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- Nov 28, 2014
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Hey everyone,
There are probably more threads about this subject, but I am looking for advice in this situation. First, I'd like to say, English isn't my native language so hopefully you'll all understand me well. I live in Europe and I think it's good to post this on an international forum, since there may be other helping products or suggestions which are not known over here yet.
So I have 3 cats. Pim is a male cat (neutered) and is now 7 years old. He is with me since he was a kitten. Unfortunately, he isn't very well socialized during the first weeks of his life. And maybe it's also just his character. However, it means that strangers usually scares him (though it obviously makes a difference whether a man is entering my house, or young busy children or a female). With men , and more than 2 people, he usually immediately rans upstairs or goes outside. It may take a while before he trusts someone. Our bond is very strong though. He really likes to cuddle with me, greets me, likes to have my attention.
My father can hardly believe that , because when he enters my house, Pim runs away and he usually comes back when my father has left the house.
Furthermore, he is very sensitive. I know all cats don't like change, but Pim is more sensitve than the others.
My other two cats are 2 female cats; both neutered. Daisy is 3 years old and Lily is approximately 4 years old. I moved a few years ago because I was going to live on my own and I took Pim with me. He was the only cat in the house at the time. He was used living with other cats. When we adopted Pim, he was our third cat in the house and this never was a problem for him.
Once I lived on my own and Pim and I were all settled, I adopted Daisy from a shelter and they get along quite well. They even lay next to each other sometimes.
About one year later, I had this mother cat with 5 kittens in my house, kept in a special room designed for cats, because I help a shelter with socializing kittens. This was my first litter and after this beautiful experience I didn't took other cats from the shelter into my house, also due to the fact I didn't want to cause my cats any more stress.
Anyway, the kittens grew up here and they got adopted when they were old enough to leave their mom. From the beginning I had a very special bond with the mother cat and I decided to keep her.
I called the mother cat Lily and she stayed in this cat room for weeks since she had all her kittens, and after that, she needed surgery for sterilization, so she never really had seen any other place in my house.
As soon as the time was there, I slowly introduced Lily to my other two cats. I opened the door slightly, so they could not touch each other, but they could actually see each other. I kept doing this and this way my cats got slowly introduced with each other.
Since I know a cat behaviorist and I am very interested in cat behavior and have done quite much research and went to cat (behavior) lectures etc, I knew this was a good way to introduce them.
However, I still have this problem with Pim. He keeps spraying in the house. And I think it started when I adopted Lily. I am not sure if he was spraying when she was with her kittens, apart from Pim and Daisy, though I do remember that Pim and Daisy didn't show any stress or changing behavior.
Lily lives here now for 2 years and Daisy and Lily usually get along well. But I think Lily causes Pim stress for some reason, though there are also moments they eat next to each other, lay on the bed not far away from each other..but he is usually extra aware when Lily's is in his surrounding.
Lily is not bossy or anything, but she has more confidence than Pim.
I think I posted another thread about this subject too about a year ago, though I am not sure. However, I wanted to ask you for advice again. I do not smell anything but sometimes, when I am cleaning the house, I can see the urine spots. Most common places are: the front door, the door in the hallway, the radiator in the living room and upstairs, a closet upstairs (usually in corners), and the attic. I sleep in the attic and he sleeps there too, as well as my 3 cats.
When you walk upstairs to the attic, right next to you there is a curtain and behind that there is a shelf with some stuff on it. And I was kinda shocked last week, I don't clean this small wall very often :$ but I saw quite a lot of urine over there. It made me aware that Pim had a lot of stress and is still dealing with a lot of stress.
I know Pim is the only one who is doing it because I have never seen my other cats doing it and I still see Pim actually spraying. Another popular spot is the tv cabinet. It's placed in the middle of my living room and next to it, on the left, there is a chair. (And in between I placed a scratching post)
When I watch tv and Pim enters the living room, he often first walks to the tv cabinet and sprays briefly. Sometimes I am aware that is going to spray and I ask his attention with a kind voice. That works for then, but probably he still sprays over there when I am not at home or when I am too late to stop him.
Actually, I do understand he sprays on places like this. It makes sense: these are places where people often walk and /or where Lily sleeps or whatever.
Though I find it strange that he also sprays on a desk upstairs in the middle of the room..
Anyways, I am terrible at keeping it brief, but I find it sad for him that he probably experience lots of stress.
There are periods when it seems like the behavior has changed a bit and he doesn't spray, though my house is quite big and I can't see the urine very well on the furnutire.
Ok, this is what I have tried:
Of course I went to the vet to see if he had any problems with his bladder. His urine was perfectly normal. So, I also did a bladder puncture and an ultrasound. Was perfectly normal too . Only one time, last year, he had cystitis, but after treating it , his urine got back to normal again.
