I've inherited a cat!

Betrisher

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I don't like cats. Never have. However, I've inherited a male siamese and I'm at my wits' end!

We already had two cats (Genevieve and Reginald), so I felt our cat quotient was full already. Then, disaster struck an old friend and Trant arrived to liven things up.

Some years ago, I had a reunion with the teacher who made a huge difference in my life. She gave me poetry and Shakespeare and logical thinking and theology and a whole lot of other great stuff besides. She was The One for me. You know how there's often one special teacher or person in your life that really changed the way you think? Well, like that. She happened to be a nun, but that didn't stop her country way of swearing or expressing things in a very - ah - biological way. She was fabulous! Still is, even at the age of ninety-one.

And therein hangs the problem. A couple of weeks ago, this wonderful woman who spent the latter half of her life caring for men at risk in rural communities (and winning the Order of Australia Medal for it) was plomped into a nursing home! Mind you, at ninety-one, independent life was getting more and more difficult for Pat, who was having trouble coping with ordinary day-to-day concerns, but she had just three days warning to empty her little flat and find somewhere to put her beloved cat.

That's where I came in.

No one else stepped forward and it looked as if a Visit to the Vet might be the only answer for Trant (named after a village in Thailand). That would have been preposterous, since he's only six years old and a beautiful cat (if you're into cats...). So he's here now, acclimatising. Yay.

The house smells like cat pee. He sprays. He piddles. He poops on the edges of the litter box, not in the middle. AND HE YOWLS in the middle of the night! He doesn't yowl in the way of most cats, where they sit on the back fence and go 'rawwwrrrrrr'. O no! He has an unnaturally basso profundo voice which sounds like a demon from hell and when he goes 'ghrghghghghghrgh' in the middle of the night, it causes me to sit bolt upright and utter a Hail Mary of desperation!

I'm not comfortable. I *know* the cat is needy and feeling terribly disoriented and uprooted and I've done everything I can to make him feel at home (we brought some of Pat's clothing for him to sleep on and kept his old food dishes etc). But he's not a comfortable cat and even after a fortnight, he still roams around looking for a way out.

One good thing is that he's made friends with Reg and will sit companionably with him on the windowsill. He's learned to ignore the dog when she ask him to play (you know how dogs do that thing with the head near the ground the bum in the air with tail wagging). He's even learned to stand away from the door when anyone comes in or out. Which is good of course.

If he'd only learn to stop spraying my blessed bedroom with his blessed aroma, then I'd be a lot happier. I know he's only trying to mark off some territory for his own, but it's *my* bedroom where my marital bed is! Fair dinkum! Is nothing sacred?

Thank you for letting me vent. I'm going over to pick up my friend, Pat, so she can come and visit tomorrow. She'll be glad to know he's settled and happy and of course she doesn't need to know about the spraying. It's my problem now.

Yay.
 
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LaManuka

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Hmmm I think I smell an OAM in the air for you too! ;)
 

ChristaNL

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Is he neutered?
not alway the solution, but it might help.

Right now we have this hype where you plug in "soothing smells/ fake chill-hormones" dispensers in the electric-sockets - NO idea what this stuf does to a birds respiratory system, but it seems to help cats calm down considerably (they also have them in doggy-flavour).
(allergic to cats myself so no clue - I has a friend who is a professional catwhisperer, she moved away so we are somewhat out of touch atm, but if you really need some advise I'll dig up her emailadress for you)

Maybe he is used to different catlitter and hates the feel of this stuf on his paws?
(the pooping on the edge-thingy)
 

reeisconfused

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Hello. Heโ€™s a gorgeous cat! Thank you for taking him in. Youโ€™re our hero :)

There are two possible reasons for this -

a) Heโ€™s not neutered and his hormones are acting up. If heโ€™s not neutered, you need to get him neutered ASAP. The spraying and the howling at night could be because of that.
b) He could be doing this because of Territorial insecurity. How did you introduce him to your cats? The process needs to be slow to let them adapt. Iโ€™ll link a video to explain introducing a new cat to resident cats.
Is he being bullied by any of your cats? If yes, you need to reintroduce them to each other.

