Morris Animal Foundation

I recently adopted a 4-year old female Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, spayed. Her previous owner had passed away. She is a great dog, and was perfect for me and my kids EXCEPT she would get so horriby upset each time she was left. She was pooping out of anxiety each time. I decided she needed a companion and adopted a 7 month old male Foxhound/Lab mix, neutered. The love each other and she is much happier. Hasn't pooped when left home since he got here. However, she has gradually quit peeing or pooping in the yard. She first skirted the edge and went just on the edge. Then she moved to the flower beds. Now she's going on the stones in the backyard. Even after I scoop the poop, she refuses. She'll go on the stone even when I shout "No." I try to pull her into the grass immediately, but she pulls out of her collar. I've tried the last two days to take her out on a leash, but she won't go. Yesterday she pooped in the house while I was here. First time ever. I think she may be averse to the dirtier yard now that there's a second dog, but I don't know what I can do about it. Pretty soon she's going to run out of stone too! Please help!

It is possible that she does want her yard cleaner. That would certainly be the starting point. It is also possible that she was frightened by something on the grass--snake or spider or bee bite, or any lawn chemical for instance that made the grass aversive.

I would begin by keeping everything very clean. Then, rather than scold her, take her to the desired area and wait with her patiently until she eliminates, then praise her. If you think she will only use the stone, then take her to an area of stone, ask her to "go potty" and wait to praise her. When she is consistent, try the same routine on the grass.

i have a female cat that just had a litter of kittnes 4 weeks ago. We had the male cat neutered and declawed. When we brought the male cat home from the vet, the female is constantly attacking him. what could be causing this behavior? they have never fought before

There are a couple of possibilities. First, cats are hormonally prepared to ward off threats to their offspring. That is called maternal behavior and it is a powerful drive.

On the other hand if the male had been their since the birth of the kittens and the female was fine with him, then the behavior could be a fear based response. That is very very common. Cats that return from the vet smell different. And if they have had anesthesia, they may behave differently too. The best thing you can do is separate them for a few days, then gradually reintroduce them for meals. While they are apart, rub them with a common towel and let them exchange "territories" so that each cat's scent is all over the house.

If aggression continues, bring the cats to a behaviorist because this can be a very serious condition that warrants careful therapy.

I recently adopted my sister's tabby (approx 6 yr old male). I had a 10 yr old male orange tabby of my own. Since I brought the new cat in he's bitten me once & tried a 2nd time. Now he acts like he wants me to pet him (lies on his back - climbs on me, etc - stuff which I normally would take as being friendly) - I don't trust him - I don't feel like being bitten again.

What I really worry about is that he seems to be terrorizing my cat - he sits in front of him and constantly meows at him - this happens especially in the morning. I would have gotten rid of him after he bit me but I promised my sister (deceased) that I'd take him in - Now I wonder.

Any ideas what I can do? I live in a row home & I really don't feel like having the cats segregated - I just want them to get along (if possibel).

This is a tough question to answer. I would tell you that cats can bite people for many reasons. Each reason might have a different prognosis and require a different course of action. For instance, the cat might have been a little afraid of you at first, and is now comfortable and won't bite. Or, he may be a cat that just tolerates so much petting and then becomes aroused and bites. That cat would need to have pets restricted forever.

Regarding his behavior toward your other cat: the meow could be friendly and he may want to play, or he may be frightened of your cat and be saying "get away".

It sounds as though you might need professional help--an in person evaluation to help you decide whether this new cat can be safely integrated. You might supply your veterinarian with some videos of the cat interacting with you and your cat.

I have two cats a male and a female but my female cat has been using my bed and my childs bet to go to the bathroom on. we keep there litter box clean and in the normal place. first she was just peeing on it now she is leaving little piles of poop. and if it isnt on my bed it will be on the floor right outside her litter box. what the hell is wrong with my cat?

You may not have enough litter boxes for this fussy cat and she may want a box of her own. Ideally, start off by offering a box very close to the bedroom area, plus the original one. Then have a third box beside the original box. I would ask you to test her favorites: put one litter style in one box, and a different in the test box. So we can learn whether this cat likes clay clumping, or clay non clumping or something else. And be sure that the boxes are cleaned at least once daily.

We have a spayed two year old cat who treats a small stuffed cat like her baby. She has been carrying it around in her mouth and, when she does, she meows in a very distressing way and looks around as if she is trying to either find other "kittens" or is trying to find a safe place for her baby. We wonder what this behavior might indicate. Also, when a cat is spayed do they simply remove the uterus or do they take the uterus and ovaries out. Also, this cat acts like a kitten in her playfulness. We have had cats for over 40 years and haven't come across a cat quite like this. We have had her for 1-1/2 years.

I have seen this behavior that you describe. Honestly I am not sure exactly what it means. Most of the time the sound is distressing but the cats don't look agitated. I would try to be sure she has safe hiding places for her friend. And offer her many other play toys and plenty of interactive play so that the fake cat may take less priority for her. She is probably just fine.

Spaying nearly always involves removing the ovaries and uterus.

Why does my 2 yr old male cat tug, bite and pull at the blanket on the beds. He then sometimes lays down afterwards or just finishes and leaves. He can do this from 15-40 min at a time. He is not kneading it is completely different he makes the end of the blanket wet with his saliva while he is doing this and he is also moving is all directions back and forth.

There are a couple of possibilities. He could be using the blanket as a playmate. Or it could be sexual behavior, which sounds likely. A last choice is that it could be a compulsive behavior--sometimes cats just cannot stop themselves.

If he is not damaging the blanket or himself, you could just let it be. MEanwhile, in case it is compulsive behavior or play behavior, be sure to offer many toys and plenty of interactive play time so the blanket is not as exciting.

You might have your vet check your cat's testosterone level. If he was not completely neutered, that might encourage sexual behavior. However, even neutered cats can mount and engage in sexual activity.

My 8 year old, neutered Maine Coon has begun to suddenly hiss and attack my boyfriend of 6+ months. Jon has never initiated touch or contact with Marbles, allowing him to decide when and where the petting, etc., is to occur. Then, suddenly, one morning Marbles began hissing at Jon and then lunged at his legs, leaviing bloody sctraches. I am a two cat household, with a 12 year old neutered cat, who adores Jon, so I am at a loss as to why this happened with Marbles and would appreciate any advice.Thank you.

Cats can attack people for several reasons. Probably the most common reason is fear. Since you mentioned that Jon has not initiated contact--very wise albeit difficult for a cat lover I expect--I assume that your cat must not have given friendly overtures. Perhaps Jon has a cat of his own, and your cat is concerned about the scent. If that is the case, then you may be able to start off with Jon keeping his clothing at your house and changing before coming in, perhaps using a cologne that you begin to spray daily so that Marbles becomes familiar. If not a cat smell, then you may be able to start with a screen door or double gate to separate the two, and allow Marbles to view Jon from safety, then Jon may be able to initiate play or offer food through the gate.

Some cats act more boldly and pursue visitors much as they would pursue a cat that roamed into its territory.

Marbles may actually benefit from an analysis by a behaviorist. Then we can learn the diagnosis and be very specific about treatment.

Hi, my cat needs to be an indoor cat as I live near a busy road and my last cat got hit by a car.. He crys (for hours sometimes ) to go out side incessantly, is there anything I can do to get him to stop, and for him to not be wanting to go out soooo badly? I want a happy cat, but don't want to put him in danger.Thanks,

Mary

I am glad you are choosing to keep your cat safely indoors. There are many ways to try to make the inside a little more interesting. You can enrich the environment by offering many nooks and crannies to explore, and baiting these areas with treats or toys. You can use paper bags, cat tunnels, cat condos, old bureaus in which you open a different drawer each day and hide different things. You can use food balls for his meals so he has to chase to eat. Some cats will watch TV and you can have cat videos that are commercially available. These can be set to go off on a timer. And if it is feasible, you can even set up bird feeders in different areas outside.

My 8 mo. old kitten chews and tears up cardboard boxes and any paper left around. She climbs on counters during the night and knocks everything on the floor. She even knocked an electric chopper out of a cubbard in the laundry room that I had inadvertently left open. We can't leave anything out. I play with her a lot but if she gets tired of the mouse play she starts biting me and chewing on things. She climbs the drapes and even pulls them down (on spring rods). I always wonder what kind of war zone I will wake up to in the morning. If I keep her in the bedroom she will keep me awake all night. She was spayed at 5 or 6 mos. and was pregnant at the time. I think she was due to give birth soon.

The vet spayed her and aborted the kittens. She has all her shots. We have a 10 yr old persian male that she chases and bites his back. However, they are laying on the bed together now and he does stare her down now so she is biting him less I think. Please help with the aggressive behavior. Thank you.

It sounds as though you have a very busy cat. Before you go to bed, try to leave things for her to play with. One day a couple of boxes, hide toys in paper bags, leave food filled toys. Give her projects to engage her. And lots of vertical surfaces for resting in between. You can set up "curtains" for her to play with as well.

