# Cat evicted at final straw



## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

Hi everyone and thanks in advance for your replies.

I'm at the end of my tether with one of our cats that we rescued from the streets of Sheffield. She's been with us for about 8 years after turning up one winters snowy night and we let her in through the cat flap that was already in the door when we moved in.

We checked for a chip and put up posters etc. but no one claimed her. We suspect she'd been processed by a Sheffield based feral cat charity who catch, spay/neuter and release as when we tried to use the voucher given to us by RSPCA the vets said she had already been spayed.

Anyway... she started spraying in the house and at first we thought she was just marking the place as her own since she'd not lived there before. We cleaned it up properly and installed some Feliway plugins. The spraying calmed down but she'd still spray on anything new we brought into the hose.

Fast-forward 5 years... we've moved house and got a 2nd cat. They tolerate each other very well and will sleep next to each on the settee when we've sat watching telly. They even play in the garden together once in a while. They have separate feeding areas, 3 litter trays, multiple plugins and can come and go as the please with our smart cat flap but.... she's still spraying. The new cat who was also a rescue and spayed at 2 years old while in the early stages of being pregnant has never sprayed once.

Anything new we bring into the hose, flowers, bags and rucksacks that we take out of the house and then bring back, never shoes though. She also sprays anywhere that the new cat sits even if she doesn't ever sit there and recently she sprayed on the bathroom bin, while I was sat on the toilet and into the back of my car when I left the boot open taking things into the house.

She must know it's wrong as she'll do it in front of us and immediately run out of the house and not come back for hours. When she sprays in the garden she doesn't run off at all and it seems she's only doing it in places to spite us / the other cat.

She's sprayed this morning on a rucksack which the other cat sat on top of last night for 10 minutes while I was eating my tea and it's all over the settee, the rucksack and everything else that was on the settee.

I've chased her out of the house and removed her from the cat flap memory so she can't get back in but I just don't know what to do now other than to buy a wendy house or something and to install a new cat flap and make her live outside / in the wendy house.

I feel terrible but I'm also really angry and sick of it.


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## sandy-cat (Feb 24, 2018)

You've had her for 8 years and you're putting her out of the house? This makes me really sad. You're her home. Have you had her chipped now and have you spoken to a vet about her behaviour? 

If you can't deal with her behaviour then please give her to a local cat rescue, don't just exile her from the house.


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## sandy-cat (Feb 24, 2018)

There's also a lot of guidance on this. It could be a medical or behavioural issue. A vet can help you with either.

https://www.petmd.com/cat/behavior/why-do-cats-spray
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/stop-your-cat-spraying-and-soiling-house

I'm genuinely trying to be polite here - I just don't understand how you have been putting up with this for 8 years without (as far as I can tell) consulting a vet?


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

So sad ,poor girl .
If you havnt already then I suggest you have her examined by your vet,no cat behaves the way you have described out of choice.
She is either ill or stressed.
If you cant or wont deal with this issue then you have to give her to a rescue ,you cant just abandoned her outdoors.


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## MaggieDemi (Nov 17, 2018)

It could be a UTI. Does she eat a lot of dry food? Maybe try switching to wet food and see if that stops it.


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## SpringDance (Mar 18, 2016)

Could be a UTI (should you be kicked out if you developed one?)
Could be stress (aren't we beginning to understand this more in humans nowadays?)

At the least you need to visit the vet. She's a cat, not a human and you need to take the time to understand her communication.

If all else fails, don’t kick her out, at least find a rescue who will take care of her.


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## MaggieDemi (Nov 17, 2018)

If it's a UTI, try getting some Amoxicillin from your vet, that should clear it up. And switch to canned food or at least have the majority of her diet as canned food. Let us know if this helps! Cats don't usually do these things on purpose, there's usually a medical reason for it.


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## Quartermass (Nov 25, 2016)

Some compassion for op is needed here. Under the stress and desperation caused by this situation people will get frustrated. All OP had done is temporarily keep the cat from keeping back in until a solution is found. 

