to not want to be with it in the same room…help!
Unfortunately, that’s not unusual. Cats hate change, and anything new in their environment can be “scary.” You’ll have to try to gradually desensitize her to it. Maybe try using catnip on it to make it more interesting for her. Try to get her to associate it with good things – maybe toss treats to her every time the walker is being used? Tie a toy to the walker that may intrigue her (of course, being careful that it’s not going to trip you!)
Thank you for your thoughts..will start the processes today.hopefully it will make her a happy girt again. Since the weather has been 90 for a day a believe the fan has alarmed her also. We do live with them…..don’t we.? Thank you again!
I have 3 cats. 2 of them do not get along since day one. I have tried many “introduction” methods such as sight swap, calming collars, JG spirit essence, food reward, baby gates, pheromones, you name it. its been over a year and I’m very frustrated. The aggressor will attack on sight. The “victim” is older & much smaller. Both get along with the 3rd cat quite well. I’ve always had a multi-cat house but never had this problem last so long. Any suggestions?
My 8 month old cat, GiGi, who was hand fed from birth has started biting from the time i brought her home. this seems to be her way of play, how can i get her to stop biting?
This article on play aggression will help, Mickie: https://consciouscat.net/2016/04/13/prevent-correct-play-aggression-cats/
My cat is 5 years old. Neutered male. He will pee and poop in the kitty litter but if he has to poop first he will then pee on the carpet. If he pees first he will poop in the kitty litter. He has 3 litter pans and 2 are right next to each other. I even moved one to the spot he was peeing at but then he went beside it. Unsure what else I can do.
This article may help, Autumn:https://consciouscat.net/2015/08/24/litter-box-issues-a-round-up-of-solutions-for-a-frustrating-problem/
I have a 4 year old female shorthair that I adopted from the humane society about two years ago. She was a normal cat. About 2 months ago, she started attacking her tail, which she NEVER did in the past. I took her to the vet, she doesn’t have fleas, her skin isn’t dry, they did blood work and an ultra sound, and there are NO issues. They gave me anti-depressant pills (I haven’t given her them, I didn’t want to drug her up) and a couple can foods to try, she prefers her dry food. They said with everything checking out good, they really don’t know much more that they can do. She did start to calm down, a little, after a bit, but still going after her tail, sometimes very aggressively. With in the last week, it has got drastically worse. I thought I noticed this yesterday but she wouldn’t let me touch her tail, but this morning I noticed that she has pulled out so much hair that half of the tip of her tail, almost an inch long, is bare. She wouldn’t let me touch it, but it didn’t look like she broke open any skin…yet. She had started sleeping next to me at night in the last two months more than normal, but last night was different. She took forever to come to bed, just sat next to me and watched. When she did finally jump on the bed, she laid right by my head ready to pounce off the bed, she stayed like this all night (I didn’t get much sleep). I kept petting her all night to try to calm her down because I could tell she just wanted to attack her tail and seemed very stressed out. I don’t know what to do, I didn’t like seeing what her tail looked like this morning. Any thoughts or ideas to help me with her? I do NOT like seeing her like this.
perhaps try some calming pheromones? You can buy them as a spray, a collar or wipes for their muzzle. Another option, use a spray on their tail that tastes bad. I use it on my silk plants and it help. Not sure how effective it would be on fur but worth a try?
I suggest putting a calming collar on her. If that doesn’ t work you may want to try playing soothing music from online that is specifically designed to relax cats. Has she been exposed to a lot of catnip lately? One of my cats cannot have any catnip because she tries to eat her own tail afterwards. I hope that either the collar or the music helps as an alternative to meds.
We have a 7 year old neutered Mainecoon. He is pretty mellow. We adopted a Great Dane who is chill. First intro dog charged, cat growled. They have been separated. We have a dog trainer coming in to help with sit, stay. The cat now has a cat shelf walkway. Hope for a controlled intro someday. Any other ideas?
I want to take my cat outside on a leash but every time I put the harness on him he lays down and doesn’t move. What should I do?
This article will help, Bailey: https://consciouscat.net/2015/04/02/leash-training-cats/
October 1,2016
I moved in with my son and his female cat who is spayed. I have a male and female that are also altered. His female and my male do not get along they will fight and there will be fur everywhere. Is there anyway to stop this to where they can live together?
You need to keep the separate and introduce them to each other slowly and gradually, Deborah. Here’s how: https://consciouscat.net/2011/08/15/cat-to-cat-introductions/
16 year old cat eats very small amount then runs away from it. vet cked his teeth and they were fine. was given cerenia injection, and transdermal FAMOTIDINE and MIRTAZAPINE for 10 days. Have you seen this behavior b4, and what could it be?Any suggestions of what to do next?
I would pursue additional diagnostics, probably with an internal medicine specialist.
Hi, my husband has three cats(mine too, but he is the cat nut). the oldest is an 8 yr old 25 lb. tom cat, who is generally friendly and quiet. He usually just ignores the other two cats. The youngest is a female just over 18 mo. old and has been with us most of it (14 mo.). We started to introduce them slowly, but they got along fine right from the beginning. The day before yesterday he attacked her. No idea why. Today he hissed at her and chased her. HELP. Nothing has changed lately that i can think of. no new litter or food. I have been traveling a lot, but he (their primary attachment) had been here as much as ever. Any suggestions??
This sounds like redirected aggression, Melinda. Here’s more information: https://consciouscat.net/2012/03/12/redirected-aggression-when-good-cats-attack/
Houston we have a problem: I’ve had 2 Simese cats for over 10yrs, and I brought 2 Ferrel cats in, which I have domesticated. The simese cats, especially the male one… is stalking, and attacking the male ferrel cat. I can’t leave them in the same room together, or there will be a blood war. The ferrels have been in the house for like 6-7 months now. What would you do in a situation like this? I hate to let the poor cat back outside, but I am out of options here! HELP PLEASE!
I would separate the cats and start over with slow and gradual introductions, Kelly. It may be challenging if this situation has been going on for 7 months.
My daughter adopted a 4 yr. Himalayan, declawed (she was surrendered by a previous owner, already declawed)…female, spayed cat. She has had issues over the past 2 years of urinating outside of her litter box. She will use the litter box for defecating, but urinates on the sofa, in the hallway…random areas. My daughter cleans the pan out each day, but the urinating continues. Can you recommend anything that would help her?
