4 Cats Coming Together In One Household

[haze n blaze]

my boyfriend and I are moving in together. We each have two male cats - all fixed. Below is a breakdown:

Mine: 3 and 4 year old male cats. Get along great. Not declawed( I don't believe in it). One has a tendency to be stressed and has skin/food allergies for which he eats prescription hydrolized food to help manage those allergies in addition to taking a antihistamine daily. My other cat has no issues.

His: both 13 year old male cats. They get along fine mostly. Both are declawed. The dominant one (Pepper) occasionally will be seen biting the other as a show of dominance to which we intervene. Pepper has digestive issues to which his vet prescribes hills w/d(which I find odd since it's for diabetic/weight management, but that's another thread). He also takes meds twice a day to help have digestive motility and soften his bowel movements. Cat is also shaved to reduce hair in his stomach. No issues within the last few years as far as any problems with digestion or blockages.

Here is my issue. Pepper poops on the floor. Every single day. Every single time. Has been for 4 years. Started after a digestive emergency that resulted in Pepper needing to be hospitalized. My boyfriend has tried everything. New litter, new boxes, cat attract, discussing with the vet, googling, you name it, he has tried it. Bless my boyfriend for continuing to just love his cat. My concern is once my cats come into the home and see this other cat pooping on the floor, will they start to do that too??!! My boyfriend's other cat doesn't poop outside the litter box but he has lived with pepper his whole life. BTW, pepper DOES urinate in the litter box so I don't think he is scared of it. Somehow, he has associated pooping with not using the box. He poops right outside of it.

I don't want my cats to develop this behavior too. And maybe it's a stretch to think they will but, has anyone had a similar situation or can you provide any guidance?

As a side note, the two sets of cats have met on three occassions now. Pepper is NOT happy by way of growling, hissing, fighting, and hiding meanwhile, the other three just chill.

 

[maggiedemi]

Is Pepper getting any wet canned food? My cat poops on the floor when she's constipated. They associate the litter box with pain. My other cat never picked up this habit from her, he might sniff her poop, but I try to pick it up off the floor right away. I just try to get enough moisture into her so she doesn't get constipated. But Pepper must be feeling some sort of pain when he poops and is blaming the litter box.

 

[verna davies]

Have you tried a sheet of newspaper on the floor. My mother's cat would not use a litter tray. She tried all sorts of boxes and litter but with no luck. Then one day her newspaper fell on the floor and her cat went straight onto it and did his business. He would only go on newspaper.

 

[haze n blaze]

Is Pepper getting any wet canned food?

No wet food. Pepper won't eat it. We've tried on several occasions. One of the reasons he gets the lactulose and cisipride medications - keep the poop soft. Which it is. I can tell...outside the box! Haha!

 

[haze n blaze]

Have you tried a sheet of newspaper on the floor. My mother's cat would not use a litter tray. She tried all sorts of boxes and litter but with no luck. Then one day her newspaper fell on the floor and her cat went straight onto it and did his business. He would only go on newspaper.

Interesting. Will have to give that a try. Do you think it will cause the other cats to think it's ok to not use the box?

 

[maggiedemi]

Have you tried an empty litter box with maybe some puppy pee pads in it? He must be feeling pain somewhere, either when he poops or his paws. I hope you can figure it out. I don't think you have to worry about the other cats copying him, my other cat never did. Too bad he won't eat wet food, have you tried Friskies? My cats never turn down the Shreds.

 

[haze n blaze]

Have you tried an empty litter box with maybe some puppy pee pads in it?

That's a great idea about the puppy pads! Never even thought of that!

 

[verna davies]

Interesting. Will have to give that a try. Do you think it will cause the other cats to think it's ok to not use the box?

When my cat stayed with my mother's cat, mine carried on using the litter tray.
It's worth a try. Let us know how you get on