When Your Cat Thinks Outside the Box: Part 1

Posted on July 31, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

A common complaint of cat owners is that their cat does not always use the litter box. This can be a nuisance – cat urine can have a strong odor particularly if the cat is not neutered or spayed. Soft stools can be a challenge to clean up. I am always surprised at how many people accept the “out of the box” incidents and use potty pads or towels to manage the mess. What can you do if this happens to you?

Why your cat thinks outside the box

There are a number of reasons cats may think “outside the box” and don’t use their litter boxes. Sometimes, it is a marking behavior. Other times, the litter box does not meet feline requirements, the cat is sick, or another cat is “guarding” the box. These are just a few of the reasons that may lie behind feline house-soiling.

Marking

Cats use urine to mark territory, advertise for a mate or let other cats know that Mr. Fluffy has been here (feces may also mark terrritory but urine is more common in domestic cats). The urine mark not only gives information as to the sexual status and general health of the marker, it also has a “time stamp” indicating when the mark was made. Cats, being solitary hunters, avoid confrontations to reduce the risk of injury. This “time stamp” may help cats avoid encountering each other.

Such urine marking is often but not always sprayed on vertical surfaces. It is typically characterized by small amounts of urine. This is usually a behavior of intact males and sometimes females but can occur with neutered or spayed animals. (Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 16(7):545, 10.1177/1098612X14539085)

PROBLEMS WITH THE BOX

Box is too small
Box is in a busy location near noisy appliances or in a high traffic area
Box is located near a window where neighborhood cats come
Box is not clean – remember to scoop at least once a day

A research team at Nestlé Purina found that cats prefer to use unused litter boxes. However, this preference for unused boxes did not seem to be due to odors. Cats did not seem to care whether or not the litter box smelled of urine or feces. But cats did not want to use litter boxes with actual urine clumps and feces nor did they want to use litter boxes with simulated urine clumps made from salt solution or “faux feces” made of gelatin. Ultimately, it appears that it is important to scoop frequently, removing physical obstructions from the litter box.

“Does previous use affect litter box appeal in multi-cat households?”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2017.02.008

MEDICAL PROBLEMS

Pain and discomfort when eliminating can result in a cat associating the litter box with pain. Ongoing pain can be frightening for a cat and cause him to be anxious, exacerbating urinary and gastro-intestinal problems. The cat may choose not to the use the litter box he associates with the painful elimination.

When your cat thinks outside the box, it could be due to medical issues, including:

Urinary tract infections
Bladder stones
Arthritis – can make it difficult for a cat to squat or step over a high side to get into the litter box
Constipation and diarrhea
Cognitive dysfunction in older cats ( Cat Dementia: How Can We Manage It?)
FIC (feline idiopathic cystitis) – (see “Is My Cat Sick from Stress”)
Hyperthyroidism
Diabetes
Kidney disease

Social problems

The litter box is being “guarded” by another cat
The family dog is coprophagic and “haunts” the litter box
A toddler wants to “play in the sandbox” too
A house guest kicks his shoes off and they hit the wall; the noise startles the cat in the box

When your cat thinks outside the box – make an appointment with your veterinarian. Your vet can:

Assess your cat’s overall health
Collect blood, urine and stool samples for diagnostic screening
Take X-rays if there are concerns about bladder stones or arthritis
Prescribe pain medication
Prescribe anti-anxiety medication while house-soiling issues are being resolved

It is wise to act promptly when house-soiling issues arise. When house-soiling continues for a long time without resolution, we run the risk of “coping behaviors” becoming habits. For example, a cat may choose to urinate in the shower or bathtub, defecate in a quiet corner in the front entryway, or eliminate right next to the box. Once these behaviors are established, it is sometimes difficult to break these “bad” habits.

Our next post will look at what you, the cat guardian, can do to encourage new habits and help remedy house-soiling, when your cat thinks outside the box.

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Introducing Kittens to Older Cats

Posted on July 24, 2022July 24, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

You have decided that you want to get another cat. Why not a kitten? A kitten is young; he or she should be adaptable and open to new experiences. Right?

Before you go to the shelter or call a breeder, think first of your resident cats: their ages, health and life experience.

Introducing Kittens to Older Cats

Scenario #1: senior cats

Let’s say your oldest cat is ten years old, comparable to a 56 year old human. She still is up for a rousing game of “chase the feather bird” but she is not forever pouncing on toys. She is still jumping pretty well but does spend a lot of her time in sunny spots, snoozing and soaking up the warmth.