When Pim got neutered as a kitten, they couldn't find a testicle. So they had to do surgery. I read that some male cats can have spraying issues because it might be possible that they didn't remove all of 'it' and he still might produce hormones or something.
I talked with my vet about that (she is the best vet I have ever seen and I trust her completely), and she checked on him but she said that this was not the case. So this couldn't be a cause of spraying either. Medical reasons were officially excluded,, so it has to be a behavior problem. I also don't notice any other health issues, and with that, and the check ups and advice from my vet I know it is just his behavior.
My vet recommended a cat behaviorist and since I know a behaviorist I could ask her, but I don't see her very often and it's not that I know her very well. I am also not sure whether she does visits over here, which is something I can always ask of course. I usually only see her when there is a cat event / lecture or anything.
I want you to know that my cats mean anything to me, they are my babies. But I find it hard to ask for a cat behaviorist, since I think that this will cost a lot of money (though I am prepared to do anything for my cats as long as it works and as long as I don't get into huge financial problems). It's actually the last thing on my list. I know pretty much about cats though I don't want to say that I know as much as a cat behaviorist! Obviously not. But I ask myself the question what she may see what I don't see, and what she will advice and I didn't think of myself first.
I tried Feliway spray and Feliway plug ins, which I still use sometimes but I think it doesn't change anything. When I see urine spots I clean it with Urine Off, a special product so the cat won't smell his urine spots no longer. I try to keep things the same as possible, no big changings, lots of people in the house every time. I try to make Pim feel more comfortable when he is in Lily's surrounding by placing treats on the floor and then they will eat the treats right next to each other. They never fight and barely growl or anything..it's just that it seems that Lily makes him feel anxious or nervous.
I also tried homeopathic remedies (perhaps not used long enough) and the Calm version of Royal Canin but all these things don't seem to work.
I think it's also part of his character which is impossible to change. I mean, he will never be a confident cat but that is okay. But I would love to see him having more peace and rest.
Putting a cat away is not an option by the way. Pim and I are very bonded , which is also the case for Lily and me. I don't want to sound selfish but we both have a very special bond and I know it will effect them both when I would put one cat away.
Sorry for this super long story. Does anyone has any advice, tips, products I didn't think of? Or would you also recommend a cat behaviorist and do you think there is a big chance that this will make a difference? I know we cannot predict the future but I was just wondering....
There are probably more threads about this subject, but I am looking for advice in this situation. First, I'd like to say, English isn't my native language so hopefully you'll all understand me well. I live in Europe and I think it's good to post this on an international forum, since there may be other helping products or suggestions which are not known over here yet.
So I have 3 cats. Pim is a male cat (neutered) and is now 7 years old. He is with me since he was a kitten. Unfortunately, he isn't very well socialized during the first weeks of his life. And maybe it's also just his character. However, it means that strangers usually scares him (though it obviously makes a difference whether a man is entering my house, or young busy children or a female). With men , and more than 2 people, he usually immediately rans upstairs or goes outside. It may take a while before he trusts someone. Our bond is very strong though. He really likes to cuddle with me, greets me, likes to have my attention.
My father can hardly believe that , because when he enters my house, Pim runs away and he usually comes back when my father has left the house.
Furthermore, he is very sensitive. I know all cats don't like change, but Pim is more sensitve than the others.
My other two cats are 2 female cats; both neutered. Daisy is 3 years old and Lily is approximately 4 years old. I moved a few years ago because I was going to live on my own and I took Pim with me. He was the only cat in the house at the time. He was used living with other cats. When we adopted Pim, he was our third cat in the house and this never was a problem for him.
Once I lived on my own and Pim and I were all settled, I adopted Daisy from a shelter and they get along quite well. They even lay next to each other sometimes.
About one year later, I had this mother cat with 5 kittens in my house, kept in a special room designed for cats, because I help a shelter with socializing kittens. This was my first litter and after this beautiful experience I didn't took other cats from the shelter into my house, also due to the fact I didn't want to cause my cats any more stress.
Anyway, the kittens grew up here and they got adopted when they were old enough to leave their mom. From the beginning I had a very special bond with the mother cat and I decided to keep her.
I called the mother cat Lily and she stayed in this cat room for weeks since she had all her kittens, and after that, she needed surgery for sterilization, so she never really had seen any other place in my house.
As soon as the time was there, I slowly introduced Lily to my other two cats. I opened the door slightly, so they could not touch each other, but they could actually see each other. I kept doing this and this way my cats got slowly introduced with each other.
Since I know a cat behaviorist and I am very interested in cat behavior and have done quite much research and went to cat (behavior) lectures etc, I knew this was a good way to introduce them.
