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Old 11-08-2013, 16:58
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Wonder if anyone could offer any advice. I have a 15 month male Bengal Cat that has always used his cat little box except the odd mistake along the way. Since I started to let him out about 3 months ago and he's had the freedom of the outdoors, he is refusing to use the little box in the house. I have took the lid off it, thinking maybe he is too big, it's still in the same spot it has always been, changed litter type thinking it might be that, but he will just not use it and will just pee and poo where he feels like it. It's got to the point now where he is outside every night and if we go out he's out.
He does have a cat flap to get in the conservatory to get into but that means disabling the alarm in there while out. It's like if he's in he will wait and if we aren't back just relieve himself where he chooses.

Any help on how to get him to start using the tray again I be very grateful.
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Old 11-08-2013, 17:01
molliepops
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I always found my cats became confused when faced with box indoors and outdoors, so only used one when really necessary (after ops etc). Our indoor cat always used her box no problem, but it was a clear case of in or out for the others.
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Old 11-08-2013, 18:10
bazaar1
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**litter box

Probably using the outdoors, which annoys some, but tbh there is very little you can do about it. You could try putting a tray outside in the garden, but even then, cats will do what they want!

Edit: do you mean he's toiletting round the house? In which case it sounds more like a behavioural problem, usually caused by stress.
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Old 11-08-2013, 19:49
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**litter box

Probably using the outdoors, which annoys some, but tbh there is very little you can do about it. You could try putting a tray outside in the garden, but even then, cats will do what they want!

Edit: do you mean he's toiletting round the house? In which case it sounds more like a behavioural problem, usually caused by stress.
yes he does use the outdoors but if he is in the house and cant get out will do his business in the house anywhere he feels like it. i think. it is a behavioural issue but cant see why he would be stressed nothing has changed and he is his normal happy self.
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Old 11-08-2013, 19:51
Yeah_Jackie
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Things have changed. You've taken the lid off and changed the litter.
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Old 11-08-2013, 19:57
bazaar1
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yes he does use the outdoors but if he is in the house and cant get out will do his business in the house anywhere he feels like it. i think. it is a behavioural issue but cant see why he would be stressed nothing has changed and he is his normal happy self.
But you've said yourself, everything's changed. It started when you let him outside, so the likelihood is he's discovered something outside that upsets him. People assume pet stress is obvious, it rarely is. It could be that there's another cat nearby, it could be that there are some works going on in his range, it could be that he's outside in general. It could be 10001 other things. You need to establish what it could be, if there's building going on it maybe short term, if there's another cat bothering him, try getting a cat flap with the lock collars on so he has a safe zone, also try Feliway.

Is he neutered? Is he peeing or spraying? How do you clean it? When you change the litter do you do a complete change or spot clean?
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Old 11-08-2013, 20:16
TWS
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my cat is extremely territorial and went through a phase of peeing on the bathroom mat and on my sons bed, she hates any cats in the vicinity of out house and will scent mark everywhere. I've managed the situation by allowing her outside but the garden is cat proofed and she has two litter trays as she prefers too poo in the paper based pellets and wee in the white granule ones but it took a while to sort her behaviour out but in the interim we kept the doors shut to her fave peeing places.

Also if her tray is dirty she wont use it luckily I am home and able to clean as soon as she goes
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Old 11-08-2013, 20:30
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Things have changed. You've taken the lid off and changed the litter.
That because he is refusing to use it so I was trying to find things he doesn't like.he stopped using it before I changed things.
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Old 11-08-2013, 20:37
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But you've said yourself, everything's changed. It started when you let him outside, so the likelihood is he's discovered something outside that upsets him. People assume pet stress is obvious, it rarely is. It could be that there's another cat nearby, it could be that there are some works going on in his range, it could be that he's outside in general. It could be 10001 other things. You need to establish what it could be, if there's building going on it maybe short term, if there's another cat bothering him, try getting a cat flap with the lock collars on so he has a safe zone, also try Feliway.

Is he neutered? Is he peeing or spraying? How do you clean it? When you change the litter do you do a complete change or spot clean?
He has been neutered
He is peeing and pooing if left in the house so he's banned from being in now while we are out.but he does have a flap in the conservatory to come and go has he pleases.

I haven't cleaned his tray in about 2 weeks now its still totally fresh litter not even touched.when he did use it I would scoop it daily and add fresh litter and changed it completely once a week washing the complete box in plain water.

When he peed or pooed in the house I have cleaned it with soap and water and then used a water and vinegar mix spray.
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Old 11-08-2013, 20:48
bazaar1
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He has been neutered
He is peeing and pooing if left in the house so he's banned from being in now while we are out.but he does have a flap in the conservatory to come and go has he pleases.

I haven't cleaned his tray in about 2 weeks now its still totally fresh litter not even touched.when he did use it I would scoop it daily and add fresh litter and changed it completely once a week washing the complete box in plain water.

