# Cat attacking after litter change



## faintaxis (Feb 9, 2014)

Hi all,

I'm new here but badly need some advice for my misbehaving kitty!

I've got a 3.5 year old black cat who is generally well mannered, loves attention and is constantly fishing for attention and a tickle on the cheeks, but he goes absolutely mental when his litter is being changed/has been changed, to the point where he chases to bite and scratch anyone who passes, including me of course. Right now he's on house arrest (locked out of the rooms we are in) after just attacking my partner walking around the house - we had to lock the cat in one room and me in another where I changed the litter to stop him going mad at me but it was no use... as soon as we let him out and walked out he went mad.

Any idea how to stop the cat from doing this? At first locking him out of the kitchen whilst I changed the litter helped but clearly not this time - but he can't carry on doing this as each time he is drawing a lot of blood and it's not acceptable.


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

How odd 


Is it when you do a full litter change or everytime you clean out the tray?


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

re-reading I suspect a full change 

How often do you change his litter box?


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## faintaxis (Feb 9, 2014)

Yeah it was a full change, I had to switch litter recently because I couldn't find CatSan (which is what he used to use) but have since found some and changed it back but he still went mad.

I change his litter box every week or less - he goes quite regularly and so after a few days it's beginning to look nasty and smell so I change it (as it can't be very pleasant for him). I also scoop out the poop after he's done it - which he doesn't mind.


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

My suggestion would be to try one of the better quality clumping ones

Like this Golden Grey Cat Litter: on Sale now at zooplus

Now - before you faint at the cost, it might seem expensive BUT it lasts AGES 

I use 1 bag in the tray - it has to be really deep to work properly - and then the 2nd bag does for top ups for at least 3 months 

The liquids will form pebbles that can easily be removed as well as the poops

If you keep it deep enough so it clumps properly and clean regularly you should only need to do a full change at most every 3 months (and I know many leave it longer)


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## faintaxis (Feb 9, 2014)

Lilylass said:


> My suggestion would be to try one of the better quality clumping ones
> 
> Like this Golden Grey Cat Litter: on Sale now at zooplus
> 
> ...


To be honest the cost isn't that far off from CatSan!  Thanks for the pointer - will order some soon!

Any idea how I can try and stop this behaviour at all? Even if I change it less regularly I'd like to save my legs from being bitten off :laugh:


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

Sounds to me a bit like a behaviour that began as some kind of protest that has become a habit and is escalating because you have to react to protect yourself by locking him away for your own safety. 

The way I go with litter is the exact opposite, ultra cheap and full change daily. That sounds too scary with him behaving this way but then again if he continues to act the same way but litter changes are only every 3 months, that hasn't solved the issue, only made it less frequent, and could continue to escalate to a really serious attack. 

Have you tried saving a little soiled litter and once you've cleaned the tray put it back on the top so it is still his scent and his territory?

Also do I understand right that he's always done this but it's now getting worse? Or can you pinpoint any change in his life at the time when this behaviour first started?


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Sorry has me stumped - all I can think of is that, for whatever reason, having clean litter (which will mean it doesn't smell of him) makes him feel insecure

Has he always done it?

What's his background?

Just thinking if he was a rescue / came from a multi-cat household then litter trays may have been an issue in the past and he's not quite got over them

If you decide to go down the clumping route above and you only needed to do a change every 3 months or so, you could try some Zyklene for a couple of days before you do the change and for a couple of days afterwards

It's fantastic stuff - works well from anything to firework stress to going in the carrier, moving home, just being stressed generally etc

More info here

Zylkene Home Page

Good prices usually on here

Search results for zyklene - Animed Direct


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## faintaxis (Feb 9, 2014)

Well I actually got him a couple of months back from someone who wanted to get rid of him so I adopted him. He was initially very scared but we got him used to the house. He doesn't like one of my housemates (as the housemate is used to cats he can pick up, Sammy doesn't like being picked up and so got very scared) but loves me and is always in my room sleeping on my bed or just toddling around exploring and searching for attention.

I'm not in contact with the previous owner to find out wether he did it before but I don't think he did. He also didn't seem to do it the first couple of times (though that may have been because he was too scared).


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

mmmmmm probably something that's happened in the past then 

Once he realises he's safe and nothing bad's going to happen when the tray is changed he might 'grow out of it' so to speak or he might never like it

I'd def give the longer lasting clumping litter a try & the Zyklene a go when you do need to do it - at least that way, you won't have to worry about it every week & also, if it's not happening so often, he may be more relaxed about it when it does 

Ohhhh - welcome to PF


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

Lilylass said:


> mmmmmm probably something that's happened in the past then
> 
> Once he realises he's safe and nothing bad's going to happen when the tray is changed he might 'grow out of it' so to speak or he might never like it


Only it's already escalating at the moment 

Personally I'd want to try and identify what aspect of changing the litter is his problem, I'm already trying to think up different ways to test this out.

