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Cats/pee in house

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Expert: - 8/26/2008


Question
hello,i have an orphened kitten about 2 months old. i found him in the woods and he was in bad shape. i took him to the vet to get him checked. he had the usual fleas, worms, etc.  he turned out to be an excellent cat. he is affecionate, smart, eats very well, plays alot, and has adapted to my home perfectly. he uses the litter box with out being trained. problem- he pees in the house. probably once aday. he just finished tretment for a urinary tract infection using baytril. on 8-24-2008 i had him neuterd. that night he peed 3 times in the usual spot on our couch, most ever.help! his name is bonjo and we love him deerly! 6 months ago we put down our 16 yr. old birman. so we have had other cats in this house.bonjo is a birman too. thank you sooo much for your help!  doug, nancy, and bonjo-usa.

Answer
Doug,

Since Baytril isn't normally the drug of choice for simple UTIs because there are serious risks associated with its use in cats (blindness, hair loss at injection site if injected, etc) I am guessing that your kitten had a very severe infection that could potentially have affected his kidneys if he hadn't been treated. I would recommend that you try using an enzymatic cleaner to clean any areas where Bonjo may have had an accident. An enzymatic cleaner will use beneficial bacteria to "eat" the components of organic matter (urine, feces, blood or vomit) that are responsible for unpleasant odors. Other cleaners can mask the smell of organic substances so that humans are unable to smell them any longer, however a cat's nose is somewhat more powerful than ours. The enzymatic cleaner may well be the answer to this problem. I use a product called Petzyme which is quite effective and so far seems to be safe on carpeting and furniture. You can find enzymatic cleaners at pet supply stores and janitorial supply stores. Sometimes eliminating the odor of urine or feces can be the end of house soiling issues. Try this option out at home, if it doesn't work I would recommend that Bonjo's urine be tested again to be sure that there is no trace of infection.

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Ali

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I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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