If she continues to be destructive, you might need to try to confine her so that her only choices are the items you offer. Part of the behavior is very rewarding to her so interrupting the cycle may be needed.

Try to end play before she is bored. Wind her down with some treats. In fact, she may benefit from learning some commands so that you can add a training session--teach her sit, roll over, high five. That way she has something else to think about before biting.

First-My spayed female cat 1yr 3 months old has been acting as if she has separation anxiety with me only. If I get up to go to the bathroom she is in there before I am. She could be sound asleep on the couch and hear the bathtub water run and she is instantly in there. I sleep with the bedroom door closed and her in the living room, by around 7am she is meowing outside my door.

Second issue-We have two cats the other is almost a year old, both spayed females. They have alway gotten along. My daughter recently moved in with her small dog and 2 cats and we have tried to socialize them a little but they are mostly in my daughters room. If her cats come out my oldest one howls and hisses at them, and now she has started howling at our other cat sometimes. It is almost as if she is moody. Sometimes it is okay and sometimes she hisses at the other.

What can I do for these two behaviors?

Most cats do want company. If you wake up and pay special attention to her, or pay attention to her whenever she appears needy, then she will continue to try to get you to notice her. Try spreading some interesting toys and / or small snacks around the house, enrich her environment so that there are things to do besides follow you. And when you are ready, call her to you for pets and play rather than interact with her when she is insisting.

It can take quite a bit of time before cats are ready to accept newcomers. IF the visitors are temporary, it might be best to just separate them and swap areas. If they are to stay for a long time, then begin by letting the others explore with your cat safely tucked away to spread the scent through the house. Then, begin the introduction in a large area, keeping both parties engaged with food or play or pets. Have short sessions until the pets are ignoring each other.

I have two indoor female cats; one was adopted and brought into the home when she was about 1 year old. My other cat was about the same age. I have never had any litter box issues with either of them. However on two occasions over the past month or so the adopted kitty has pooped right in the middle of my bed. I cannot figure out what may have prompted her to do this. Can you help me?

Be sure that the cats are getting along and that one is not ambushing the other when she uses the box. And be sure that the boxes are kept very clean. The things that drive cats from boxes include a box that is not up to snuff with cleanliness, or a box that is too far away so inconvenient (try a box closer to the bedroom if possible), or a box that is too small (did she outgrow the box), or litter type that is not favored. If all those things are not helpful, then have a good physical exam to rule out a medical problem.

My cat just had kittens 3 weeks ago-today. She gave birth to 3 kittens very quickly one right after another, the third had some kind of hemerage and didn't live. A while later she had her 4th kitten who appears healthy. These past 3 weeks it has been very apparent that the last born kitten has developed slower then the other two. His eyes took 2 more days to open, he went through his first growth spurt 3-5 days later then the other two and is developing walking skills much slower. He still hasn't developed a full meow, is that a problem? He just doesn't have the vocals, he tries and either nothing or something very very faint comes out-more like a squeek. Also he seems affraid of people, he will socialize with the other kittens sometimes, but doesn't want to be touched or held by people, whereas the other two kittens are very friendly with people and even seek attention. He sticks close to his mom most of the time. I was there at the kittens birth too, i don't understand why he wouldn't be friendly with me. Is there something wrong with my kitten? Should I be concerned and can I help him?

YOu should be a little concerned--he might not be healthy and might need support. Have him checked by a veterinarian to rule out any infection, and to determine whether perhaps he suffers from parasites or anemia among other things. It could also be that he is truly younger, since cats can carry kittens that were not all conceived at the same time if there were multiple breedings.

My cat, who has a clean box will poop on a throw rug. If I have one in the restroom she goes there. I have stopped putting them down. I had one folded up by out back door on new carpet and she went on it. Help she is about to be sent to the humane society! Its been going on for ever.

Many cats favor little rugs rather than boxes. I hope you will be patient with her. There are many options. First is to put boxes in more conveneint areas for the cat even if less convenient for you. See if she will make the right choice if the box is just beside the rug. If she still chooses rug, then you may need to start by putting a small rug / piece of fabric into the box. The goal is to get her into a box. Once she uses the box, you can add bits of litter.

Another choice is to use barriers to keep her from accessing certain areas. You may roll up the rug when you leave the house, and keep an eye on her when you are home. You may also just confine her twice daily until she uses a box, then let her roam when she is "empty". All these things would be kinder than returning her to a shelter.

My 8 year old female Siamese chews on several items. We have a Sheet covering a chair.. she chews nonstop on it. She chewed on my wedding dress.. .last night she chewed a new bra strap that I just bought. It is very frustrating- please help.

Siamese are subject to this type of eating disorder. It is important to have her checked medically, particularly if this is a new behavior. If she is healthy, then she may suffer from a compulsive behavior that is managed with a combination of enriching the environment with chewable items that are safe--even dog bones interest some cats--and trying a different diet. For instance, you may try fiber or spreading food around in food toys so she has more activity around eating. And, sometimes, cats with compulsive behaviors benefit from certain medications that reduce anxiety. She needs a checkover from the vet.

I have a new rescue in my home on my screened in porch. She is a spayed female and she attacks my two neutered males with a vengence. I thought she was protecting her kittens but they are adopted out now. She is mean. What can I do to get her to calm down. My cats run off and do not stay around or else she chases them and acts like she is going to kill them. I have no other home for her as SC is overrun with cats. She is not pretty. She is affectionate with people.

Unfortunately, this cat may not really like other cats and that may be her personality. The more she terrorizes, the less likely your cats will ever relax. If would be helpful if she could be confined out of sight of the others so that they could relax. Then you can try leash training her or putting her into a large crate for behavior lessons. The only time she should see your cats is during a lesson. Let her see that your cats are eating and relaxing, offer her great food during these lessons. It is possible that she is not mean but afraid and if she can see your cats up close and they cannot run away or be hurt, all parties may relax.

I wasnt sure if my cat would be indoor or outdoor so I didnt get him declawed when he was fixed 10 years later every corner on all my furniture is destoyed. I want to move but Im afraid he will continue to destroy anything I get Ive spent a small fortune on them scratching posts but he wont touch them .I feel maybe hes to old to have it done now. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I don't think you need to declaw him. First, be sure that the posts are made out of the fabrics that he likes to scratch, and are in the locations that he likes. Put a post next to any furniture that might tempt him. Cover the furniture with Sticky Paws or double sided tape, and have the post in the same area ready to go. If there are items that are at risk for being scratched but not a place for tape or a post, then use a barrier--eg place carpet runner nubs up so he cannot sit long enough to scratch at that spot. When you move, you can try Soft Paws on the claws until you learn what locations he might favor for scratching.

I have a 2 yrs old male named lucky that was adopted after my female torte cat daisy. they get along most times but at times lucki will grab the neck of daisy and wont let go until we are right on top of him. she hisses and screams when he has a firm grip on her. . he also at times grab her on the back of the neck too . they both have been neutered and spayed and both are declawed before i adopted them. . they eat together and sometimes sleep on the same bed together but other times lucki will attack daisy . no blood or hair missing . and i have reprimanded lucki when he does this behavior . i noticed that daisy is very thin though and she does hide more . they both are non agressive toward me . daisy is more afraid of being out in the open. when lucki comes around she disappears. i read there are medications i can give both.

also as a resolve can i put daisy in the crate lucki sleeps in at nite to get the scent of lucky on her which maybe will stop the agression.

what can i do . i was thinking of giving lucki away due to daisy is the first cat adopted and this has been going on for a year now .

thanks for your help in advance

Have a blood test to be sure Lucky was neutered appropriately. Be sure there are plenty of feeding stations around the house so Daisy gets enough calories. It would not be best to lock Daisy up--better to confine Lucky for safety reasons. When you cannot supervise, one cat should be confined so that there are no more opportunities. It may be that Lucky is maturing into a cat that does not tolerate the proximity of others. If you catch him about to pursue her, try to distract him. Give him plenty of toys and perhaps even train him to follow some commands so that he is too busy to harass daisy.

a year or so ago, my now 15 year old female, indoor-only cat, has begun to go to areas of the house and meow, then yowl. i moved two months ago and now this behavior is becomming more extreme. she'll just go from place to place and start in. this is especially lovely at 3 a.m. yet when i go to her, she doesn't seem to want anything, or my attention. she will stop if i call out her name. what's UP with Lillian?!

There are a couple of possibilities. But before delving into behavioral issues, it is essential that she have a thorough examination including lab work. There are many diseases including hyperthyroidism that cause this type of behavior change.

Cats can also suffer from cognitive decline, and they can act confused, causing them to meow excessively. There are medications available to treat this disorder.

MEanwhile, be sure that you don't give her a lot of attention during the day when she is meowing. Instead, try to initiate many interactions--call her when she is calm, pet or play or brush her. If she has an increased appetite, offer her some food in food balls if she will play with them, or hide little dishes for her to "hunt" and find. You may set up timed dishes to open at various times.

Once you get to the cause of the behavior, you can treat Lillian more specifically.

