I'd keep him confined to a cattery cage. They have some decent looking ones that are plenty roomy. He could be very happy in one of those sitting near a window in a bedroom. You can put wheels on it and put it outside when weather permits.

He will welcome the confinement to being PTS.

Just google "cattery cages" and tons will come up. I think you can fairly easily make your own.


http://www.cfainc.org/articles/cattery-cages.html

Years ago when my kids were younger, crawling on the floor, putting toys in their mouthes etc...I know how you feel. We scrubbed and scrubbed, we even had our carpets injected with some enzyme that was supposed completely get rid of the smell, but I'm sorry to say that nothing worked. The cat urine smell is impossible to get rid of, to the point where an animal can't smell it. I know what a hard thing this is but you can't have your house be ruined(it is not just a matter of replacing carpet and padding, because the urine gets into the wood and subflooring). This can literally ruin your home.

Is he fully declawed or just front declawed? I'm not sure it would be fair to let him outside if he could not defend himself, I think cats with back claws are ok outside, but maybe that is something to ask the vet. If it is ok then an outdoor shelter would be a great idea.

We did end up having our cat put to sleep and it was very hard for a while, but as I look back on it now I know it was the right thing for my family( including my cat).

Good luck, and do not be so hard on yourself, it sounds as if you have given this cat a wonderful life.

You saved that boy and gave him 11 wonderful years of life and love. No matter how this ends up turning out, don't forget that!

I totally feel for you because I know how truly awful it is to deal with something like this. Usually I don't like to assume I know how people feel, but in this case, I'm pretty sure I do - you love the cat with all your heart, but you still can't have everything in your house covered in pee and you know something isn't right with him. (I know it's disgusting, but at least I'm pretty sure the kids' health isn't in jeopardy.) Clearly, something is going on with him because of the increased aggressiveness as well.

As a last resort, I would probably try those herbal, calming scent things available at the pet supply stores to see if that helps. My neighbor tried that for one of her cats and it worked well.

Honestly, Kim, you've done a lot to try to help this guy, and you should feel so good about that. You haven't just easily given up on him. Yes, cats can live longer than 11 years, but 11 years is nothing to balk at! I've had one cat live for 22 years, but most of my cats have lived for 13-14 years, but I've lost some earlier. I had a cat once I loved so, so much and he had a heart attack and died suddenly when he was 7. And remember, my sweet Emma died recently at just 1 1/2 years old from liver disease. My point is don't get stuck on how many more years he should live because there is no magic number. Both Kalamazoo and Emma's deaths were devastating, and I did a lot of reflective thinking to try to deal with them. It's difficult, but what I try to focus on is the fact that THEY aren't looking forward to living a specific number of years; their world is the "here and now" kind-of world, and they know how they're feeling TODAY. You've given him so many wonderful "past todays", but how is he doing with the "now todays"? This is really about him and in the end, he won't know anything about whether or not he's been alive long enough. All he'll know is that he has your love, and that's what is truly most important.

Best of luck and I hope things work out with the medication, but if it comes down to having him euthanized, please, please, please don't be hard on yourself. Try to focus on the fact that you saved his life and then filled it with love. {{{{hugs}}}}

possible to set up a warm cozy weather proof house for him outdoors, somewhere like in a garden shed, or on the porch? He sounds like he needs to be an outdoor kitty now but better than the alternative.

I didn't intend to have cats, it just worked out that way when their feral mother abandoned them in our driveway in baking heat. All have been spayed/neutered, and I found good homes for 3 of them. I still have a male and female and they "live" in my upstairs bathroom. It's a spacious area, with windows on 2 walls. I had to strip it of rugs and decorative things, put in some cat cubbys, a couple of litter boxes, cat bedding and plenty of toys. I leave their water bowl in the tub because they kept dumping it all over the floor.

I guess I'm relating to your situation and didn't want to have the same problem. The cats are happy in the bathroom, and I'm happy that they're not wrecking the rest of the house. Wayne wasn't too thrilled that I moved my stuff into HIS bathroom, but tough. If I hadn't taken care of the kittens, they would have died.

Whenever I hear the stories of people with 15+ cats in their house, I KNOW those people have mental issues ...

I wish you the best with the decisions you reach concerning your cat. I know it must be very difficult.




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better even than Nature's Miracle.

As for the behavior, I'm sorry to say this and I hope I am wrong, but I suspect he has a tumor somewheres.

Could you possibly let him live out his years in your garage? Or, if you can afford it, to rent one of those little storage buildings that look like a minature house for him to live in?

Also, do a Google search, I bet this problem has been addressed many times on the internet. I have found great answers to all kinds of problems on the web site www.allexperts.com . That's where I first heard about Urine Off and dealing with cat urine (one of my late cats was doing the same thing as your cat during her last 6 months).

Good luck!







Free fried chicken at Boo and Clovis' Pbase.com photos:

http://www.pbase.com/glandry113

And click here for puppy photos of Boo & Clovis:

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Unfortunately, I know where you're coming from (as the owner of multiple cats) although, I don't have any two leggers.
I would try to confine the cat. We board cats in a two-tier "cat condo". It's probably about 33-36" wide, 50-60 inches high, and 24-26" deep. We put the litter box on one side, and the food and water bowls on the other side. Maybe confining the cat till the behavioral meds kick in would help? We've had cats in these condos for up to a few months. We take them out to be brushed and petted, daily, but otherwise, they stay in the condo.
They sell these at PetSmart. I like the ones with the "wooden" base - the doors are bigger, and they seem to roll better.
Bottom line, I wouldn't take chances with your children's health. Sorry you're having to deal with this...

Olivia/Kano/Q-Ball
created by ME!

Thank you SO much. I appreciate the help!

It's just been a very frustrating time. I found more in the family and had to pick up a bunch of toys and a table and chair set and it's time to scrub again

I'm sorry if I can off as snippy. I didn't mean to, and I appreciate every suggestion and every helpful word. Thank you Amy!!!

.

YOU CAN ALWAYS JUDGE A PERSONS CHARACTER BY HOW HE TREATS HIS PETS

then come throw it up in the house. ARGHH!!! I am only trying to help find solutions for you Kim, I'm not saying you have a thing wrong at all with him!!! I just feel badly for you, you sound really upset right now and I wish I could help you!!!

Amy and Sophia

Sounds to me like you have done everything just as you should!! I honestly didn't mean at all to imply you didn't know what you were doing....I am so sorry if that was how it came across. I really feel for you.

I do hope you can get some peace from this. I'm sorry it is happening right now, during the holidays.

Amy and Sophia

And if he does get out he runs to the grass and eats it and then pukes all ove the house. He's done that for years no matter what food he's on. He will eat anything that is a plant, flower, even the hair on an ear of corn.

I found a really good cat specific vet recently, it's the third vet I've tried for him. I am sure I will try a new med. I will call her on Monday when they open.

My youngest is 14 mos old, no changes since then. I just switched to a new food (per the vet's recommendation) for urinary tract health. No stray cats in the area that I have seen or heard. They all (3 cats) have their own food dishes, litter boxes, etc. I have had cats since I was 5 and I have never encountered this problem before.

I stay home with the kids and so he gets lots of attention. But do all three cats and Ruby get the same attention before the kids? Not possible. But they do still get lots of attention. And my daughter loves the cats, so they have another person that loves on them and is now getting old enough to brush them too. Each cat has a special time of day where they get special attention or have a routine and those things haven't changed. We don't travel hardly at all, I am home all the time, I feel like we make it work well. Everyone seemed happy and calm. Until a few months ago when Woody started spraying.

I cannot think of anything specific that would have caused him to act this way. And I am not one of those people that tosses their pets aside when they don't fit in well with the family. I do try very hard to make things work. I know I made a promise to him the day I adopted him to love him and care for him for his natural..and I do everything I can to keep that promise.

I guess it's just been a very frustrating morning. I scrubbed carpets in both kids room last night and now I have to start over again in our room. It's all just getting very overwhelming.

Thanks for your help Amy, I will keep trying.

will have a answer for you... we'll be thinking positive thoughts for you... let us know how things go on monday...




judy&kids

I am filled with so much guilt over this. For many reasons. I am not one of those people that find their pets disposable when they don't quite fit in with the family but I feel like I also have to be realistic about the situation. I think what I will do is call the vet when they open Mon morning and ask for a new med. She is a really good cat specific vet, the third vet I have tried for him. I am very confident in her. I just feel terrible. I even feel guilty for posting about this. I don't want people to think that I live in a house of skank (as I call it), or that I don't love him enough to try. I know he isn't a pair of shoes that can be thrown away when they don't fit. Ugh, this has been very trying. Thanks for your words Judy, they really do help.

he will probably keep spraying. But also, read my post below and see if anything rings a bell. If not, it may be time for him to go to the bridge. But as a last resort:-).

Amy and Sophia

Have you tried talking to a behaviorist about all this? Usually the humane society will have the name of someone who could help you determine the cause for his attitude change. I have had cats all my life, and there is never a time when they have such a dramatic change for no reason.

You mention you have a small baby in the house. How much attention have the 2 leggers taken away from the fur kids? Do you pay the same amount of attention to the kitty now as you did before the kids came along? (Lord knows I wouldn't have that kind of time). He may be jealous. That and his age (getting cranky in his age!) could be the root of your problem. I am not an animal behavior specialist, but it sounds reasonable to me. Also, have you changed his food lately? Or should you try a food for older cats? He may be lacking something nutritionally that makes him act out of character. Have you tried separate litter boxes for he and your female? Put in different rooms and always available? If he is not de-clawed, are you in an area where he could go outdoors some and get exercise?

I hope you discover the reason for his actions before you put him down. Cats live to be much older, mine lived to 20, so he has lots of life left in him. In the mean time, before you make a decision, give yourself a big hug from me.

Amy and Sophia

like your at the end of your rope... I've always been told once they spray they will always spray... the kindest thing you could probably do for your family is to end it...whether you find him another home or let him pass over the bridge.. My prayers are with you and will understand your decision one way or the other... With the holiday season just starting it's going to be very stressful with your situation right now...so just weigh your family's feelings and needs ...




judy&kids

wow!! I wonder how much that costs. No doubt cats would love that. Heck, some people would love living in that.







Free fried chicken at Boo and Clovis' Pbase.com photos:

http://www.pbase.com/glandry113

And click here for puppy photos of Boo & Clovis:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glandry113

http://www.preciouscat.com/ I would try intoducing this type of cat litter. I know that he is marking but, this stuff has helped my cats and was recommended to me by my vet. You can also contact him with your questions and he has a really good pamphlet that is included with his product. Dr. Elsey's states that the number one reason cats end up in shelters or PTS is because of urinary issues so it's worth a try. I have a ten y/o cat that has chronic FLUTD and my other cat that is eleven was just diagnosed with diabetes so she is now on inuslin and special diet and hopefully will be controlled by diet eventually and not need the insulin. Just some thoughts........

http://giftsforpaws.com/2448.html

http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclosures.htm