The high cost of having too many cats. (This will be brief.)

You may have heard that a cat may re-mark his territory with bodily wastes when his household is disrupted.

Last week we invited back into our home Charley Girl, who we took in several years ago as a feral kitten, and who stayed with us for about a year, then went outside one day and we rarely ever saw her again. She's back, and she's still pretty wild, but she has settled in.

Someone, Smudgy, I think, has taken exception to Charley's presence.

Today I have been working on the couch in an attempt to save it. Along with a matching recliner, it was a major gift to ourselves with a tax refund several years ago. It may be headed for the landfill.

We now return you to our regular programming.

Been there.... it isn't easy but I've managed to "save" a badly marked sofa. I used Nature's Miracle Urine Destroyer. Buy the gallon jug -- you'll probably need it and it's much "cheaper" to buy in the large container. I had to treat my sofa a couple of times but it did work. No quick fix -- but you know that.

I think it's the same stuff. I'm glad to hear you saved your couch - it gives me hope.

Nature's Miracle was good for a small spot but Stink-Free was a real workhorse when it counted.

I left him food outside. He left me a message right there on the railing when I came back. Sorta a "Hi I was here, where were you". LOL!

They communicate very well.

They also have me wrapped around their little paws. The current culprit is asleep in my lap.

http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&mscssid=6BPJT8KWBXSP8G6596EW51LDUSHD8ED1&pf_id=0028625

Chemical/Cruelty free and they work, work, work.

What is the name of the product? :)

They don't make searching for/linking to products very easy @ Jeffers Pet but I assure you the prices are great and the I've never had trouble with any orders.

The product is called X-Mat. Here they are @ Foster/Smith:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9409

Well, @ Jeffers Pet, they sell them for about $5 cheaper and in two styles too! So, do a search for X-Mat and keep clicking till you find them. :hi:

We used them on the bed (when we still let the cats into the bedroom, which we don't do anymore). Assuming that I can save the couch, it is now off limits, and that's where the X-Mats will go. Will have to get a couple more, so now I know where to get them. Thanks for the new pet store, too. :) :hi:

We took 4 cats to the vet last Monday for their yearly checkup. 3 of those got spayed on Wednesday. 1 of those we took back to the vet on Friday. She seemed to be having some discomfort. It's stressful when they are in pain. I hope she will now stop peeing on my clothes. (I'm her favorite)

We take 4 more cats in on Monday for their yearly checkup.

And then one last appointment for the last 4 needs to be made.

We decided to use our tax refund to do them all at once.

Some day we will need to replace our couch. It's really in bad shape. The cats favorite thing is to pull themselves around the bottom of the couch using their claws.

I think the vet is happy for the business, even though one of our girls really tore into him. He's lucky my partner trimmed their nails before we took them in.

Feliway

http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/obedcat/l/blfeliwayspray.htm

When a cat rubs his face against you, he is using facial pheromones to communicate comfort and well being in his surroundings.If a cat is exposed to negative situations such as moving, hospitalization or introduction of another pet into the household, he may resort to marking objects with urine or scratching furniture to show his displeasure. This type of negative behavior is a challenge for pet owners and one of the most common reasons given for relinquishment of cats.

Careful observation of cats revealed that they do not leave urine marks on objects previously marked with facial pheromones. Six years ago, veterinarians introduced a synthetic version of these naturally occurring facial pheromones in a spray called Feliway®. The product mimics the feline's positive facial pheromones and can be used to calm the pet in stressful situations. When sprayed onto objects in the cat's environment, Feliway counteracts the animal's alarm pheromones and stops urine marking and vertical scratching.

Although the Feliway spray is highly effective, it must be sprayed twice daily for 30 days - a schedule that may be challenging to comply with. Now pet owners can take comfort in knowing that, even if they miss a day of spray, their cat can continue to reap the benefits of Feliway. The product is now available as a convenient plug-in.

The Feliway plug-in offers a no-hassle way for pet owners to calm their cats. Just attach the Feliway bottle to the plug-in diffuser, plug it into an electric socket in the room most used by the cat, and continue use for four weeks to ensure no relapse in marking behavior. One bottle of Feliway will cover a total surface area of 650-square-feet. Clinical studies with Feliway show a 95 percent success rate in reducing or eliminating spraying by cats.

"Spraying is one of the most common problems with cats, both male and female," says Wayne Hunthausen, D.V.M., director of Animal Behavior Consultations (Kansas). "There can be several reasons for the behavior, from a new animal in the household to other changes in the home."

Hunthausen notes that pet owners should talk to their veterinarian when attempting to determine why cats are not using their litter boxes. "There are medical reasons why cats don't use their litter boxes," said Hunthasen. "You also need to rule out problems with the type of litter, the box's location and how often it's being cleaned."

Once these physical and environmental causes of urine spraying have been eliminated, Hunthausen recommends Feliway. "This product makes a cat more comfortable in its environment," he says. "Because cats detect a calming scent, the need to mark with urine is eliminated. For many cats, Feliway is a lifesaver."

According to the Humane Society of the United States, 10 million animals are relinquished to animal shelters every year, and half of them are euthanized. Many people bring their cats to shelters because they don't get along with other animals in the household and soil the house. Studies have shown that use of the Feliway plug-in results in a 70 percent reduction in urine spraying in multi-cat households.

Feliway spray remains a viable option for those transporting, boarding, or traveling with cats. When it is not possible to use the Feliway plug-in due to mobile situations, pet owners can apply Feliway Spray directly onto pet carriers and in new temporary surroundings to help calm their cats.

I freely admit my own craziness over my current illness contributed to my cats' craziness. But Grayson had been harassing Millie for some time and I think this put her over the top.

Sooo. I go to get the cat food out of the secure (against raccoons) room only to find Millie backed against the door and not moving. Whoops, she's peeing and proceeds to finish the job on the carpet when I get her moved. I bring out Natures Miracle and spray and wipe. I finish feeding but am still smelling something. I spray some more. Then I notice Grayson looking at his food dish with a WTF look. Then I notice that Millie had pooped in his food dish.

Millie is a cat of few words, but when she speaks, the world listens.

They are presently getting along just fine, and there has been no more peeing or pooping in inappropriate places.

:rofl:

.
... I mark near everything around me.
.
I'm paying close attention to all the clean-up suggestions.
.
'Cause, you know... eventually I settle down again.
.
And woe be to all the furniture if it's my own THOUGHTS that interrupt me.
.