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From: jrc@ritcv.UUCP (James R. Carbin)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: kitty won't use her box (phew!)
Message-ID: <8921@ritcv.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 23-Sep-85 23:18:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: ritcv.8921
Posted: Mon Sep 23 23:18:16 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 27-Sep-85 07:23:05 EDT
References: <488@tektools.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
Lines: 46

> My housemate's 10 week old kitten has started crapping everywhere.  When we
> first got her (6 weeks) she ALWAYS used the box; now she seems to NEVER use
> it, if the little presents we keep finding are any indication. This isn't just
> overnight, she does it all day too.
> 
> Scolding her seems to have little effect - she'll go right in front of you.
> I've never had this problem with a cat - they're usually so fastidious - and
> all the tricks that work with a puppy just don't seem to help.
> 
> We've tried changing her food, confining her in a room with her box
> less food - nothing works.  Could this be a health problem (worms?)
> Any ideas?
> 
> 
> Liz Vaughan
> ....tektronix!tektools!lizv

About 10 years ago, I moved into an apartment with my cat from a situation
where there was usually someone home during the day to an an environment in
which I lived alone.

Suddenly, I had an adult cat that was urinating in one corner of the Dining
Room.  She would wait until I came home from work and she was in my line
of sight before she would "perform."  Scolding and spanking would work for
a brief period of time, but within a day or so, she would be back to her old
antics once again.

I took her to the Vet who declared her normal, but suggested that she was
doing it as a way of letting me know that she did not like to be left alone
all day long.  I got some of the spray repellant and was successful in
stopping her from using the corner as her kitty box.  Unfortunately she
then moved to another corner.

With something like 14 corners in my apartment, I finally came to the
conclusion that she would have to be destroyed.  This was the only thing the Vet
could suggest as a possible solution if the repellant didn't work.

It was such a traumatic experience for me that I had to wait until I 
caught her in the act, and then immediately take her to the Vet.
Even then, after dropping her off at the Vet, I cried and hated myself
for days.   

For your sake, I hope you find a better solution, but cats are much
smarter (and cunning) than most people give them credit.

j.r.      {allegra,seismo}!rochester!ritcv!jrc


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