I have 3 cats 2 females and 1 male, all adopted from the shelter. The male is about 1 1/2 years old, he was the firs one i adopted. After about 6 months latter i adopted a female who was about a year old at the time now she is about 2 1/2. They seemed to get along in the begining. He has always been very playful and she has not, she is more mellow. It seemed like everything was fine. On November of 08 i decided to adopt a third kitty. I adopted a 6 month old female. She is very playful and a little cookie at times. Right away she got along with the male, but my other female didn't like her too much, she didn't attacked her just stayed away from her.

For the last 1or 2 moths the male has been attacking the older female. Im not even sure how it all started. They have been together for over a year now, so i don't undestand his behavior. Whenever he goes to any room in the house and she is there, she will leave right away. He just sees her and chases her untill she gets her. She does have the abilityto jump higher than him so that's how she gets away, some times, however they eat together every mornig with out fightting.

He loves the younger kitty and has never attacked her. She follows him a lot.

I am very concerned, I love my cats and

just want them to get along, at least most of the time.

What can I do?

Your male may be responding to the female's behavior change--staying away more. OR he may be bonding with the new cat and not wanting to share her with the other cat. Or, he may just be growing up. Cats often begin to show aggression toward housemates after they are mature.

It is important that you separate the cats so that there is no chance for the male to chase and frighten the female--that will make things worse. Then, you can have some sessions where you supervise and keep the cats busy with delicious food, then separate again. The male can associate the female with nice things.

Honestly, I would strongly advise you to seek professional help and have someone watch these cats and set up a plan to resolve the problem once and for all.

I have a 5 year old female Maine Coon, spayed. I also have another female Tabby, 3years, also spayed. THe Maine Coon has started a few weeks ago urinating outisde the box. She still uses the box for BM. I have seperate boxes for each cat, however, they have both used each other's box sometimes. The vet has examined her and there are no medical issues such as a UTI. She now uses one specific area of the bedroom to eliminnate. If I catch her before or during the time she is eliminating and put her in the box, she will use it but won't go back. I have tried de-senting the area but it still doesn't help. The other cat does seem to be somewhat more aggressive toward her but I am not sure this is the problem. I am out of ideas.

You may have guessed right. If the Maine Coon is intimidated by the Tabby, she may not want to cross her path to find a box. Test the theory by providing a box in her favorite area. If that works, we know she still likes litter boxes. You will have to work on helping the Maine Coon find safe passage to litter boxes. Put a bell on the Tabby so that the Maine Coon knows where she is.

I have 6 pugs. The two youngest, twins, are 6 months old. I walk my dogs morning and afternoon. When i attempt to walk the twins together they play fight and grab each others leashes. For the past three weeks i have been doing two walks each time. On the first walk I take one baby and my 3 year old. Then on the next walk I take the other baby and the 7 & 8 year old. They do fine on the leash with them. I praise them over and over again about being good girls. Then yesterday, because they were doing so well I tried walking them again together. They went right back to the pulling on each others leashes and play fighting the whole way. How can I break that behavior so that as winter comes I can walk them all at one time?

If the dogs are playing, then your best solution would be to work with a good obedience trainer. One that uses a reward based system. The trainer can show you how to teach the dogs to walk calmly as a couple. It may be one on each side to begin. But you should be able to solve this problem.

I have a male, neutered, indoor 10 yr cat. I've had him and his brother since they were just weeks old. Micknight has had ongoing issues with constipation most of his life and has frequently pooped outside the box. My issue is he has recently starting peeing out side the box and I'm realky concerned. I took him to vet thinking UTI but that was not it. I pooperscoop daily and clean once a week. How can I stop this behavior? I've cleaned area with pet cleaner and that has not helped. Help I plan of my cats liviing for another 10 years and cannot fathom doing this daily pee cleanup for that long, there must be something I can do.

Thanks

KerrieLou

If this is a new problem, then do check both the cats for infection, kidney disease, thyroid disease, or diabetes. Cats can urinate out of the box for many reasons. They can mark if distressed, or the box may be too dirty eg if they are ill and produce too much urine or feces. Sometimes, cats cannot easily get to boxes in basements or cubbies due to arthritis. And sometimes, boxes are too small. Your best solution, if there is no physical problem, would be to actually have a behavior consult so we can get a diagnosis for the behavior and most likely solve the problem.

We have a lyr. old cat and she got along just fine with everybody and still does except for my youngest son. She use to let him hold and pet her and he went on vacation for about a week and when he came back she won't let him do anything to her. He picks her up or tries to pet her she will run away/if he holds her she growls at him lays her ears back and her eyes get real big and she tries to get her feet up there so she can scratch his face off or worse. When she does that he then lets her go just wondering if there is something he or all of us can do. I want her to like him also and she use to, don't know what happened in that week.

Hope you will be able to give me some answers or help somehow. Thank you

Maybe when he returned he had a scent that was unfamiliar and made your cat nervous. The best thing to do is not force things. Let your cat observe your son from a comfortable distance, he can provide treats or play time but only if she approaches him. She may come around on her own when the pressure is off.

My 4 month old cat has decided it's a good idea to lay down in the middle of the street. He is deaf and cannot hear cars. Our neighbors see him lying in the road and take him home. I don't want my cat to get hit by a car, but I don't know how to stop him from doing it and I feel my like my neighbors are only making the problem worse by taking him home and feeding him, which reinforces the behavior.

Your deaf cat should not be outside unless he wears a leash. If he likes the yard, you need to provide a fenced area--cat fences are available.

I have two kittens, approximately 4 months and 6 months of age. The younger kitten will not stay off the kitchen counters. I tell him no, put him on the floor and even sometimes slap him (it truly ONLY hurts me and not him), but he will turn around and jump right back up there. I know they are playing on the counters while I am at work because of the destruction I find. The older one does not do anything wrong (while I am at home). He seems to have learned what I consider inappropriate behavoir. I have tried tin foil around my plants to try to save them and it did not work at all. I reward them when they are not on the counters and I have provided a cat tower and many toys for them to play with. How can I safely make the counter top unappealing?

Please do not hit your cat--it can have bad consequences in the future. You can buy products that make counters unappealing. There are many motion sensors available that emit noises or bursts of air. There are mats that have nubs that are uncomfortable for cats to sit on. And there are mats that give a static charge much like a dryer charge, cats don't like any of those things.

My 1.5 year old female, hyper-active Tonkinese cat chews her mild mannered, litter-mate brother's whiskers down to nubs. The whiskers on the sides and top of his face. She does this when they are grooming each other. She licks and then nibbles on his whiskers. I've tried praising her when she licks and saying "No" when she chews but she looks at me and then chews again. Her brother doesn't seem to mind but I've read that whiskers are an important sensory and balance "tool" for cats. He also looks odd clean-shaven. What can I do to discourage her chewing? Or is there something else I can give her to chew on that is more enticing? Thank you.

This may be a compulsive behavior, common in oriental cats. Try lots of environmental enrichment to keep her busy--hide toys, hide food, make food balls, see if she will watch TV, and lots of play. Some cats will chew dog bones so you can try. And some cats actually take medication to reduce tendencies to behave in this manner. If you are not away a lot, you may try separating them when you go out. If you spend many hours out of the house, they probably want each other's company.

My cat is 15 years old and for about the last year, when I am laying on the couch, he will nuzzle with me and let me pet him and kiss him and he will just purr and purr - which sounds like contentment to me. Then after a few minutes, he gets up and jumps off the couch, look at me for a few minutes, and then out of nowhere bites me on the arm with such fevor! He always draws blood and I have more scars on my arm from old bites. What is he trying to tell me? Why does he go from such a nice moment to such a aggressive moment? Thank you!

There are a couple of possibilities. He may be uncomfortable, so have him checked over by your veterinarian. He may bite because he associates you with the pain. Or, he may be starting to have come cognitive decline and get confused. Your vet can screen for that too. Finally, his nervous system may be changing and he has become more easily stimulated. Try to keep the pets shorter, and end before he becomes excited.

I have 4 cats. One of the cats has had litterbox problems since we owned him. He pooped on my bed and couch in my townhouse. We stopped the problem by moving litterboxes and using scram mats. We moved two years ago and he stopped pooping on the furntire at the new house. We thought he was cured. He poops in front of the litterbox, which i am fine with. We recently purchased a new washer and dryer (where his litterbox is -he will only use one litterbox no matter how many we have) and now he is pooping on the furniture. He is peeing in the litterbox fine, so I know he is not afraid of it. What do I do to make him use the litterbox again?

First check him over to be sure there is no physical problem. If cats are uncomfortable when they defecate, they might refuse to use the box. Second, try to have a litter box choice test. Maybe he likes the style of box or the location--if the location, then put 2 boxes side by side, vary the type of litter, then vary the depth and see whether he just has a new favorite. If the box is hooded, try open vs hooded and see if that may matter.

We have an automatic litterbox that is kept extremely clean, but lately our male cat has decided to vacate on the floor in front of our sliding glass door that leads to the back yard. He also recently relieved himself on some blankets that were left on the floor. We can't seem to break him of this cycle. We show him the mess, tell him no and then immediately take him to his litterbox. My husband wants to get rid of him. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Try not to scold him, since he might become afraid and then more problems will develop. And don't lead him to the box. Instead, try offering a box in the problem area. And try 2 boxes in the original area. Put a standard box next to the automatic--maybe he would prefer a traditional box. Also test different litter types. Most likely, if you work with his preferences, you will solve the problem.