If it is territorial and the clean litter no longer smells of him, then as already suggested putting a spoonful of wet litter and one small nugget back in the clean tray would start to see him calmer, so that would be where to start working with him.

If he goes in it just fine it's not that he hates the type of litter and I'm not convinced that would address the behaviour, only make it happen less often, but the intensity of his attacks could reach dangerous.

Maybe he hates the noise the litter makes when it's being poured out of the bag, maybe that has a bad association for him. In that case if he goes out, try waiting till he's out of the house, or take it outside and far away to change it and see if he reacts the same way.

I think OP is at crisis point here, where cat and person have to be separated for safety and this only delays the attack. This is escalation and has got to be addressed before someone gets badly hurt.

Once you've identified whether it's clean litter, or someone touching his tray, or the smell of disinfectant, or the noise of litter being poured, or whatever it is that sets him off, then there will be a way to help him see step by step that nothing bad happens. At the moment he is not seeing that and is feeling more and more threatened. Cats cannot be desensitised purely by continued exposure, you have to be more subtle than that with them.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

One of mine hates a full change. I use cats best / oko plus and when it is fresh from the bag it has a nice fresh odour that must mask his scent. He digs like crazy, runs round the house, jumps back in, kicks litter all over the place; clearly not pleased. Sometimes he'll sleep in the new tray. It all seems quite territorial.

I haven't done a full change for months now. I have two trays, each with 15-20 litres of litter (ie very deep) and I just scoop every time a tray is used and top up every couple of days. Obviously, they have to be fully changed occasionally but I plan just to do one at a time and less frequently than is usually recommended.


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## faintaxis (Feb 9, 2014)

One thing my sister (who's had a couple of female cats, but not male cats) suggested was to get him neutered as he's not yet neutered - I'm not sure if it would help but I am wondering if it is worth a try.

The funniest thing is today, he didn't actually hear the litter being changed. We intentionally put the TV on loudly so he couldn't hear anything and then let him out after it was changed - it was at that point he'd noticed it had been changed and then attacked.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

Seriously, you are keeping a 3 year old un-neutered male cat in the house. Why on earth would you do that?


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## faintaxis (Feb 9, 2014)

Satori said:


> Seriously, you are keeping a 3 year old un-neutered male cat in the house. Why on earth would you do that?


Errr.. sorry?

His previous owner didn't neuter him and this is my first cat. I didn't realise they are meant to be neutered.


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## Jesthar (May 16, 2011)

faintaxis said:


> Errr.. sorry?
> 
> *His previous owner didn't neuter him *and this is my first cat. I didn't realise they are meant to be neutered.


Ah, that's unfortunate - you need to get him done ASAP, then. It'll take a few months to fully settle his hormones, but it should calm him down a heck of a lot!

Un-neutered males are aggressively territorial (my 8yo spayed girl spent several weeks in a cone collar last year after an un-neutered male bit her on the tail and left her with bone deep abcesses - this happened literally just outside my back door!), and the longer a male is left un-neutered, the greater a chance it stands of developing terminal illnesses like cancer. Their wee also stinks to high heaven for scent marking purposes, which may account for his violence when you change the litter tray, as you are removing his scent marks.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

faintaxis said:


> Errr.. sorry?
> 
> His previous owner didn't neuter him and this is my first cat. I didn't realise they are meant to be neutered.


Didn't realise you had only just got him.


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Neutering def could help and I agree with whats been said that he may well see the tray being changed as removing (what he sees) his scent marking & letting other cats know he's there! 

TBH it will make him a lot calmer and easier to handle as well as the health benefits of doing it 

It will take away all the 'urges' they have and, should he get out by any chance, mean there's less risk of him wandering far (in search of females) and getting hurt in fights


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## Citrineblue (Sep 28, 2012)

I would possibly go down the route suggested by Lilylass regarding litter, use one of the mega long lasting clumping ones. We use Worlds Best and Natures calling. Generally you use a deep layer and just remove soiled litter then top up. If you need a total change my suggestion would be to hold some of the old litter back and sprinkle it on top so his smell is incorporated into the litter. A course of zyklene could also calm him at this time especially on the irregularity it is needed with clumping litter. 

Definately neuter. He will be a much calmer boy after a few weeks and his wee will have less odour. It will certainly reduce his need to spray to nothing or almost nothing, if it is a habit.

These litters do look expensive but I originally used Catsan and even with constant litter watch and removal the litter stank after a few days, whereas with the clumping, the wee clumps as well as the pooh, so you remove the urine and the smell ASAP. It is a load cheaper honestly we have five cats!!


