Ok... I got a kitten about two months ago from the humane league. For the first two days it was a normal kitty, it played, and crapped in the litter box. It got sick, and we took it to the vet, and he prescribed medicene, we gave it to the cat, and it got better. After that, it crapped in the kitchen in the same place. It never plays, and when it craps, even on a hard floor, it still acts like it is burying it. I mean... It has been stinkin 2 months! It does like us, cuase it purrs, and it is happy. But it acts like a retard. It also, doesn't jump from fair low places, it never runs, but yet it is not fat. It eats good, and we give it healthy food, and we give it good liter, and liter box. We tried locking it in the same room as his litter box, but it just waits to poop until we let it out. It is like the thing doesn't have instincts. It has goop on iyt's eyes to. It also doesn't respond to noise very good. Any help, or advice?
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Mentally Retarded Cat?
- Thread starter mrstrange
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A lot depends on how old this kitten was. If he was very, very young, he may not be litter trained. You would have to work with him.
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- #4
If his eyes are goopy, you should really take him back to see the vet. Could be that he's sick still and trying to tell you something...I'm sure it's not "mentally retarded" as you say. As for the litter box, make sure you constantly place him in it and praise him when he's standing in it. With the feces you find on the floor, put them in his box, and place him in there as well. Just a thought...I hope things get better for you, don't give up on him! And please see a vet for those eyes of his...
It your cat a male or female? What is its name? I just am curious because I usually don't see people refer to their baby as an "it", it isn't an object
Put a few more litter pans around your house. Be patient and please take him/her to the vet if he/she has gloopy eyes. It could be an infection.
Your cat is still a baby, give the kitten time to learn and adjust. They don't all come littertrained, but it is very simple to do.
Consider the fact that your cat might not like the litter either. Try a different kind. Some cats don't like covered boxes and some do, some cats are just a little picky sometimes.
Put a few more litter pans around your house. Be patient and please take him/her to the vet if he/she has gloopy eyes. It could be an infection.
Your cat is still a baby, give the kitten time to learn and adjust. They don't all come littertrained, but it is very simple to do.
Consider the fact that your cat might not like the litter either. Try a different kind. Some cats don't like covered boxes and some do, some cats are just a little picky sometimes.
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- #7
Ok is he neutered? That is the first thing to do when there is inappropropriate peeing.
You can buy some Feliway Plug-ins also, they work wonderfully.
You can buy some Feliway Plug-ins also, they work wonderfully.
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- #9
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- #10
No it's cool, it just struck me as a little odd
Seriously try Feliway. That stuff is amazing. It is a bit expensive, but a good purchase. Keep them plugged in and going in your house. It is specifically designed to stop inappropriate behavior like this.
Seriously try Feliway. That stuff is amazing. It is a bit expensive, but a good purchase. Keep them plugged in and going in your house. It is specifically designed to stop inappropriate behavior like this.
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Any large pet store, like Petco, will have them.
It masks the scent of cats to each other. It's frequently used in multi-cat households where the cats fight, or in cases like yours, where the cat keeps peeing in the same spot. Basically, he keeps peeing to mark his territory because he keeps smelling a cat (himself). Feliway masks the cat scent, so he feels no need to pee there.
It masks the scent of cats to each other. It's frequently used in multi-cat households where the cats fight, or in cases like yours, where the cat keeps peeing in the same spot. Basically, he keeps peeing to mark his territory because he keeps smelling a cat (himself). Feliway masks the cat scent, so he feels no need to pee there.
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- #14
Aww, how sad if your folks surrender him...not to mention, unfair as all h*ll!!
Well, he obviously never learned the litterbox thing, which does not make him a "retard." As a special education teacher, I'll tell you how harmful and awful that word can be...I wish no one had ever thought of using it.
Anyhoo, I digress.
The first thing you can try is placing the litter box right in the middle of the kitchen floor, directly on the area where he is peeing and pooping. If he uses it, praise him to high heaven, and give him a treat. If he doesn't seem to be taking to the idea of having to do this, feed him, wait for an hour or two, and set him in the box. Take his front paws, and scratch the litter with his paws. If he pees outside of the box, soak it up with a paper towel, and toss it in the litter box...this way it will smell like his territory. He may be attracted to using it once he smells his own urine scent in the box.
