No Idea What To Do. Cat Making House His Toilet.

[Kflowers]

I'm glad you trust your vet, truly, this these are easier to deal with with a good vet. I"m really sorry you and your cat are going through this. I lived through a minor version of it, which is behind my previous advice. No judgment period you are the one living this and it is hell.

We had a very anxious elderly dog and rather than prozac we tried various things that worked randomly for heavan's sake and made it where she couldn't walk. That was NOT helpful. Got a new vet who gave her Clomicalm by Novis. It worked and it worked fast. I read other reviews where it worked for cats. One I remember was where the cat wouldn't stop biting the baby until it took the pills. One thing to note, while we were giving it to our dog, Novis screwed up their mfg and put the wrong size pills in the bottles. They were the correct medicine but the wrong dosage. They had to shut down for awhile and the price went illegally high. So I'd be sure to have a bottle of low dose to wean kitty off of it if need be. Explain this to your vet, he probably remembers this mess.

Here is an addy, there are many, about Clomicalm and cats.

Clomipramine (Clomicalm, Anafranil) - Veterinary Partner - VIN

 

[Willowy]

Even if a vet wants to keep behavioral meds as a last resort, I think this is it!

Prozac may not be the best choice; sometimes you have to try a few different ones. Xanax may be better to try first in such a severe case.

 

[Furballsmom]

If the pee-ing is caused by a medical issue, the increased moisture intake from the wet food can help, --but the medical issue itself would need to be dealt with.

Sometimes CBD oil can help with this from what I'm reading.

Also, @Timmer had good luck with Prozac in reducing spraying, so as is always the case, every cat is different.

This below is a behavior modifier, for example with OCD behaviors such as overgrooming etc etc;

https://www.1800petmeds.com/Amitriptyline+HCl-prod10480.html

This below, Gabapentin, is a stress reliever.
I believe trazadone is an anxiety reducer, as is lorazepam.
There is Nutracalm, and even Royal Canin Calm.
Just an additional thought, have you tried any of the over-the-counter calming collars?

Study: Gabapentin Reduces Stress in Cats Before Veterinary Visits

You wanted to sell the house, --in addition, I was wondering why don't you board him at the vets and let them work with him, including the biting of the cage etc. Living as you are now isn't good for your emotional, OR physical health

 

[Kflowers]

Have you told your vet how much the destruction has cost? About your husband's suits being peed on? Yes, I'm sure you have. I'm sure he's seen minor cases before and just doesn't believe you. I'd print out everything you've posted on this site and send him a copy. Ask for a consultant appointment when he's read it.

 

[maggiedemi]

Have people really seen cats discontinue peeing in house because they eat wet food?

I sure did!

 

[GQE3]

I’m out and about now looking for wet food and additives for him . I’m headed to pet store...is there I would find the collars?

If the pee-ing is caused by a medical issue, the increased moisture intake from the wet food can help, --but the medical issue itself would need to be dealt with.

Sometimes CBD oil can help with this from what I'm reading.

Also, @Timmer had good luck with Prozac in reducing spraying, so as is always the case, every cat is different.

This below is a behavior modifier, for example with OCD behaviors such as overgrooming etc etc;

https://www.1800petmeds.com/Amitriptyline+HCl-prod10480.html

This below, Gabapentin, is a stress reliever.
I believe trazadone is an anxiety reducer, as is lorazepam.
There is Nutracalm, and even Royal Canin Calm.
Just an additional thought, have you tried any of the over-the-counter calming collars?

Study: Gabapentin Reduces Stress in Cats Before Veterinary Visits

You wanted to sell the house, --in addition, I was wondering why don't you board him at the vets and let them work with him, including the biting of the cage etc. Living as you are now isn't good for your emotional, OR physical health

m

 

[lre17]

it is more of a band-aid than a long term fix but maybe put him in diapers
also I am so sorry this is happening to you-when my cat had potty trouble i felt the exact same way you do

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm sorry, i bet I missed you, but you should be able to find the collars at a pet store

 

[GQE3]

it is more of a band-aid than a long term fix but maybe put him in diapers
also I am so sorry this is happening to you-when my cat had potty trouble i felt the exact same way you do

That was one of the very first things I tried. He kept chewing them off of himself. I had tried that when we had company over. Unfortunately he is a master at removing them.

 

[GQE3]

I'm sorry, i bet I missed you, but you should be able to find the collars at a pet store

Got them, and various other concoctions too, several varieties of wet food and various things to top food with.

 

[Furballsmom]

. .

 

[Beyond Confused]

My heart is all tied up in knots for the both of you, I'm so incredibly sorry this is going on!!