If your cats are not bullying him, then itโ€™s likely that heโ€™s getting spooked by something outside. Does he have access to windows from which he can see outside? If racoons / stray cats / any other animal passes by your house often, then this could be scaring him. He might feel the need to defend / mark his territory. You said this was happening in your room only? Check out your windows to see any activity. You can get automatic sprayers and have them placed outside your room window so that whatever passes by will not get any near cause if they do, they get sprayed with water.

You can also take him to a vet who might better assess his situation and guide you.

Hope this helps!
 
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Betrisher

Betrisher

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> Hello. Heโ€™s a gorgeous cat! Thank you for taking him in. Youโ€™re our hero :)
Thanks! It was the least we could do. Just 'cause I'm not a cat lover doesn't mean I won't help an animal in need.

> There are two possible reasons for this -

> a) Heโ€™s not neutered and his hormones are acting up. If heโ€™s not neutered, you need to get him neutered ASAP.
> The spraying and the howling at night could be because of that.

He's been neutered since just before puberty.


> b) He could be doing this because of Territorial insecurity. How did you introduce him to your cats?

Well, we put him in the bathroom with his carrier door open for a while, letting him come out at his own pace. When he did, he retreated under my bed and made that his headquarters. We kept the other cats out of there to let him feel it was 'his place' for a while.

Gradually, he approached our cats of his own accord. There was a small amount of hissing and boxing, but not much. Now, he's friends with Reg (neutered male), but Genny (neutered female and queen of the house) is still a bit snarly around him. He's even learned to ignore the dog, who continually tries to get him to play with her (he's far too dignified for that).

He has his own catbox in the bathroom (our cats go outside for that purpose) and eats his meals separately in the laundry (although he has been stealing the others' leftovers of a morning).

Things aren't *too* bad, but I could sure live without the spraying!

> The process needs to be slow to let them adapt.
> Iโ€™ll link a video to explain introducing a new cat to resident cats.
> Is he being bullied by any of your cats?

No, not at all. After the few initial spats, they seem to have reached some kind of 'arrangement'.


> If your cats are not bullying him, then itโ€™s likely that heโ€™s getting spooked by something outside.

None of our neighbours has pets: I'm the only crazy animal lady in the street. (Lady next door has a very old Staffy, but she lives indoors (the Staffie, not the lady)) Actually, the lady does live indoors. With the Staffy, in fact.

> Does he have access to windows from which he can see outside?

Oh yes! He enjoys sitting on the windowsill in my room and watching the world go by outside (very boring - not even traffic goes by that window)

> If racoons / stray cats / any other animal passes by your house often, then this could be scaring him.

It's Australia, so no raccoons or stray animals (strict laws).

> He might feel the need to defend / mark his territory.

I'm thinking that's the thing. I reckon he's trying to put his stamp on something he can call home. I feel for him, but the smell is outta this world!

> You said this was happening in your room only?

In my room and a bit in the bathroom, where he's filled the bathmat with his glorious aroma. I know I should leave it there for his security, but the stench is utterly gagworthy!

> Check out your windows to see any activity.

Nope, none, except for the postman.

> You can get automatic sprayers and have them placed outside your room window so that whatever passes by will not get any near cause if they do, they get sprayed with water.
> You can also take him to a vet who might better assess his situation and guide you.

> Hope this helps!

It absolutely did and thank you so much for taking the time to write it out for me! When one is not a cat person, it certainly helps to have a proper cat person to give advice! Cheers! Trish
 

ChristaNL

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LOL "no stray animals" and yet your cats crap in everyone elses yard?