This article may help, Georgia: https://consciouscat.net/2015/08/24/litter-box-issues-a-round-up-of-solutions-for-a-frustrating-problem/
Does she have another cat or animal or did she have one in the past? It sounds like the cat may be stressed in that environment. My cat was doing the same thing because of my other cat and territory issues. If it’s not that then maybe a calming collar would help with anxiety and stress. Also using more natural litter may help. I usr to mix catnip in the litter box along with natural litter from the pet store. It worked well in getting my cat interested in using the box for both occasions. I hope this helps.
My cat is having issues recently she is pee peeing on the wall took her to the vet for antibiotic may have been ati now she’s doing it again need to have an ultra sound to rule out stones if it’s negative I will difenatly try the calming collar and cat no with natural litter thanks so much
Kathy,
I hope there are no medical issues with her. If she received a clean bill of health and you get both the calming collar and some ‘natural’ cat litter, you may also want to consider adding a little bit of catnip on top of the litter. That seemed to have worked for my cats. They couldn’t help but go the litter box and once they were there, nature called. Please let me know how you are coming along. Good luck.
Cats who have been declawed have VERY sensitive toes and a good many of them don’t like certain types of cat litter because it hurts them to scratch in it. I saw an episode of (My Cat From Hell) where he deals with this exact issue. Trying different litters will be your best bet. The softer, smaller grained scoopable litters will work best. The all natural ones may be best also! Good luck!
This message is for jackson galaxy i have an 18 lb cat and i also have a 25 corgi dog my cat stocks my dog and smacks her my cat will hide and as soon as my dog walks by him he attacks her my dog is very friendly and just walks away but i am sick of seeing my dog be mistreated
Jackson,
Do you think it’s best to have one cat or two?
We adopted a beautiful female 2 year old that was a recuse cat. We’re thinking of adopting a male of the same breed. What is your advise please?
I have a 4 year old female that we rescued from a shelter. She used to greet people at the door and let them love on her, for the first couple years. All the sudden she won’t have ANYTHING to do with anyone but my husband n I. What would make her change like this? And is there any suggestions on how to get the “sweetheart” back in her
Something may have happened with a visitor that spooked her, Jan. Try some of the tips offered in this article: https://consciouscat.net/2015/01/13/get-cat-used-visitors/
This message is for Jackson
I need your help what can I do to stop the cat for spraying .
I need your help
Jackson no longer sees private clients, Jackie. If you can’t find a feline behaviorist local to you, I can recommend Daniel Quagliozzi https://gocatgosf.com/, Marilyn Krieger http://thecatcoach.com/ and Pam Johnson-Bennett http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/ All three offer remote consultations.
Can I ask why he no longer helps private clients? Thats a sad shame!
Between filming the show, his work with his foundation, and his travel schedule, he’s just become too busy to take on private clients, Lisa. But just think how many more cats he is helping through all his work!
So about 2 months ago a I got a 3 month old kitten.She has a weird thing she does almost every morning. At about 7am she will start rubbing up on me to wake me up then she bites me. Like it’s not to hurt me but it’s slightly uncomfortable. There have been moments where I wake to feel my cat holding the front of my neck or biting my eyebrow. She never bites to break the skin but what could cause this behavior?
She’s probably hungry. Try tiring her out with a vigorous play session just before you go to bed and feed her a small snack.
I need your advice, ASAP. My cat has been missing for two weeks. It is driving me mad. I did all that I could: posters, flyers, internet search in lost and found pets, vets, shops, talking neighbours, tell to the microchiped company, RSPCA, Cat protection, pet detective etc… and I still cannot find him anywhere. He is a male, neutered, microchiped, 1yo. I have been putting his food, drink , my clothes outside , etc… I really do not know, what I need to do now.
My male cat was let outside on purpose by a friend of my brother and he dug himself in a hole and I tried everything to get him. I called the animal patrol to ask them to help me and I know that this sounds gross but it worked. I was told to grab some of his used litter out of his box and create a trail to the door and to leave the door open however since my female was inside and I didn’t want her to get out I didn’t leave the door open. However Chance came out of the hole enough to where I grabbed him and got him inside. I don’t know if you have any of his used litter but try to get something with his scent. I have a feeling someone may have taken your cat inside their home. I hope that you find him. I have my female Asya (Asia) microchipped but Chance isn’t until December 2nd but I have always thought that it would be amazing if they make these chips with gps so that we can go online and track our fur babies when something like this happens.
While there are no GPS tracking chips yet, you can get GPS tracking devices that attach to the cat’s collar, Kate.
I have a cat that is 1/2 Chausie and 1/2 Domestic. My probelm with him is that whenever I pet him, he bites me. Very sweet cat but wonder if the Asian Chausie in him is the cause. I have had cats all my life and never had this problem with other cats. He will be purring while being petted and them for some reason, something takes over and he bites. Help
That sounds like petting aggression, Tery: https://consciouscat.net/2016/04/04/cope-correct-petting-aggression-cats/
That’s how my cat says “stop petting me” or “I’ve had enough”
My cat Wizzy suffers from urinary tract infections and getting her in a carrier to the vet is virtually impossible. The vet gave me a liquid antibiotic but i am unable give it to her because she will attack me or spit it out. I tried putting it in milk but she refused to drink it. Any suggestions? Another thing about this cat is she goes nuts when i try to put frontline on her. She usually runs and hides. When we have attempted to put her in a cat carrier she has attacked us to the point where we just give up. She hasnt been to the vet in 2 years. She has been with me since she was a kitten and has always been an inside cat. I’ve never had a more horrible cat. It’s gotten so bad that i have actually thought about having her put down. I could never rehome her because no one would want this mean cat. Please! Please help me. I’m so stressed about it. I find myself brought to tears daily because i just dont know what to do anymore
I know it’s hard when you’re dealing with a challenging cat, but please don’t give up on your girl. I recommend that you work with either a housecall vet who specializes in feline behavior, or a feline behaviorist. If you can’t find anyone local to you, I can recommend Marilyn Krieger http://thecatcoach.com/ and Pam Johnson-Bennett http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/ Both offer remote consultations.
Get a syringe and fire that medicine in her mouth so she can’t spit it up.
When my male cat was to make his trip for his baby boy shots he freaked out so bad about getting into the carrier that he bit me and wet himself. My vet does house calls but I wanted him to do it and stop freaking out over a carrier so I changed his appointment for 2 weeks, I started out by leaving the carrier open and in the living room, I put his toys inside and went and got a mouse toy you fill with catnip. I let my female show him that she felt safe and comfy in the carrier and I allowed her Asya (Asia) to sleep in it too. I bought a baby blanket and let him (Chance) get his scent on it and placed it in the carrier along with a treat trail going inside. I made Chance want to be in HIS special carrier and even used his toys to make it a fun thing for him. Now he’s still a scaredy cat and gets scared of the carrier but he does go inside and we’re off to the vet. Now we’re working on him getting brave because I have never seen such a wimpy cat in my life, lol
If you go at this like your cats a human baby and take baby steps by not just pulling the carrier out when it’s vet time, you will make progress.