Her health is pretty good for her age but she most likely has started to develop arthritis. You don’t know much about her early life (she was a rescue) but she gets along fairly well with the now 7 year old male cat you adopted when she was 3 years old. You recall that it took some time for them to accept each other but they will snuggle together in winter and groom each other’s heads from time to time.

If you could ask your two senior cats if they want a kitten roommate, they would probably say “No, please maintain the status quo”. An energetic kitten may be more than they want to deal with. However, the two cats form an established social group, know the rules of feline etiquette, so there is a good chance that introducing a new cat will be successful.

The newcomer may or may not be accepted whole-heartedly into this social group. You may end up dealing with two social groups – your older cats and the kitten. Think about getting two kittens, ideally from the same litter. They will form their own rough and tumble social club and the older cats will not need to join the fracas unless they want to.

scenario #2: the single young adult cat

In this case, you have a young male cat about 1 year old. You adopted him when he was a 10 week old kitten and he has been the only cat in the house since. He is still rambunctious and playful. You feel he would benefit from a younger companion.

Although this cat is still young, his socialization with other cats stopped at 10 weeks. He may tend to view a kitten more as an object, a toy to be played with, than a member of a social group. The introduction process could be more complicated than introducing kittens to older cats that have been socialized. This young, single cat will benefit from training and possibly medication to put him in a relaxed emotional state while meeting his new roommate.

The Nuts and bolts of introducing kittens to older cats

It is wise to follow the basic rules of introducing cats in both scenarios. Give your resident(s) time to get used to the idea of sharing the house with a furry newcomer. Start with:

Scent exchange
Time-sharing of common areas
Visual introduction with a barrier in between.

Time with the barrier in between can give you an idea of how the older cat(s) and kitten(s) will react. Make sure everyone is offered high value treats and toys and consider having a helper so there is a person on either side of the barrier. Have a sheet or blanket to cover the barrier if needed.

cat on leash — Zelda walking indoors on her leash.

Consider harness/leash training both kitten(s) and adult cat(s). The harness/leash can give you more control over the visitations by regulating how cats approach each other. A leash can keep a rambunctious kitten from pouncing on a senior cat; a leash can help keep an overstimulated young adult cat from relentlessly pursuing a kitten.

A word to the wise…

Assess the medical and social history of your resident cat(s) when planning to adopt a new kitten or cat.
Go slowly when introducing kittens to older cats – an older cat can hurt a young kitten. Supervision is a must!
Watch everyone’s body language: take a step back if there’s a lot of hissing and growling.
Always be ready to separate fighting felines!

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Routines help cats reduce stress and anxiety

Posted on July 17, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Marley looks at the whiteboard with the daily routines for the pet sitter.

The alarm goes off. You tap the OFF button, then stretch and sit up. Another work day. You get up, feed your cats, and grab a quick cup of coffee and bowl of cereal. You breeze through a shower, get dressed and leave for work.

Or you may be packing lunches and making sure the kids are dressed and fed for school. You are on automatic pilot, going through the motions efficiently. You have done this many times before – you have a morning routine.

A routine is a set of things that you regularly do to get something done. Routines bring order to our day and save us time because we get more proficient at the steps through repetition. They reduce the effort we expend on doing things because they don’t require conscious thought – you can cruise through on autopilot.

Routines help cats: routines reduce stress

Routines help cats much in the same way routines help us – they bring order to a cat’s day and the security of knowing what is going to happen. In this way, routines help to reduce stress and anxiety. They are familiar and soothing.

A wild cat colony has routines. The colony may sleep through the day waking in the late afternoon to get ready to hunt at dusk, when prey such as mice become active. Then follows a sequence of hunting every few hours as their stomachs empty and they are able to eat again, winding down at dawn. Between feedings, the group will snooze, groom each other or sometimes play with kittens or other adult cats. (See Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, “Cat Behavior: Social Organization, Communication and Development”, I. Rochlitz (ed.), The Welfare of Cats, 1–22. 2007 Springer)

Our domestic cats are synced to our routines: waking with us, anticipating being fed, watching us go to work, and waiting for us to return home. Obviously, we want to feed the kitties around the same time every day. However food, water and clean litter boxes are not your cat’s only requirements. Cats also need consistent, regular human interaction and opportunities for predatory play. Environmental Needs of Cats

Human interaction and playtime

These are best incorporated into a daily routine, say playtime after dinner or as part of a “bedtime” routine. Routines help cats and owners – the routine makes it easier for you to ensure your cat gets regular interaction (once established, you can cruise through on autopilot); your cat benefits from the fun and enrichment of interaction and playtime.

His little cat brain does not have to worry about what will happen next. This reduces his stress and anxiety, and gives him a sense of control – he know what’s going to happen. Maintaining his routine can be particularly helpful to your cat in times of stress – playing with a familiar toy not only distracts your cat, it is also soothing.

Make Sure to Maintain Routines

when traveling with your cat (as best you can)
when entertaining house guests
when introducing new pets
when you are away, ask pet sitters to follow your cat’s daily routine

Routines help cats from becoming bored

A routine provides a venue to establish some “good” habits and learn new things. Accepting medication can become a habit – cats will learn quickly to accept “dummy” pills in treats if they do this regularly.

Mix up the routine from time to time – change is part of living. For example, in the medicating routine, you may wish to introduce and practice other ways of offering a pill to your cat – say with a pet piller or offering a “dummy pill” in a squeeze up treat.

Example of an evening routine

medication time (real or practice with treats)
treat toss or playing with interactive toys (predatory play)
food puzzles (foraging/hunting)
brushing teeth

Consider including a training session in your cat’s daily routine. Take some time and make a list of what you want to teach your cat then pick a new skill each week to do. You will be more likely to get it done if it is part of the routine!

Routines not only bring order to our day, our routines help cats by giving them a sense of control and security, reducing stress and anxiety. Take a few minutes to set up a daily routine for your cat – have him learn new things, enjoy some grooming, play time, or food puzzles!

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Introducing Cats – An Update

Posted on July 10, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats are the only domesticated animals whose ancestors are solitary. Horses, dogs, birds, cattle, pigs – all are descended from animals that instinctively formed social groups (herds, packs, flocks…). Cats are what we call “socially flexible”. A cat can be quite happy living on his own but he may join a cat colony (group of cats) if there are plenty of resources – food, places to sleep.

Cats formed a social structure to live alongside humans

The domestic cat’s ancestor, the African wildcat, is a solitary hunter, and does not spend much time with other wildcats unless it time to mate. 10,000 years ago, wildcats were drawn to the wealth of prey found in and around human settlements. Wildcats that could tolerate other wildcats nearby could share the feast. These are the ancestors of our domestic cats today.

Cats are popular pets with a small footprint. It is not uncommon for a cat owner to want adopt another cat. But how do you know if the cats will like each other? What if they fight?

If there is sufficient food, cats will form social groups called colonies. The colony is often a collection of smaller social groups of cats. Cats belonging to a particular social group, will share food, water, latrine areas, sleeping and resting places. Different social groups will take turns using critical resources such as food, water, etc.

Introducing Cats

Gradual step-by step introduction mimics what we see in feral cat colonies. The newcomer initially stays on the periphery of the colony and gradually is accepted by the colony members over time. (See Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, “Cat Behavior: Social Organization, Communication and Development”, I. Rochlitz (ed.), The Welfare of Cats, 1–22. 2007 Springer)

A few years ago, I wrote “Introducing cats: A Short Guide” for my website. The “Short Guide” recommended a step-by-step process for introducing cats. With the new cat in his own separate room, the first step involved exchanging bedding between the new cat and the residents. Subsequent steps allowed the cats to explore each other’s areas while the other cat is out followed by feeding the cats and playing with toys on either side of a door that is closed at first then opened later.

I still recommend the same step-by-step gradual introduction but have made the following updates:

Eating is not a social activity for cats. Wild cats prefer to take their mouse away from other cats and dine alone. But food still is a way to make cats feel good. So, instead of using your cat’s regular meal to make interacting with the newcomer positive, we will use special treats and toys. The cats can continue eating their regular food at the usual time and place. After all, why spoil your meal by eating with someone you don’t know and may not like.
Many cat introductions have been done with a door that is ajar and then gradually opened wider and wider. Over the past few years, I have come to the conclusion that it is worth investing in a screen, stacked baby gates or other barrier you can see through. You have the flexibility of being able to cover this barrier quickly with a sheet to interrupt a fixed, direct, aggressive stare between cats; if one cat “rushes” at the other, the barrier is there to prevent a cat fight.
Another epiphany I have had is that using a carrier (even if it is large and covered with a towel) for supervised visitations is not ideal. The cat in the carrier may feel trapped and unable to leave an unpleasant situation. On the other hand, harness and leash can provide us more control when starting visual contact and supervised visitations – we can deter cats from rushing up to the barrier or perhaps even avoid a cat fight.

A cat plays with a toy near closed door during a cat introduction.

When introducing cats, it is best to go slowly – it is better to take baby steps and only have to back up a little if something goes wrong. Of course, make sure to monitor each cat’s body language and demeanor. Each cat is an individual – I have had some cats get together in a matter of days while other can take months. Try to avoid the temptation to rush ahead so that the barriers can come down – the house may still be separated into hostile camps.

Make sure to visit the updated web page Introducing Cats: A Short Guide

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Coat Color and Temperament in Cats

Posted on July 3, 2022July 3, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Does the color of your cat’s coat mean anything? Is there a link between coat color and temperament in cats?

Black cats are often associated with the occult; orange cats tend to be regarded as friendly. Calico and tortoiseshell cats – those cats with tri-colored coats – are considered strong-willed and difficult to work with. There is even a term – “tortitude” – to describe these cats!

In a study published in 2016, researchers at UC Davis decided to look into whether there is a link between coat color and temperament – in particular, do cats with particular colors of coats tend to be more aggressive? Cat owners were recruited online to fill out a survey about their cats. The team received 1,274 responses that they analyzed with statistics.

Owners scored their cats for

aggression toward humans
aggression when being punished, petted, or brushed
aggression when in the veterinary clinic

Aggression toward humans scored the frequency with which a cat reacted with aggressive or affiliative behavior to people. A 6 point scale was used ranging from 0 = never through monthly, weekly, up to 5 = daily. Behaviors included hiss, bite, slap/scratch, bite/scratch and stalk (play), groom/lick, curl up next to, approach and greet with head/body rubs. The possible range of scores was 0-20.

Aggression from handling scored the likelihood that the cat would react to being punished, petted or brushed by hissing, biting, slapping or scratching. Scores ranged from 0 = unlikely to 3 = very likely. The maximum score possible was 27. Aggression during the veterinary visit was also scored from 0 = likely to 3 = very likely but with a maximum score of 9.

Overall, the aggression scores are rather low in all three categories. For example, in the “human aggression” category, high scores were 2-3 out of 20. Female cats had higher scores overall but the research team felt the difference to be small enough that they could combine the sexes in the overall study.

Coat color and temperament – findings

Tortitude

The calico and tortoiseshell cats were found to have some of the higher scores (2.47) for aggression toward humans (Gray and white cats scored 2.26 – so not much different than the tri-color cats).

These scores are not very high scores out of a possible 20.
Calico/tortoiseshell cats are predominantly female (the tri-color pattern is linked to the X chromosome making the combination of 3 colors very rare in male cats). Female cats were found to be a little more aggressive than male cats in this study and this sample would have had more females.
Perhaps, the stereotype of the “strong-willed” tri-colored female cat affected how respondents scored their cats.

other findings

Gray and white cats, both female and male, were more aggressive toward humans and when being handled.
Black and white male cats scored higher than other groups of male cats in human-directed aggression.
Surprisingly, there were no significant differences in aggression among cats at the veterinary clinic.

Although the results of this study seem to support the stereotypes of cat color and aggressive behavior, e. g. “tortitude”, it is best to take these results with a grain of salt.

Overall, the scores for aggression to humans and when being handled were quite low.
The questionnaires were completed by the owners and there will be some differences in the way people interpret and score things.
Stereotypes may have affected how respondents view their cats and scored them.
The questionnaires did not involve a random sample of cats and cat owners but cat owners who voluntarily signed up to fill out the forms. These could be potentially more interested and “saavy” owners.
There will be differences in how people approach and handle their cats.

At the Battersea Dogs and Cats home, cats were more friendly with humans after the human volunteers watched a video demonstrating how to interact with cats. ( see “Practical Guidelines for Interacting with Cats” )

The link between coat color and aggressive behavior does not seem particularly strong. Such information could be useful to cat owners, shelters, and veterinary clinics to allow them to anticipate what behaviors they may encounter. But as the saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. A cat’s coat color is only part of the story – it is important to assess each cat as an individual. Approach him or her respectfully following the CAT guidelines.

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