I do agree with the advice to visit a vet, to switch from dry to try to rule out renal issues etc but please don't be so hard on OP who has a whole family to look after not just one cat and is trying his best.


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## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

Hi everyone

Just to put your mind at ease, I love both my cats, very much so and it really does break my heart to put one of them out of the house but I don't know what else I can do at this stage.

They both have the highest level of insurance possible and receive the highest quality of care possible. We've feed them on Applaws wet and dry cat food since we've got them although the cat who's causing the trouble has been on Hills Prescription Diet food for 2 years which we've bought without fail since she was diagnosed by the vets.

They both visit the vets every 6 months and both are up to date with all their shots, worming, flea, tick and every other treatment. They don't wear collars and we have a microchip cat flap so as they can come and go whenever they please.

Thy sleep with us in the bed, have loads of their own furniture and are given lots and lots of attention as I work from home most days. 

The cat who's causing the problem isn't displaying new behaviours, she's always sprayed, sometimes more and sometimes less however we've just put up with it until now. We've had her tested at the vets for a verity of issues which is how we found she had an overactive thyroid and needed the Hills Prescription Diet food. We've seen a behavioural specialist and carried out all of the recommendations they made but it hasn't stopped her spraying.

I appreciate you're looking out for the best interests of the cat and I myself volunteer for a local Facebook missing pets group with over 17,000 members. I have a microchip scanner and I have reunited stacks of people with lost pets and helped re-home found or unwanted pets from the whole of the Yorkshire but I just do not know what to do with my cat anymore.

I really do want to keep her and keep looking after her the best possible way I can but I can't have her spraying on everything in my house. It's horrible to wake up to and is costing me a fortune in replacing unwashable fabric items and removing the spray from my settees and everything else.

I appreciate all the help and suggestions and if giving her up is the only way for us both to be happy and for her to have the same level of care I've given her over the last 8 years then I'll do it. I'll even keep paying for all her needs I'm just at that place where I don't know what else I can try.


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## MaggieDemi (Nov 17, 2018)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> Hills Prescription Diet food.


Is that a dry food? That could be causing it.


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## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

MaggieDemi said:


> Is that a dry food? That could be causing it.


It could be but we've had her at the vets about 2 months ago and everything's fine. It's also not a new behaviour so she'd have to have been sick for the lat 8 years without anyone picking up on anything even when the vets did £800 worth of blood tests to rule out loads of stuff. And she was spraying while on wet food before the Hills Prescription Diet dry food too.

I'm beginning to suspect that before we rescued her she's been a feral cat who sprayed her territory while living on the streets and she's just never going to stop. I just need to find out if there's some kind of miracle chance that we haven't tried everything and we can get her to stop and we can all live happily.


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## MaggieDemi (Nov 17, 2018)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> she was spraying while on wet food before the Hills Prescription Diet dry food too.


Was she on all wet food, no dry food?


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## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

MaggieDemi said:


> Was she on all wet food, no dry food?


Yeah, half a tin of Applaws cat food day and night.


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## Quartermass (Nov 25, 2016)

Hmm. Are you aware that applaws is not complete food, it's supplemental? At least I'm near certain it's not complete.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

The Hills t/d is a horrible diet, and will probably eventually kill her as it is iodine deficient. Iodine is an essential nutrient for cats. This cat is likely in her senior years if she is hyperthyroid. Why not have the I-131 treatment done and put her back on a normal wet only low carb diet, for starters. Or just give her the medication for hyperthyroid treatment.

I agree it is cruel to shut her out of the house considering she is accustomed to sleeping with you and the other cat and is a part of the family.

Cats don't spray out of spite. She looks at you when she does it because she is trying to tell you something is wrong. She is doing it because something is wrong and this is the only way she knows how to communicate with you about it.

There is no test for stress induced cystitis. There is no way to determine if her urinary tract is continually inflamed. If you are feeding the dry Hills (which contains NO MEAT at all) is certainly causing inflamed bladder and urinary tract. It's extremely high in carbs besides which causes an alkaline environment both in the digestive tract and the badder.