As for the medicine well Asya is a hell cat when it comes to meds so my vet just gives her a shot called a convenience shot if she needs antibiotics, it’s a shot that lasts 2 weeks and I don’t have to worry about her spitting, throwing up, or turning into a devil child from hell, lol
Don’t ever think of putting an animal down unless they are suffering from illness, please cause they are not throw aways just because you are tired of dealing. No one would do that to you just because you acted out. I had to put my 22 year old baby boy down because he was in heart failure and even though I know that he was suffering, the lifetime effects that has on me I’ll never get over.
I’m sorry about your 22-year-old kitty. Even when they live that long, it’s just never long enough. And thank you for sharing your experience about how you got Chance used to the carrier. As for Convenia, I hope your vet educated you about the possible risks of this long acting antibiotic. Sadly, far too many vets don’t. While it can be a godsend for difficult to pill cats, it comes with some potentially serious side effects. Here’s more information: https://consciouscat.net/2011/09/26/convenia-for-cats-sacrificing-safety-for-convenience/
Hi,
One elder cat lost his brother last year, so we went to the humane society and found an almost teen age kitty to keep him company. Slinky has done ok with the change and loss. Chanel however is a different story. We don’t know all her background but she was returned. Which is ok. Chall doesn’t like to be touch too much and can be a little jumpy at times which can be workable. She appears to be friendly and has adjusted to Slinky being older and not to rambunctious. My children both have cats. All came to live with us. Chall gets along fine with two, but is frightened by the other two and will not come down to the main floor of our home. It gets to the point that they will chase her under the bed, etc. There are times that she is by herself. I am afraid that the solitude may have an adverse effect on her. Is there any advise that can give to help us? Thanks!
I’m worried about one of my ‘girls’. On Feb. 24, I had a total replacement of my right knee. On March 29, my right knee gave way tearing the MCL and Patellar tendon resulting in me being hospitalized for 6 days then spending the next 32 days in a nursing home. Far from my ‘girls’. A mother-daughter pair, mother is 11 years old and daughter is 9 years old. The daughter, Minx, seems to have coped well with my extended absence from home. But the mother, Lily, I am worried about.
Since I got home the first part of May, Lily has been attached to my side like Velcro. She doesn’t play, she isn’t eating like she normally does, she is sleeping all the time and she stays right under my feet or beside me all the time. Taking into consideration her age, I had her to our vet for a health check and he said she’s in perfect health. But he can’t explain her behavior any more than I can.
Could my extended absence from home have been psychologically too traumatic for her to handle?? Prior to my injury, being retired, I was almost always at home or at most, gone for a few hours at a time except for two trips out west to visit my best friend. Both times I was gone for no longer than two weeks and it’s been a few years since my last trip.
My Lily is my precious girl and I am really worried about her current behavior. She seems to be extremely insecure and anxious. To add to the current problems, I will be moving in a month or so to a new house and I know that’s going to upsetting to both girls. I need to know what I can do to help Lily get over her anxiety of my being gone for so long and ideas/suggestions to make the move as painless as possible for both of my ‘girls’ and not add any more stress to Lily.
I absolutely think that Lily was traumatized by your absence during your surgery and recovery, Wanda. You may want to consider working with a feline behaviorist to help her regain confidence. Jackson no longer sees private clients. If you can’t find anyone local to you, I can recommend Marilyn Krieger http://thecatcoach.com/ and Pam Johnson-Bennett http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/ Both offer remote consultations.
In July I got really sick and was hospitalized for 9 days, came home and 48 hours later I was taken by ambulance in respiratory failure. My Asya (Asia) saw them take me out and even though she’s used to my being away (hospitalized, she was so excited to see me when I got home. I came in the house and called out to her and all of the sudden I hear boom, boom, boom and I open the basement door and all I see is a brown ball of fur flying at me, lol Asya flew! Yes I said flew! Never hitting the last 2 steps when she flew into my arms, tail wagging like a dog’s tail and purring, meowing, and then the kisses! She kissed my face for at least 5 full minutes, she missed her mommy. BUT ever since she doesn’t let me out of her sight, she literally pulls my arm to her chest , holding onto me like she is afraid to let me go. Every time I go anywhere she sits in the window and waits for me. I make sure that I tell her every chance I can that I am going nowhere and I love her but she’s very much traumatized and it’ll be a long time before she relaxes.
Oh my goodness, what a welcome!
My nine year old cat won’t stay off the couch. It has been becoming more of a problem this last year. He knows he isn’t supposed to be on it, he’ll jump off we he hears us coming. It’s a big problem because our daughter is allergic and as long as he stays in his beds she’s pretty ok. I vacuum and dust everyday, he gets fur all over the couch(he’s double coated), and brushing everyday doesn’t help especially when he’s not in the mood. It’s gotten where she doesn’t even hangout in the livingroom, she just goes to her room. What to do. He has other places to go. He’s kinda being a jerk.
Have you tried giving her Composure tablets? Recommended by my vet and available on Amazon. Ingredients are Thiamine (B1), colostrum calming complex ..Biopeptide Blend and L-Theanine
My neighbour Barbara has died and my Bertie has been extra loving is that normal
Cats are very attuned to their guardian’s energy and emotions. It sounds like Bertie is trying to comfort you, Tracey.
Hi Jackson is it normal for a cat look after their guardian when their grieving my Bertie has extra loving since my neighbour died
I would really like some advice. I adopted Ernie in August of 2015 and I have noticed that he is destructive. He has destroyed my curtains, window screens and he loves to get in the bathroom and tug on the plumbing that goes from the toilet to the wall. He has a variety of toys including scratching posts. I have been told to adopt another cat to keep him company, but I disagree with that and looking from the various posts, bringing in another animal isn’t always a “win-win”. He has been neutered and utd on all vaccines. How can I determine what the issue is? How old are cats before they calm down? My sister suggested to have an outside enclosure built to stimulate him and yet keep him safe. Is this helpful? Thank you!
It sounds like Ernie may be bored, Karen. Try structured playtime, 10-15 minutes at least twice a day. Really get him tired out. An outside enclose can also help keep him entertained.
