My poor kitty :(

I have a male cat who is prone to cystitis and crystals, i.e forming hard urine balls in his bladder. He is now on a prescription diet (not cheap) but necessary. He had a problem with urinating all over the house. The problem got really bad! We consulted a vet and feline behaviorist (also not cheap), but rather than try to fix the cats behavior ourselves, which we knew we did not know how to do, we consulted experts because we loved the cat enough to do, although we didn't really have the money to do, we made it work. We did solve the problem. Well worth it in the end. No more stink, no more urinating outside the box, no more vet bills (out of the ordinary), and happy us, happy kitty! You need to be able to recognize problem before they get out of hand so you can handle then right away. Cats hide sickness well and as soon as you see something unusual you have to call the vet about it. It could be serious very quickly!

Also, if you need hep with getting the urine smell out if things: The BEST product out there that I could find is called " MisterMax Anti-Icky-Poo" from Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/MisterMax-ANTI-UNSCENTED-REMOVER-QUART/dp/B002OTJ7IG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377527774&sr=8-1&keywords=anti+icky+poo

The animal behaviorist told us it's better that Nature's Miracle. It was started by the same people that developed Nature's Miracle, but when Nature's Miracle was sold off, Nature's Miracle was diluted down and became less effective, then this product was started and improved and now workes better. It is the only thing that got rid of the urine smell in our house. It really works!

EDIT:
"and now I feel like the worst kitty mamma ever"
And so you should, it's awful the way you treated that cat, I'm a huge animal lover, I'd never do that to an animal. You wouldn't do that to a child if they wet the bed. Animals feel ashamed of themselves as it is when they have an accident.

Wow. Judge much?

Sorry but when I catch my dog pooping or peeing where he's not supposed to you bet your a** I'm going to give him a swift whack and a loud NO. Why? Because if I don't he will think it's perfectly acceptable behavior to defecate wherever he wants to when it's not. I'm not the kind of person who particularly likes living in a house that smells like animal feces.



OP: Glad to hear your kitty is on the mend. It's never fun when they're sick.

Thank YOU for the update. So glad Mr. Kitty is home, healthy (well on the mend) and back with love.

Instead of getting him medicine, I was yelling at him. Instead of getting him to a doctor, I rubbed his face in it. Instead of comforting him, I grabbed him by the scruff and poured a glass of water on him.

I'm just going to start by saying punishment does not work with animals. They do no understand what they are being punished for and you cannot explain it to them. All they learn is to fear you. When I read that you poured an entire glass of water on your cat, my jaw literally dropped.

My cat had FLUTD when he was a little over a year old. Get him to the vet as soon as possible. If it gets to his kidneys (as it sounds like it might have) he is in real trouble.

Go back and read the post again. The OP re-explained what she did regarding the water and also did another update that the cat was taken to the vet and was on the mend. Really. You should read entire threads before judging.

And sorry but I don't agree that disciplining an animal isn't right. If you catch them doing something wrong and you yell at them they are obviously going to know what they did. If you find it hours later then try to yell at them then yes, they won't understand what they're being punished for. I've yelled/whacke my dog when I have caught him peeing or pooping on the floor in the house and he's not "terrified' of me from it. Quite the opposite. He knows he did wrong and he will go straight to his crate on his own.

Animals know right from wrong. Sure if you're beating your dog or cat on a regular basis they're going to be afraid of you but the occasional discipline when they do something they're not supposed to? Highly unlikely.

I also think the reactions here have been very polite considering.

It's not actually other people's place to berate someone for not knowing better. She came here and asked other people because she didn't know - that's not just waiting in ignorance.

Some people feel that you discipline animals in that way - not everyone knows that animals have very short-term memories, so disciplining them after an event is ineffective.

Cruelty is when someone actually sets out to hurt. Neglect is when it's an accident. Some of you should think before you type.

ETA: humans are a social species, we learn from each other - the people who actually came in to adjust misconceptions OP had are right on track. Those who can only be rude and judgemental should maybe look at how they treat their fellow human.

Just find time to take him right away.

I've had to take my dog to the vet's in the middle of a work day before and I just tell them I'm having a family emergency.

Don't blame yourself for not knowing. Just remember that when they're peeing in places they shouldn't be, something's probably up.

Oh, I have a tip for anyone near a PetSmart that has a vet inside (Banfield, it's called). They're open on weekends and will take walkins. It's the same cost as going to your regular vet, so MUCH cheaper than the emergency vet.