My husband rescued our kitten from a shelter 10 months ago. It took 2 months for her to warm up to both of us. I feed, clean and brush her and she is affectionate toward me.

Lately she seems terrified of my husband and immediately runs away in fear when he enters the room. He hasn't acted harmful in any way toward her. I don't know why she is acting so afraid of him. I appreciate any insight you can give us!

Thank you, Clara

Sometimes, as cats mature, there fears resurface. Have your husband enter the room quietly and toss a favorite toy or place a dish of delicious food on the floor, then walk away. He should not try to engage the cat or coax her. If she sees he brings nice stuff and takes the pressure off, she may warm up again.

One of my cats is aggressive towards another. The picked-on cat can't use her litter box and resorts to other places in the house. We try to isolate the picked-on cat in a room with a litter box for at least a few hours a day, but this far from ideal and doesn't solve the aggression problem.

You will need to isolate for more than a few hours. The cats should never be together except when you are there to supervise. Place plenty of boxes all around so there is easy access, and plenty of food and water. Then, have sessions where you keep the aggressive cat engaged with play or food, and if he won't bite you, use a leash as well. Let the other cat have some delicious food far away from the aggressor so that he sees her but cannot chase and hopefully does not want to. If you can interrupt all chase / flee patterns, then gradually, he may stop trying to chase and they will be abel to be together again.

My 5 year old cat becomes very aggressive when I clean or change the litter box. She could be sleeping and as soon as she hears me at the litter box she comes running towards me. She looks to see what is happening and then she starts hissing, growling, jumping towards me and will go to bite my hand if I get to close.

She doesn't do this when the other cat uses the litter box.

I have to ignore her and she eventually calms down.

This is something new. I never had a problem with her.

Other then this she is a gentle loving lap cat.

Any idea what is causing her to do this?

That is an odd behavior to suddently surface. I wonder whether she might have been startled while using the box, or whether she was booted out and was frightened? Or perhaps there is some chemical cleaner she does not like?

For starters, be sure to protect yourself. You may close her out of the room for cleaning the box. If that is not possible, try giving her a delicious dish of food at the other end of the room. If she begins to approach you, havae some treats to toss. Don't fight with her.

We recently moved about 4 blocks from our previous home. Our 10 year old, spayed female cat Tillie has moved with us several times before, but for some reason this time continues to return to our old house every night. We have had to go get her everyday. She stays all day, but leaves again at night. What can I do to keep her around?

This is a very common scenario. For safety, you should consider making Tillie an indoor cat. If that is not possible, then she should not be allowed to go out at night. It can take cats several months to be comfortable in their new house.

Hello,

my cat, Thor, is 7 yrs old and has never had litter box issues. My family and I recently moved to a multi-level home where the litter box is on the main floor in the utiliy room and Thor sleeps/eats in the master bedroom. Recently he has begun peeing in our master bathroom on our rugs. My wife doesn't want the litter box in our room. How can I prevent this behaviour from continuing?

sincerly,

Greg Massey

Even if you don't want a permanent box in the master bath, you should put one in for now. If Thor uses that box consistently for a few months, then perhaps you could gradually shift it to a more convenient location. YOu will probably need one box on each floor, or at least the 2 main floors. Also, be sure to check his urine for infection, since that would make him have to go more urgently.

I have 2 cats brother and sister that have always been together. I've had them for about 3yrs and i got them when they where 12 weeks old. They have always gotten along very good with each other but one night we heard very loud sounds coming from up stairs. My cats where extremly violently fighting each other, it was so bad that they knocked over my big screen tv / computer desk with the monitor and computer on it and it was the male cat attacking while the female was extremly loudly hissing and running. I got them seperated and tried rubing them down with the same towel then re introduing them about 2 weeks later when it was time to eat but the same thing happend but this time when i tried seperating them my male cat attacked me. everytime my female cat comes close to my bedroom door where the male cat is locked up he hisses and she runs. they are not fixed or sprayed and im assuming it has something to do wit him suddenly becoming territorial but now hes urinating on all my clothes and blankets. about 2 months ago the female got upstairs outside the door i didnt notice and when i went to leave the room he pounced on my leg and messed it up so badly i couldnt walk to 3 weeks. well yesterday the same thing happend again except this time he chased me around the room as i was spraying him with water untill my cousin got him into my closet. I left him in there for about 10mins then he was calm acting like nothing happend. hes siting on my lap perfectly fine as i type this long story but im wondering exactly what i should do to fix this problem. there cat liter is cleaned daily they always have both wet and dry food at all times. and its only the male that aggesive.

If the cats are not neutered, then neutering would be the first step although not a guarantee. It may be that the male cat was making advances on the female and when she resisted he became frightened and began to attack.

You will need to gradually reintroduce them, and continue to separate them when you are not home. Bring them together for pleasures--food, play with them using a barrier such as a gate for safety. It can take months to reintroduce cats that become frightened in this way. This is a situation that really warrants professional help in person.

I have two indoor cats, sisters, 14 yrs old. One has started to cry/howl at night and wont' stop.She been checked out by the Vet and nothing seems to be wrong. She won't stop howling. I'll go pick her up, put her in bed and she jumps off, runs off and starts howling. This has been going on for the past year. The Vet has prescribed Valium for her, but I tried it once and she just wobbled and howled. I'm beginning to think I need it. I can't get a nights rest.

Please help.

Be sure that the vet did blood work to check for hyperthyroidism. Sometimes, older cats get cognitive dysfunction and get confused, with the sleeping in the day instead of the night. There is medication for that as well. If she is hungry, you might be able to give her some food at bedtime, or even fill balls with cat food if she is still playful. Be sure that you play with her and pet her a lot during the day. It is actually best to try to ignore the howling if possible. Some cats do better when locked in the room with you, others better locked in a quiet room where they may fall asleep.

There are also other medications besides Valium that are not as sedating but can relieve anxiety. If your vet is not familiar, then you should see a behaviorist.

5 yr. old semi-feral cat has ate his food morning and evening on our front porch. Now he will not come up to the porch and just sits in the driveway and cries. We got him in the garage and tried to feed him, but he is afraid of his food - slapping at it and trying to spill it, but won't eat it. He cries to get out of the garage and will not come up to eat like he has done for the past 4-1/2 years. He is scared of everything and very nervous and anxious. This has been going on for the past 2 days. Any suggestions on how to handle the situation?

It sounds as though he may be ill. Perhaps his teeth hurt. Anytime a cat stops eating he should go to the vet. If he is feral, you may need to trap him.

My one year old, indoor female tabby is very "talky", which we like. However, she has started to meow at 5am or earlier and doesn't stop until I get up. I do not feed her when I get up but leave out dry food all night and leave fresh, dry kibble for her during the day. I feed her a small amount of wet food later in the day, when she isn't meowing. What can I do to train her out of this early am meowing since she is disturbing the much needed sleep of the entire family?

You have done everything right so far. If you do think she is hungry, then you might set out a dish that opens at 4:30 AM so she can helip herself. After a few days at 4:30, change the time. KEep varying it so she can sit and watch the dish instead of you.

My 6 month old cat poops in the bathtub occasionally even though I keep his litter box clean everyday. I have 2 cats and 2 boxes. He's neutered, up to date on vaccines and seems like a very happy normal kitten. He seems to go in the box most of the time but continues to go in the bathtub at least 3-4 times a week. I've tried many things to avert him to no avail. He's seeing the vet in 2 days for a rabies shot and I will have a chance to talk to the doc. I would appreciate any suggestions or analysis. Thank you.

It is generally not a good idea to discourage a behavior without offering a solution. So, until you find an alternative to the tub, perhaps be happy it is the tub and not a bed or sofa. Try adding a third box. Make that box different from the others. If the other is hooded, this should be open. Test to see over 2 weeks--does he use the tub the same:? Or does he love the new box? Then test two different litters and then two different depths. Once you learn what combination reduces the use of the tub, you can use a deterrent in the tub.

I acquired a kitten who is now about 5 mos.

I have another outdoor cat who is very agressive

with other cats and I can't get him to get

along with the kitten. They see each other

from a screen door but I keep them separated when I let the outdoor cat in the house as he

has attacked her twice. Do you think he'll ever

accept the kitten?

It is not likely that he will just change his mind on his own. HE may be afraid of other cats ,or he may be territorial. Treatment will probably involve a slow, systematic introduction, with a barrier to prevent any attacks. So perhaps one cat in a large cage, or behind a baby gate. You would protect the kitten and offer both cats delicious food, then separate them. Continue lessons until the cats are not looking aggressive, then have short sessions without a barrier. But take your time.

