Coming here because I don't know where else to go, and I don't have anyone irl to discuss this with further. TLDR; My indoor cat of 10 years is peeing on everything despite me doing everything in my power to fix the root issue (vet visits to rule out medical issues, new litter and box, feliway plugins). Fiance is not having it. She either has to transition to garage/outdoors or go.
Within the past month my indoor cat (F) of 10 years decided to start urinating outside of the litter box. On walls, shower curtains, bookshelves. She is spayed. We have recently moved but this was 5 months ago, and this pee problem has only started this month.
At first there was a presence of a UTI. I addressed that with vet visits and 2 rounds of different antibiotics. I've spent over $1,000 alone in total taking her to different vets to rule out further medical problems, and they've finally concluded it is now behavioral. To rule out litter box dissatisfaction, I bought a new litter box with no cover, cat attract litter and even Feliway plugins to reduce stress. Nothing is working. I don't have the money to try behavioral medications (that might not work or make it worse) nor do I have the money or time to try and resolve this with a behaviorist. As of now those are my only 2 options.
My (26f) fiancee (29m) is past his limit on this. He wasn't much of a pet person to begin with, but after all of this he has had it with the entire situation. The money spent, the damage done, all of it. She peed in our closet and the smell set despite multiple rounds of enzyme cleaner, she peed on his board games (not like Life or Monopoly, but an expensive board game collection) and recently she peed right beside me on our new couch (also expensive). Not to mention she has peed in our daughter's room as well, which is a big problem for both of us.
As of now I'm forced to keep her either in the garage (with a fan going) or outside. She can't be inside the house unsupervised any longer. At first she loved going into the garage, but now she wants back in the house. She is not comfortable going outside in the backyard for long periods of time, so I have started trying to acclimate her to it by just putting her outside for 10 minute intervals, but she just sits by the door and meows. My yard is fenced in. I have a little cat house and tags that I ordered on the way so she'll be safe out there, but my goal is to transition her outside.
I feel absolutely terrible because I know that she's been an indoor cat for so long and the indoor option is better for her. She has a brother from the same litter who is neutered, and he has been acting just fine during this whole ordeal. Unfortunately with my living situation I can't let her back in if I want to keep her. She really is a good cat other than this. I'm looking for any advice to acclimate her to this change, or just anything from anyone who had a similar issue.
Thank you,
H.
EDIT:
To those saying I should rehome her:
I'm not certain how I could rehome her. Even if I knew someone looking for a cat, the vet said that trying to determine the cause of inappropriate elimination can be costly and frustrating (as I've already experienced..). My guess is that her suddenly having to adjust to a new environment would just make it worse.
[link] [comments]
from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/ikmlp6/forced_to_transition_10yo_indoor_cat_into_an/
No comments:
Post a Comment