Advice needed - naughty cat

[Millys Mum]

You can get catflaps that dont need a collar -  they read the microchip 

Has she had a urine analysis? Your vet will need to refer you to a behaviourist and they inturn will expect a clean bill of health to make sure it isnt a physical problem.

Kyle probably pulls faces and mouths mean things through the window at Hunny and then rubs round you as the cherry on the cake!

[Hunny]

Thanks Millys Mum, i'm really looking into a behaviourist as she's still doing it and i really want to help her. I have been considering a catflap since we got her 5 yrs ago but apart from being worried about ruining the door, she hates wearing a collar, which is the only way to make sure other kittys can't get into the house, if its one of those magnetic ones.
Not sure what's going on lately, Kyle, the neighbours cat goes wild when he sees me! He runs up to me and circles my legs, sits in front of my car, and waits at the door incase i let him in! I swear i don't feed him, i think he just likes the way i scratch his head! Either that or he does it to upset my Hunny!

  xx

[Millys Mum]

Zylkene only arrived a few weeks back so wouldnt have been that i dont think unless she trialled them.

Do you not have a catflap? Shes sounds very insecure if she gets poorly from being shut out. Taz gets like this so we always have the door open when hes out regardless of weather  im known as hitler cos of this but i wont have him upset 

She sounds like she could really benefit from a behaviourist, Leanne had a visit for her stressy cat Jess and the changes they made improved his confidence alot.

[JackSpratt]

She's my tutor and is a lovely lady.

http://www.vickyhalls.net/

Here's her site. Any updates go on there.

[Hannikat]

ooo really! i LOVE her books. Any idea when it's on and what channel?

[JackSpratt]

Vicky Halls has just completed a cat behaviour programme....I'm really looking forward to it!

[Hunny]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Can i just cliarify for Gill that i'm not suggesting Hunny is naughty, just that what she is doing is!

The vet gave me pills for her last November for Bonfire night as she also gets very stressed by the sound of fireworks (as do all animals) so i wonder if that was Zylkene. They seemed to work for her so i'll speak to the vet again.

Hunny does go outside but she doesn't wander far. Normally if she's out all day when we're at work, she will end up with cystitis for a few hours, probably down to the fact that so many cats can come in our garden. I do have spikes that i can put around the fence to help prevent them getting in but then that limits Hunny from being able to go out.

We have a katkabin for her so she has somewhere to hide and shelter and i clean it out regularly incase the scent of other cats stresses her; but as i say she goes out for maximum an hour at a time as she only really likes it when we're out with her!

I think you could all be right and the piggies aren't helping. Particularly when she gets a row for putting her paw through the cage! Thankfully they can now be moved outside (catproof cage) as they have all settled in nicely and are getting more and more used to us.

I guess i just have to keep an eye on her and make her as happy as i can  Theres been no problems the last 2 nights so hopefully the diffuser is kicking in and helping to calm her. She's due her booster soon so i'll speak to the vet at the same time. I've been watching the Dog Whisperer and only wish that they'll start a new Cat Whisperer series! 

Thanks again for the helpful advice, i will keep you updated with Hunny's progress and hopefully i can get a new floor! 

Christine xx

[Millys Mum]

Its also important to clean the areas shes wee'd on throughly with an enzyme based cleaner such as simple solution or biological washing liquid/powder.

Has she ever had her urine analysed? If not it would be worth getting that done.

Zylkene is a supplement like Cystaid so you can buy this online through VetUK and save a small fortune 

[Maddiesmum]

My cat Charlie suffered from extreme stress a few weeks ago.  His behaviour deteriorated and he had problems with cystitis.  My vet prescribe Zylkene which is an anti anxiety pill.  It is made from natural things so no side effects and you can sprinkle it on food.  Since being on this he has been a different cat, within days his behaviour changed back to normal and he is much more laid back again.  He was affected paricularly by neighbouring cats after I catproofed the garden.  Now he just sits on his cat tree in the garden and watches them.  It is worth havinga word with your vet as it is only available on prescription.  Leanne's cat Jess has it too and, although I don't wat to speak for her, she tells me Jess has done very well on it.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Afraid I dont like the title of this thread cos she is not being naughty but clearly stressed and unhappy.

If this has all started again after the arrival of the guinea pigs then that is what is causing the problem.

Do you have cat insurance, cos if you do that should pay for a behaviorist.

If you are stressed, which of course you are, then she will also be picking up on your stress and getting worse.

I am sure she can smell the other animal smell on you and that will not be helping.