However, I still have this problem with Pim. He keeps spraying in the house. And I think it started when I adopted Lily. I am not sure if he was spraying when she was with her kittens, apart from Pim and Daisy, though I do remember that Pim and Daisy didn't show any stress or changing behavior.
Lily lives here now for 2 years and Daisy and Lily usually get along well. But I think Lily causes Pim stress for some reason, though there are also moments they eat next to each other, lay on the bed not far away from each other..but he is usually extra aware when Lily's is in his surrounding.
Lily is not bossy or anything, but she has more confidence than Pim.
I think I posted another thread about this subject too about a year ago, though I am not sure. However, I wanted to ask you for advice again. I do not smell anything but sometimes, when I am cleaning the house, I can see the urine spots. Most common places are: the front door, the door in the hallway, the radiator in the living room and upstairs, a closet upstairs (usually in corners), and the attic. I sleep in the attic and he sleeps there too, as well as my 3 cats.
When you walk upstairs to the attic, right next to you there is a curtain and behind that there is a shelf with some stuff on it. And I was kinda shocked last week, I don't clean this small wall very often :$ but I saw quite a lot of urine over there. It made me aware that Pim had a lot of stress and is still dealing with a lot of stress.
I know Pim is the only one who is doing it because I have never seen my other cats doing it and I still see Pim actually spraying. Another popular spot is the tv cabinet. It's placed in the middle of my living room and next to it, on the left, there is a chair. (And in between I placed a scratching post)
When I watch tv and Pim enters the living room, he often first walks to the tv cabinet and sprays briefly. Sometimes I am aware that is going to spray and I ask his attention with a kind voice. That works for then, but probably he still sprays over there when I am not at home or when I am too late to stop him.
Actually, I do understand he sprays on places like this. It makes sense: these are places where people often walk and /or where Lily sleeps or whatever.
Though I find it strange that he also sprays on a desk upstairs in the middle of the room..
Anyways, I am terrible at keeping it brief, but I find it sad for him that he probably experience lots of stress.
There are periods when it seems like the behavior has changed a bit and he doesn't spray, though my house is quite big and I can't see the urine very well on the furnutire.
Ok, this is what I have tried:
Of course I went to the vet to see if he had any problems with his bladder. His urine was perfectly normal. So, I also did a bladder puncture and an ultrasound. Was perfectly normal too . Only one time, last year, he had cystitis, but after treating it , his urine got back to normal again.
When Pim got neutered as a kitten, they couldn't find a testicle. So they had to do surgery. I read that some male cats can have spraying issues because it might be possible that they didn't remove all of 'it' and he still might produce hormones or something.
I talked with my vet about that (she is the best vet I have ever seen and I trust her completely), and she checked on him but she said that this was not the case. So this couldn't be a cause of spraying either. Medical reasons were officially excluded,, so it has to be a behavior problem. I also don't notice any other health issues, and with that, and the check ups and advice from my vet I know it is just his behavior.
My vet recommended a cat behaviorist and since I know a behaviorist I could ask her, but I don't see her very often and it's not that I know her very well. I am also not sure whether she does visits over here, which is something I can always ask of course. I usually only see her when there is a cat event / lecture or anything.
I want you to know that my cats mean anything to me, they are my babies. But I find it hard to ask for a cat behaviorist, since I think that this will cost a lot of money (though I am prepared to do anything for my cats as long as it works and as long as I don't get into huge financial problems). It's actually the last thing on my list. I know pretty much about cats though I don't want to say that I know as much as a cat behaviorist! Obviously not. But I ask myself the question what she may see what I don't see, and what she will advice and I didn't think of myself first.
I tried Feliway spray and Feliway plug ins, which I still use sometimes but I think it doesn't change anything. When I see urine spots I clean it with Urine Off, a special product so the cat won't smell his urine spots no longer. I try to keep things the same as possible, no big changings, lots of people in the house every time. I try to make Pim feel more comfortable when he is in Lily's surrounding by placing treats on the floor and then they will eat the treats right next to each other. They never fight and barely growl or anything..it's just that it seems that Lily makes him feel anxious or nervous.
I also tried homeopathic remedies (perhaps not used long enough) and the Calm version of Royal Canin but all these things don't seem to work.
I think it's also part of his character which is impossible to change. I mean, he will never be a confident cat but that is okay. But I would love to see him having more peace and rest.
Putting a cat away is not an option by the way. Pim and I are very bonded , which is also the case for Lily and me. I don't want to sound selfish but we both have a very special bond and I know it will effect them both when I would put one cat away.
Sorry for this super long story. Does anyone has any advice, tips, products I didn't think of? Or would you also recommend a cat behaviorist and do you think there is a big chance that this will make a difference? I know we cannot predict the future but I was just wondering....