My idiot dog got stung by a bee on a Saturday afternoon and had a minor allergic reaction (she swelled up, but no trouble breathing) and Banfield fixed her right up for $80.

Oh, I have a tip for anyone near a PetSmart that has a vet inside (Banfield, it's called). They're open on weekends and will take walkins. It's the same cost as going to your regular vet, so MUCH cheaper than the emergency vet.

My idiot dog got stung by a bee on a Saturday afternoon and had a minor allergic reaction (she swelled up, but no trouble breathing) and Banfield fixed her right up for $80.

I wish! I called petsmart to see what they could do for me and quoted me over $200 just for seeing him and doing the tests not including the medicine. My vet charges more for the first time visit (I got his shots and everything from the shelter where I got him) but I still got out at $158 with medicine.

Really? Wow. I wonder why one location would be so cheap and the other not? It might have been the testing. When my cat had a UTI (not the one that almost died), the urine test alone was $100, plus the visit and the meds.

OP, I agree with every poster who is not being kind to you. A month of this kind of behavior and it didn't dawn on you to have him checked? Really? You should be reported for animal cruelty!!!

To play devil's advocate, not having him checked doesn't necessarily mean animal cruelty - it could mean lack of knowledge. When I was 18 I adopted a cat from the shelter, and six months later took in a stray kitten. Almost immediately after bringing in the kitten, my older cat started to urinate outside her box. I had never had cats before, and didn't know that elimination outside the box was a common sign of UTI. I assumed it was a behavioral response to a new cat in the house. The behavior continued for two weeks, and I didn't realize anything was wrong with her until she threw up - and even then I didn't realize the two were connected until the vet told me.

I am an animal lover through and through - I volunteer at a shelter, foster strays, and have three happy, healthy cats of my own. It's not cruelty to be misinformed - just a sad reality in a world where anyone can buy a pet with no information on how to care for them.

The discipline methods used by the OP, however, ARE grounds for animal cruelty accusations. I sincerely hope this experience has taught her a valuable lesson in pet ownership. Violence does not teach the animal to stop a behavior - it simply teaches them to fear you.

Let's see how many times I can write this in a day:

"Please read the whole thread before you say anything "

As I've already said, it was two weeks of occasionally (like every two days) peeing on stuff. I didn't physically rub his nose in it and there was essentially nothing in the glass.

I think from now on, I'll just copy and paste this reply.

I read through 1 1/2 pages, and got bored. It's a rare individual who is going to read through 4+ pages of similar responses just to see if there's been a new development.

My comments stand regardless. I gave you the benefit of the doubt on waiting to take your cat to the vet - something many people did not. However, physical discipline (even one smack, even nose NEXT to the pee, even ONLY ONCE OMG!) is ineffective at best, and emotionally scarring at worst. I volunteer at a shelter - I see animals all the time who have been broken by violence, and even a slight tap on the nose can send them into a spiral of regression.

I did not judge you, I simply stated that I hope you have learned from this experience and will strive to be a better pet owner in the future - as should we all.

OP, I agree with every poster who is not being kind to you. A month of this kind of behavior and it didn't dawn on you to have him checked? Really? You should be reported for animal cruelty!!!

To play devil's advocate, not having him checked doesn't necessarily mean animal cruelty - it could mean lack of knowledge. When I was 18 I adopted a cat from the shelter, and six months later took in a stray kitten. Almost immediately after bringing in the kitten, my older cat started to urinate outside her box. I had never had cats before, and didn't know that elimination outside the box was a common sign of UTI. I assumed it was a behavioral response to a new cat in the house. The behavior continued for two weeks, and I didn't realize anything was wrong with her until she threw up - and even then I didn't realize the two were connected until the vet told me.

I am an animal lover through and through - I volunteer at a shelter, foster strays, and have three happy, healthy cats of my own. It's not cruelty to be misinformed - just a sad reality in a world where anyone can buy a pet with no information on how to care for them.

The discipline methods used by the OP, however, ARE grounds for animal cruelty accusations. I sincerely hope this experience has taught her a valuable lesson in pet ownership. Violence does not teach the animal to stop a behavior - it simply teaches them to fear you.

Let's see how many times I can write this in a day:

"Please read the whole thread before you say anything "

As I've already said, it was two weeks of occasionally (like every two days) peeing on stuff. I didn't physically rub his nose in it and there was essentially nothing in the glass.