(sorry just me being being prejudiced agains those catowners who can't be bothered to clean litterboxes propperly <and offer enough of them, aka number of cats plus one is an absolute minimum> and therefore *always* come up with the excuse "they like it better outside")


Anyway- sorry about the pee all over, it's really not nice (my neighbours cat used to come over to spray my house as well) .
Lucky there is this enzyme-treatment now that *really* gets rid of the left-over smell.
(Only really helps it the peeing stops, but it can help with the "do not pee here")
 

Flboy

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Such a shame, a real nasty issue!
The only pet cat I ever liked was a seal point Siamese! They have such a non-cat personality! And as you have discovered, a very unique cry!

Not a Siamese, but still an amazing cat!
[ame="https://youtu.be/1JWZ8ni55YE"]Cat Saves Kid From Pitbull - YouTube[/ame]
 
OP
Betrisher

Betrisher

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> LOL "no stray animals" and yet your cats crap in everyone elses yard?

No. We live in a highly built-up area and all our neighbours have tiled or cemented courtyards. Our cats crap under our house in the soft sandy soil there. So does the dog. My son cleans up after them every day.

> (sorry just me being being prejudiced agains those catowners who can't be bothered to clean litterboxes propperly <and offer enough of them, aka number of cats plus one is an absolute minimum> and therefore *always* come up with the excuse "they like it better outside")

Well, I guess it's your choice to be prejudiced, but why should I lock my cats in and force them to use a litterbox when they like to go outside? This is Australia! It's *stifling* indoors half the time! And why would you assume I don't give them a litterbox each? They have their litterboxes for overnight, but they don't use them, for which I'm eternally grateful. Try living through an Australian summer in a small house that contains three litterboxes! Whew!


> Anyway- sorry about the pee all over, it's really not nice (my neighbours cat used to come over to spray my house as well) .
> Lucky there is this enzyme-treatment now that *really* gets rid of the left-over smell.
> (Only really helps it the peeing stops, but it can help with the "do not pee here")

I live in hope that Trant will gradually come not to need to spray. He'll be allowed outside too, soon. Depends on how he goes. If he prefers to stay indoors, that's what we'll do. If not, he can sit out on the deck with the others and pee in his own patch of under-the-house.
 

texsize

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I love Siamese cats. I grew up with a pair male/female.
My parents raised at least two litters of kittens.
Siamese are one of the most vocal of cat breeds.
I am glad you took him in and am sorry you have to put up with his spraying the house. The ammonia reek of cat piss is unpleasant and having a bird means you can't use much of anything to cover it up.


texsize
 

Jen5200

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Aw, heโ€™s gorgeous - so glad you took him in :). I had a seal point siamese for almost 20 years and I sympathize with the โ€œhowlโ€. On the upside, ours only did the bone-chilling howl when she was unsettled or upset about something - so hopefully it will be less frequent when he settles in.
 

ChristaNL

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I was not accusing you ... it's just somehting that gets my gall about cat-owners planetwide who never even bother to think where the cats waste go.

Wow, your son is a hero!

Can you get something like UF2000 4Pets in your part of the world?
It kind of saved my sanity. (Grinn, what was left of it anyway ...)
 
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Betrisher

Betrisher

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Dominic: Galah(RIP: 1981-2018); The Lovies: Four Blue Masked Lovebirds; Barney and Madge (The Beaks): Alexandrines; Miss Rosetta Stone: Little Corella
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I know, right! I keep ticking over all the spray remedies in my mind and then thinking 'Nah, it's toxic!' Oh well. There's always elbow grease.
 
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Betrisher

Betrisher

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Jun 3, 2013
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Newcastle, NSW, Australia
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Dominic: Galah(RIP: 1981-2018); The Lovies: Four Blue Masked Lovebirds; Barney and Madge (The Beaks): Alexandrines; Miss Rosetta Stone: Little Corella
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LOL! My son is autistic and absolutely cannot abide mess or anything disagreeable in his vicinity. He's a neat freak like me, only *more* so, hence his need to keep the yard nice and clean.

I don't know what's available yet, since all this happened within a couple of days. Gotta shop around and see what's there.
 

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