# Big change in behaviour, needy, naughty...



## Treeza13 (Jan 20, 2013)

Hi everyone, I am climbing the wall with my female cat. I have had her since July 2012, she's about 18 months od, I got her from a rescue centre.

Everything has been fantastic, we fell in love immediately, and the only bit of bother I have is I wont allow to sleep in my bedroom on a night, so I have had many months of door scratching, pulling carpet up, chucking herself at the door, meowing throughout the night... 

She has been speyed, mainly due to the above behaviour increasing ten fold haha!!
Diet of dried food. Treats when I return home.
Only goes outside when I am home, and then, she mainly stays in garden, she isnt bothered about being out.

Anyway that is not the problem.. She has become a royal pain in the bum the last 3 weeks. 

I live alone and she is my only pet. I volunteer mon-fri, but home all weekend. During Christmas I had a couple of weeks where I ws in the house all the time, but then come beginning of Jan, I had to get back to it... Suddenly, she began sitting on the litter tray for a long time, nothing coming out... So I took her to the vets, got her on anti-biotics for cystisis, vet said it could be seperation anxiety. She has also overlicked a patch near one of her nipples , so I got cream for that.
The tablets havent helped, and the cream is neither her nor there.

She is still spending a lot of time on litter tray, sometimes, just sitting at the side of it til she is ready to squat again. She is crying all through the night for me. I did relent first week of Jan, but she was a pain, so cant do that again.

She is being skittish. And jumping on worktops which she knows she is not allowed... I am trying to spend more 'playtime' with her. I rang the vet back up last Thurs, they said its probably anxiety and to get Feliway. I am on benefits so cant risk the outlay of it not working, she has the run of the house, so no guarentees she would be in the room that was plugged in.

I have put her on wet food as well as the dried now, and there is various containers of water throughout the house, and she is drinking, because I watch her...

I am as distressed as her I think... Any help please


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## emilyjane (Jan 15, 2013)

Is she in pain whilst on the litter tray, or? May be more issues linked with the cystitis? In which case get her re-examined.

Otherwise, sometimes small changes in routine, your home, anything new you've introduced etc may be causing the anxiety? (as vet suggested, feliway may be worth a shot, even at its £££ price!)

If no joy, look into feline behaviourists?

If only animals could speak


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi Treeza, welcome to the forum. 

As your cat has issues with her bladder I would take her off all dry food immediately. 

The best preventative treatment for a cat prone to cystitis is fluids, fluids, fluids. So, a wet food diet, and add a little water to every meal.

Also, give home made broths -- chicken or beef go down well with most cats. Buy cheap cuts of raw beef (or chicken), put the meat in a saucepan covered with water, put lid on and boil the meat for an hour or so, taking care to add hot water from the kettle if necessary, to keep the meat covered. 

When done, drain liquid into a pyrex bowl or jug, cool and refrigerate overnight. Skim the fat off the top and discard. You are left with a nourishing jelly which can be scooped out, a tablespoon at a time, and reheated in the microwave for 10 second before serving. Give this liquid a couple of times a day. 

Also, I would consider giving your cat Cystease or Cystaid, which can be bought on line from pet pharmacies. 

The other thing about dry food is that most types are high in carbohydrates and carbs cause peaks and troughs in blood sugar levels, making some cats skittish, hyperactive, and anxious. So when you switch her to a wet food diet, I would choose a wet food that is high in animal protein, not full of carbs (as many supermarket pet foods are). You will probably find she settles down better at night too, if you feed her a meal of wet food high in protein, at bedtime. 

Also, encourage her to be active during the evening, with interactive games, running around etc , as this too will mean she is more inclined to be quiet during the night when you are trying to sleep.


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## Treeza13 (Jan 20, 2013)

Hi, thank you both for replying.

She has not visited her litter tray _as much_ today, so maybe she is coming through that problem. No Emilyjane, she hasnt been crying whilst doing her business, so inclined to think she isnt in pain.

I had put 2 litter trays down with different 'stuff' in, one litter grit and one woodchip pellets, she just scattered them all around the room, so I removed one. (she always has had just one, so thought I was giving the issue too much attention if you get me).

I will try to make that broth chillminx, thank you for the info. What wet food do you recommend, I did buy tins but she wouldnt have that, so got her Felix pouches now.

I am wondering if I should get a cat flap, so she can go out when I arent in, what do you think. she would be a safe as any other cat, we arent directly on a main road, but obviously I would be worried... I just want my old happy cat back :cryin:


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

If it is pure anxiety, I found that Feliway hasn't worked for me. Why not try Zylkene instead? It's cheaper in the long run, and many PF members have reported success with it.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

If you have a safe garden and are located in a quiet area, then I would certainly consider getting a cat flap, so your cat has more independence. It might improve her self confidence.

However I wouldn't let her out at night as that is the time cats are most at danger of harm, statistically speaking.

If you are looking for a supermarket pet food, Hilife Poultry flavours in pouches are relatively high in meat content, as is Nature's Menu (though NM can be too rich for some cats). Otherwise maybe have a look on line at Zooplus, who sell lots of good quality wet foods for cats.

Pet Supplies, Pet Food, Dog Food, Cat Food and Pet Accessories at Zooplus


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## Treeza13 (Jan 20, 2013)

Thanks for replying.

Oh my... what a difference a day makes.... i thought we had come through the worst and she was on the mend, but today I had no choice but to go to my volunteering job and was out from 9am til 4pm, walked back in, and now she's back on the litter tray..


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

I am guessing that, if health problems have been eliminated, that she has been thrown by you being around over christmas, and is now suffering mega anxiety issues. 

Could you leave her a cosy old cardy of yours, or a blanket you have snuggled in, for her to cosy up in, while you are out?

The ideal would be to watch her on webcam while you are out, to see how she behaves then, but that is obviously not easy.

Does she have things to do while you are out? Toys/danglies/scratching post? Anything to occupy her.

However, if she is constantly getting in her tray and straining, even if she is silent, another trip to the vets is the way to go, as she is likely suffering from recurring cystitis, possibly caused by anxiety/missing you/being alone.

I sshe alright with the washing machine, hoover, etc or do these worry her?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Treeza, I would definitely try the Zylkene supplement that Carly recommended. I have found it can make a real difference when there are anxiety issues. You can buy it from the vet, or on line from pet pharmacies. It is not a drug, and is well tolerated. You open the capsule and sprinkle the contents on the cat's food. The taste is palatable to cats.


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