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I have a cat who sometimes decides to pee in places other than the litterbox. I have put up with it for over a year, and done all sorts of things vets and cat people recommended, but nothing stopped it (so please don't turn this into a thread of cat behavior tips... the situation is past that point).
I am absolutely at the end of my rope with him... I don't know what to do!
As far as I can see, my options are:
1) Deal with it. I made the commitment of owning a pet, he's my responsibility for he rest of his life now.
2) Put him to sleep
3) Take him to a humane society, where he will be classified as "unadoptable" and they'd just put him to sleep too
4) Try to get him in to a no-kill rescue (This may not even be possible -- many no-kills won't take an unadoptable cat because because a life-long resident takes up a space that could have been used to rescue several different adoptable cats over time. I've called a few places already and none of them could take him.)
I feel like I *should* do #1. If he were a human that would be co-dependency, but he's a cat... I'm not sure "detach with compassion" is appropriate for a helpless little animal that doesn't even understand he's doing anything wrong. But HE PEES ON ALL MY STUFF AND I CAN'T STAND IT ANY MORE...
What do I do? How much do I owe him? When (if ever) is it OK to send him away or put him to sleep because his behavior bugs me?
Edit: He wouldn't be able to survive as an outdoor cat, he was declawed before I adopted him. I'm not keen on keeping him in a dog crate either -- confining such an energetic cat to such a small space would be cruel. I'm just trying to figure out where the boundaries of responsible pet ownership are... I've put a lot of time and money into trying almost every imaginable solution for litterbox problems... is it ever OK to give up and say "I can't take any more of this, the cat has got to go"?
-- Edited by atheos on Tuesday 29th of January 2013 07:30:20 PM
Hi, I have always been a cat owner. They keep the mice away. So I come from a position of love for cats.....
My first thought is to get him a large dog crate (about $70) and keep him in that crate at all times except when you are hugging him and letting him sit on your lap. Those large dog crates are big enough to keep a litter box in the back and a comfy pillow in the front. It looks like a jail to the cat with bars all around. I have a crate that my dog sleeps in at night and I find the cats in it during the day. You will have to put up with the pathetic meowing all the time until he gets used to it.....
I sent a dog to the Humane Society once because he was a "dribbler" all over my house. I felt guilty for years about that. I don't know what happened to him. I know how you feel.
My grandmother passes away in December and she had a cat, male un-neutered. I am a cat person. Have three of my own that are inside and outside. They go to the door and ask to be let out, no litter box. Love it. Grandma's cat was pretty much gifted to be with out asking if that was ok. I really did not need another one. We got a litter box immediately as he is a house only cat. He had been in our home 3 days, I walked out to the living room and my couch was soaked in urine. Bad bad smell, a month later that smell still is in my couch. I will need new furniture now as I just don't think it will come out. That cat, he has been outside ever since. I love my cats but I can't have my furniture being ruined and the smell of cat urine is horrid.
I would say put him outside. He can be an outside kitty and if you are worried about cold, if you have garage put a kitty door between the outside and the garage so he can get in out of the rain and such. My outside cat is using an old dog house that was left here by the previous renter so I am not worried about a house for him but they have a lots of little cat houses and such for him to use. You could let him in the house for an hour or so in the evening as long as you have him with you. Good luck, there is nothing worse than cat urine in the house.
I was aware of that. I plan on having him neutered, he is a 6 toed cat, on all 4 feet so grandma wanted to breed him. Even after I get him fixed he will never be inside again. Can't take that chance. My couch was too expensive and having to replace furniture is not something I am ready to do.
I don't have it in me to put him down... but I want him to go away so bad... I'll keep looking for more no-kills, someone's got to take him eventually, especially if I offer a big donation towards his care...
I still feel like a bad person getting rid of him... he'll be scared and lonely and not even understand why I sent him away... but I can't stand a another 10-20 years of living with him and his problems... am I doing a bad thing putting my needs ahead of his?