My male neutered Maine Coon Cat Max has lately been doing a strange ritual. He kneads me very hard with both front and back legs and when I try to stop him he meows very loudly over and over in my face as though he were annoyed. The kneading is not slow and soothing the way it is when cats are being friendly but more forced and aggressive. We have one other cat Dave who is also a neutered male and seems to be dominant to Max.

Thnanks

There are a few possibilities. You don't mention Max's age. If an older cat, then he needs a good check up as he may not be feeling well. If a young cat, he may be experiencing some anxiety associated with maturity. The best thing to do is not to stop him physically, but to give him another behavior to do. For instance try to distract him with a toy, or even try to teach him some tricks as an outlet.

I recently lost my two oldest cats, 15 and 20 yrs in age and my remaining 9 yr old tabby has been using the litter box for bowel movements but uses any rug in the house or the cement basement floor to urinate. The older cats were using the basement floor in the same way in the last months before they died. We also just introduced a new kitten who uses the litter box like a champ. I'm concerned that this issue with my older cat is in part missing his siblings and resistance to the new kitten. Any suggestions of how to get him back on track? Could there be a physical reason that he would do this? He is nearly 30 lbs. but is otherwise healthy.

I am sorry for your loss. Your now senior cat may be missing the others. It sounds as though he has discovered that the floor is more convenient for some reason. Try putting several boxes in a row. Offer at least two different litters, if he likes one, then offer two different depths. And test an open box vs a hooded box--maybe he does not like confinement. Keep the boxes clean. And yes, he may not want to share with the new kitten so you may need to be prepared to have an extra box forever.

My male cat, has been nutered. He is a sweet darling of a cat. He is 6 years old. All of a sudden he is having litter box issues. He's pooping and urinating outside the litter box. I left my hoody on the sofa and he urinated on it. He eats well, playing is normal. He looks healthy as well.

Even if he looks well, he needs a check up and some lab work. If he is fine, then we need to look for any changes in the environment that might be stressful for him. Also, be sure the litter box is clean. Offer him two boxes with different choices of litter to see whether he does not like what is inside his box. Don't give up though--it just may take a bit more information to get a diagnosis and give you more specific treatment. Any chance to bring him to a behaviorist?

i have a american bull dog and he is just turning two and has never really been socialized with another dog, i recently have gotten a 6month old rednose female,so he would have a campanion,it hasnt worked out to well and its been about 5days and no luck, please help me figure out how to get him to like her.

Be sure to introduce them on neutral ground. Take them on walks together every day until they seem friendly. Then, try walking around the yard together. Train them near each other so that they see one another doing calm exercises. If they do not improve, bring them to meet with a behaviorist in person.

My cat is a 2-year-old neutered male. He's pretty laid back about half the time; the other half, he's a real maniac. He'll go from sleeping to suddenly tearing around the house at warp speed, knocking things down and creating havoc. Then he'll do this thing that I can only describe as "hopping on tippy-toes" sideways, and then he'll bite my feet. Oh, he also likes to sneak up on me and bite me; in the leg, in the back, on the butt -- nothing's off limits when he's in this mood. Just as abruptly, he'll curl up in my lap and purr like a kitten. So is he going to outgrow this behavior at some point, or will I have to wear pants and long sleeves forever? Thanks!

I hope that he is not biting hard? If he is, then this is very serious. If he is nipping but perhaps slightly breaking skin, I am less worried. It does sound as though he thinks he is having fun.

One option is to create a very enriched environment so that he has so many projects that he does not have time to nip you. Hide things all around, food snacks, toys. Offer cat tunnels and paper bags for him to explore.

Another help may be to teach him some fun cat tricks to keep his mind occupied. He can learn to fetch, roll over, jump through a hoop.

And be sure you do offer plenty of play time with a wand or other item so he knows that to engage you, he just needs to find a toy.

He may settle down as he matures. On the other hand, some people like the idea of perpetual kittens.

Her 1st year she was afraid of my oldest cat Zoey after that she and her have been friends. She first pooped in the living room about 4 mos because she was afraid to go down stair because of zoey. She stopped after i started to take her to the box each time i had to go to the bathroom. I clean my boxes every day. Now Im feeling she's being lazy and does not want to walk to basement to use the boxes. can you help

A lot of cats are afraid to travel past other cats to use a box. It is important that you provide extra boxes that are easy to get to.

Please help me...I bought my male Birman from a breeder because I wantedf a sweet, docile, loving cat. He is a year and 4 mos. now and he still continues to bite. He is territorial of his kitty condo, so we don't bother him when there. If we tell him "no" he will go for our ankles 3 times to bite us. Yesterday, I was sitting doing some work and he just came over to me and bit me - out of nowhere. He does draw blood, I'm at my wits end to get him to stop this behavior

This sounds like a situation that demands professional help in person. Aggression in cats can be very serious. Sadly, cats often increase their aggressive behavior as they mature. Treatment may involve altering his perception of his territory, and desensitizing him to your approaches. So that he welcomes your approach rather than thinking of you as a threat. Scolding must be done delicately if at all. Instead of scolding, think of redirecting him.

Perhaps your veterinarian can refer you to a local behaviorist?

Dear Dr Lindell,

Three weeks ago we had to have our dog put to sleep. About a week after he was gone I discoverd that my 1 yr old male neutered cat had began urinating on my couch and chair. This furniture is located in the room wher the dog spent most of his time, although he had a bed on the floor and was not on the furniture. The cat does not urinate anywhere else in the house. He does not have a bladder infection, I have 3 litter boxes for 2 cats,have not changed litter brand etc. I covered the couch with a plastic cover and now he pees on that. After cleaning the chair I moved it to another room and he does not pee on that anymore. Apparently it has something to do with the room itself, could it be that he realizes the dog is gone and now wants to make this room his domain and keep the other cat out? I love this cat dearly, he is a sweet ,affectionate little guy and I dont want to get rid of him but I am at whits end! If you have any suggestions I would be extremely appreciative!

If he was very close to the dog, he could be distressed that the dog is not there. Try a Feliway diffuser in the room, and perhaps a dab of Feliway spray on the chair itself. PUt some food and toys in the room so he has things to occupy his mind when he is there.

I grew up with dogs, so I have very little experience with cats. I got 2 cats (brother Jack and sister Jill) about 3 years ago, but the female got hit by a car about a year ago. A friend who has a one-year-old son found black mold in his apartment, and he could only take one cat to his new place. I agreed to take the other one (Sydney), a female about a year old. (All these cats were fixed, and I prefer to allow my cats the go outside freely.)

In the months that Jack was here by himself, he became very lovey-dovey: crawling into my arms to sleep, rolling over to be petted frequently, etc. But since Sydney arrived, Jack has become very jealous and won't cuddle at all any more. He's clearly mad at me. I installed a cat door in a basement window, and he used it for a while until she figured out how to use it, now he looks at it with disdain.

Sydney is a bit of a problem cat; that's partly why my friend's girlfriend insisted they get rid of her. She follows me around everywhere, and whines if she can't be in the same room as me. And she constantly harasses Jack. I'm starting to regret accepting her, but it's a done deal; they can't take her anyway.

So, my questions are: Will this get any better? What, if anything, can I do to mitigate the problems? Will Jack ever forgive me and start cuddling again?

Jack is probably not angry, just a bit anxious. Try to find a lot of projects for Sydney so that she leaves Jack alone. Lots of toys, lots of cat condos and tunnels and things to explore. Put food filled toys all about for her to find. Hopefully, she won't have time for Jack.

Chester, my 7 year old boy cat LOVES to bring me gifts, however recently its daily, and they are all alive - mice, chipmonks, birds etc. He loves being outside, and I would hate to close the cat flap, but how can I stop this behaviour? He has also been far more affectionate, wanting to sleep right next to me at night. He has taken over where his sister Daisy used to sleep. What is happening?

Always have a good physical exam when there is a behavior change. It could just be he is having such a grand time catching things that he is just very happy and therefore boldly finding a new resting place. Be sure he wears a good collar bell so hopefully, he wont catch any more birds.

I am very concerned about my dog Teddy. I adopted him about 6months ago and immediately got him nuetered because I have an unfixed female. A few days after bringing him home from the Vet she was in heat and they locked up. I asked the vet and he said that it was ok and he could not get her pregnant. Once again my female is in heat and they have locked up countless times. They wake me up in the middle of the night because they are locked up. This has happened several times a day and night for about a week now. I have never seen a neutered male lock with a female before and am extremely worried that something went wrong and he is not neutered correctly and they will produce puppies. Please help!! Is this normal or should I return to the vet?

Neutered males can have a tie with a female, though they just don't usually have that much interest. Teddy probably had a lot of experience before you got him. You can ask your vet to run a blood test that will confirm that there is no more testosterone--if there is, he needs another surgery.

My very large dominant female calico went to the vet. She is sick. When she came back in an hour, the much smaller cat hissed, spit, and growled every single time she saw her. I did not know to expect this.

It's been two and a half days, and she is not showing signs of recognizing the cat she has been with and been friends with for six years. I am trying to encourage them to stay in separate parts of the house most of the time. I took their food and water and split it up so it would be in different places. The litter box is the only thing they share, and right now, it is open, as the big kitty has a UTI and can't get in the door fast enough to avoid peeing on the floor. Everyone is eating and drinking so far.