Has the vet not offered the option of medication? I am not one to jump to drugs, but if drugs will keep this cat in her home, then it should be considered. Amitriptyline is often prescribed for these cases, or fluoxetine ( "kitty prozac".)

She will have to be kept inside or allowed out only in a cat safe area outside when beginning the medication. After she has been on it a while and you can observe how it affects her, once her body adjusts, perhaps she can be let to come and go freely again.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Having fantastic insurance and giving all the care money can buy cant and wont replace compassion .
Your poor cat is suffering either physically or mentally and shutting her out of her home is IMO cruel.
You either commit to finding out what is causing her to spray or you give her to someone who is willing to put some time into finding out what is wrong.
I don't mean this to sound harsh but it probably does,right now my concern is for your cat .
Would it be possible to confine her to a room that is easily cleaned , preferably with outdoor access as she is an indoor/outdoor cat at least until you try to find out what is causing her to spray


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@BobbyBrwnPants - I sympathise with your predicament, having myself lived with an adopted rescue cat who sprayed indoors. It is not easy.

Your cat has been thoroughly checked over by the vet for a physical problem causing the spraying and nothing has been found to account for it. And you have tried feeding her a diet of wet food only, no dry food, which made no difference to how much she sprayed. Then you are left with the likelihood that it is a behavioural problem that she acquired while living rough (before you adopted her).

Unfortunately not all such acquired 'anti-social' behaviour in the house ceases once a cat has been neutered, particularly if she was not spayed until quite a while after reaching sexual maturity. The behaviour becomes a habit, almost second nature, and such a habit is hard to break.

Plus, the cat may be spraying copiously not just to scent mark but also to comfort herself whenever she feels insecure or stressed. Some cats do this. Who knows what her history is, she may always have had an anxious nature, but her life experiences as a stray can't have been pleasant.

You mention she has been with you about 8 years and presumably wasn't a kitten when she arrived, so she could well be aged about 10 or even 11 possibly. In which case she is approaching her senior years and her behaviour is unlikely to change much now, being realistic. She has reached the point in her life where she will need extra care and I think for her to live outdoors in a shed or Wendy house is not really going to be the best thing for her, even if you heat it for her in winter. For one thing she is going to be lonely without much human contact and this may cause her to wander off and become a stray again. 

The way I managed my situation was to restrict my cat's access to a couple of rooms in the house - the kitchen and the downstairs utility room both of which had tiled floors which were easy to mop clean daily. It was not ideal for my cat, but he managed to adapt to these limitations quite well. It was certainly an improved situation for me.

I also put him on a long-term course of Zylkene ( a supplement) which while it did not stop all the spraying, certainly reduced it to a more manageable level. He seemed to be much less stressed and I was less stressed by the situation too. Perhaps because I was calmer, he sensed my changed mood and it helped him feel calmer. Cats are highly sensitive to our moods.

My cat was about 13 when I adopted him and the way I looked at it was that he was not going to be with me forever, and so my aim was to manage the situation and look after him as well as I could for the rest of his life. He went to the Bridge at the age of 17.


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## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

Without being rude and with the upmost of respect, you’re all on your arses if you think I’m some sort of compassionless monster and I don’t really have to justify myself to you all.

Your theories are flawed in that despite the changes in her food over the last 8 years and over 30 trips to the vets and behavioural specialists she’s carried on spraying regardless.

There’s no need to question my ability to care for my cats or my willingness to resolve the issue. Let’s have more suggestions of what I can or might not have tried already and hopefully we’ll get to the bottom of it as I love her dearly and really want her to stay.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Okay I'm out,


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Perhaps you ought to read your thread again. I see many helpful suggestions here that you have not tried from medication to diet improvement to modifications you can make in the home to ways to help you understand what is happening with your cat..

