Cat problems - need help!

[Sebski]

I love him to death but am at my wits end with my cat. I'm pregnant and due in about a month with my first baby and I can't keep the little bugger out of ANYTHING baby related. The crib, the baby's clothes baskets, the bassinette - which I just saw is covered in cat hair and already ruined with his hind claws and I only got it a week and a 1/2 ago at my shower! I tried putting a netting over the crib and bassinette, tried tinfoil (he just lays on both things), spritzing him with water... nothing seems to work - I'm just at a loss now. He's also been peeing in the basement too and I'm afraid he's going to start peeing on the baby's things. He's always been a cat that likes to hide out in things, but he's been good with the furniture and never really gotten into trouble. The peeing started several weeks ago, but the vet said there's nothing medically wrong, it must be behavioral. DH is frustrated enough w/ the basement thing, so I've been keeping the other stuff (crib etc) from him hoping to fix the problem before he catches on. If he finds out, it won't be a question of HOW to fix the problem but rather how SOON the cat's out the door. He's told me numerous times that he's not putting up with any cat antics when it comes to the baby... I know he's right, but this is the first pet he's ever had so he's not cut from the same cloth that I am. As a last resort, I'm thinking of 'housing' him at my brother's girlfriends place if things get worse... she volunteered to take him in while we get adjusted w/ the baby and all. I just don't know if things will get better with him once the baby does arrive... what if he acts up even worse?

I just don't get it - how do people with pets get their pets adjusted to a new baby????? Tons of people manage - what am I missing? I feel like I'm failing my poor cat!

[greenbunny]

As far as the baby stuff, I'd try putting a scat mat on the bedding. If tinfoil and squirt guns haven't worked, you'll need to up the ante.

If he's in the baby's stuff, isn't there a door on this room that you could close? I guess it isn't a permanent solution, but it would help for now.

As far as peeing, it is inded a tough problem, and one I'm dealing with right now. It takes a lot of time and patience to figure out, and you don't seem to have that right now.

Frankly your husband's attitude isn't going to help you. It isn't about the cat's "antics", it's about the cat reacting to change that makes her scared or anxious. Cats don't do things for spite or out of a sense of humor. It sounds like you already know this, but I needed a minivent after hearing that!

Any number of changes can affect litter box habits. Did something happen near her box to scare her? Was she startled or ambushed by another pet? Did you change the location of the box, or the type of litter, or the cleaning solution you use on it? Did you get a new box, especially one with a hood? Did you start using a new air freshener or plug-in? Has the area become busier with foot traffic or noise?

Our cat is locked in one room while we retrain her to use her litter box. In our situation it is probably because the two cats aren't getting along, and also because she went through a traumatic declaw/infection where using the box was painful for her.

A drastic measure is behavioral medication. You can talk to your vet about this. We've started our cat on clorapramine, which is a human medication that is stronger than Prozac. Since day 1 she has been using her box again. We have it compounded at a pharmacy and pay $26 for a month's supply.

This takes time and retraining. We have spent several hundred dollars and about two months now working on getting her back to where we can trust her in the house again. We are also considering toilet training her in the future, once she's been using the box consistently (30 days to make a habit).

Please keep in mind that avoiding the litter box is the number 1 reason cats are euthanized. If you turn her in to a shelter it is highly unlikely that anyone will take her. We were not told about these problems with our cat, and frankly if I had known, I wouldn't have wanted her.

[JAJ]

Hey stranger it's been awhile but I seemed to stumble upon you here!
I literally just started using theses boards.
CONGRATULATIONS, your little peanut will be here soon huh!!

Well I had similar issues with my cat. She took up residence on all the baby’s comfy places not to mention a beauty of a scratch on the new crib.

Wow, I was going to suggest everything you have already tried….stubborn guy huh!
One thing I never got to do but someone had told me to get a thin wood screen door for the bedroom to keep cat out, not the most attractive but assured to help.
Oddly enough our cat made her self scarce when DD came home. She never went into the bassinet, pack n play, etc when DD was in it BUT I did always manage to find her in there from time to time through out the day....so always changing sheets
I would also pull the bassinet mattress up an on its side or lay a blanket over it keep her from jumping in, it became a daily chore.
As frustrating as it is dealing with the cat it was by far easier than my dog chewing every bottle/sippy cup/pacifier that was unattended, I feel like I
could have stock in the companies for the money spent to replace things.LOL
Sadly my cat had to be put to sleep when DD was 5 months old…we discovered she had a mass in her stomach that rapidly got worse and surgery was not an option….so the biggest annoyance has become my favorite photoof her. http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce04b3127cce94af3331fcf900000016108AZMmLhw3bM6

Hang in there...I hope things work out, especially with the peeing issue.
Jenn

PS Happy Anniversary!