When he peed or pooed in the house I have cleaned it with soap and water and then used a water and vinegar mix spray.
It definatley sounds like stress. Try Feliway plug ins, see if that helps. Banning him from the house is only going to add stress for him. When cleaning use biological washing power (for the messes, not the tray - keep doing the spot cleaning as you were for that) as it breaks down any enzymes. Does he have a particular place he's going?
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Old 11-08-2013, 20:55
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It definatley sounds like stress. Try Feliway plug ins, see if that helps. Banning him from the house is only going to add stress for him. When cleaning use biological washing power (for the messes, not the tray - keep doing the spot cleaning as you were for that) as it breaks down any enzymes. Does he have a particular place he's going?
The floors are all laminated wood which he is destroying. It's either I keep him out when we are out and he has the conservatory to stay in and sleep on the sofa or my partner said get rid of him which I don't want to especially after paying alot of money for him to begin with plus he is so loveable.
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Old 11-08-2013, 21:18
bazaar1
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The floors are all laminated wood which he is destroying. It's either I keep him out when we are out and he has the conservatory to stay in and sleep on the sofa or my partner said get rid of him which I don't want to especially after paying alot of money for him to begin with plus he is so loveable.
Sorry but if flooring and his purchase price are the biggest issues for you then I'd consider rehoming him. A cat with toiletting issues, particularly those related to stress is not going to be a cheap, quick fix. An already stressed cat (particularly one that's stressed by the outdoors) being locked out is never a good mix, he has no 'safe zone' to retreat to, from what ever maybe scaring him.

No cat could produce that much wee in 3 months to ruin a lanpminate floor. It's not a tiger.

You appear to believe its a litter tray problem, that's very unlikely, cats are clean animals, and 9 times out of 10 it's stress, not the tray.
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Old 11-08-2013, 21:29
orangebird
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<snip>

You appear to believe its a litter tray problem, that's very unlikely, cats are clean animals, and 9 times out of 10 it's stress, not the tray.
I agree with your entire post btw, but this is point - it's not a litter/toilet training problem, it's stress.
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Old 11-08-2013, 21:31
bazaar1
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I agree with your entire post btw, but this is point - it's not a litter/toilet training problem, it's stress.
Agreed, just noted he's a Bengal too, op they are complete stress heads. Someone only needs to sneeze in their direction and they have a full on paddy, my first step would definitely be Feliway and stopping restricting his run.
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Old 11-08-2013, 21:42
orangebird
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Try having two litter trays out. Also a trip to the vet is in order as cats really only behave like this to tell you something is wrong. How long is the cat left alone for each day?
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Old 18-08-2013, 12:28
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Try having two litter trays out. Also a trip to the vet is in order as cats really only behave like this to tell you something is wrong. How long is the cat left alone for each day?
cat is rarely left alone for more than a few hours during the day with me working nights a lot and my partner works during the day. he going to the vets next week for his jabs so will mention it to them while there.

will also try and contact the breeder and see if they can offer any advice
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Old 20-08-2013, 08:28
bazaar1
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cat is rarely left alone for more than a few hours during the day with me working nights a lot and my partner works during the day. he going to the vets next week for his jabs so will mention it to them while there.

will also try and contact the breeder and see if they can offer any advice
We've offered you advice, vets are not behaviourists so if there is no medical issue then he won't be able to help any more than we have. Like I said. Feliway is a first step.
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Old 20-08-2013, 15:59
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We've offered you advice, vets are not behaviourists so if there is no medical issue then he won't be able to help any more than we have. Like I said. Feliway is a first step.
i know that gonna check there is nothing medical wrong while there.

reading up on Feliway it says
When a cat is secure you will see it brush up against furniture rubbing it face on it.
This is a cat marking it’s territory as safe and secure. The absence of these familiar marks is believed to lead to am increase in anxiety.
When cats are stressed (what stresses cats) or ill they stop marking their territory as safe and secure. This can lead to unwanted cat behaviours

my cat still does this rubbing his head and body against us and the dog plus all furniture
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Old 20-08-2013, 17:45
bazaar1
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i know that gonna check there is nothing medical wrong while there.

reading up on Feliway it says
When a cat is secure you will see it brush up against furniture rubbing it face on it.
This is a cat marking it’s territory as safe and secure. The absence of these familiar marks is believed to lead to am increase in anxiety.
When cats are stressed (what stresses cats) or ill they stop marking their territory as safe and secure. This can lead to unwanted cat behaviours

my cat still does this rubbing his head and body against us and the dog plus all furniture
It's one sign of a secure cat, sure but, a cat that is stressed can also go into hyper attachment mode, marking everything it can get its hands on.
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Old 20-08-2013, 21:14
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It's one sign of a secure cat, sure but, a cat that is stressed can also go into hyper attachment mode, marking everything it can get its hands on.
Yeah suppose that makes sense then.
Even when we take the dog through the park he follows us for a twenty minute walk but for some reason only at night. If he drops to far behind he will howl and come running and bouncing along until he catches up.
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