We want to help the cat.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

I know you must be feeling very frustrated and helpless,it's a sad and difficult situation.
You must realise that members here are passionate about pet welfare and will generally consider the pet's needs first and foremost. I had a female cat that sprayed ,it smells horrible doesn't it! Her main target was plastic bags.
To be fair you've had some really good advice and ideas to try, but if you feel that you can't carry on with the situation and it's damaging family life there's no shame in surrendering her to a rescue. You would need to act quickly though, as rescues will be full of kittens in the next few weeks.
Can I suggest that you try some of these suggestions and then come back with an update ?


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## SpencerK (Apr 15, 2012)

No need to be so defensive, people are offering sound advice. I do not like the "chased her out of the house". Immediately you have alienated her, making this situation worse. I would put her into a rescue and let someone else try to sort this problem out.


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## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

OK, so she doesn't do oral medication very well and I'm a total wuss so can't force her to take it.
The best course of action is for me is to swap her onto the Hills Prescription Diet wet food and see what happens?

P.S. I couldn't just leave her outside all night, she slept like she always does on the bed.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> OK, so she doesn't do oral medication very well and I'm a total wuss so can't force her to take it.


 You can learn to medicate her. And she will learn to accept it. It all depends on how motivated you are to help her. Of course you want her to stay with her family so I would think you would be highly motivated. 

Or you can use transdermal medications. (They get rubbed into the ear flap) It's quite possible that a course of something like amitriptyline would give her a chance to break the habit, feel less stressed and eventually go off it. All traces of urine would have to be eliminated of course.


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> Your theories are flawed


I sympathise with your situation, as I've been there; but if you go on to a public forum for opinions/advice, you will not necessarily get the advice you want. Several people have taken a lot of time and thought to reply to your posts.


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## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

OK, so while I'm at the vets getting some anxiety medication sorted out would anyone recommend radioactive iodine therapy for the Hyperthyroidism? And once that's all sorted I'll go back to feeding her half a tin of wet senior Applaws at night and senior biscuits in the morning like I was before putting her on the Hills Proscription dry. Unless there's a better quality food for her?

She's a bit food obsessive too, I always joke that we could probably get her to do the ironing if we bribed her with food 

P.S. We don't quite know how old she is but we've been told she's about 11 or 12 ish


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@BobbyBrwnPants - yes, her age is around what I had guessed at, so just as I said she is a cat approaching her senior years and will need extra care from now on.

I really do consider my earlier reply to you was sympathetic, and gave you sensible advice as to how to manage the cat's spraying problem. I am sorry you don't agree.

The Zylkene supplement I recommended for calming the cat comes in capsule form and you open the capsule and mix the contents in her food. There is no need to force the capsules down her throat. The taste of Zylkene is acceptable to cats.

Also, I would not buy it from the vet, it will be expensive. Instead buy it from an online vet pharmacy or from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zylkene-75mg-20-Capsules/dp/B00K06MAK2/ref=sr_1_3?crid=10FAIN8FSOKYS&keywords=zylkene+75mg+for+cats&qid=1555501610&s=gateway&sprefix=zylkene+,aps,135&sr=8-3

Or there is another product with similar effect called Yucalm of which the contents are also added to food.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lintbells-YuCALM-Calming-Capsules-Cats/dp/B07D4R4W2T/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=LTT4MQH1E4D7&keywords=yucalm+cat&qid=1555501673&s=gateway&sprefix=yucalm,aps,129&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

I still say that restricting your cat to the kitchen, giving her Zylkene OR Yucalm and giving her 24/7 access to the outdoors is the best way to manage the situation.

And yes, radioactive iodine therapy treatment for her HyperT is a good choice, if the vet thinks she is a suitable candidate for it. HyperT can cause intense anxiety, and this will certainly be contributing to her stress and therefore increasing her spraying tendencies, as she tries to comfort herself.


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## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

chillminx said:


> I really do consider my earlier reply to you was sympathetic, and gave you sensible advice as to how to manage the cat's spraying problem. I am sorry you don't agree.