This is hard for me....they are both very affectionate and attached to me, so they follow me around, especially the smaller one. As you can imagine, this means I can't sit somewhere without their being a hiss/spit/growl...and then I move, as I don't want to provoke or end up the target of a fight.

The only improvement there has been is that the small kitty will let the big kitty pass by...as long as she is at least six feet away. Small kitty has always been quite skittish since an unfortunate incident involving a window and lightening and thunder.

It can take months for cats to reacclimate when there is a dispute. Many cats are frightened when their housemates come home from the vet. The best thing is to separate them completely for at least one week, let them swap areas but not see each other, then little by little try to introduce them. If there is any more aggression, you need to have them see a behaviorist who can watch their interactions and then prescribe a very specific program for reintroduction.

I have an older cat that keeps sleeping in his litter box even when it is soiled. I changed the box constantly and provide clean beds and crates for the cat to sleep in but in the last few weeks, I can not get him to sleep outside the litter box.

PS: He sleeps most of the day due to his age.

You are on the right track. Keep looking for soft surfaces for him, try a variety of beds and baskets. Also have his vet run some blood work to be sure no diseases that might be making him either cold or warm, which could change his sleeping pattern.

I have 2 older cats who are sisters, then last year a stray came to our house and we took him in. The older cats are both females, all are fixed and declawed. The male kitten is my baby. One of the older females attacks the kitten almost once a day, sometimes getting him down and sending fur flying. The male kitten will sometimes try to urinate on our bed and on the floor in some of our rooms. I now keep our bedroom door closed all the time. So I guess I have 2 questions, how to stop the fighting and why does the kitten randomly urinate and deficate in the house? He will go for weeks without doing this and then start up again. About a month ago both our children went off to college, so I didn't know if that could contribute to the problem. I had 2 liter pans and have started a 3rd. I would really appreciate any help. I have started putting the older cat downstairs during the day when I am gone and shutting the door.

Be sure there is no infection in the urine first. And be sure he can get to the boxes safely--he cannot do that if he is being attacked. You may need more boxes in more locations. You should separate the cats when you are not home, then introduce them little by little in a big room, start with feeding together but far apart, gradually move the bowls closer. Have one or two sessions a day, then separate them again.

My dog just killed my kitten. I truely dont think it was intentional, he had the kitten in his mouth like his toy. I am devasted about the kitten, i love my dog, i am not sure how to handle him now though. I dont know if he should be punished, if he will know what he did wrong. Do you have any suggestions?

I am sorry. That is so sad. You should not punish your dog afterward, but you should not have any more cats with this dog. Some dogs have an innate predatory drive that is so high that they don't take time to notice that they are killing a family member.

My dog follows me around all the time evrywhere I go. From room to room he follow me and lay below my feet. If I go to the bathroom he'll wait ouside the door. Why does he follow me around everywhere?

He probably feels secure when he is close to you. It is not a bad thing, but if it bothers you, teach him to "go to bed" when you go to the bathroom or move about. You can teach him by rewarding him in his bed so he knows he is a good boy for going there.

Mr Kitty was starting to become a tomkitty about a year ago when he was 1 years old. He was unneutered at the time. I had delayed taking him because he was a feral kitty that had come out from under the bed after 6 months and finnally trusted me. I didnt want to betray that trust by capturing him, caging him and taking him to the vet. However, he started giving me love bites and spraying around the huse. So, I had him neutered. Within a week he was the biggest lovebug ever. he follows my boyfriend and I around like our shadow and is very playful and loving.

Several weeks ago his behavior started getting a little skewed. I noticed he was spraying a little in the house and become very enarmored with my boyfriend and less with me, which was switch. Now, at bedtime he seems to go into a strange intense love ritual with my boyfriend. He follows him to the bathroom, nibbles his ankles while purring like crazy and then swatting his legs (with nails completely retracted). He flings himself in front of my boyfriend if he tries to walk away. He ignores me completely. Of course, when I walk in the room it never happens. he behaves it the most affectionate but reasonable way. I don't know what is happening. He seems to be becoming a tomcat again. Is there a "teen" period for cats at 2 years where they go through a "period" of odd behavior? Just wondering.

Cats are not mature until nearly 3 years old, so this may just be part of his affectionate personality coming out. If you don't like it, it is best to restrain yourself from giving attention for the beahviors. Otherwise, they will continue indefinitely. Instead, make up some fun appropriate activities and engage your cat frequently with those.

Hello, our dog Jack is a rescue. He has been to doggie "boot camp" and obedience classes thru the rescus organization and has been w/ us several months. He is an incredibly sweet and calm dog - at home and a obed class and doggie day care! He is good w/ other dogs and people at those places. He is not only well-behaved but well-liked and a pleasure to be around w/ absolutely no threatening or aggressive behaviors. He did display some at obed class occasionally and initially but now doesn't. When we walk him and he encounters other people/dogs, he is sometimes okay and sometimes very aggressive. We are extremely concerned. He has never bitten anyone but has tried, including a male in our home. We thought his aggression was triggered by fear/surprise but now this doesn't seem to be the case. He lunges and would bite, we fear, if we didn't pull him back quickly when this happens. He is kept on a tight leash as is. We love him very much and don't want him to hurt anyone or to be hurt. Can any diseases/infections or deficiencies cause this? He was on the street for an undetermined period of time. He is a Rottweiler mix but doesn't have that body/facial type and seems to have some Shepard or perhaps Great Pyrenees or maybe even a little lab.

Occasionally, illness or disease or nutritional problems or toxins do cause behavior changes. You should bring Jack to his vet for a complete exam. If it turns out that Jack is healthy, he needs to visit with a behaviorist. This should be someone that is either a veterinary behaviorist, called a Diplomate (DACVB) or a person certified by the Animal Behavior Society, called a CAAB. Aggression is serious and if not addressed properly, it can get worse.

I want to take in my friends cat Grayson. He can't have animals were he lives. The cat was originally taken in by another friend who has a male cat of her own. Since living with her I have been told that Grayson has become a nasty cat. He contently fights with the other cat and sprays the carpet and walls and is not shy about urinating on furniture right in front of her. She can not take care of him anymore because of this behavior so I have voiced that I may like to take him now. I had met the cat prior to all of this happening and he was very sweet and well mannered then. Now I am feeling nervous about bringing this cat into my home. I have no other animals but I am afraid the the behavior will follow. My questions are Do you think the behavior will follow and How should I introduce him to his new home so it dosn't?

It may be that Grayson is just not friendly with cats. He may not mark territory if it is just the two of you. Be sure he is neutered and if he is more than 4 years old, be sure he has blood work to check his thyroid.

Our one cat is the sweetest, cuddliest most social animal you could ever meet when he is inside. On the rare occasions when he gets out on us, he becomes a snarling, hissing, biting threat if we try to retreive him. he may rub against you rlegs when outside but bend to pick him up and he lets you know he will not go along with that. it is such a night and day change. can you explain it and suggest somthing other than never let him out... he is aquick cat and sometimes it just happens. living in the city we try to retieve him immediately. however, we have tried letting have 15-30 minutes out to see if it made him anymore satisfied about going in..it does not.

The stimulation of all the odors outside can make many cats aggressive. So you are right, I would say that he should not go out. There are many ways to train cats to stay in. You can use gates, you can use a training system that teaches the cat to run the other way for treats when the door opens, and for some cats, assuming the temperament allows this, you can use devices that sense motion and actually correct the cat when he crosses a line. If it is a matter of his getting killed for going outside, then a correction will be worth considering if other methods don't work.

We have had cats for 20 years--usually two at a time. We always had 2 litter boxes which I clean daily. The cats have used them well 98% of the time. Occasionally, I find a dried piece of poop elsewhere--behind the couch, under a chair, and mostly commonly near the litter box (always on carpeting. Our cats are always "fixed" and seem contented. Since we have multiple cats, I don't know who does it and I have found these little "treasures" very occasionally with all of our different sets of animals--not limited to one time frame. What do you think?

Any behavior problem that is both rare and intermittent is difficult to resolve. Could be that there is feces stuck to fur and the cat is not finished when he leaves the box. Could be that the cat is uncomfortable and stops defecating midway, and finishes elsewhere or has urgency and does not make it to the box--either way, your vet would need to check for medical conditions that create these situations. And, could be that sometimes, the box is just not clean or a cat does not like the litter.

We have a 10 month old neutered female kitten. For the first few months we had her she used the litter box just fine. In the past couple of months she has been urinating in the box but defecating on the tile floor right in front of the box. We do have 2 cats. They get along well. We tried getting a second litter box but this did not help. I caught her doing this the other day and picked her up and placed her in the box. She sniffed around for a second and then left. We use clumping litter but I don't buy the same brand every time. The cats are home alone every day for about 8 hours. In the evenings we are home or may come and go. Overall, at least one person is at home any given evening so I don't think they are alone too much and they do enjoy each other's company as well. How can we re-train her to use the box?