I adopted my 19 month old female cat when she was 8 months old. Two months ago I adopted another cat who is 11 months old. My first cat HATES my new cat (who by the way loves everyone, including other cats). Now my older cat is peeing and pooping everywhere around the house and she won’t stop. She’s even wearing a calming collar and that’s not working; she still attacks my other cat. Help!!! I don’t want to give either of them up but I don’t know what to do. Isolating them from each othet and the rest of the family seems inhumane.
You need to separate the two cats and start over with very slow and gradual introductions, Yvette. Here’s how: https://consciouscat.net/2011/08/15/cat-to-cat-introductions/ It may take longer since they’ve already established a negative association with each other, but it’s your best chance at having them get along. Introductions can take weeks and sometimes even months.
Thanks for the advice. I have separated them and both seem to be doing better already. My older cat has just been prescribed anxiety meds so I’m hoping that will help too. Last night she started using her litterbox again. (I forgot to mention that I had changed the location). I suppose there have too many changes for her to handle at one time.
We have 2 male cats, both neutered. One is about 2 years old, the other is 9 months. We got the 2-year-old when he was a few months old and got the kitten about 3 months ago. As expected, it took a little while for them to warm up to each other, but in time, things got better. Recently, the kitten has begun urinating on our bed. We took him to the vet to rule out medical issues and the vet said it is likely a territory thing.
How do we get the kitten to stop urinating on the bed?
This article may help, Melissa: https://consciouscat.net/2015/08/24/litter-box-issues-a-round-up-of-solutions-for-a-frustrating-problem/
We rescued two male cats this past November. The mother had a litter of 5 but 3 passed and eventually the mother abandoned the remaining 2. They were WAY too little to be away from the momma cat but what could we do. As time has passed the yellow kitten began to lose weight to the point of being able to count all of his ribs. He is motivated by food and will fight animal or human to get food. As soon as he is finished eating he enters the litter box and has explosive liquid bowel movements. The vet prescribed probiotic powder and spray to put on his food but after 3 weeks of feedings 5 times a day I see no improvement. What do we do next? I am at a complete loss…
You need to take your kitten back to the vet as soon as possible, Ardith. Your kitten may be dangerously dehydrated if he’s had diarrhea for that long.
Jackson I need some advice please. We live in Zambia. I have a male and female, they are good friends, but my female has suddenly become territorial and I don’t understand why. How can I train her to share the house and garden? Please help.
My Mom’s female cat is 14 years old. She always behaved perfectly regarding pooping and peeing in the litter box. Once she was left alone in the house for a few days, and when we came back, she pooped on the guest bed where she always laid and enjoyed the sun. We cleaned and washed everything, but since then, every time we open the door to that room, the cat runs in, jumps on that bed, poops and urinates in the same spot.
We need your help on what to do for her to stop this behavior. It was her favorite room where she enjoyed the sun, and now we have to keep the door closed at all times.
Thank you for your help.
If you haven’t already taken your cat to the vet, I would do so as soon as possible. Sudden behavior changes can be an indicator of a health issue. Your cat is clearly experiencing heightened stress as a result of being left, and probably also because her favorite room is now closed off to her. Stress can lead to health and behavioral problems.
Vet said she is fine but I know it’s something emotional. We want to leave the room open but she comes in urinates and leaves. How do we stop her from peeing?
I recommend working with a feline behaviorist, Lana. Jackson Galaxy no longer works with private clients. If you can’t find anyone local to you, I can recommend Marilyn Krieger http://thecatcoach.com/ and Pam Johnson-Bennett http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/ Both offer remote consultations.
I have had a male white and orange tabby named “Peaches”, and I also a year later adopted a female kitten ” Twillight” from the same mother. The male is fixed and she is not yet fixed she stays inside the house, where as he is hidding in the back room or outside. His health is good and so is hers. But for some reason my once loving baby boy, is now timid and avoids the female and interaction*” meaning play,affection, treats,feeding time.” with me or my spouse, as she walks all over with no problem. What can I do when I don’t have door ways to separate them for introduction, I live in a trailer. Please help me to bring him out of his shell. He such a loving cat when he is outside the house away from the other cat. I would really be greatful if I could receive your help.
It’s going to be very challenging if you have no way to keep them separate. I would try playing with them together, and feeding them together to create positive associations with each others’ presence – you and your spouse each play with one cat, and each feed one cat.
Im pretty much at my wits end over this and would like some advice if possible, im not sure if this behavior is due to mine and my husband’s roommate passing away a few months ago or if her cat’s health is going bad or what but he has starting to poop on the floor and not in the litter pan, we keep it clean we have 4 other cats and they seem to be fine using it. I haven’t seen any of the other cat’s going any place else in the apartment it just seems to be the one, we have tried squirting him with water or rubbing hus nose in it when we catch him, i just dont know what else to do
Do not use squirt bottles or rub his nose in his stool, Mary – punishment does not correct behavior, and it will damage the bond between you and your cat. If you haven’t already done so, take him to your vet as soon as possible. This behavior could be an indicator of a medical problem.
I’m a first time cat owner. I adopted 2 kittens: 6 and 3 months from a shelter where both were previously acquainted and shared a large living space part time with other cats. They are both very sweet but the 6 month old is quite a bit larger and much more aggressive with the 3 month old to the point where the 3 month old cowers under the bed at the mere sight of the 6 month old. Is there anything I can do or try to stop him from terrorizing his younger roommate?
HELP PLEASE !!! have 14 year old female cat with IBD Have tried EVERYTHING. Have changed foods Have been to three different vets. still nothing is working to help with her runny stools. Don’t want to loose her.Any advise would really help!!!
These two article may help, Jane: https://consciouscat.net/2010/09/13/inflammatory-bowel-disease-and-diet/ and https://consciouscat.net/2014/03/19/chronic-vomiting-in-cats-not-normal/
Hi. I recently adopted a 2 months old male kitten. This is my first cat, so I dont know if his behavior is normal. When ever he wakes up, he gets very hyperactive. He starts biting me and scratching me. He tries to climb my leg and when I sit down or lay, he stares at me and then jumps rapidly and attacks me. After a few hours of this behavior he gets tire and then comes back looking for me to pet him. What can I do to control his agreesive play?
Thanks
That’s perfectly normal for a kitten – he needs to play to burn off energy. The cure for this behavior is more playtime! Ideally, kittens as young as he is need a buddy so they have another kitten to play with. If you’re not willing or able to adopt another cat, increase playtime with him. Play with him for 10-15 minutes, at least three or four times a day, and really get him tired out. Use interactive wand toys, make sure he has plenty of vertical space in the form of cat trees.
