Cat Troubles When The House Is Empty

[ThunderPuffVika]

Hello all, this is my first time posting in these forums, so I hope I've got this in the right place.

So I have two cats (Nyla and Sora) and two dogs. They get along fine with the dogs, so no problems there. However, the cats, but especially Nyla, have very destructive habits that I've been trying to fix by training for a while. They scratch up the walls and doorframes even though they have a scratching post and I spray that cat repellant stuff all over their favorite spots, they are litter box trained but will poop on the floor when I'm not home, and will sometimes fight with each other when they're alone (even though they'll regularly lay next to each other and groom each other).

So, the room I'm fixing to move into is very nice, pretty large, and has no damage from animals (which is how I want to keep it). I've already got my dogs crate trained and they do fine in a crate that has a divider (they're beside each other and can see each other but still separated).

My problem is that I work 5 days a week, for 9 hours a day including driving. I can't leave my cats loose in the new room because they will quickly leave their marks on the walls. I know a lot of people think that crating a cat is cruel and a last resort, but I have no other options. I don't want to lose my deposit and/or get charged for damages, and I definitely don't want to give up my cats. They're both feral rescues that I tamed, so they have an extremely hard time bonding with anyone else (my boyfriend has only just now been able to pet them, and he's been around for 3 years).

So, my question, after those long winded paragraphs: should I put these two cats in a crate together? Or should I buy a crate large enough for a divider so they'll still be beside each other? They'll only be kept in the crate while I'm at work, and I'll make sure it's big enough for a litter box, food and water dishes, and a bed for each one.

 

[margd]

Welcome to TCS, ThunderPuffVika !

I think it's wonderful that you rescued two feral cats and gave them a home. It takes a lot of love and patience to commit to cats having what we think of as problem behavior and what they think of as normal behavior.

The answer to your question about the cages is probably going to involve trial and error on your part. It would theoretically be best if they could keep each other company in one large cage but there are a couple of different unknowns involved that can only be resolved by trying it out in real life.

1. As formerly feral cats, how are they going to take to being caged? Do you know if they will even tolerate it at all or will there be a difficult adjustment period?
2. How often do they fight and what impact will being in a cage have on that fighting?


My suggestion: Buy one large cage, try it out to see what happens and if necessary buy a second.

I know you said that you have no other option - is this situation going to be long term? It's going to be stressful for Nyla and Sora, there's no way around it. I would definitely keep working with them to resolve the litter box issues and eliminate their destructive behavior so they no longer need to be caged. Take a look at these articles - they may give you some ideas of things to try.

Solving Cat Behavior Problems: The Key Ingredient
How To Solve Litterbox Problems In Cats: The Ultimate Guide
How To Stop Your Cat From Scratching The Furniture

Last, and certainly not least, it's important that Nyla and Sora have fun time so try to play with them every night until they are worn out. Vigorous exercise will help minimize stress as well as keeping them physically fit.

Playing With Your Cat: 10 Things You Need To Know

 

[ThunderPuffVika]

Thanks for answering!

It definitely won't be permanent, only until I can curb their bad behaviors and leave them free in my room without having to worry about damage. They get lots of playtime with me every morning and night already, so aside from the cage, nothing will be different. I'm usually gone during the day so all the animal's playtime has to be in the morning and at night.

I actually tried putting them in my dogs crate for a few hours today, and they seemed fine. Nyla meowed a lot, which she does whenever I have to leave for work anyway, but Sora stayed in the cat bed for the most part, except for when they swatted at each other through the bars of the divider. Otherwise they just ignored each other. They have a strange relationship that I've given up on trying to understand

Sora isn't quite as tame as Nyla, he likes being around me but doesn't necessarily like being held, so I don't think he minded the cage. Nyla is an explorer but likes to cuddle when I'm home. She wasn't trying to escape the cage, but she paced for a good bit before just laying down.

Neither touched their food or water, but they actually used the litter box rather than the floor, which is a relief.

But I think I need to put them in separate cages. I would hate for them to be together and get in a fight, but have nowhere to go to get away from each other. They're both very dominate cats.

Thank you for the articles!! I'll check them out tomorrow and hopefully they'll give me some good tips. I appreciate the help