Hello - I am new to this site & looking for advice: if you have any ideas, please share!
3 years ago I adopted 3 kittens from a rescue: two males and a female; all siblings; all fixed; all indoor only.
They were on a diet of Friskies. I was able to switch the dry food over to Instinct Original, but not the canned food. They simply wouldn't eat anything else, so I gave in and left them on the canned Friskies. They get the canned food morning and evening and access to dry food. They have a running water fountain to drink from. I had two litter boxes that get scooped out daily - sometimes twice a day.
Then, about 8 weeks ago, I noticed that someone had peed on a chair instead of the litter box. I cleaned it up, and things were fine for about 10 days. Then, it happened again. (My cats are indoor only cats.) I chalked this up to the fact that it was on a chair in the sun-room and the cat was marking territory...a stray had been in the yard.
Note 1: It is actual pee/elimination, not spraying. Also, both chairs are places that his sister used to sleep on. I might think this had something to do with her, except that they get along beautifully and often share the cat perch, sleeping next to each other.
Note 2: After the chairs were peed on the first time, they were cleaned with Urine Off - an enzyme cleaner. Now they are covered in plastic and sheets - easier to clean and remove all pee odor from...the plastic is thrown away and the sheets are washed in vinegar and then a second time in soap and baking soda.
Note 3: There have been no changes to the routine of the cats, environment, etc.
However, the peeing on the chair began to happen more often - until it became daily and on two chairs - one in the living room and the one in the sun-room. Then, it became twice a day. (The living room chair at night - when there was no access to the sun-room, and the sun-room during the day.)
I added another litter box (grand total: 3).
I bought Feliway plug-ins and placed them in both the living room and the sun-room.
I bought a repellent spray to use in the yard to keep the stray cat away. (I'm not sure that even worked.)
I figured out which cat it was and took him to the vet. The first visit he was examined and given two shots: one antibiotic and one anti-inflammatory. That worked for about 3 weeks.
Then, it happened again - and I took him back to the vet. This time, the vet gave me anti-inflammatory pills to give him and suggested trying different food. He (and the others) did not like Royal Canin SO (which is prescription). They would not eat it. So, I tried Whole Hearted, Merrick, Tiki Cat, and Instinct. I added extra water to all of the canned food. They ate all of those, but seemed to prefer the Tiki Cat.
Again, it seemed to work...but once the round of medication was done, the peeing on furniture began again. I went back to the vet (third trip) - and this time a urinalysis was done. And, nothing...no indication as to anything being wrong, except a slightly high pH. There are no crystals or anything else that would explain this. So, again I was given an anti-inflammatory medication to give him, but now only every other day. I was encouraged to go back to the prescription food...but he and the others (they eat out of each other's dishes) won't eat it.
Now, it seems that even the anti-inflammatory medicine is not working. My cat is back to peeing on a chair...it has not gone back to twice a day, but it is still happening at night (if the sun-room is closed, he pees on a chair in the living room).
I have now bought Hills Science Diet prescription cat food to try...and a calming collar to put on him at night. These I will try tonight.
So...I am here asking for help. I have had cats all of my life - and never experienced something like this. I'm not convinced that it is the food...and I'd much prefer to keep them on Tiki Cat canned food and Instinct dry food rather than the prescription stuff which doesn't seem to have as good a list of ingredients.
Does anyone have ANY suggestions of how to help my cat or something more that I can try?
3 years ago I adopted 3 kittens from a rescue: two males and a female; all siblings; all fixed; all indoor only.
They were on a diet of Friskies. I was able to switch the dry food over to Instinct Original, but not the canned food. They simply wouldn't eat anything else, so I gave in and left them on the canned Friskies. They get the canned food morning and evening and access to dry food. They have a running water fountain to drink from. I had two litter boxes that get scooped out daily - sometimes twice a day.
Then, about 8 weeks ago, I noticed that someone had peed on a chair instead of the litter box. I cleaned it up, and things were fine for about 10 days. Then, it happened again. (My cats are indoor only cats.) I chalked this up to the fact that it was on a chair in the sun-room and the cat was marking territory...a stray had been in the yard.
Note 1: It is actual pee/elimination, not spraying. Also, both chairs are places that his sister used to sleep on. I might think this had something to do with her, except that they get along beautifully and often share the cat perch, sleeping next to each other.
Note 2: After the chairs were peed on the first time, they were cleaned with Urine Off - an enzyme cleaner. Now they are covered in plastic and sheets - easier to clean and remove all pee odor from...the plastic is thrown away and the sheets are washed in vinegar and then a second time in soap and baking soda.
Note 3: There have been no changes to the routine of the cats, environment, etc.
However, the peeing on the chair began to happen more often - until it became daily and on two chairs - one in the living room and the one in the sun-room. Then, it became twice a day. (The living room chair at night - when there was no access to the sun-room, and the sun-room during the day.)
I added another litter box (grand total: 3).
I bought Feliway plug-ins and placed them in both the living room and the sun-room.
I bought a repellent spray to use in the yard to keep the stray cat away. (I'm not sure that even worked.)
I figured out which cat it was and took him to the vet. The first visit he was examined and given two shots: one antibiotic and one anti-inflammatory. That worked for about 3 weeks.
Then, it happened again - and I took him back to the vet. This time, the vet gave me anti-inflammatory pills to give him and suggested trying different food. He (and the others) did not like Royal Canin SO (which is prescription). They would not eat it. So, I tried Whole Hearted, Merrick, Tiki Cat, and Instinct. I added extra water to all of the canned food. They ate all of those, but seemed to prefer the Tiki Cat.
Again, it seemed to work...but once the round of medication was done, the peeing on furniture began again. I went back to the vet (third trip) - and this time a urinalysis was done. And, nothing...no indication as to anything being wrong, except a slightly high pH. There are no crystals or anything else that would explain this. So, again I was given an anti-inflammatory medication to give him, but now only every other day. I was encouraged to go back to the prescription food...but he and the others (they eat out of each other's dishes) won't eat it.
Now, it seems that even the anti-inflammatory medicine is not working. My cat is back to peeing on a chair...it has not gone back to twice a day, but it is still happening at night (if the sun-room is closed, he pees on a chair in the living room).
I have now bought Hills Science Diet prescription cat food to try...and a calming collar to put on him at night. These I will try tonight.
So...I am here asking for help. I have had cats all of my life - and never experienced something like this. I'm not convinced that it is the food...and I'd much prefer to keep them on Tiki Cat canned food and Instinct dry food rather than the prescription stuff which doesn't seem to have as good a list of ingredients.
Does anyone have ANY suggestions of how to help my cat or something more that I can try?