Why cats Pee outside of litter box - Cat Behavior

When a cat pees outside their little box they are telling you that something is wrong.  Bad behavior such as this is general due to the litter box being dirty or the cat is anxious or under stress. Peeing outside of the litter box may also be a  sign of illness.   

The best way to determine why your cat is peeing outside of their litter box is to watch your cat and to note all unusual behavior.  Is your cats diet the same?  Are they drinking water excessively?  These may be signs of a medical concern.  If you suspect illness then make an appointment with your veterinarian for a wellness exam.

Why cats Pee Outside of Litter Box

If you suspect that your cats peeing outside the litter box is due to stress, anxiety or other behavior then follow these tips.

Check the litter boxes to make sure they are clean, cats generally will pee outside the box if the litter smells like ammonia.  

If you have more than one cat then provide each cat with their own litter box, or get a self cleaning box. Cats do not like to share their boxes. 

Have there been any changes in the household?  New pet or person.  Has the stay at home mom gone back to work?  Cats do not like change and if you have an unexpected house guest whether it is people or another pet your cat will become fearful and suffer from stress and as a result of the change to the household they may pee outside of their box.  

If you suspect that your cat is reacting to a change in your household then I recommend that you treat your cat's environment with comfort zone by feliway. The comfort zone product is for cat behavior; stress and anxiety.  The formula mimics the cat’s facial pheromone.  A room that is treated with the comfort zone diffuser will allow all cats to feel calmer. Your cat will go back to using their litter box, and they will not show aggressive behavior to other cats or dogs. 

 

Cat Marking on Furinture - Behavior of Cats

Cats will mark their territory by spraying urine onto the sofa, a wall, your favorite chair or even the pillow on your bed.  Cats usually do this when they feel anxious, stress, or their litter box needs cleaning.  

Bad behavior is usually the result of something changing in the cat home and the kitty needs to get their humans attention.  So they will display bad behavior; snarl, hiss, bite, scratch, and mark your favorite chair. 

Why Cats Mark - Spray


There is a reason why cats display bad behavior and the pet owner must determine why.  Is it lifestyle, a new kitten, a new baby, a new arrangement of furniture, or is you kitty telling you that they are sick?

Cats do not like change.  

Some cats are okay with minor changes however this is not the case when it comes to their sleeping routine.  If I lay a finger on the kitty bed I will hear a hiss from across the room. If I launder the kitty bed, then I have a a kitty with an attitude.   

My 14 year old Maine Coon cat will go from a sweet kitty to a cat who is ready to rumble to defend her turf. She will dare the cat and dog to cross her imaginary line and if they do, then they will cross a kitty with bad behavior. 

When a cat displays bad behavior it is usually due to territory or a change in their routine.  The cat will react by becoming anxious or stressed and they will hide in the closet, refuse to use the litter box, mark their territory, hiss, snarl, show off their claws, and be aggressive with the other humans, cats or the dogs.  

Remedy the Cat Marking on Furniture

Aggressive Cat attacks Pit Bull

Prevent your cat from being in an uncomfortable situation by spraying their territory; bedroom, cat tree, carpet, scratching post, cat toys, sofa, chair, and areas that they mark with Feliway Behavior Modifier.  

Feliway is for cat behavior; stress and anxiety.  The formula mimics the cat’s facial pheromone.  Feliway behavior modifier will calm the cat and control aggressive cats that fight as well as prevent the cats from marking their territory and furniture.  When I spray my home with this product I am able to wash the cat beds or move the furniture to vacuum without any kitty drama.  

Feral Cat Colony Caregiver Responsibilities

Being a feral cat colony caregiver is not a volunteer service for everyone, as once you commit to the position it is lifelong responsibility. As a feral cat colony caregiver you will provide these cats with shelter, regular feedings and keeping them up to date with sterilizations and vaccinations.  