Keep on trying. I'm sure he'll get there. And yes, some cats have no shame. It seems like if he's doing this in front of you more often than not, it isn't because of shame, however, but more like attention-seeking behavior, or an act of stress.
Well, he obviously never learned the litterbox thing, which does not make him a "retard." As a special education teacher, I'll tell you how harmful and awful that word can be...I wish no one had ever thought of using it.
Anyhoo, I digress.
Keep on trying. I'm sure he'll get there. And yes, some cats have no shame. It seems like if he's doing this in front of you more often than not, it isn't because of shame, however, but more like attention-seeking behavior, or an act of stress.
PetSmart, PetCo, Pet Supplies Plus, or Ebay would be cheaper.
http://www.feliway.uk.com/feliway_uk.nsf/Page?OpenForm
This site explains what it is but it is the UK version, the home page has a link to the US version to search for stores that carry it. I cant get that page to load however.
http://www.feliway.uk.com/feliway_uk.nsf/Page?OpenForm
This site explains what it is but it is the UK version, the home page has a link to the US version to search for stores that carry it. I cant get that page to load however.
I'm inclined to agree, although it's easy to mis-interpret posts and read into them something that wasn't intended. Apologies if you love your kitty. It just sounds as though you expect him to be some sort of performing animal who jumps and plays for your pleasure and never gets sick or does anything you don't want. Kittens can be hard work.
I think the first thing you need to do is take him to the vet to be checked over and to make sure there isn't a physical cause of his not using the litter box. Given that he isn't playing and has stuff in his eyes I think he really needs to be seen again by the vet.
Please be patient with him - he's not being naughty and he's not retarded. When a cat is not using the litter tray there's always a reason. Either there's something he doesn't like about the tray (wrong litter, too dirty, wrong place etc.), he's developed a behavioural problem such as anxiety which is causing him to go elsewhere or he's spraying to mark his territory. If you're impatient with him you could turn the first of those into the second and once the behaviour has become more established it's a lot harder to turn things around.
Are you cleaning the areas he peees on adequately? If he went when he was sick and you didnt clean it to get rid of the smell (to him - it may not smell to you) he'll be attracted back to those places.
Please read the sticky thread at the top of this forum about inappropriate peeing - I'm sure that will have lots of suggestions for you to try. Try different litters and adding extra litter boxes. Getting a feliway diffuser as has been suggested might help too. Above all be kind and patient with him.
Ok, so at 1st I must admit I was a little perturbed
by the use of the word "retard". It is very insensitive to anyone on here who may have mental or physical handi-caps or disabilities.
Or someone like myself who has a family member with real mental disabilities that someone else might call "retarded". And I couldn't understand
why someone who would call an animal that word... or think that an animal should have couth as to when it's appropriate to pee and when it's not. Then I checked out the
profile of the thread starter
... age 14 years.
That sums it up.
I just hope that this poor little confused kitty, who probably needs to see a vet for medical reasons, is not being abused on account of his litter box issues. I agree with the others, maybe this kitten would be better with someone with a little more patience & understanding, or at least financial independance to take the kitten to the much needed doctor.
I just hope that this poor little confused kitty, who probably needs to see a vet for medical reasons, is not being abused on account of his litter box issues. I agree with the others, maybe this kitten would be better with someone with a little more patience & understanding, or at least financial independance to take the kitten to the much needed doctor.
Originally Posted by LuckyGirl
Ok, so at 1st I must admit I was a little perturbedby the use of the word "retard". It is very insensitive to anyone on here who may have mental or physical handi-caps or disabilities.Or someone like myself who has a family member with real mental disabilities that someone else might call "retarded". And I couldn't understandwhy someone who would call an animal that word... or think that an animal should have couth as to when it's appropriate to pee and when it's not. Then I checked out theprofile of the thread starter... age 14 years.That sums it up.
I just hope that this poor little confused kitty, who probably needs to see a vet for medical reasons, is not being abused on account of his litter box issues. I agree with the others, maybe this kitten would be better with someone with a little more patience & understanding, or at least financial independance to take the kitten to the much needed doctor.