You may need more boxes so she always has a clean one. And if you find a litter that she likes, it is important not to switch. You might try two boxes side by side with a different amount of litter in each--sometimes, cats like more, sometimes less.

My Yorkie is 13 years old he has a collopased treagia problem and every time he barks which is a lot he gets a terrible cough.How can I stop his barking and the pills they sent him for the treagia problem dont seem to do much good

Tell your vet that the pills don't help--he or she may have other options or may refer you to a vet that specializes in this type of problem. For the barking, try to make a list of things that cause him to bark. Then, you can work to reduce his reaction to each trigger by a desensitization. A behaviorist can meet with you to help with these steps. Basically, you teach him to lie down on a cozy bed, and then reward him for relaxing, then expose him to a trigger at a low intensity so he can tolerate it. The details will depend on the triggers.

My 12 year old female cat, Stella, will ONLY eat tuna - people tuna. Not in the can, only the vaccume packed packets of tuna. 5 years now. I know it is not healthy for her but she refuses to eat anything else. She eats crunchie food but only in packets. I have tried every kind of cat food, even natural special food. She smells it and walks away. Her son, 10 years old, will not eat regular cat food either now since his surgery of opening him to be able to urinate after 4 blockages. I feel terrible and I am at a loss. They are both fixed and, otherwise, healthy. Thank you so much for any help you can give.

Your veterinarian can contact a nutritionist who can create a special diet for your cat that can be based on tuna but will be completely nutritious. That is very important.

I have a cat that I adopted a few years ago. Since then she has been nothing but trouble. She pees on anything cloth/fabric like - blankets, clothes, towels, furniture. We've tried everything. Putting food where she pees, removing all items, covering furniture with tarps when we're not home - it's unbearable. It's gotten to the point where she even pees on the tarps because I think she knows there's cloth. We've tried different litter boxes, different litters, different places. And, she will go in the litter box, but once she sees that something is cloth, nothing can stop her. I'm ready to get rid of her but my husband wants to keep her in a dog-pin for the rest of her life. That doesn't seem fair either and we have a small apartment so we're limited on space anyway. Help!

Some cats are very attracted to soft malleable objects. If she uses the litter box, then it is not about the box. There are a few options. The best is being very tidy. You can teach her not to climb on soft clothing by using a motion sensor that makes a noise and will surprise her so she does not remain in that area, or use an aversive product that smells bad--cats often don't like deodorant soap for instance. This is a very normal behavior by the way. Be sure the boxes are very clean and keep a box near the areas where you tend to leave items.

Nto sure if my newly apdopted 11 mo male kitten is being agressive towards my 11 yr old female cat or are they having socializing issues. They are ok if they are lying in the same room but away from each other but once the kitten feels like it he dashes towards the 11 yr old and smacks her on the head. She replies with a few smacks of her own while she is hissing and sometimes growling under her breath. I figure he wants to play with ehr but she doesn't wnat to play back. What can I do? We have tried agression meds our vet prescribed and they appear to be making hte kitten more interested in her.

Sometimes it is hard to distinguish play from aggression in a young cat. Probably he wants to play and she just does not. You might try distracting him with a toy when you see him heading her way. Be sure there are a lot of perches for her to sit upon. And make his life exciting with lots of hidden toys, food balls, boxes to explore, and playtime. THen, he might not have time to harrass his sister.

We live in rural southern IL and have taken care of six outdoor cats (spaying, neutering, feeding, building a heated shelter). all but one is left a spayed female called Mommy Cat (the kids named her). In the past 6 months two new strays showed up all scraggly & emaciated. We fed them & all was well untill the new ones got healthy looking. They now itimdate and assault Mommy cat even though there was plenty of food in seperate bowls. Now I have to chase off the new ones so Mommy can eat. I hope I don't have to go to more drastic measures as winter is approaching and I feel that my original cat has the right to stay fed and sheltered. Any ideas would be appreciated.

If you want to put a collar on Mommy cat, you can create a safe haven for her inside the shelter--there are cat doors that will just open for the cat with the special collar. It may be necessary to send these strays away--maybe they can be adopted. Otherwise, they may drive Mommy away.

My girlfreind and i have 2 cats both about a 1 year old and they are both males. One of the cats will either jump on the bed while we are sleeping and wake us up or if we lock him out of the bedroom at night he will sit at the door yolling and meowing ontell someone wakes up. It has gotten to the point that im waking up 5-6 times a night to deal with him. My girlfreind and i are not getting alot of sleep because it. I was wondering if there is anything i can do to make him stop.

You may be able to set out some food dishes that open on timers. They can open at random times through the night. Hopefully, he will sit by the dishes instead of bothering you.

My cat Terrell is ruining my marriage. We just moved into a new home two weeks ago, and he has yet to become adjusted. He cries most of the night, and is destructive, knocking things over intentionally and making loud noises. He has behaved like this in the past with previous moves, however, his behavior is not improving. A recent development with our new home is that he has the privledge of going outside now, which he did not before. He loves it, but wants to come and go as he pleases, and meows and scratches at the door at 5am waking us up to come inside. Once inside the meowing and destructive behavior begins again. My husband and I are literally up all night. I've tried feeding him before we go to bed, so he has a full belly and will mellow out. I've tried letting him in later in the evening...we've tried using a spray bottle to modify his behavior. Nothing works. Please help. I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant and my husband just started a new job and remodeled our house by himself...we are exhausted! Thank you for your time.

If you don't mind him going outside at night, then he can have a cat door so he does not bother you. Before you go to bed, set up a lot of fun things for him to do--hide food filled toys, leave boxes to explore, open one closet one day and another the next. Give just a little food for dinner and let him find the rest while you sleep.

My 2 yr old neutered "Inside" cat attacks my 10 yr old female lab for no visible reason. Sadie, the lab, can be sitting on the rug in the sunroom and jake, the cat, will run by her and claw her in the face. Sadie will be walking around the house and Jake will jump up and put his paws and claws around Sadie's neck. Sadie yelps sometimes because it is so rough. Any ideas?

This sounds serious enough that you should bring Jake to see your veterinarian for a check up and if he is healthy, he should see a behaviorist. He could seriously injure Sadie. He may be afraid of her, or he may be trying to send her away now that he is growing up and wants to run the show. But without a diagnosis, it is difficult to give safe advice.

This is a very good friend's cat. She has 2 cats who have been together since they were kittens. I love this cat - though I cannot see her often since they moved far away.

Litter box problems (below) also this cat has become more confrontive with her sister cat, and more jealous of time her owner spends with the other cat. They used to trade off time with the owner and let each other have time.

I asked my friend to email me the situation. ( I have not seen this kitty in 2 years) : This cat, Keesha, is VERY sensitive. when my friend would go away a few days for work travel, she would break out with acne. I had never even heard of this. Here is what my friend sent. She is really at her wit's end. I know she loves the cat but this is just way out of control. The cat is going to the vet tomorrow.

Situation: big sensitive fluffy cat (with periodic acne, runny nose, and chronically dirty bum) has a history of being very particular about the litter box (if it's too dirty or if it's the wrong kind of litter) she goes right beside the box, or in her alternate spot, in front of the front door. She always pees in the same spot, but she poops everywhere in the apartment. She does this when I'm home, right in front of me, as well as when I'm out or not watching.

She's been peeing by the front door since we moved in (May 2008), sporadically, based on whether I was away from home too much, and whether the box was dirty. Lately, irrespective of how clean the box is or how much attention she gets, she has stopped using the box altogether. Again, she pees in the same spot over and over, but poops all over the apartment.

She didn't have a problem in Boston (2005-2007), but she did have it a little in the first Ottawa apartment (2007-2008). Now in the new apartment, it's out of control.

her weight is approx 16 pounds. she was 8 pounds in 1999, 12 pounds in 2001, 15 pounds in 2005. she stopped being able to clean her own butt in Boston, about a year before the litter box problem started

I don't want to have her euthanized, but I cannot continue living in a giant luxury litter box. She has ruined my home.

Thank you for ANY hehp you can give.

The first thing to do is have your cat examined by a veterinarian. There may be a medical reason for this behavior change. She may be allergic to her food, or may have inflammation that makes her uncomfortable and therefore she boycotts the box.

Our 3 year neutered male cat is peeing outside of the litterbox. He had a UTI about 6 months ago and is healthy now. We put down aluminum foil where was peeing outside of the litter box and started to slowing take it away. He is now peeing in the same spot again. We cleaned the area throughly with speciality cleaners. I'm out of ideas.. please help!

Try putting a litter box at that location for about 2 months. If he uses it consistently, then slowly move it to the location you would prefer.

I have 4 cats. One is 7, two are 3 and one is 2. All males. The oldest cat had a really bad UTI about a year ago. Ever since he will not urinate in the litterbox. He has limited his urinating to 2 spots in the house, but if we make them undesirable he finds somewhere else. We have plenty of litterboxes and have tried several different theories on how to make him go in the litterbox. My husband is fed up to the point that he either wants to just kick the cat out or get rid of him. I am at wits end. I don't know what to do. What can I do?