I’m looking for advice on a cat I just brought home from a shelter a month ago. She’s a spayed Maine coon and can be loving at times but then scratches and bites my husband and I very badly. She seems to be set off by many different things and attacks us and runs off but then comes back a minute later to rub on us. No kids or other animals. She also constantly looks around while eating like she’s paranoid but had her own enclosure at the shelter. Any thoughts?
It’s hard to tell what’s causing this behavior, Diana. It sounds like redirected aggression, but there could be more going on. I would recommend having her checked out by a vet first to rule out any medical issues, and then consider working with a feline behaviorist.
Hi its jc with my cat jagger he will not eat this prescription dry food for urinary tract infection. Or uti. How do I swith him over from wet food to his prescription food for u.t.I. Urinary tract infection.? Please call me at 732 908 6306 thank u
I’m hoping you meant switch from dry food to wet. Cats should never eat dry food, but especially not cats with urinary tract issues. Here’s more information on how to wean a cat off dry food: https://consciouscat.net/2011/07/25/how-to-your-cat-off-dry-food/ as well as information on why prescription diets may not be the best choice for your cat: https://consciouscat.net/2013/03/25/prescription-diets-may-not-be-good-choice-for-cats/
I need help I rescued my cat Gracie a little over a year ago she was a young kitten she was born outside at my bfs mom’s house and one day she ran her over so I took her in and took her to the vet her outlook was not good they were not sure if she would ever walk again but she can and you can barely tell she ever had anything wrong recently we got her fixed and started babysitting 8 loud rambunctious children she has now started peeing on my stuff and has peed and pooped on my bed with me in it what should I do
You need to take Gracie to the vet for a thorough check up, Ashley – that’s always the first step when dealing with inappropriate urination and/or defecation. Here’s more information: https://consciouscat.net/2011/05/09/how-to-prevent-litter-box-problems/
My guess is that the stress of the children is causing the behavior, but you still need to rule out a medical issue first.
I have an appointment for her on Friday. Are there any alternative things I can do if it’s stress besides medication?
That’s good, Ashley. You may want to try a combination of Stress Stopper and Safe Space for Cats. It can really help with stress induced territorial marking. http://bit.ly/stress-stopper and http://bit.ly/safespaceforcats
We need help !!!!!! For that past year we have bin surching EVERY THING about your work to help ARE CAT MOW we brought him home from are family farm after some one droped he off he was maybe six seven months for are son and he started peeing in are basment lil fater we got are dog going on a year he started peeing on her things and on are porch buy his box and biteing me I thought it was over needing more atenchin so I make are dog sleep in the liveing room and give him more space but no cange so I got them fixed nothing still peeing HELP US I LOVE HIM BUT NOT HIM PEE PLEZ OR ILL HAF TO PUT HIM DOWN HES MY BABY I DONT WANT THAT FOR ME HIM OR MY SON !!!!!!
Please take your cat to a vet for a thorough check up, Erin – that’s always the first step when a cat is urinating outside the litter box. Here’s more information: https://consciouscat.net/2011/05/09/how-to-prevent-litter-box-problems/
Thank you so much willgive every tthing a try on the list plus vets chan his box plus buy a new one for basment ..
i got a kitten for my granddaughter and he uses the bathroom on the bed daily. how do i stop this before the kitten goes outside for good.
Please take your granddaughter’s kitten to a vet as soon as possible, Kirk. Inappropriate urination can be an indicator of a medical problem. Here is more information: https://consciouscat.net/2011/05/09/how-to-prevent-litter-box-problems/
I have a question. My husband and I rescued a kitten out of a dumpster 3 years ago and he’s been our only cat until now. We just rescued an around 8 week old female kitten. I’ve read all articles I can find about introducing them. My problem is that we live in a one bedroom apartment. We’ve had the kitten in a large carrier and have been giving her lots of play time in our bathroom with the door closed. How do I get our resident cat to accept her? We don’t have an extra room to keep her in to keep them apart. Our resident cat starts off just starring at her then chirps at her then he starts to growl and hiss. I know this is expected but I need help how to get them to get along. I don’t want to have to keep her in the carrier or bathroom. Please help.
Unfortuntately, slow and gradual introductions are probably the only way you will get your resident cat to accept the newcomer. I know it’s challenging in a small space like yours. Give it time and use all the tools (scent swapping, room swapping, feeding them on opposite sides of the bathroom door, etc.).
When he’s looking at her, growling or hissing, his tail sways. Is that normal? Usually he just walks around with his tail straight up. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make them both feel comfortable and loved.
A swaying tail is not a happy tail, Marianne. Here’s more information on body language: https://consciouscat.net/2012/03/19/feline-body-language/
Hi, I am in desperate need of help… My ex and I had 3 cats… A male and female (hemi and Lola) and we kept a male (kiato) from the on emitter Lola had before she was fixed… It seems like after we kept kiato, Lola started to pee and poop anywhere but the litter… We had two large litter boxes… My ex and I split and he kept all 3 cats but Lola started to pee on his bed and poop in the closet… The litter was being cleaned everyday if not twice daily… Finally he had had enough so I took Lola to live with me… She hasn’t urinated anywhere but the litter box until I spent one night out and when I came home she had urinated in the middle of the bathroom floor ( her litter box is located in the bathroom) but she keeps pooping in the same spot on the bathroom floor and has only pooped a few times in her litter… We have small children so I’m not sure how Mich more of this I can take… I love her and don’t want to get rid of her so I need some advice as to what to do… 🙁 thank you so much… Jennifer
This is a pretty complex issue, Jennifer. You can find some information here: https://consciouscat.net/2011/05/09/how-to-prevent-litter-box-problems/
If none of the suggestions in the article help, I would recommend working with a feline behaviorist. I can highly recommend Pam Johnson-Bennett http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/ or Marilyn Krieger http://thecatcoach.com/ Both offer remote consultations.
Hi, I have a quick question for some reason my cat will only eat while I stand beside her and she will meow and follow me around until I stand beside her to eat. Anytime I walk away he will follow and meow the whole time. Any reason why you think this would happen?
Some cats seem to like company while they eat. I don’t think anyone has ever figured out why that is, Thomas.
I have a neutered male feral I am trying to get used to human touch and he will come look for me, wait till I follow him and pet/cuddle him when he eats. If I walk away he stops eating. I’ll take a guess, but I think it’s protection. I notice cats look around a lot if you feed them outside and he is much calmer if I’m there.
Hello Ingrid,
My wife and I have a lovely cat. She is very affectionate, loving and of course very spoiled. We have had her since she was about 5 weeks old. We saved her (and all her siblings by chance) from being killed because there were too many cats on a farm. Anyway, she is now 5 years old, she was spayed at 7 months of age. She is a healthy cat who can go out whenever she wants to hunt mice and the occasional bird. We live in the outskirts of a little village in the north and adjacent to the forest.
