If it's not one thing, it's another....

[Gaina]

Billy is generally fine now after his vaccine reaction, but 3 times this week he has urinated and defecated indoors (I'm not sure if the wee was the 'marking/spraying' or 'toilet' variety as I can't get upstairs myself).

He has a clean litter box available to him, but he has 'gone' in the spare bedroom upstairs and twice on the landing at the top of the stairs.

He's been eating for NATO this week, but I think this is because he was literally starving when we found him in our garden, and the minute he gets hungry he acts like he's never going to be fed again and so with him eating practically nothing for 2 days last weekend he's been shovelling it in. He's also partial to a drink of milk, and I'm going to with-hold that for a few days until I'm sure his system is completely settled down.

Now, for the indelicate part. 'It' is a bit runny with 'normal' poo in it. He's cheerful, eating well and showing no signs of ill health, so I just don't know what to do.

One thing I can tell you is that last week (before he showed signs of being ill) unbeknown to us, he wanted to use the litter box and there was a stack of boxes next to his tray, so he went on the landing.

Today we left him for an hour, but he had access to his tray and still went upstairs.

Anyone got any ideas?

[yola]

Can you just give me a bit of history here? Sorry if you've already posted it somewhere else, I must have missed it. Is Billy new to your home? If he is, he is just trying to demarcate his territory. If not, maybe the following could be of help . . .

I would suggest leaving off the milk, especially if it's cow's milk as that's way too rich for cats, this could be causing the runny stools. Also, try confining him to one area so he's forced to used the litter tray rather than the rest of the house.

Invest in more than one litter tray. Consider the litter. Have you changed it recently? It could be that which has triggered the fouling.

Is he trying to obliterate a scent that was there previously? Try using one of these enzyme cleaners (special ones for organic stains/smells) rather than a chemical cleaner to wipe the area. He will repeatedly go in the same place if you use chemicals to use HIS smell to get rid of the cleaner's smell.

Invest in some feliway plug ins. If he's stressed this should relax him enough to not want to go to the toilet throughout the house.

I'm sure others who have more direct and recent experience of this will be along soon.

[Gaina]

Can you just give me a bit of history here? Sorry if you've already posted it somewhere else, I must have missed it. Is Billy new to your home? If he is, he is just trying to demarcate his territory. If not, maybe the following could be of help . . .

Hello Yola :). The first threads I posted here last week are

Hello (http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php?t=24875) and Update on Billy (http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php?t=24897)

I've had him nearly 7 years, he's an 'only child' and normally very tidy in is toilet habits. Oh yes, and he's neutered.

There has been no major upheaval in the house, and nothing has been drastically changed in the places he likes to be, so I think I can discount that. He's an easy-going and confident boy so I don't think this current issue is down to insecurity.

He has only done this once before, when he had only been with us a week or so. As I say he's normally extremely clean and tidy.

I would suggest leaving off the milk, especially if it's cow's milk as that's way too rich for cats, this could be causing the runny stools. Also, try confining him to one area so he's forced to used the litter tray rather than the rest of the house.

Yes, I have asked my parents not to give him any milk or human food for a few days to see if that helps (I wouldn't let him have milk at all but you know what Grandparents are like :D).


Invest in more than one litter tray. Consider the litter. Have you changed it recently? It could be that which has triggered the fouling.

He's been happily using the same brand for a at least 6 months now, and I've had a look at the bag but there's no mention of them adding a fragrance to it that may have put him off using the litter tray.


Is he trying to obliterate a scent that was there previously? Try using one of these enzyme cleaners (special ones for organic stains/smells) rather than a chemical cleaner to wipe the area. He will repeatedly go in the same place if you use chemicals to use HIS smell to get rid of the cleaner's smell.

No, that's the thing. He's done it on 3 different days and in two different places.

The interesting thing was, I was reading the thread about the kitten with stinky poo and picked up on the suggestion to take away his dry food. Billy has always had the opportunity to eat dry food as well as wet to try and keep his teeth healthy. I am beginning to suspect that because he's gone from eating hardly anything when he was poorly last weekend to getting wet and dry food, it has proved too much for his system. Mum noted that the times he's done this are the days when he's had more dry than wet food.

Invest in some feliway plug ins. If he's stressed this should relax him enough to not want to go to the toilet throughout the house.

Hehe, you need to meet Billy some day - if that cat was any more chilled out, he'd be in a coma :lol:

Thank you for the reply, and I'll be sure to let you know how we get on ;)

[Gaina]

Well, we woke up to a dry, clean landing and spare bedroom this morning so that's good :). I've done some more research about milk and he's not getting it anymore! I didn't realize it blocked absorption of certain minerals :shock:. It'll be Felix 'cat milk' as a treat from now on.

Mind you, he's not very chuffed about this and I have to say I never knew that he had so many filthy feline swear words at his disposal! :cat13

He's paddling my pillows and making a nest out of my duvet in revenge as I type :cat10

[Grete]

Aww glad he is doing better :)

[dandysmom]

Good news! Hope he soon adjusts to the new milk!

[Kay]

Missed all of this. I hope Billy is back to normal now.

[Gaina]

Missed all of this. I hope Billy is back to normal now.

Oh yeah, he's back for sure! :D Thanks for your concern ;)