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

faintaxis said:


> One thing my sister (who's had a couple of female cats, but not male cats) suggested was to get him neutered as he's not yet neutered - I'm not sure if it would help but I am wondering if it is worth a try.
> 
> The funniest thing is today, he didn't actually hear the litter being changed. We intentionally put the TV on loudly so he couldn't hear anything and then let him out after it was changed - it was at that point he'd noticed it had been changed and then attacked.


Yes after a few weeks you will see a totally new and wonderful cat. Better for him and you to get him neutered as soon as practical, for a million and one reasons not just the litter tray issue.

Ok so that's one possible cause eliminated, good work! That is not meant to be in any way patronising  And neutering fingers crossed could be the answer, but may not be the whole story. If it was my cat I'd still be trying things while you're waiting to get him done and for the hormones to settle.

In OP's defence I'll say that Henry (pic below) walked in to our house aged 3 as an entire tom. We traced his owner who said their house was noisy so they weren't surprised he wanted to leave as he liked a quiet life, so we could keep him. We had him done, but in the meantime he was no trouble, no spraying or anti-social behaviour at all. He was and still is a gentle and loving creature.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I agree with the others, your cat's behaviour is territorial, and is being made far more so by the fact he is not neutered, so I advise getting him castrated a.s.a.p. (amazed the previous owner did not have him done - was she using him as a stud?)

I was in fact going to suggest what Satori has suggested. i.e. give your cat 
2 litter trays and only ever do a complete change on one tray at a time. This will mean you are not taking away all his scent and threatening his sense of security. 

When you do a change take the tray right away and do it out of his sight. Then when bring it back with clean litter in, add a scoop of litter out of the old tray to the new tray. His scent will then be in both of them.


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## faintaxis (Feb 9, 2014)

Little sod has been attacking me and now the other housemates who he was friendly with. Will have to see if the vets can do anything to help!!


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## Jesthar (May 16, 2011)

faintaxis said:


> Little sod has been attacking me and now the other housemates who he was friendly with. Will have to see if the vets can do anything to help!!


They can start by neutering him ASAP, that needs to be the priority. Things are unlikely to improve whilst he is still an entire male. Might as well ask if they will clip his claws good and short whilst he is under, too!


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

faintaxis said:


> Errr.. sorry?
> 
> His previous owner didn't neuter him and this is my first cat. I didn't realise they are meant to be neutered.


For future reference, *all *cats except those being used in pedigree breeding programs should be neutered by 6 months at the oldest.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

faintaxis said:


> Yeah it was a full change, I had to switch litter recently because I couldn't find CatSan (which is what he used to use) but have since found some and changed it back but he still went mad.
> 
> I change his litter box every week or less - he goes quite regularly and so after a few days it's beginning to look nasty and smell so I change it (as it can't be very pleasant for him). I also scoop out the poop after he's done it - which he doesn't mind.


You should be scooping out both pee and poop every day. Then you won't need to change it out so often. Have two litter boxes for him, so he always has one available, even when you are dumping.

And absolutely, get him neutered. I know you didn't know, but how anyone (previous owners) could live with an un-neutered cat si beyond me. the smell must be terrible. Neutered male urine doesn't smell like that.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

I have two cats, but one is an outdoor cat (neutered 3 year old male) and the other is a firm 'I'm indoor, I'll use the litter tray' type, even though she'll pop outside to play in good weather. So I only keep one litter tray for her and use Oko which lasts ages. 
Its stumped me that he was attacking until I saw further down that he's still unneutered and he's 3 years old - that explains a lot! Neutered cats still do display some territory signs (mainly to other cats) but they shouldn't go to the full extent of attacking humans every time their marking area is changed. Otherwise Tiger will be attacking me left right and centre lol.


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## Dante (Feb 21, 2011)

faintaxis said:


> Little sod has been attacking me and now the other housemates who he was friendly with. Will have to see if the vets can do anything to help!!


I suggest until you can take him to the vets that you leave him well alone in one room with water, food and his tray. Only go in when necessary. From personal experience, my cats always need a good 24 - 48 hours solitary time to calm down and even then they're normally still sketchy. I think it's in our nature to want to keep checking to see if they're okay, but I find this only winds them up more. From your posts it seems like the attacks are escalating and happening every time he sees you, which suggests to me he's starting to always associate you with his fear/anger which you definitely don't want.


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## moggiemum (Mar 28, 2013)

best wishes to you all  xx
por cat needs a lot of time love trust and patience , good advice given already , dont resent him for this its not his fault he is very sad scared confused , please , come back for more advice very experienced people here to help have helped in every situation you could imagine xx


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