I think you need to speak to your vet about this , assuming he is up on cat behavior and is modern in appraoch and he may be able to suggest something or refer you to a behaviorist

[bisley boys mum]

 it sounds like it could be the guinea pigs.. but maybe after her start in life hunny wants to be the only animal so she gets all the attention? it sounds like she is insecure and a bit of a worrier? im assuming she goes outside, but does she have a litter tray inside at all? i wonder how she would be as a house cat ?

i can relate to the stress related cystitis as our male cat tc has had this for the last month after the death of his brother 7 weeks ago, we use metacam a diffuser and both have helped although we do have re-occurences but literally for a few hours and then he is ok.

its a difficult one and its a worry - if only they could talk and tell us what the problem is...

[Sabrina (Auferstehen)]

The new guinea pigs might be the issue

Anything seen as taking your attention away could cause her to be upset. My burmese goes off in a huff and chews on the furniture when I don't pay her enough attention.

Which isn't horribly bad unless she's at my inlaws and chews their expensive stuff!

Try and spend more time with her at the moment so she doesn't see the piggies as a threat (you'd think size wise she'd be okay).

[Hunny]

She was 3 when we got her. We were told that a couple gave her up after they had a baby and another family returned her after she scratched their kids. One man even got her as a gift for his parents who in return decided they wanted a dog instead 

She is very clingly to me as i treat her like a baby  so maybe it is the piggies mixed with the threat of cats on the window?

We've had hamsters for 3 yrs and she does circle around us when we're in the hamsters room.

The vet checked her out and no sign of UTI. I give her cranberry treats to help. The last attack was in April and before that was November.

Christine

[JackSpratt]

Hunnys beginning could easily affect her behaviour, how old was she when you got her?

And most definitely, if Hunny is used to being the only animal getting attention in the house and then suddenly isn't it will be likely to affect her behaviour. Cats feel secure with routine and when it's changed it can cause a bit of disruption to them.

Are you sure she hasn't got a UTI or a cystitis flare up?

[Hunny]

Hi Everyone,

I joined this forum in hope that someone can help. I'll tell you Hunny's story and then problems we've had with her over the past week or so and i hope you can shed some light on it.

We adopted her from an animal shelter 5yrs ago. She hates other cats and will scream and throw herself at the window if she sees any near her territory. She's been in a few fights but if another cat does not run from her, she gets very stressed and as a result ends up with a bout of cystitis. We used to go to the vet everytime she got cystits but after tests he confirmed it was down to stress and gave us a bottle of Metacam to give her when she gets it. The cystitis is now manageable and she only ever gets an attack every 3-4 months.

The problem we had about a year ago was that she started peeing on the floor in the lounge beside the window. It then got worse and she began doing it on our lovely new curtains (dry-clean only might i add!) 
We found that the cause was the neighbours cat who was sitting on our window ledge that was causing her to be so stressed out. We bought a 2nd Feliway diffuser and put it right under the window and it seemed to help (although the laminate floor is ruined but luckily its under the couch where noone can see it!)

That was approx a year ago. Since then, Hunny has became less aggressive. (i put it down to her being older, almost A small black and white cat comes into our garden regularly and she doesn't seem to bother with him. I think he might be a stray or maybe he just lives outdoors as he is quite dirty looking. we put food out for him just incase he's hungry which is the main reason he comes back but he also howls when he sees Hunny. I'm secretly hoping he's her friend! 

Last week Hunny started wetting in the corner again. She also did it at the other end of the room away from the window (where our aquarium stands!!! We no longer close the curtains as she's ruined them) Both diffusers were close to running out so it could be that; but we have been keeping the blinds closed at night so that she can't see out if any cats were to sit on the window ledge but she must sense them because when we get up, they have been moved and battered about. Obviously this is whats causing her stress but i'm not sure what started it again? I have replaced both diffusers but 2 days after i replaced them (yesterday), she wet the floor again.

I have tried not to get angry with her as i know its pointless but its really getting me down  . The living room stinks constantly of pee and the floor is ruined and i can't claim home insurance as it doesn't cover pet accidents!!
I think we may have to fork out for an animal behaviourist but i really can't see that working unless they can miraculously get her to like cats! We would love to rescue another cat but theres no way i would put Hunny through the stress (or myself for that matter!)

I hope someone will be able to help, it may be that its me who's doing something wrong? I've tried to give her a row when she attacks other cats and i've also tried comforting her but i'm not sure whats best? We've also just adopted 3 guinea pigs and they're being kept in the house at the moment and taking up a lot of our time so it could also be that?

Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks