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Expert: - 8/31/2009


Question
Our 16 year old cat and our first out of 3 is not going in the litter box.  We've gone to using 3, but to no avail.  He still will not use the litter box.  He didn't like it when we had the second cat, who is about half his age, but not too feisty with Cinder (the first cat).  Last September, we adopted a kitten that turned 1 year old in February 2009.  His name is Nicky and he will go up to Cinder and lick his head and then Cinder growls and hisses at Nicky.  He seems like he hates Nicky and he just tolerates our middle cat Creep.  His bathroom behavior has gotten much worse since we got Nicky a year ago.  We don't know what to do.  I don't want to get rid of Cinder and he doesn't seem ready to be put down.  Please help.

Answer
Mary Lou,

Congratulations on raising a cat to the ripe old age of 16 years!!!!!

Have you tried putting one of the litter boxes in another part of the household?  Have you had the 16 year old checked for a urinary tract infection? At age 16, given the stress of having to deal with yet another cat, I wonder if this could have brought on some urinary tract problems.

Anyway, the first step is to have your vet check him out.  Medical issues are usually easier to resolve than behavioral ones.

You could try a Feliway diffuser (available from most pet supermarkets) where the litter pans are located and see if it blunts any aggressive tendencies.  Cats can get very, very territorial about litter pans.

Anyway, here is a link to an excellent set of articles on feline litter box problems which may offer further suggestions.

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html


Finally, make sure you clean up any areas where your 16 year old has pee'ed inappropriately with an enzyme based cleaner specifically for pet stains and pet odors (available at most pet supermarkets or farm stores).

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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