We feed her B.A.R.F. (Biological Adapted Raw Food) and the best “wet” food recommended in our country Sweden.
Last summer she started to behave strange. All of a sudden resting in an armchair or in her basket or wherever she jumped up and started to bite her skin like she was bitten by an insect, flee or something. We could not find any flee or anything else. Then it cooled off in the autumn and the behaviour vanished.
Now a few weeks ago she started to get mad on her tail. She grips the tail with her feet and gives it a hurting bite. The tail starts to move by itself, it looks like, and Lisa (the cat) gets fed up with the movement she is not consciously doing herself. It starts with the tip of the tail twitching and then the whole tail starts to move around as when a cat is very irritated. She is not really irritated at first, certainly not towards us, but then she wants to stop the tails involuntary movements and bites it hard. Often bloodshed occurs after a bite. We have been to the small animal clinic in town, but none of the vets can find anything, no parasites or any physical problem.
Have you ever heard of a behaviour like this? Is it a mental thing, a nerve problem or what can it be? Our neighbour says he has seen that she was been bitten by a magpie in the tail, but nothing is broken or damaged in the tail. What he says is strange because she can kill a magpie very quickly if she wants. Please let us know if anyone has experienced the same problem somewhere else and if there was a reason for this behaviour.
Greetings, from Chris, Béa and Lisa.
It sounds like this could be Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome, Chris: https://consciouscat.net/2012/05/07/feline-hyperesthesia-syndrome/
Thanks for the reply Ingrid. I will forward this to our cat-clinic and see if they have something to go on with this. It is so devastating for us to see how Lisa is suffering from this. Ok, it is only short periods and maybe not even every day, but when it happens it is terrible for the cat and us. I take her in my lap and comfort her and she usually calms down. It never happens at night though, she is sleeping beside me (or more often inside my arm) as she has done since she was a kitten. I have never seen it happen outside in the garden or the forest, only inside when she is resting.
Again, thank you for helping us to understand more of what the diagnose possibly could be.
Chris
I’m glad this helped, Chris. I know this is distressing. Please keep us posted on how Lisa is doing.
Sure Ingrid, will keep you posted. Just in case I have bought Jacksons Spirit Essences Skin Soother. Maybe it can help a bit, who knows.
/chris
I had 2 adult female cats who get along well, and are not aggressive in any way. About two months ago, I adopted a 1 year-old female cat, Phoebe. My one adult, Pearl, just hates Phoebe. I introduced them very slowly, first keeping Phoebe in the bedroom for several weeks, door closed. Then putting up a gate for several weeks. With me in the room, Pearl will come in and eat out of Phoebe’s dish and use the litterbox (Pearl has her own, existing place to eat and pee). Pearl stalks Phoebe. She stares at her and then just runs and attacks her. Draws blood, fur flies. I’ve seen Phoebe respond in kind once. If I’m in the room, I will squirt Pearl or distract her. I have played with Pearl while Phoebe is laying close by, and she will act just normal, like she’s not even paying attention to Phoebe, but if I leave the room, she attacks again. I don’t leave them alone now. Every time Pearl attacks, my husband insists on grabbing Pearl and booting her outside, so she’ll understand, but that does not help the situation. And it’s making us fight. Please help!
I would start introduction over, and go even more slowly this time, Susie. Back up a step each time things don’t go well, and go even more slowly. You’re absolutely right, your husband grabbing Pearl and putting her outside is only making things worse. Using a squirt bottle is also not a good idea, here’s an article by Jackson on why squirt bottles don’t work: https://consciouscat.net/2012/03/29/squirt-bottles-punishment-and-cat-behavior/
I have a kitten that I rescued a year and half ago. It’s a good thing she is a very cute calico! She chews on everything….bra straps, sweatshirts, shoe laces, plants, Christmas tree lights, cell phone cords, my other cat, cardboard (Oh my does she shred cardboard), etc. She is fed a high quality no grain cat food so I do not think she is deficient in anything. HELP!!!
It sounds like your kitty may have a lot of excess energy. If you’re not already doing so, I’d start increasing her playtime. Do structured play sessions with her, 10-15 minutes at least twice a day, and get her really tired out.
I have two cats (2+ years old) from the same litter. I’ve had them since they were kittens. They were abandonded by their mother along with two other kittens from that litter. In the 2+ years that I’ve had them, they have always been very sweet witheach other; grooming and cuddling each other all the time. Suddenly they hate each other. Literally trying to kill each other and I don’t know why. I had to separate them and now when they see each other they hiss and growl at each other; if I let them, they actually will fight. Is this “normal” and is there hope that they will once again be able to coexist? I purchased the Felaway plug in so I’m hoping that will work. How long should I wait to reintroduce them? I should mention that one of my cats has a UTI and was put on medication two days ago. This fighting started 5 days ago.
This sounds like either redirected aggression or non-recognition aggression, Dawn. Here’s more information on both types of aggression: https://consciouscat.net/2012/03/12/redirected-aggression-when-good-cats-attack/ and https://consciouscat.net/2013/07/08/non-recognition-agression-in-cats-a-case-of-forgotten-identity/ In most cases, slow and gradual reintroductions will work.
Thank you for your much needed advice. I will definitely try your suggestions. I’m hoping that the “trigger” was the fact that my one cat is not feeling well so I will wait until she is feeling better to reintroduce them. Fingers crossed it will work.
Help. I have 6 cats that all get along. Except, about 3 months ago one of the 2 year old brothers began spraying everywhere. His brother Murphy does not do this, just Teddy, He also pees in bathroom sinks but at least that can be cleaned. Nothing has changed except 5 month house guest left but Teddy was not close to him. Same food, boxes, routine. Lots of loving and play for Teddy. But now he walks to walls and corners and sprays,
help! His bother Murphy who is a love-bug would be lost without him.
Such a frustrating problem to deal with, Franceen, and unfortunately, not something that’s easily addressed. Here’s some information on inappropriate urination: https://consciouscat.net/2011/05/09/how-to-prevent-litter-box-problems/ I would recommend working with your veterinarian and/or a feline behaviorist.
I adopted a 1 year old mother cat (she had 2 kittens)
& I have 2 other cats at home. I did all the separating & introducing slowly
& it’s been a month already & they still won’t accept her
She did chase them the 1rst couple times they met, but now she
wants to be friends & they hiss & spit at her.
Will they ever accept her?
