I adore our cats BUT..

gabyjane

At the mo i am finding them really draining..

We have a cat of give or take 6 years old and have had him for years..he is the most adorable cat and never any trouble..really placid and easy going.

We got a kitten getting on for a year ago and he again was fine when we got him apart from some issues with his food which we changed (wet to dry)

The first few weeks with the food were quite hard..the older cat tried to eat his (although he hated biscuits and we were told ot avoid as he doesnt really drink and may cause probs!) and the kitten tried to eat the wet (was advised not to let him as we had loads of diorreha (sp?)..it was like a military operation of keeping them seperated and making sure doors were shut etc..unfortunatly our older cat would not eat if the door was shut and just wailed..if the kitten was shut in he would scratch the door..sigh so we used to leave the doors open or stand in the kitchen with the older cat as he was ok then with someone in the room!

Anyway..weeks went on, they got better or we got used to it! and as the younger one got older we asked the vet about wet food to make life easier!..she said try him as should be fine so we did..he was ok for the first few weeks but now seems to be pooing again..not runny just normal but in the house (kitchen)? this may tie in with the fact the older one was weeing (posted about this) and got no real help from the vets..took him twice and they gave us some cystitis tabs..seems to have worked or so we thought until monday when i got home to so much wee on the floor it was ridiculas, then the kitten came in from outside and pood?..with the wee we thought the washing machine had leaked or something! anyway i have no idea what is going on with them at the mo..they are always flea'd and wormed on time too as the vets gives us the tabs and the younger one appeared to have worms last night..he was treated last night as was the cat again so?

I just feel like they are worse than the kids i look after! i seem to spend most of my day either monitoring them or washing the kitchen floor..plus dont get me started on the fact dh did the garden last night and they both seem to have taken to pooing in it..are't they supposed to do it elsewhere?!
Sorry just a rant really as have no idea where to start as get one sorted then its the other!!

kindofagilr

Are you sure its your own cats pooing in the garden, cos yeah generally they dont.

Do the cats have a litter tray? do you tell them off when they poo in the house, Ive nver raised a cat as such as I lived with my mam and we had a cat (from kitten) but mam did the telling off lol

If you dont tell them off when they poo or wee they won't know when they have done wrong.

Mam got it so Pip knew to ask to go out (didnt have a cat flap) and she never had an accident since then (and she lived till she was 18)

cyberbob

Lots of litter trays make sure they are clean. Make sure you clean the areas well otherwise they will repeat offend.Telling cats off never really works as they don't associate it with what has just happened. After they have eaten place them in the litter trays so they know where they are. If you catch them doing it put them in the litter tray.

Has there been any changes in the house or personally that could be upsetting them. This sometimes triggers things like this

It won't be an instant fix it will take time and a lot of work

gabyjane

Hi thanks for the replys.

The olde rone has never used a litter tray apart from the odd holiday and he's been at the cattery..the kitten was fine with it and then started going out so we got rid..really dont like having them in the house unless we have to and imo we don't have to? they are both old enough to go out, they know they have to go out and ask to BUT they still pee and poo on the floor and it;s getting me down if i'm honest.
The older cat did it last week in the garden..dd had said before she thought she had seen him but seeing as we hadn't witnessed it we couldn't really tell him off..i then saw him out of our bedroom window..as soon as i had run down he had scarpered..last night the kitten did it in the corner of the garden and i caught him and put his face by it telling him 'no'..is this right..how do you punish them?

It's bad enough in the house but to do it outside where i will soon have kids playing (im a CM) is annoying me some what and isnt exactly hygienic..help!

larmy16

My cat always poos in his own garden. I am glad as I would rather that than have neighbours going crazy or throwing buckets of water over him!

I looked after a friends cat recently who is normally very clean and has a cat flap and an enormous space to do her doings in. Despite there being a clean litter tray, she did a poo a few times around the dining room. Not sure if it was a protest at being left alone for a long period of time?

Surely it is better for them to poo in their own garden. Maybe your neighbours will have children too and have the same worries you have? Sorry I don't really get this - cats have got to go somewhere surely?

I do however understand that pets can be exasperating.

Artytarty

You dont "punish" your cat for going to the toilet in your garden!!!
They are only doing what nature intended .
You get a little shovel and a bag and dispose of it in a bin.

kindofagilr

cyberbob wrote: »

Telling cats off never really works as they don't associate it with what has just happened.

Worked smashing for Pip Squeak, mam would show her the poo she had done, have a bit shout and then clean it up, after doing that a few times Pip NEVER in her 18 years poo'd in the house again.

And no mam wasnt violent to her.

~Chameleon~

gabyjane wrote: »

It's bad enough in the house but to do it outside where i will soon have kids playing (im a CM) is annoying me some what and isnt exactly hygienic..help!

Ermmm and where exactly do you expect the cats to poo?

Your neighbours gardens? ... so they have to clear up after your cats' mess and risk their young children playing in it?

I despair of people at times!

Apricot

Sounds like your cats are both confused as to where they are allowed to go to the toilet. If there used to be a litter tray and now there isn't and they can't go to the toilet in their own garden Im not entirely sure where you are expecting them to go?
My nan's cat would never use a litter tray but hated going outside in the cold/wet so he used to go through the cat flap and then do his business on the back step and then run back inside. Perhaps your cats don't want to go far away from the house to go to the toilet?

IMO you definitely need to provide them with a litter tray each indoors - at least then you know where it is and can clean it as and when is necessary.

Fire_Fox

kindofagilr wrote: »

Worked smashing for Pip Squeak, mam would show her the poo she had done, have a bit shout and then clean it up, after doing that a few times Pip NEVER in her 18 years poo'd in the house again.

And no mam wasnt violent to her.

Did your mum shout at you when you were potty training too? Rule by fear, fantastic.

Fire_Fox

gabyjane wrote: »

The first few weeks with the food were quite hard..the older cat tried to eat his (although he hated biscuits and we were told ot avoid as he doesnt really drink and may cause probs!) and the kitten tried to eat the wet (was advised not to let him as we had loads of diorreha (sp?)..it was like a military operation of keeping them seperated and making sure doors were shut etc..unfortunatly our older cat would not eat if the door was shut and just wailed..if the kitten was shut in he would scratch the door..sigh so we used to leave the doors open or stand in the kitchen with the older cat as he was ok then with someone in the room!

Anyway..weeks went on, they got better or we got used to it! and as the younger one got older we asked the vet about wet food to make life easier!..she said try him as should be fine so we did..he was ok for the first few weeks but now seems to be pooing again..not runny just normal but in the house (kitchen)? this may tie in with the fact the older one was weeing (posted about this) and got no real help from the vets..took him twice and they gave us some cystitis tabs..seems to have worked or so we thought until monday when i got home to so much wee on the floor it was ridiculas, then the kitten came in from outside and pood?..with the wee we thought the washing machine had leaked or something! anyway i have no idea what is going on with them at the mo..they are always flea'd and wormed on time too as the vets gives us the tabs and the younger one appeared to have worms last night..he was treated last night as was the cat again so?

Since the antibiotic treatment/ diarrhoea have you been advised to use probiotics (beneficial bacteria) to repopulate the gut flora? Did the vet explain why dry food would be better for a kitten who is at risk of dehydration? Which brand of wet and dry foods are you using - have you tried ones which contain no cereals/ grains? Have you tried Feliway to reduce stress?