I think from now on, I'll just copy and paste this reply.

I read through 1 1/2 pages, and got bored. It's a rare individual who is going to read through 4+ pages of similar responses just to see if there's been a new development.

My comments stand regardless. I gave you the benefit of the doubt on waiting to take your cat to the vet - something many people did not. However, physical discipline (even one smack, even nose NEXT to the pee, even ONLY ONCE OMG!) is ineffective at best, and emotionally scarring at worst. I volunteer at a shelter - I see animals all the time who have been broken by violence, and even a slight tap on the nose can send them into a spiral of regression.

I did not judge you, I simply stated that I hope you have learned from this experience and will strive to be a better pet owner in the future - as should we all.

so question then, what are you supposed to do if a cat scratches on your couch?

Pet him and say, "now sweetie, none of that" and give him treats?

:laugh: I've been wondering the same thing when I read the responses saying that whacking/disciplining your animal is "cruelty and they're going to be terrified of you!" As I stated previously when I see my dog going to the bathroom on the floor you bet your butt I am going to yell at him, give him a whack and show him what he did.

There is a huge difference between abusing an animal and discipline. My guess is all these people who scream abuse are the same ones who would march up to someone in the grocery store who's disciplining their child as well.

I've been wondering the same thing when I read the responses saying that whacking/disciplining your animal is "cruelty and they're going to be terrified of you!"

We have never hit my dog or been cruel in any way. But she responds to EVERYTHING as though we're about to beat the crap out of her. She's terrified all the freaking time, except when she's protecting her territory from other animals.

We took her with us on a two-day trip to my BFF's house a couple weeks ago. Her sister lives with her and her BF was visiting at the same time. My SO and I went to the beach and they met us later. The sister's BF asked me what was wrong with my dog because he tried to give her a treat and she ran and hid in her crate.

I know that's totally off subject and not the point, but you reminded me and it's a funny story. She's a minpin and being super nervous is kind of a trait of the breed. But, seriously, she behaves like a severely abused dog sometimes.

I've been wondering the same thing when I read the responses saying that whacking/disciplining your animal is "cruelty and they're going to be terrified of you!"

We have never hit my dog or been cruel in any way. But she responds to EVERYTHING as though we're about to beat the crap out of her. She's terrified all the freaking time, except when she's protecting her territory from other animals.

We took her with us on a two-day trip to my BFF's house a couple weeks ago. Her sister lives with her and her BF was visiting at the same time. My SO and I went to the beach and they met us later. The sister's BF asked me what was wrong with my dog because he tried to give her a treat and she ran and hid in her crate.

I know that's totally off subject and not the point, but you reminded me and it's a funny story. She's a minpin and being super nervous is kind of a trait of the breed. But, seriously, she behaves like a severely abused dog sometimes.

Min pins are great dogs! My husband's cousin has one, but he's definitely not timid - he thinks he's a 300 pound beast. XD

PS - sarcasm isn't the best way to garner sympathy on a message board, "sweetie".

I'm not looking for sympathy. I was looking for anything that could help my cat who was in pain and people over reacted to me not explaining myself correctly. You can think whatever you want for putting his nose next to pee and telling him no and I DON'T CARE. He loves me and is not afraid of me because I don't abuse him.

Also, that doesn't always work. My mom has a cat that I lived with for close to 8 years who would scratch on our wooden bench no matter how we positively reinforced her, we got "no-scratch" and "scratch here" sprays, and my father, who is a carpenter in his free time, has made multiple cat trees/scratching posts. We tried that for a year. Not every cat is the same. As much as we love them, cats have a mind of their own and will do what they want unless you do something about it. In our case, it was a squirt bottle.

Don't you know that everyone on here is an expert and that what works for their cat/dog/diet/life obviously works for yours too??

I personally don't think you did anything wrong with the discipline you give your animal.

Never claimed to be an expert, or that there's a one-size-fits-all solution for behavioral issues. I also never said that a squirt bottle was an abusive method of discipline. I only said that physical violence (ie smacking) is ineffective in cats, and in some animals can be detrimental to their emotional well-being. I also counseled patience - positive reinforcement takes longer to see results than negative punishment.

But you can go ahead and pick and choose what points you'd like to infer from my posts. I do know that "everyone" on here can be very closed-minded when their viewpoints are challenged. =]