It was very helpful, thank you. I think my post was typed and posted before the page had refreshed and yours was visible. Putting my cat outside was stressing me out but bringing her back inside and her spraying in the house again before I washed the settee was also stressing me out.



chillminx said:


> The Zylkene supplement I recommended for calming the cat comes in capsule form and you open the capsule and mix the contents in her food. There is no need to force the capsules down her throat. The taste of Zylkene is acceptable to cats.


Zylkene ordered for delivery tomorrow. If I could only find a subscription service for it so we never ran out.



chillminx said:


> And yes, radioactive iodine therapy treatment for her HyperT is a good choice, if the vet thinks she is a suitable candidate for it. HyperT can cause intense anxiety, and this will certainly be contributing to her stress and therefore increasing her spraying tendencies, as she tries to comfort herself.


I've asked my vet to refer me to a practice that will asses her and perform the radioactive iodine therapy if she's suitable for it.

Thanks


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## Jackie C (Feb 16, 2016)

I can sympathise why you are very frustrated with your cats behaviour. There is some excellent advice here, which is worth trying, and I hope some of the solutions/ideas you've posted you're doing work for her.

She might be too old to change her behaviour completely, it could potentially _lessen_. Cats often spray due to territorial anxiety, and some behavioral treatments might work. Jackson Galaxy is a cat behaviourist, and frequently deals with cat peeing/spraying. 
Jackson speaks of it here:
Watch here: 



He also does other videos on the issue:





There is also this guy, who talks about spraying. He talks about the environmental stressors. 




And here: 




I know peeing outside the box and spraying are not quite the same, and these might not be solution, and you may have tried all this, but it might give you ideas.


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## Quartermass (Nov 25, 2016)

buffie said:


> Having fantastic insurance and giving all the care money can buy cant and wont replace compassion .
> Your poor cat is suffering either physically or mentally and shutting her out of her home is IMO cruel.
> You either commit to finding out what is causing her to spray or you give her to someone who is willing to put some time into finding out what is wrong.
> I don't mean this to sound harsh but it probably does,right now my concern is for your cat .
> Would it be possible to confine her to a room that is easily cleaned , preferably with outdoor access as she is an indoor/outdoor cat at least until you try to find out what is causing her to spray


I think this was completely out of line and not only was it not helpful, but it was harmful.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Quartermass said:


> I think this was completely out of line and not only was it not helpful, but it was harmful.


We don't see things in the same way that has become clear so rather than continue an argument I will leave you to your thoughts .


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## MilleD (Feb 15, 2016)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> OK, so while I'm at the vets getting some anxiety medication sorted out would anyone recommend radioactive iodine therapy for the Hyperthyroidism? And once that's all sorted I'll go back to feeding her half a tin of wet senior Applaws at night and senior biscuits in the morning like I was before putting her on the Hills Proscription dry. Unless there's a better quality food for her?
> 
> She's a bit food obsessive too, I always joke that we could probably get her to do the ironing if we bribed her with food
> 
> P.S. We don't quite know how old she is but we've been told she's about 11 or 12 ish


Can you bin the dry completely?

If you do, the hydration she will get will be much better.

However, if you do that, you would need to choose a complete wet food, which Applaws isn't.


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## MilleD (Feb 15, 2016)

Quartermass said:


> I think this was completely out of line and not only was it not helpful, but it was harmful.


Why?


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## Quartermass (Nov 25, 2016)

MilleD said:


> Why?


I'm disappointed that I need to explain it.

In a single post OP was called cruel. OP was told he wasn't compassionate to his cat. And told to give up his cat.

He's come here clearly upset, clearly trying to find help for his cat and while there's been a lot of very useful help, there's also been a lot of swipes at him. Personal attacks are not helpful. They're not even warranted here either, clearly OP is not cruel, clearly he's upset because he loves his cat and his family and wants to find a way forward.

I'm stunned that I need to explain this.


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## MilleD (Feb 15, 2016)

Quartermass said:


> I'm disappointed that I need to explain it.
> 
> In a single post OP was called cruel. OP was told he wasn't compassionate to his cat. And told to give up his cat.
> 
> ...


Are you really? 

I don't see anything that was said that was 'harmful'. That's why I asked.