Being responsible for a cat colony is a charitable service; you volunteer your time and collect donations to offset the costs for food and veterinarian care.  Learn what caregivers do before you take on the responsibility of caring for feral cats.   

If you were born to do this work then the feral cats will choose you. They have a natural way of finding people that love cats.  Put out a bowl of dry food and fresh water and if their are cats in your neighborhood they will find your feeding station. 




Locating Feral Cats

If there are no cats visiting you in your yard then you will need to look for the feral cats in your neighborhood.   

Do this by searching wooded areas that would have thickets. Some cats will take shelter under decks, or in sewer pipes.  

Many feral cats can be found by grocery store dumpsters or hanging out in city and state parks.

Setting up Feeding Station

Select a feeding station that is away from a busy street.  Set up the feeding station so that it is protected from adverse weather.  A heavy duty box will provide some protection.  I use the plastic top to my indoor cats litter box.  I set the food and water bowl at the entrance  and then set a rock on top to keep it from blowing away.   

Another way to provide shelter for the feeding station is to set the food and water bowls on a step that has an overhang or an awning to protect the food in the case of rain or snow.

My feeding station is on the woods side of my yard in a safe area.  I feed the cats directly outside on the step of our shed.  

The kitty door is always open and  food available indoors too.  Over the years the feral and woodland cats have found their way to the feeding station.  

Feed the cats a high protein dry cat food.  I feed my colony Purina One Smart Blend chicken and rice formula.  

The cats like the taste of the crunchy kibble and I know that their diet is rich in real chicken, omega-6, antioxidants and protein.  

Plan on feeding the cats twice a day, a bowl food and fresh water in the morning and at night. I feed my cats at 7 am and 6 pm. If you cannot feed your cats at the specific time ask someone to put out the food and water. 

 Feral cats get along however if they are hungry and no food is available they will become agitated and that is when fights occur. So feed them their meals on time. Continue to feed the cats daily. By doing this, the cats are growing dependent upon you.

Trap Neuter and Return (TNR)

TNR is an effective method for reducing feral cat populations.  When the cats are dependent upon you it is time to bring out the medium size live animal traps.  

You must trap the feral cats for veterinarian care.  All colony cats must be tested for feline leukemia and AIDS.  They also need to be vaccinated for rabies, distemper, wormed and spay or neuter.  If you do not have a live animal trap you may contact your local animal control and inquire about the usage of a trap or purchase a medium size trap.

Contact your veterinarian and let them know that you are a caregiver to feral cats and that you plan on trapping feral cats for medical care and sterilization. Inquire about their procedure also contact the cat networks in your area and inquire about a coupon card to offset the costs for the feral cats spay or neuter.  
   
My veterinarian will take the feral cats as soon as I trap them. I schedule my trapping for Monday - Friday during the day only.
  

If the colony is large it is best to ask other colony cat caregivers to assist you with the trapping of the cats.  

It is best to trap all on in one day. 

1. Do not feed the cat the night before you trap. 
2. On the day that you set up the trap, the only food available will be inside the trap. 
3. Line the trap with newspaper. 
4. Drop Friskies whitefish canned food down the center, the fish will lure the cat into the trap. 
5. Set the trap close to the feeding station. 

On the days that I trap, I am able to watch the trap from my laundry room window. It is not wise to leave the trap unattended.  Trapping may take up to a week. 

The last kitten that I trapped took me two weeks. Be patient the trap will close. When the trap door closes, cover the entire trap with a blanket. The blanket will comfort the cat. Bring the cat inside your garage, basement or house.

Set the trap in a quiet room or take the cat directly to the veterinarian's office.

(TNR) =  trap neuter and return program.  

When cats return from the veterinarian office, the female will need to stay inside for medical care for 3-4 days, release the male cat to the same area in which you found him. Allow him to regroup with the colony.

Provide a Winter Cat Shelter

Provide the cat colony with a wind and waterproof shelter. A utility shed, or an over sized flat roof doghouse could be used as a shelter. Cats need two doors, one in the front and one in the back. The back door is the escape door.

