Help Required with Rescue Cats

[ebonyallen]

Hi, after some advise Have always had cats and others goe for the rescue one. After my last cat passed away I went to the local re homing place and came back this time with 2. They had been there for about 10months because they had to go together and they were aprox 11 13 years of age, I just had to give them a chance as they said most people were put off by their age and that they had to go together, so they came home with me.

Have had them now for nearly three weeks, they do go out but not for long mostly prefer to stay in the house, the problem is that even though they have a dirt box one of them is pooing around the house this is happening during the night and I wake up to find it somewhere. I have closed off the doors that I can and now this morning I two more piles in the hallway. I do not want to give up on them but how can I stop this behavior, I have seen one of the boys in the tray so I think I know which one it is but does anyone have any ideas of how I can stop this. Many thanks.

 

[webble]

They could just still be settling in although that said one of mine always poos on the floor next to the tray!!

You could try more trays. Is it always in the same place/s? If so put a try there. Have you changed the litter to the one the rescue used?

Could you try a feliway diffuser to see if that helps?

It could be a symptom of something wrong internally so if all the above dont help it might be worth a trip to the vets for a check up. Is the poo normal poo?

 

[YasandCrystal]

Good on you giving these older cats a chance. My advice would be to provide 2 litter trays - cats do not like to use each others. Start this pretty quickly otherwise you will have a habit hard to break. I would start out by placing the offending cat's poo in the new litter tray so that you h ave then already establiched this is for that cat to use.
I have a house cat that used to wee everywhere - now that was terrible. She still poos outside her litter tray and I think that habit started when one of the outdoor cats used her tray. Good luck!

 

[tigger01]

I hada Siamese that was doing exactly the same thing. I changed her litter from wooden pllets to the good old fashioned gravelly stuff, and bouht a Feliway diffuser and bingo (fingers crosse) it's ike a different cat. I also have three litter trays for to cats - they rarely use on of them, but it's always clean. And I'm very fussy abou cleaning the litter box out. Good luc and well done for adopting older cats. They need a chance and are so often overlooked.

 

[Fransurrey]

I would try two things. First, switch to compost and have two trays. Second, have a vet consultation. Cats who experience discomfort when going to the litter will stop using it, as they associate the litter with pain. My old cat did exactly that, when his kidney tumour got bigger (not trying to scare you, it can be anything which causes discomfort).

If you're sure it's just poo, then it's quite possible that he's still settling. Not burying poo and leaving it in prominent (to a cat) places is a way of asserting their territory.

I have zero faith in Feliway. Slightly more faith in Zylkene, but in my experience, until you remove the cause of stress (if it is that), then the problem continues.

Whilst you try one/more of the above, I'd administer cuddles ad lib. It's amazing what love can do.

 

[Fransurrey]

And I'm very fussy abou cleaning the litter box out. Good luck and well done for adopting older cats. They need a chance and are so often overlooked.

Meant to add that I always remove poo from the litter as soon as I see it (I have the litter next to the loo, so I can just grab it with toilet roll and flush the offending item!). Yes, well done for taking on oldies. I took on one aged 16, in April. She's just as much fun (read challenge...) as a youngster!

 

[ebonyallen]

They could just still be settling in although that said one of mine always poos on the floor next to the tray!!

You could try more trays. Is it always in the same place/s? If so put a try there. Have you changed the litter to the one the rescue used?

Thank you, I will give them a call and see which type they use, some of my friends said about this diffuser so think will take a trip to pet at home and get a few different bits, thanks for your help oh the poo was a little runny but put this down to change of environment and food is getting better now. :biggrin3:

 

[ebonyallen]

Good on you giving these older cats a chance. My advice would be to provide 2 litter trays - cats do not like to use each others. Start this pretty quickly otherwise you will have a habit hard to break. I would start out by placing the offending cat's poo in the new litter tray so that you h ave then already establiched this is for that cat to use.
I have a house cat that used to wee everywhere - now that was terrible. She still poos outside her litter tray and I think that habit started when one of the outdoor cats used her tray. Good luck!

Thank you, they adore each other just been upstairs and they are both curled up on the bed asleep together awwwwwwwww. Seems to be the thinking of most people to get another tray so will go in a bit and sort this out. Thanks for your help.

 

[ebonyallen]

I hada Siamese that was doing exactly the same thing. I changed her litter from wooden pllets to the good old fashioned gravelly stuff, and bouht a Feliway diffuser and bingo (fingers crosse) it's ike a different cat. I also have three litter trays for to cats - they rarely use on of them, but it's always clean. And I'm very fussy abou cleaning the litter box out. Good luc and well done for adopting older cats. They need a chance and are so often overlooked.

Thank you, have got the wood pellets at the moment and did think about the gravel. Others have said about two trays so that is going to be done today, Thanks for your help

 

[ebonyallen]

I would try two things. First, switch to compost and have two trays. Second, have a vet consultation. Cats who experience discomfort when going to the litter will stop using it, as they associate the litter with pain. My old cat did exactly that, when his kidney tumour got bigger (not trying to scare you, it can be anything which causes discomfort).

If you're sure it's just poo, then it's quite possible that he's still settling. Not burying poo and leaving it in prominent (to a cat) places is a way of asserting their territory.

I have zero faith in Feliway. Slightly more faith in Zylkene, but in my experience, until you remove the cause of stress (if it is that), then the problem continues.

Whilst you try one/more of the above, I'd administer cuddles ad lib. It's amazing what love can do.

Thank you for your advise, going to check out the options and get some different things to try, will speak to rescue place as well. On the cuddle front thank goodness I have still got two hands lol both want my attention all the time, they are full of love to give and adore each other its so lovely to see them together, they could not have been parted, and I love them to bits already.

 

[suestowford]

Cats who experience discomfort when going to the litter will stop using it, as they associate the litter with pain. My old cat did exactly that, when his kidney tumour got bigger (not trying to scare you, it can be anything which causes discomfort).

Yes to this. It's a good idea to get them checked. A cat I had did exactly what fran has described. Luckily for me (and her) it wasn't anything sinister, the vet said that she was just getting on and sometimes their digestions don't work so well. Her poos were too dry, so he gave me Katalax. She liked Katalax, and would lick it off a spoon like it was a treat. So Fran is also right that it isn't necessarily cancer that causes this.
Good luck, and good for you for giving these cats a chance.