Instead of making locations undesirable, put litter box in those locations. If cats like certain areas, then they don't always travel. At one of the locations, put a pair of boxes and try to determine what style of box and what type of litter your cat would favor. Maybe he wants open or closed, maybe clay scoopable or another style. You won't know til you ask.

My 8-year old male tabby has begun to "fur mow." There have been no changes in our home. He has a 4 year-old cat to play with. Both are indoor cats only and get along fine. Why would this happen all of a sudden, and how do we cope? His tummy is fluffy underfur only, and not irritated.

Most cats that chew their fur have a medical condition. He needs to see his veterinarian, or a veterinary dermatologist.

1.Playful behavior involves biting, how to control, stop?

2.We are moving to a new smaller house in a gated community. Our cat is used to going out/coming in whenever; however, he's always in at night. How do I handle him in new environment? We did for one day and he hid under bed the entire time. If I let him out, will he flee? Thank you for your suggestions/advice

There is a good chance he will flee. Try walking him on leash around your yard, or better still, consider making him an indoor cat.

Hi there,

My cat is 7 weeks old and she typically always uses her litter box to go to the bathroom. There has been 3 specific times when she went poop underneath a console table. But then she'll go back to using the littler box with no problems. I was wondering why is she going to the bathroom on the floor under the console table and what can we do to fix the problem?

Cats often shop around to find a favorite toilet. She may need a bit more supervision, and confinement near a box when you are not home. Otherwise, she may develop bad habits.

our cat for the last couple of months has been peeing all over the basement floor, she does not poop on the floor, just pee. her litter box is kept clean, we scold her for this and put her nose in it and say no, but she will not quit.

Please don't scold or put her nose in it. That will only frighten her. Maybe she would like a different type of box or litter. Place a second box next to the original one--vary the litter and if your box is open, try closed or vice versa.

MY 2 1/2 YR. OLD CALICO CAT (FEMALE) HAS A COUPLE OF LITTLE STUFFED ANIMALS THAT SHE LIKES TO PLAY WITH. WHEN SHE HAS ONE IN HER MOUTH, WHY DOES SHE START TO MEOW ALL OVER THE HOUSE VERY LOUDLY, AND CARRIES IT WITH HER AS SHE ROAMS FROM ROOM TO ROOM. THIS IS THE ONLY TIMES SHE MEOWS LIKE THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

VICTORIA

I am not sure why some cats do that. Perhaps she is carrying her babies to a new location and does not know just where to settle. In any case, it is a popular behavior.

IS IT NORMAL FOR A KITTEN ABOUT 7-8 WEEKS OLDS TO CONSTAANTLY BITE AT US, HE DOESN'T BREAK YOUR SKIN BUT HE LIKE TO GO FOR THE FACE IF YOUR LAYING DONE. HOW CAN i TRAIN HIM NOT TO DO THIS, IMHAVE SMALL GRANDCHILDREN CRAWLING AROUND AND HE POUNCES ON THEM.

tHANKS FOR ANY ADVICE

It could be normal. But yes, dangerous. You may need to teach him better play skills when you are standing up. He does not know better yet--he needs to learn to play with toys, not your body. The kids need protection--when they crawl he needs to be held or kept out of the area.

My female doberman eats grass and digs up roots of bushes and trees and eats them. Plus dirt. This is a daily routine. I have seen her eat grass when we are out for a walk and attacks it like she is starved. She is on a veternian diet of IAMS fish and potato and I add a half of can of WELLNESS beef or lamb or salmon. Plus she gets a treat most every night of 2 tbs of plain yogurt.

I am stumped. I just finished giving her an antibiotic for blood in her stool and that is cleared up. No worms either.

Tell your veterinarian--there are many digestive problems that cause this behavior. If no physical problem, then maybe she has developed a compulsive behavior. Your veterinarian or a behaviorist would take a very detailed history and could then diagnose this condition. Or, maybe she is normal and just finds it fun to dig and eat these tasty greens. Many dogs do.

My lab-dalmatioan female named Snoop is ~ 12 years old. I've seen her slow down in activities but recently it's been more often and she's physically walking stiff. She eats less, she barely walks for 30 minutes and the other day she stopped suddenly and would not move. I almost had to carry her home but got her to slowly walk it because when I touched her chin (w/ her head down low) she whimpered and moaned. I came home last night and almost walked into her because she was lying on her side and looked near death. Except for the fact that her tail was wagging, I wouldn't have noticed her. What's going on? Help me to help Snoop :(

This sounds like a medical problem. Snoop needs to see her veterinarian.

I apologize for not being able to find a more suitable topic for my concern.

My question is about the stray we recently brought into our apartment. We have had him vetted, neutered, everything and the vet said he's around 8 months old, more than likely from the feral colony across the road from our complex.

Anyway, we did have a lot of aggressive behaviors from him toward myself and one of our female cats. The other female is his buddy. Since the neutering, the aggression has stopped, but there is something that he does every night when my husband or myself is preparing dinner (our dinner, not cat dinner). Gabriel will stand against our legs in the kitchen and whine and whine and while he's doing this, his tail vibrates. Not twitch or swish, but vibrates. Once we give him a bit of what we're cooking, whether it's chicken or beef, he's very excited, so while he eats, his tail still vibrates. What is causing this behavior? It looks similar to the time I saw him spray outside, but he's not spraying. Actually, he's never sprayed indoors.

The other question I have is that we recently adopted 2 guinea pigs. Knowing that Gabriel is very much a hunter and could be a threat (although the socializing is better), any time he shows an interest in their large cage, I say "No" in a firm voice and squirt him with water. If I don't have the water at hand, I say "Gabriel, no" and he knows that means he has to stop what he's doing. But recently...as recent has when he has really started to respond to my vocal discipline, he'll look at me when I say "Gabriel, No" and his mouth will open and he'll let out a VERY soft meow and his mouth will kind of shake...like a twitch and he'll slowly back down from the cage or get down whatever he's on. I have no idea what this means. I know that he understands that I'm reprimanding him and the more I see it, the more it reminds me of a teenager kind of whining because they don't get their way. Is that pretty much what this means? Am I upsetting him by using his name in a firm way instead of just saying "no"? I know animal's are capable of such a huge range of emotions so I just want to make sure it's not hurting him in any way.

Thank you so much for reading ALL the way through this! Can't imagine it was easy, as I tend to ramble. I am very excited to know what these behaviors are and if there is something I need to do differently.

Thanks so much!

~Jenn

Gabriel is an excitable cat who communicates his arousal to you. Tail quivers just say that he is excited. As for the corrections, he may be just frustrated because he knows he should obey yet wants to hunt. I would continue to say "no"--he should not hang out at the cage.

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Animal Behavior Questions (82)

Gradual Refusal to Pee or Poop in Yard

male neutering

New Cat agressive to older cat

my cat go to the bathroom on my bed

Distressing meows

tugging at blankets

Sudden aggressive behavior

how do I stop the cat from crying to go outside?

Kitten chews and destroys cardboard, magazines any paper

Separation anxiety & new aggression

pooping on bed

one anti-social kitten

my cat is pooping and not in the box

Chewing

Fighting

not declawed

agression of 2 yr male cat towards 5 yr old female cat

yowling

Sudden aggression

Cat urinating outside box

behavior on walks

Cat peeing outside box

Growling only to one person

My cat lies in the street

Prevent cat from jumping on kitchen counters.

Cat Chewing Off Other Cat's Whiskers

Cat bites for no obvious reason

pooping on furntire

Cat suddenly pooping on floor in front of door to back yard

Why is my cat afraid of my husband?

One cat is picking on another

My cat becomes agressive when I change or clean out the litter box

Problem moving our cat to our new home

Going outside the litter box in our bathroom?

My male cat suddenly became aggressive

Cat howling at night

My Semi-Feral Cat having strange behavior

Meowing in very early am

Eliminates outside litter box

agressive cat

cat meows loudly in my face

urinating on rugs, not litter box

My cat after 6 years is having litter box issues.

about my dogs aggression

Will he EVER grow up?!

My 2yr femal cat poops/pees around the house

How can I get my cat to stop biting and nipping me

urinating on furniture

Old cat is affected more by new cat than I expected

Bringing me gifts!

Fixed male locking with female

How to help skittish cat feel secure?

sleep location

Older cat being aggressive to younger cat

behavior

Behavior

Mr. Kitty is suddenly acting like a tomcat at age 2

Unpredictable Aggression

taking in a adult cat with some new behavior problems.

Our sweet cat becomes completely different when outside

Why do our cats occasionally poop outside box?

cat defecates beside the litter box

traechia

Cat only eats tuna

Cat pees on anything cloth

a new 11 mo male kitten agressive towards my 10 yr female cat

New outdoor cats try to run off old cat

meowing at shut doors

Bad Cat

My cat attacks my elderly dog

How can we get this cat to stop pooping all over? this is a behavior change.

Peeing outside of litter box

Cat urinating outside litterbox

obsessive/compulsive

playful biting - We are moving to a new house, how do I handle him in new environment?

My cat poops under the table sometimes.

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