Winter bedding for feral cats

Kerosene heater keeps shelter warm overnight

I provide shelter for the feral cats in my old shed.  I selected an area in the shed that is away from the entrance.  By doing this I have protected the cats from drafts and from intruders. 

Many of the feral cats winter in a corrugated shipping box that has a thermal fleece blanket and then is topped with straw. The straw bedding does not retain moisture and thus it will keep the feral cats warm. 

Another way to proved shelter is to cut an opening in a plastic storage container (the kind that has a locking lid). The opening should be on the side and is the entrance for the cat. Line the container with a fleece blanket and a thick layer of straw. The plastic container will provide a wind block and it is waterproof too. 

Tips and Warnings

1. Allow no children close to the feral cats
2. Never yell or be impatient with a feral cats
3. Move slowly around feral cats
4. Feral cats are terrified of humans, they will try to protect themselves if you attempt to pet or pick them up.  If you are bitten by a feral cat you will need  shots to prevent rabies and the cat will be euthanized.
5. Network for cat lovers to help you to oversee your colony.
6. Rescue feral cats should they become trapped in sewers or thickets that are packed with snow. 
7. Raise money for feral cat medical costs by offering your trapping and relocation services.  Charge a fee and then apply the fee to pay for spay, neuter, tests, vaccines or euthanize costs for the cats. 

 

Keep a journal on all of the cats.  Note their characteristics, description, and keep track of their medical care.  Take a photograph of the cats and attach the photo to their profile page.

Get Ready for Cat Adoption - Finding Adopters

Putting a cat up for adoption is not an easy thing to do. You must prepare your cat for the adoption and then go through the necessary steps to network the community for adopters. 

I have rescued and adopted out many cats over the years, and sometimes I find adopters quickly other times I have to work at it. There are cat lovers in every community; you just need to find them.

 
If you plan to put your cat up for adoption then you will need to locate your cat's medical records, purebred certificates and check to make sure that your cat is current with all of their vaccinations. Put your cat's medical records in a large envelope, along with an assortment of photographs; kitten, junior and adult cat in cute poses. 

Make copies of these photographs so you will have one too.  When all the necessary paperwork is in the envelope you would then set the envelope where it is accessible. This is what you will give the adoptive cat parents.

If you purchased a purebred cat then contact the breeder. Briefly explain your situation. Inquire to see if they would take your cat back or perhaps, they would assist you in finding an adoptive family for your cat. They may know of someone who would be interested in your cat. 


If your cat is a sweet little tabby and is not a purebred with certificate then you will need to find your cat a new home.  

Get your cat ready for adoption by bathing the cat and brushing their coat.  If you cat has fleas then apply a flea treatment.  Check the cat’s nails and if they are sharp then clip the tip of the nail. A well-groomed cat will be more desirable to potential adopters.  

After the grooming is completed you would pose your cat and take several photographs.  Use these photographs on your adoption flyer.  You can select a flyer at zazzle.com; choose the weight of the paper, upload your photographs and add your own text.  If you intend on using a professional flyer to network your cat for adoption then order the flyer a week to ten days before your start your adoption campaign. 

Cat Adoption Template Flyer by Susang6

Flyer Information:

• Cat name
• Cat’s physical description and age
• Cat’s characteristics  
• Include information such as cat gets along with other pets, loves kids
• Cat is spayed or neutered. 
• Cat is current on vaccinations. 
• Include your name and contact information.

Network your adoptable cat by contacting your friends, family and coworkers. Accomplish this by emailing the cat adoption flyer. (scan the flyer into your computer) Circulate the flyers throughout your neighborhood by posting at your church, gym, and to members of your social groups. Also, give your veterinarian a stack of flyer's for their front desk. Hand them the flyers with one hand and a freshly baked plate of cookies in the other hand. The cookie gesture does go a long way. 

