Wits End

[beerhorse]

I am at my wits end with my cat, Pixel. I don't know what to do with her. She's been peeing on my bed regularly. I never catch her doing it, but I know it's her. I don't understand it, I don't know what's wrong

Comments

[arphalia]

With a UTI ruled out I'm gonna do with this being a behavioral thing. Pixel might have trouble with change.

First big change for her was when you went up north. While you were up there, she probably got a bit closer to Martin as a result. He was one of the two "constants" still around her so she probably latched onto that. So, he's been with her since day one.

Now you have moved back into the area and not only have you "come back from the dead" to her little cat brain, but she's also now away from Martin, who was the constant person up until the move. You being back, him being gone, her in totally unfamiliar territory at the same time all the humans have shifted around her could make for one stressed out cat!

Beds are comfy, familiar places. Even if the bed is a different one, they have an overall similar look, unlike furniture which can appear drastically different due to style and materials. She might be peeing on what is the most familiar to her right now: The Bed! (Its also possible that the people who were in this place before you had some cats. She could be picking up the lingering scent of them around the walls and floors, but not on the bed so she is "claiming the bed" to make sure these ghost cats don't get it too!)

Best thing I can come up with is to go damage-control. Get a protective top cover to put over the bed while you're not in it. I believe these sorts of things exist. Might have a cloth sewn over it with plastic underneath, and the whole thing is washable. This will save your mattress and cut back on how much bedding you have to wash when an accident happens.

In the meantime, she might need a lot of extra, reassuring attention. Scoop her up and carry her around the apartment. Let her sniff the walls and everything while she's being "protected" by you. Talk soft and pet her while doing this. Ask her silly questions and tell her "Its okay." After this a round of playing would be good. Have her chase a string on a stick that you lead around. Playing will help her relax and with it being a sort of play that you are involved in too, it'll help her build up a confidence again with you as her human.

It'll take time and patience but I think this kind of thing will help out in the long run. Just sounds like you've got a bit of a scared and unsure kitty right now.

[beerhorse]

Do cat's have delayed reactions to change? Everything was great for about 6 weeks with just the three of us. This behavior started when my neighbors brought in 12 people to the building for their wedding. They were a very loud, rowdy bunch, and I did spend a lot of time outside with them instead of inside with the cats. However, the guests have been gone for a week and a half and the behavior has increased instead of tapering off.

I am not playing with them nearly enough, I know that. I'll have to change that. I'm not sure that carrying her around the apartment will help though, neither of my cats like to be held.

Either way, this is the most comfortable advice I've gotten so far, and I'll definitely implement more play time with them both.

[arphalia]

I guess its possible! Or rather, maybe all the guests and noise suddenly had her very aware about how new her surroundings are to her. She could be having trouble shaking it off.

[kieferskunk]

Most cats are more immediately affected by change, but I wouldn't rule out a delayed reaction. Pixel may very much miss her buddy, but with the more immediate stress of the move, it probably took some time for things to sink in.

One thing we learned recently is that when you play with your cats, it's very important to give them a treat immediately afterward. This is both a physical and a psychological thing for them - any sort of play increases the hormones associated with agitation and excitement, and the treat helps to calm them down again. And it creates a pleasant association for them that reinforces that playtime is a good thing. It will go a long way toward improving more general behavior issues, though it won't likely fix them all. :)