People care about cats around here, and the threat of making one live outside can make people reply maybe slightly insensitively, but that's not 'harmful'.


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## Quartermass (Nov 25, 2016)

It's yet another thread where people queue up to have a go at someone. Sure the advice is great but it's absolutely not worth the advice if the price you have to pay is to be belittled. 

No wonder OP was offended.


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## MilleD (Feb 15, 2016)

Quartermass said:


> It's yet another thread where people queue up to have a go at someone. Sure the advice is great but it's absolutely not worth the advice if the price you have to pay is to be belittled.
> 
> No wonder OP was offended.


You don't think useful advice - that the OP seems to have not tried yet - has been given?

There's loads here, lots of things to try before evicting (OPs word, not mine) her.


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## Quartermass (Nov 25, 2016)

I don't think calling him cruel forms any part of useful advice.

But I'm off though. This forum is not enjoyable and has become downright unpleasant.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

MilleD said:


> Are you really?
> 
> I don't see anything that was said that was 'harmful'. That's why I asked.
> 
> People care about cats around here, and the threat of making one live outside can make people reply maybe slightly insensitively, but that's not 'harmful'.


I was a bit confused by the "harmful" bit too as for the rest of it I stand by what I said .
I do think it is cruel to chase a cat out of the house and remove its ability to return indoors .


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Quartermass said:


> I'm disappointed that I need to explain it.
> 
> In a single post OP was called cruel. OP was told he wasn't compassionate to his cat. And told to give up his cat.
> 
> ...


I have reread this thread very carefully and no one has called the OP cruel. A couple of us have said that shutting the cat out of the house is cruel. It is. It is the act that is being called cruel, not the person.

@BobbyBrwnPants I would absolutely recommend the I-131 therapy if she is well enough to have it. And I would again urge you to discuss medication to help her with stress with your vet. And get her on a complete, all wet, low carb diet. A cat fed a species appropriate diet will feel much better over all, which will help with her success.


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## Jonescat (Feb 5, 2012)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> Fast-forward 5 years... we've moved house and got a 2nd cat. .


I think that is your problem - she is marking like a crazy thing because of those two factors. Quite how you deal with it I am not sure - can you restrict her to just some of the house? Can you "timeshare" space with them so that they aren't very often together? Can you give her a space that is hers, that your other cat is not allowed in and that you don't change much so it just smells of her?


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## sandy-cat (Feb 24, 2018)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> Without being rude and with the upmost of respect, you're all on your arses if you think I'm some sort of compassionless monster and I don't really have to justify myself to you all.
> 
> Your theories are flawed in that despite the changes in her food over the last 8 years and over 30 trips to the vets and behavioural specialists she's carried on spraying regardless.
> 
> There's no need to question my ability to care for my cats or my willingness to resolve the issue. Let's have more suggestions of what I can or might not have tried already and hopefully we'll get to the bottom of it as I love her dearly and really want her to stay.


Hi @BobbyBrwnPants - sorry I'm coming back to this thread after it has moved on a bit. Just wanted to say that your later posts give a lot more context as to what you've been doing to try and care for the cat - the original post wasn't clear that you had been taking her to the vet and trying to resolve the issue and that was what really concerned me - it came across as though you'd just decided you couldn't cope and had put her outside rather than try to help her. Clearly you have been trying to deal with the issue which is a huge relief to hear 

@chillminx is a wonderful source of help and advice and I'd definitely listen to her suggestions. I also agree with @lorilu that a grain-free, wet diet would be great if you can get her onto it. If you can't, any wet diet is better than an all-dry one, in general, but there are also better quality dry foods out there than Hills - Orijen for example is grain-free and 85% meat. To help with moisture intake you could try cat soups - my cat absolutely loves the new Cosma chicken & pumpkin soup from Zooplus as a complementary food.

Really really hope you manage to resolve this. Best of luck.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

I'm glad to see that this is back on track.
Personal arguments about different interpretations are never helpful to the OP so perhaps we could leave them out ?


