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One of the most common cat behavioural problems reported to veterinarians is inappropriate elimination by the family feline. Some people have no patience with the issue and want the animal euthanized immediately, when often a little common sense would resolve the issue.
I always recommend that a cat be checked for urinary problems. Neutered males in particular are prone to stones and struvite crystals forming in the bladder. A low ash, low magnesium food goes a long way to aid in your cat's urinary health. But if they are leaving random puddles here and there, especially with a tinge or spot of blood, chances are there is a physical cause. If your vet has checked a urine sample or done other tests and determined the cat is healthy, you next have to consider a behavioural problem. Most objectionable behaviour has a trigger. Too often, we think of pets as people, adapatable as we are ourselves, and consequently when there is a new arrival to a family, a depature or a move, the cat is expected to take it in stride. Cats are a little more sensitive than we might think. They are aware of stress in the atmosphere of a household, and they are prone to "nervous" reactions to such things as their favourite human leaving them alone too long, or going away for a period of time. This can result in marking behaviour on the human's things, the primary targets being the bed or furniture where that person sits. People sometimes think it is a conscious act of defiance on the part of the cat. This is projecting human reactions onto an animal that just doesn't think like a human. It is literally marking its territory, hoping that whatever upset it- a move, vacation, or whatever, will go away or resolve itself. Whether you can pinpoint the cause of your cat's stress or not, there are some measures to try. First, confine the cat to a room with a cleanable floor, and its litterbox. After a few days, allow it supervised visits to the rest of the house. If you find the marking being done in the daytime when you are gone, confining them only during that time may be the answer. Go To Page: 1 2
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