Unfortunately, there’s never a guarantee that two cats will get along, Laurel. My advice would be to start over with introductions, and go even slower this time.
I have a 5-year-old orange tabby female I recently adopted from Kitsap Animal Shelter. She is sweet, loving, funny, and very, very smart. She understands many words, comes when you whistle for her, and is very much a lady, well mannered and well behaved, well, except for the coming when you whistle for her (hahaha). So what in the world could the problem be? She refuses to drink from her water dish. I’ve changed out the dish and now give her filtered water. However, she will wait until I go to the bathroom and then will come in and ask to drink running water from the sink. She will lap and lap and lap until I’m ready to leave. She isn’t peeing very much as a result of this habit. I can’t leave the water running for her, obviously, so what else can I do?
Since she likes running water, the easiest solution is to get her a fountain. Ceramic or stainless steel fountains are the best choice.
i need help with my cat she wont stop being mean to me or my puppy I just got a couple days ago I have over 100 scratches on me and I don’t want to get rid of her I just want her to be nice and for her to be calm she is my baby and I want her to be nice an I don’t know what to do I need help please
Did you introduce your cat and your puppy slowly? If not, you need to back up and start over. Here’s how to do it properly (the article is written for cat-to-cat introductions, but it works the same way with cat to dog):https://consciouscat.net/2011/08/15/cat-to-cat-introductions/
My 2 year old cat is very loveing but she likes to bit not hard, what does that mean. She can be laying in my lap and I’m petting her and all of a sudden she’ll just bit me but then lick me I’m confused I know when she’s playing with me and when she’s not so what is she doing? Also how do you now if she is happy. Cause she’ll follow me around watch me bathe and lay on my chest but is that enough I want to make her as happy as I can,please help!
This sounds like petting aggression, Dawn. Here’s more information: https://consciouscat.net/2012/02/08/petting-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-loves/
Found a kitten 2 months ago. Abandoned but as since he wasnt with his siblings and mom he seems not to understand when not to bite so we all look like we are cutting ourselves. Want to love this kitten but need help with constant mouth and claw attacks.
This is not unusual with abandoned kittens. It’s usually either play or petting aggression. Here are two articles that should help: https://consciouscat.net/2012/02/23/play-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-teases/ and https://consciouscat.net/2012/02/08/petting-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-loves/
Hi! I have a year old mutt cat. Born 3am August 31st 2013. He is such an aggravation, but lovable. He loves on me but then also goes on attack mode at odd time. The main problem is he doesn’t cry/meow until I get home and then he WONT shut up. I got him for my fiancé with head trauma, but he will only sleep when they are home alone….8 hours and then when I come home he lies in the kitchen and just meows. I’ll feed him, play with him (literally for 3 hours one night ) and he has open range of the house and front porch. Then I get home and he just meows. Lays on his back and just lays there meowing. I give him ALOT of attention and he has a numerous amount of toys, but he won’t play with them or anything. Also when I love on him and then he goes into attack mode he never retracts his claws. You can hear them clinking on the hard wood floor. I started clipping his claws at an early age but since he got fixed he has been HELL! What can I do. I was told he may not have been neutered correctly, but I don’t have the money to get a check up on if the process was done correctly. Please help.
The aggression you’re describing may be either play aggression https://consciouscat.net/2012/02/23/play-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-teases/ or petting aggression https://consciouscat.net/2012/02/08/petting-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-loves/ It sounds to me like your kitty has a lot of excess energy, and even the long play sessions don’t seem to be enough to help him burn it off. He might benefit from a feline companion who is a good match in temperament.
Usually when a vet would propose neutering him, their main stand was that the urine smell would improve in the litter box. I only question neutering because I see humans struggle without their hormones. Humans can have a lot of health issues without the hormones they were intended to have. I didn’t want the same thing to happen to my cat just because I wanted the smell to improve in his litter box. If I was going to neuter him, I would want it to be for my cat’s convenience and not my own. I did not know he could develope certain cancers. What is it about not being neutered that would cause certain cancers later?
Neutering eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.
Thank you Ingrid. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.
Hi there! I just started watching “My Cat From Hell,” and I have already learned a few things that I could change to make my cat happier! I do have a question, if you have time to answer. I have chosen not to neuter my male cat. For the most part, he does not feel compelled to spray. Which is nice. There are times when my cat gets anxious around new visitors or animals outside and he will feel compelled to spray. Which is understandable. I don’t get mad at him. My question is: Is there a way to relieve my cat’s territorial anxiety so he doesn’t have to spray. I would rather not neuter unless its something beneficial to my cat. I would like my cat to feel comfortable and happy all the time; which I think would help him never feel the need to spray. Thanks. And if you don’t get to my question, its ok.
I don’t know why you don’t want your cat to neutered. In addition to stopping his need to spray, it will also reduce the risk of developing certain cancers later in life.
Hi I have a female 8month old cat who is very playfully but also destructive she has picked a corner in the house that she uses as a scratching post and tears off the wall paper and also has torn apart 3sets of net curtens I have not yet caught her in action but have tried using a pet repellant but that hasn’t worked and she also has her own scratching post.Thank-you any advice?
You’re going to need more than one scratching post, Samantha. Here are some suggestions: https://consciouscat.net/2013/03/04/how-to-stop-your-cat-from-scratching-your-furniture-and-carpets/
I got a kitten today. she was going to be put down if I didnt taked her . She has only known one person and is scared of other people.can anyone give me some tips on how to make her trust me.
Even though this article was written to help nervous or shy cats, try these tips: https://consciouscat.net/2014/02/27/help-nervous-cats/
Thamk you ingrid
My cat Jynx, has a cat scratcher that she won’t use, she claws the furniture and she rips holes in the screens in my windows. I can’t open my windows very much, I can only crack them. I don’t want to get her declawed. Do you have any suggestions to keep her off my furniture and window screens?
You’ll find lots of suggestions in this article, Renee: https://consciouscat.net/2013/03/04/how-to-stop-your-cat-from-scratching-your-furniture-and-carpets/
Thank you by the way how do you get a cat to not be so hyper
My cats Miss Kitty, (aka KeKe),is 4 , Whitey Ford 5, Obie, 6 & BabyKittie 19 years old.
Whitey has a few problems, he’s 27 1/2 lbs & he will poop outside the little box, he will pee inside it, so I don’t know what to do with him. Could it be because his hips hurt to bad to swat in box? He’s my babiw & I want to help him. I also don’t know how to separate them at meantime. Any suggestion ?