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## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

Loads of great posts here now... Thanks everyone.

The house we live in won't allow us to restrict the cat anywhere. There's no doors on any of the rooms downstairs except the bathroom and cupboards #OpenPlan. There's 3 rooms upstairs with doors but... She won't stay in just one of them. The other cat can open doors and will let her out in minutes if she hears her crying behind one. We were very impressed at first but now it's annoying having to hang towels from the door handles to stop Adolph Catler opening doors and the big cat going in and marking.

I've had confirmation from my insurer that the RadioIodine treatment is fully covered (told you it was the best policy possible) and I've found a place in Derbyshire that offers it. I'll get a referral today.

I've ordered the anxiety meds for delivery today too so we'll start tham tonight.

Does anyone know if the Hill's Prescription Diet Feline y/d wet food is complete? Until after the RadioIodine we'll be best to stick to the medicated diet.

Also, my other cat, the one in my photo is currently just on Applaws dry food. What's the best alternative complete wet food for me to feed her. She's not fussy and has perfect health / behaviour etc.

Thanks again


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## Babyshoes (Jul 1, 2016)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> ...
> We were very impressed at first but now it's annoying having to hang towels from the door handles to stop Adolph Catler opening doors and the big cat going in and marking.
> ...
> Also, my other cat, the one in my photo is currently just on Applaws dry food. What's the best alternative complete wet food for me to feed her. She's not fussy and has perfect health / behaviour etc.


Firstly, I love the name! Is it a nickname or her actual name?

Secondly, if your cat isn't fussy, I'd suggest a rotation of various grain & sugar free, high meat wet foods - different brands and flavours. This not only avoids boredom, but also means that if one brand is unavailable or changes the recipe so your cat suddenly dislikes it, you have alternatives. I like being able to get food for my boys at the supermarket because I'm not very organised and if I was only buying online I'd almost certainly run out at some point! I've mentioned a few regulars in my rotation below.

Butchers tins - very cheap "meat and animal derivatives" but at least it all comes from an animal, with no filler carbohydrates or sugars. The price is very similar to much crappier brands that are full of sugars, carbs and plant protein. This allows me to offset the cost of the more expensive sachets they love. The large 400g tins weren't so good when I just had one cat though, he'd get bored with the same food 3 meals in a row... It's chunks of "meaty stuff" in jelly. Often has too much jelly.

Sainsbury's "Delicious" comes in both shredded and pate varieties, and is also free of filler carbs and sugars. It's one of the best quality to price ratios I've found. I like to use the pate for breakfast as I can add water to ensure they're getting enough fluids.

Purr and Miaow is a new one on the market, a bit pricey but the best I've seen for avoiding unnecessary ingredients, and my boys all love it.

There is a list somewhere in the cat nutrition section of the forums of the better foods available online. Tbh, these days I can just glance at the ingredients section, and if a food avoids sugars and anything high in carbs (grains, potato etc), I'll get a few sachets for my boys to try. If they like it, I'll decide how often to feed it based on nutrition and price...


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## BobbyBrwnPants (Apr 12, 2015)

Babyshoes said:


> Firstly, I love the name! Is it a nickname or her actual name?


It's just a nickname we gave her when she started hunting. The biggest thing we've had is an adult wood pigeon at the bottom of the stairs and an adult squirrel which she dumped in the garden. The wife called her Tasha when we got her but Adolph Catler is just how I refer to her to other people.



Babyshoes said:


> There is a list somewhere in the cat nutrition section of the forums of the better foods available online.


I'll have a look for it and see what I can subscribe to. I wouldn't eat anything that was rubbish so I'm not really keen on doing the same to the cats. I have defiantly been educated as to the importance of wet food over dry now though.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Check with the I-131 center. They may want him on a normal diet for some weeks before the treatment.

The y/d is not complete. It lacks iodine. And if you're feeding the dry - it has no meat. I find it telling that Hills feels the need to add the word "safe" in their description of this diet. Not complete, "safe". It is anything but safe.