Finding a new home for your cat can happen very quickly or it may take some time to adopt out your cat. Whatever you do, do not give up. Keep networking your community; get everyone involved, word of mouth is the best way to find a new home for your cat.

Interview Questions For Cat Adoption

Interviewing cat adopters is very important as it protects the cat from being mistreated, or put outside to fend on their own. 

You need to find the right adopters for all socialized feral, stray or house cats that are in need of a new home.   Matching the right cat with the adopter will ensure that the cat will have a forever home. 

Many people fall in love with kittens but forget that they need a lot of attention and also training.  A woman contacted me about a kitten that I had up for adoption and I agreed to meet with her and chat.  I asked her a few questions and found out that she worked nights and slept during the day.  She also preferred peace and quiet and did not have a lot of time to spend with the kitten.  She told me she wanted the kitten to curl up in a ball and sleep at the foot of her bed.  

Based on the information that the woman provided me I knew she was not suited for a kitten and so I matched her up with an adult Maine Coon cat that was very affectionate, had perfect manners and enjoyed sleeping on the bed during the day.  They  were well suited and the cat found a forever home.  So it is important to chat with all of the adopters by asking them questions.

Here is my list of questions for the cat adopters.

1. Have you had cats before?

2. Are there any other pets in your home?

3. Are your pets spayed or neutered?

4. Do you have young children? What are their ages?

5. Do you live in rental home or apartment?

6. Can you have pets where you live?

7. If you move and you cannot have pets what will you do with your cat?

8. Will the cat be allowed to go outside?

9. Do you have a veterinarian?

10.If the cat is afraid of you and his new surroundings and he hisses at you what will you do? 
11. What kind of cat do you want?  One that is laid back and likes to cuddle or one that likes to play and entertain you?
12. How much time will you spend with your cat?

Based on these questions I will get a good feel for the adopter and their relationship with cats. 

Cat ready for adoption

Tips:
If the adopter is unable to take care of the cat I always ask them to call me.  I will take back the cats and work to place them in another home.  This prevents the cat from being put outside to fend on their own or taken to a shelter.

Microchip ID Reunites Lost Cats with Owner

Cats that have microchip identification may get lost but when they are found and brought to the Humane Society or veterinarian's office the cat will be scanned and the identification will be indicated and the owner of cat will be contacted. 

Your outdoor cat may walk to the neighbors yard to see the sights or your cat will explore the entire neighborhood.  Some cats have a fantastic sense of direction, and other cats, especially older cats have a weakened sense of smell and eyesight and these cats usually get lost. 

I have picked up several cats over the years and posted their description in the newspaper, hung found signs around my neighborhood but nobody came to collect the cats.  None of the cats had collars or microchips so I had no idea who their masters were.  

Somewhere there was a woman, man or child missing their cat, but I did not know where the cat lived and could not take the cat to its home.  I took all of the cats to my veterinarian and he scanned the cats for a microchip.  The microchip identification is a way to provide your cat with pet owners contact information. If your cat goes outside to play then have your veterinarian surgically implant a microchip under the cat’s skin. 

It is also smart to put a breakaway collar and a custom pet identification tag on your cat.  Then visually your cat will not look like a stray and if the cat is lost the finder will be able to contact you.

Tips:

• It is best to know where your cat is and to not allow them to explore the neighborhood for days.  Get your cat spayed or neutered and they will stay close to home.
• Prevent your cat from getting lost by getting them a microchip and keeping them indoors.  Microchip is useful for all cats.  If there is a tornado or other disaster your cat may run away because they are frightened. A microchip ID is a identification device that will help your to recover your cat. 
• The gray and white cat seen in the photo bellow was rescued from the extreme cold.  The cat has a microchip but owners never paid the fee to have cat registered.   I am sure his owners are worried about their cat but without a collar with a tag or a registered chip it is hard to reunite owner with cat.