[Sebski]

GreenBunny Thanks for all the tips. I'm sorry you're currently having litterbox problems of your own. I keep telling myself that the cats bathroom probs are related to DH changing the box and that it will get better once I start up again post-baby. But, it really only started about 2 or 3 months ago. Since then I've tried Nature's Miracle, laying plastic in the spots he goes, new and bigger box... but nothing seems to work. He's confined to the basement while we are at work and that's where his box is... he seems to go in the same 3 spots - literally RIGHT outside of the box - in front of his little litter mat, along the wall surrounding the box and in a corner of the basement across from the box. :confused: The only real difference in his bathroom area that I can think of is that DH is the one handling it since I'm pregnant. I'm on him to do it all the time so its not like he doesn't change/scoop often... but, he doesn't exactly do it the same as I did. I would play with the cat and his toys before/after, talk to him during etc. He's my little shadow. Does that sound stupid? Am I kidding myself with the fact that it will hopefully get better once I start again?

As for keeping the door to the nursery closed... it is - all the time. He gets in there when I'm in/out putting things away which has been a lot in the past few weeks. We also keep the master bedroom shut as well since that's where the bassinette is. I know its not a permanent solution since I'll want them open when the baby's here/in there but I'm taking the easy way out since I don't know what else to do... the vet said that his behavior will hopefully change once the baby arrives since most cats don't like to be around crying/noisy babies. I'm praying thats true for us...

JAJ Hi there! Welcome to the boards!!! Happy anniversary to you too! ;) That picture of your kitty is so adorable! So sad that you had to put her down. :( Thanks for the wooden screen idea - that's a really good one! Yes, our little cat is definitely a stubborn guy... he doesn't mean it, he's just very affectionate and I don't think he's handling the impending addition to the household very well. Listen to me - making excuses for my cat! :o I just feel bad complaining about him because up until a few months ago he was fine. Thanks for listening and I hope all is well with you and your family!!!

[jnettie]

I don't have cat and baby problems just yet, but I did have cat on cable box problems and double-sided tape did the trick! Put a bunch of double-sided tape or loops of packing tape or scotch tape all over whatever you don't want the cat to jump on. They hate the sticky stuff on their paws. It takes no more than 2 times for kitty to stop jumping on the things you don't want him to jump on.

Sorry about the peeing problems. Those are always tough. My Dad actually made us get rid of a cat that refused to pee in her box. I was very sad to see her go.

[Julss05]

Hello,
Not pregnant but I did have a cat that use to get into everything! I too had to put her down because of a cancer mass but I imagine if she was still alive and I was pregnant she'd be getting into all the baby stuff! As it is she claimed the guest room as hers which is the future babies room. Clothes baskets were her favorites. This may sound mean but we turned the baskets upside down on her so it didn't make it fun anymore and she stopped wanting to climb into them. I'd put the bassinet (padding?) away and anything the cat could lay on until the baby arrived. I would think once the baby arrived and was using those things the cat wouldn't. What happened a few months ago that might have made him have accidents? He can probably sense the changes in your lives which would make him act out. I know our cat would if moving or going out of town before we even did. He probably sees all the new stuff coming into the house and being curious has to try it out, maybe even thinks you got it for him. Maybe the fact that he is confined to the basement most of the day is part of why he is acting out. If you closed the baby's room and master bedroom but left everything else open to him to wander maybe he wouldn't be inclined to get into areas he shouldn't. Good luck!

[greenbunny]

It could be possible that the cat doesn't like your husband changing the box. Maybe he smells DH's scent lingering afterwards. Some animals simply prefer a certain gender of human. Does he tend to shy away from him in general?

It could also be a reaction to not getting attention since you mentioned you play with him around changing time and that has stopped. To be honest, there are so many changes you've mentioned that it's nearly impossible to determine the cause. Ideally, you'd go back to before and change only one thing at a time to figure out the trigger, but you can't do that (you certainly can't become unpregnant and take apart the nursery).

I would try the things mentioned here (scat mat, sticky tape, etc.) and try to tough things out until you go back to a more normal schedule after the baby is born. If he continues this then, I would address the problem more aggressively.

I understand your frustration with his claws wrecking stuff, but I wouldn't worry overly about the cat fur. Exposure to your pets from early on is supposed to help lessen the chance of allergies later in life, IIRC. As long as it's generally clean (no fur clumps lying around to choke on) I wouldn't obsess over some stray hairs on the baby's bedding.