It’s quite possible that Whitey is in pain, and that that may cause him to defecate outside the box. I would get him checked out by your veterinarian. Feeding separately usually means feeding the cats in separate rooms behind closed doors.
Hello i have a female black cat and i just don’t know why she doesn’t use the litter box all the time she goes to the bathroom on the bed please tell me what i can do to stop that i love my cat a lot and i don’t want to get rid of her
Your first step is to make sure that your cat doesn’t have a medical problem, Carmen. Take her to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Here’s more information on litter box problems: https://consciouscat.net/2011/05/09/how-to-prevent-litter-box-problems/
Thank you how can i get my cat Kiri to sleep at 5am because she usually wakes me up around that time
Hello Jackson,
I have 2 cats 13 & 14. They’ve been together a long time and got along fine till a few years ago and something changed. Jordan (male) suddenly started being aggressive toward Josie (female/ rus. blue) at times. Recently Josie was found to have cataracts in both eyes, could this cause Jordan’s aggressiveness? It breaks my heart to see him be so mean to her or her to walk into things, and needless to say, I don’t have the money to do the surgery or I would. Jackson, please help me!!
Thank You,
Joann
P. S. Love the show!!!
It’s possible that Jordan finds Josie’s altered behavior as a result of her changes in vision threatening, and that may be causing him to react with aggression.
Yes, that is what I feel also. I have tried anti-depressants but don’t like how they make him feel, tried the calming (scented) collars, and don’t know what else to do. I have to work alot just to make ends meet so Jackson is out of the question. My babies are 14 yrs. old and may just have to ride it out. The funny part is, I still have a waterbed and when it’s winter time he doesn’t mind snuggling w/ her if she gets on the bed first. BUT, if he’s there first he’ll hiss at her. Or he’ll hiss at her if she walks pasr him. I just feel bad for her. Wish I could afford the cataract surgery.
Thanks again.
Joann
Hi Ingrid ..Jackson Gallery I am so at ends with my cat MauMau she licks licks licks.! I have changed everything and nothing stops her. I got her fixed and after that the belly is furless … small spot to the whole under side. Her lips are swollen .. I have wet her food just so she can eat.. Iam sad i feel like its a cost to me to try every thing a Dr. says to do! Now I feel she needs meds… Her sticky nasty underside I wash with gentle warm water spray aloe … crotzone… maybe she needs to go to Kitty Heaven! I cry I dont know what to do… I lov the cat since I saved her from starving behind a building as a young cat. I got her shots and fixed and she doesnt stop licking!! A loving home .. loveing food… no reason for her to be so nervous and lick … She is pretty but her tummy is a mess! HELP Iam on oxygen disabled and live alone … she goes in and out my window… lov thanks Charlotte 5/25/2014
Excessive grooming can be a frustrating issue to treat, Charlotte. This article may help: https://consciouscat.net/2013/09/16/excessive-grooming-cats/ Please take her to your vet as soon as possible.
My granddaughter’s cat keep chewing on electrical cords like chargers, etc. What can we do to stop this before he gets electrocuted? Thank you.
You can try coating the cord covers with Bitter Apple or something like it to discourage chewing, but the safest way is to get cord covers like this one: http://amzn.to/1kfwpvm
Thanks so very much for the prompt reply! We will try the Bitter Apple until we can locate the cord covers.
Please Help! I have 2 female cats age 7. My one cat Sadie began peeing on the floor about 1 foot from the litter box about 2 years ago. Also, she was peeing behind the couch. That seemed to stop when i pushed the couch back agianst the wall, but she is still peeing outside the litter. We have 2 litter boxes and tried different litter. I did notice that she doesnt seem to squat down all the way when she pees and sometimes it goes over the edge, but sometimes she is completely outside the little box. The 2 cats are sisters and grew up together. About 2 years ago Saide got diabeties and i give her shots twice a day. ALso, 2 years ago, we rescued an age 2 chiwawa dog from Paws. The dog loves the cats and for the most part i think they got used to the dog. We have changed litter boxes and litter several times but nothing works. I am tired of cleaning up the floor of pee. I am ready to get rid of her. Can you give me any advice?
If you haven’t recently taken Sadie to your vet, please do so to rule out any medical issues. You may want to add a third litter box – the rule of thumb is to have as many boxes as you have cats plus one. Inappropriate elimination is a complex problem, and it’s hard to give advice without knowing the layout of your house, details about how your pets interact, etc. I recommend working with a feline behaviorist. Jackson no longer sees private clients. If you can’t find one in your area, I can recommend two who do remote consultations: Pam Johnson-Bennett http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/ and Marilyn Krieger http://thecatcoach.com/ You may also find some information about this issue on their websites.
My 3year old female cat. Spade 3 months ago. Always was a grazer with food. Often didn’t eat all. Now eats until she is too full or finishes all at 1 time. Naps for about 1-2 yrs. Then crys for food constantly. How can I change it back to her old ways of eating?
Change her to meal feeding, twice a day. Leave her food out for 20 or 30 minutes, and then take up whatever she didn’t eat. No food until the next meal as long as she ate something. Never let a cat go without eating for more than 24-48 hours. You can find lots of information on how to transition to meal feeding in the Feline Nutrition section on this site. If you want more personalized information, I’d be happy to schedule a consultation with you.
Hi. I have some concerns about my female cats. I have 2 cats who recently had kittens. I also have a female (sprayed) cat (4years old) as well as male cats. They are all very loving towards each other and we never had problems….since the two cats had their kittens. They attack the 4year old female cat and she is so afraid she did not come home for 2 days. She was here last night and she was so scared…I tried to calm her. She came back this morning to eat and they attacked her again! This is so strange to me as Jessica is so loving and she does not go near the kittens. Can you please give me some advise as I am so stressed out and worried about her.
This goes beyond what I can answer in a quick reply to a comment, Lizette. I would suggest working with a feline behaviorist. Jackson no longer takes private clients, but I can recommend Marilyn Krieger (The Cat Coach) and Pam Johnson-Bennett (Cat Behavior Associates) – both offer remote consultations.
Thank you so much, I will contact them 🙂
Thank you for sharing Jackson with us. We absolutely love him and we love you!
Thanks, Caren! Right back at you!
I really enjoy watching my cat from hell. However, some things I have seen aren’t true for my cat. She is more canine than feline. While most cats hate being held on their backs, mine quite enjoys it. She is very unusual. Other than that, he is spot on and absolutly amazing 🙂
I like his blog. The vids are quite good!
I like his focus on the cats, Maru. It’s usually the humans who need behavior modification!
Nice post. Thanks for the links and now, I’m off to vote….
pawhugs, Max
Thanks, Max!