Can you talk with a different vet? If you can get a video of his behavior and show that to a different vet, they may be less likely to be requesting a lot of tests.

Great idea!

 

[Beyond Confused]

Can you try Friskies Shreds? I've literally tried every single can of cat food at every single store and this is the only one my boy cat will eat now.

Mine is also picky about his wet food. He's refused most of them. I have had good luck with the Nature's variety chicken pate. Maybe that's an option.

 

[GQE3]

Well I know things don’t work over night but...I’m losing my mind. Seriously. I tried two different wet foods and he won’t touch it. I used a calming spray and drops and collar-which he hates and is feverishly trying to remove. I awoke this morning to pee on the magazines on my coffee table. Then upon getting kids out the door for school I walk into the laundry room where litter box is with a soft towel in it...and he’s pulled a clean jacket down and peed all over it-freshly as it was dripping wet. All over the rug, floor and cabinet in there. I just...I cannot continue like this. I’m in tears every single day. We were having people over for Christmas and my husband says I need to cancel it and I agree. My home smells like a cat box. My rugs and furniture are ruined. He peed on my daughters homework on top of our beautiful dining table the other day. No matter what I do I can’t get the smell out of the wood. Nothing is safe. Not up on tables or counters. My daughter told me she didn’t sleep last night bc she was so worried he would pee on her backpack with important books in it for school. That’s how bad this is. He was peeing on our shoes...got a rack to get off ground and now he’s getting on the shoe rack peeing on the shoes.

I’m sorry this is a rant this morning. I’ve just hit a wall. He’s literally ruining my life. We’ve had to cancel guests coming, friends for kids coming over, we can’t put gifts under our tree until Christmas morning bc he pees on the gifts . I feel absolutely held hostage, all I can do is cry.

 

[maggiedemi]

Did you try antibiotics from the vet? I can't remember if you said. Demi did 10 days of antibiotics, it cost less than $100. Then Friskies Shreds canned food. No more problems. This is the only canned food he will touch out of thousands. It's worth a shot. I hope things get better for you.

 

[KarenKat]

I’m so so sorry, our boy Trin would pee places (surge protectors!?) and it was so stressful. And yet that is maybe 1% of what you are dealing with. You are so compassionate still, trying to rehome or find a shelter for him when so many other people would hurt or abandon him. I have no advice, sounds like you have tried everything. Just want to chime in and say I think you are wonderful and caring. *virtual hug*

 

[MeowHiss]

Rather late to the conversation, but I'm going to jump on the bone spurs/fragments bandwagon.

This article actually talks about big cats, but the same thing applies for house cats.
Declaw Surgery | The Paw Project

 

[GQE3]

Did you try antibiotics from the vet? I can't remember if you said. Demi did 10 days of antibiotics, it cost less than $100. Then Friskies Shreds canned food. No more problems. This is the only canned food he will touch out of thousands. It's worth a shot. I hope things get better for you.

No antibiotics because an infection wasn’t detected....

 

[GQE3]

Rather late to the conversation, but I'm going to jump on the bone spurs/fragments bandwagon.

This article actually talks about big cats, but the same thing applies for house cats.
Declaw Surgery | The Paw Project

Thank you, I have definitely thought of this. It was actually the first thing I blamed it on. He is about 7-8 and the behavior started I believe 3-4 years ago so I had thought if it was due to the declaw he would’ve shown some issues in the first 3-4 years after the declaw? I tried multiple litters-I think every litter ever made-to see if a softer litter would help. Nothing has made a difference. Sometimes he gets in the box, sometimes (most of the time) he won’t. Used to be he’d be bad once or twice then use litter box for several weeks before going outside of it again. The behavior has rapidly increased to every single day.

 

[MeowHiss]

Thank you, I have definitely thought of this. It was actually the first thing I blamed it on. He is about 7-8 and the behavior started I believe 3-4 years ago so I had thought if it was due to the declaw he would’ve shown some issues in the first 3-4 years after the declaw? I tried multiple litters-I think every litter ever made-to see if a softer litter would help. Nothing has made a difference. Sometimes he gets in the box, sometimes (most of the time) he won’t. Used to be he’d be bad once or twice then use litter box for several weeks before going outside of it again. The behavior has rapidly increased to every single day.

If he does have fragments, the litter type won't matter until the fragments are removed.

The fact that the cat likes soft things and goes out of his way to pee and poop on them makes me think he associates the litter box with pain. It hurts to use it, so he goes somewhere else.

Ruling out a UTI, I'd get x-rays of his paws to see if he's having any issues from declawing.