Dry: (28.5% carbs DMB)

_Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat, Whole Grain Corn, Soybean Mill Run, Egg Product, Chicken Liver Flavor, L-Lysine, Potassium Citrate, Lactic Acid, Dicalcium Phosphate, Fish Oil, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, DL-Methionine, Taurine, L-Tryptophan, Brewers Dried Yeast, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement), minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate), L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene
_
Wet (31% carbs)

_Water, Pork Liver, Pork By-Products, Chicken, Corn Flour, Rice, Chicken Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor, Powdered Cellulose, Calcium Carbonate, Fish Oil, Natural Flavor, L-Lysine, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin), Guar Gum, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Salt, Cysteine, Dicalcium Phosphate, L-Carnitine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate), Beta-Carotene.

_


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## Jackie C (Feb 16, 2016)

Any wet food is preferable to even the best dry food. Dry food can lead to chronic dehydration and kidney damage later in life. Unfortunately, dry food is addictive, and many people find it difficult to wean their cats off it. If your cat takes to wet food straight away, that's fine, but she probably won't. You'll have to make the transition slowly, ie: adding wet food to her dry, and slowly increasing the wet food. There are so many wet foods out there, it's very difficult to understand what is good and what is "bad".

There is a thread here https://bit.ly/2KK7701 that will take you through all the good brands on offer on-line, but it's still a mind field!! If you look at the "Cat Nutrition and Health", there are a few topics on cat food. Cats are obligate carnivores, so don't need the grain/carbs/sugar etc that most cat foods contain.

TBH, though, if you can get your cat on _any_ complete wet food, it's still better than dry. My Holly is a fussy girl when it comes to cat food, in that she only really likes cheap, nasty Felix "as good as it looks", but her diet is 70 or 80% raw meat, anyway, so I'm not bothered. (I add a supplement to the raw meat, so it's 'complete'). And she goes bonkers for the raw meat I give her, in that she snaffles it in seconds. Often cats like something that stinks, so something smelly is often good.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@BobbyBrwnPants - if your other cat, Tasha, can open doors, I advise turning the handles upside down so you have to push them upwards to open the door. I have done that with the lever handles in my house and I have yet to find a cat who can master pushing a handle upwards. If your house is a rental property you won't be causing any damage by turning the handles upside down, as they can easily be put back the other way, should you move out.

Or an alternative is to replace the lever handles with the knob type handles, which Tasha would not be able to turn as they need gripping to turn them.

If you could keep doors closed (where practical) so that your spraying cat is kept out of some rooms it would take a lot of pressure off you. I would especially want to keep her out of bedrooms as anxious cats with a proclivity for soiling/spraying often love scent marking their owners' beds.

Downstairs, if you want to restrict the areas to which she has access, you could do so by using free standing room dividers. I used these in my last house, to keep the cats at one end of the large living room sometimes. The room dividers need to have no gap underneath, be too smooth for a cat to climb, and heavy enough for a cat not to be able to push them open/over.

If the cat flap is located in the kitchen, your cat will be better limited to the kitchen, so she has the freedom to come and go as she pleases. Restricting her to another room where she can't access the cat flap is not likely to work, as you've found.


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## Annealise (Nov 29, 2015)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> Loads of great posts here now... Thanks everyone.
> 
> I've had confirmation from my insurer that the RadioIodine treatment is fully covered (told you it was the best policy possible) and I've found a place in Derbyshire that offers it. I'll get a referral today.
> Thanks again


What insurance company do you use please?

You really have had ' your work cut out' with your cat. I hope you manage to sort things out.


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

BobbyBrwnPants said:


> Adolph Catler


 Haha!! :Cat When I took one of my boys to be castrated, it transpired he only had one testicle, and my neighbour asked me with a smirk if I would be changing his name to Adolf! Yours does have a great moustache.


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## Gallifreyangirl (Feb 11, 2015)

@BobbyBrwnPants good to see you taking peoples comments on board here. I can only sympathize and imagine the stress your going through with your cat. i would still sugges @chillminx has great recommendations and knows her stuff.


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