Russian Blue Mix Cat has unregistered microchip

Why do Cats Leave Home

Cats leave their home because something in their home life has changed and they are no longer comfortable.  You can change some things in a cat’s home but you cannot change many things without causing your cat stress and anxiety. 

In February of 2011 a Bombay cat left his home and came to hang out in my yard with the feral cats for 21 days.  He spent most of his time in the winter shelter; an old shed with cat beds and a window heater. The cat had an identification tag on his collar that informed me that his name was Shadow. He was someones cat or maybe he was abandoned there was no way of knowing as there was no contact information.

Shadow outside the shelter with neighborhood cat

I called my neighbors to ask about the Bombay cat with the blue collar and I learned that he lived in the neighborhood in a house that was three blocks away. I also learned that he visited many neighbors for cat food.  My neighbors told me not to worry; Shadow would go home eventually.

Shadow stayed at my cat shelter for five days and on the sixth day he went home  I did not see Shadow for two months and then in April I viewed him walking down the street.  When he arrived at my street corner he stopped, slowly turned and then without hesitation he ran all the way down the hill. When he came to my sidewalk he ran up the sidewalk, past the side porch and when he reached the patio where I stood with my dog, Shadow stopped and approached my dog’s water bowl.  He sat to drink and when he quenched his thirst he came to me and rubbed his body on my legs and then he rubbed on my dog. 

I did not know it at the time but Shadow was living in my yard, sleeping in my shelter and eating from the feral cats food bowl. I thought he was going home at night or during the day, but he wasn't   Shadow hung out in my yard for 42 days and then on the 43^rd day the cat owner came to get him.  

The pet owner told me that Shadow was an indoor/outdoor cat.  He was permitted to eat at all of the outdoor food bowls, stay outside for as long as he wanted. The pet owner told me where they lived and suggested that I bring the cat home if he overstayed his welcome.

Here is a poster I created from a photograph of the black cat that came to live in my garden for six months.  

 

Bombay Black Cat Print Print by Susang6
 

Shadow goes home for a Family Visit:

A child came to get Shadow for a family visit.  Shadow was gone for a few hours and then he left his home again. Before arriving at my home, Shadow the Bombay cat stopped at my friend’s house to eat from her outdoor cat food bowl and then he continuing his journey to my house.   Shadow walked three blocks and crossed two streets to arrive at my home. 

Why do cats leave home?

1. Some cats will leave home because there is new pet, person, or the household has changed from peaceful to turmoil.  If the cat is no longer comfortable then they will leave their home for long periods of time. 
2. In Shadow's case it is due to improper socialization of the new cats that were brought into the home.
3. Other cats wander away from their home and get lost.  If they are found and have no identification then the finder will not be able to contact owner.  Many cats do not intentionally leave their home, they forget how to go home.To visit with other cats.
4. To eat from another homes outdoor cats bowl.
5. Unaltered cats will leave home to mate.
6. To find peace and harmony.
7. Some cats will leave their home they are suffering from stress and anxiety.
8. Many cats leave home because they are being neglected or mistreated.
9. Outdoor cats leave their home unintentionally because they get lost in the neighborhood. 

I learned from the pet owner that Shadows was uncomfortable with the new queen cat that the family  had adopted.  The new cat had kittens and the queen cat was aggressive with Shadow.  He was not welcome in the home or in the yard.  It took only a few cat fights for Shadow to leave his home.  I also learned that the pet owner was remodeling their home.  Cats do not like change and will leave the home if they have access to outdoors.

 

Shadow chose my yard to be his other home. He lived at my cat shelter and in my lily garden for the entire summer from April to October 23, 2011; he was with me for six months.   In that time he visited his family 4 times.

On October 23, 2011 Shadow went back to his home, his pet owner came to get him because the weather was turning cold.  I never saw Shadow again. 

You can bring the cat home and think that the cat is yours but the truth is the cat chooses the person that they want to be with.

 
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