My cat just took a dump on my carpet Again. I'm afraid this is it.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

She's 13 years old and she has never been totally litter trained. She poops on the carpet if she's not close enough to the box, and since we live on a boat, the box is NEVER far away. I've tried everything known to man to break her of this, so I'm not asking for advice. I guess I'm asking for absolution, because come the new year, I will have to get rid of her, and the only kind way is to have her put to sleep. My husband is angry all the time about this, and if I don't shampoo the carpet continually, it smells like a litter box. She was never very bright compared to some of my other cats, so I know she will never change.

:rant:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I am so sorry that you find yourself in this situation.......

No problem getting absolution from me.......

She will have an easy end, and you will be able to go forward, free of this burden.....

You must do what you must......Don't let anyone put any guilt trips on you!

:hug:

[crispini]

2. I'm sure your husband's attitude makes it difficult,

but you are choosing an inanimate object (carpet) over your living pet. My parents have three dogs which they have had difficulty training (Chihuahuas) and they have decided to put in tile instead of carpet over their whole house. A bit extreme? I'm sure many people would say yes. But we know what animals are like when we get them, and the fact that they may have difficulties, especially as they age, does not, in my mind, lessen our committment to them which we make when we choose to be stewards of their lives.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

12. Oh, I'm sure I'll get over it until the next time,

but my living pet almost went in the ocean today.

It's not a matter of her being older, either, because she has done this since she was a kitten. And then Jim yells at me and I yell at her, and it's just crazy. I guess the only solution is to stick a cork up her butt.

[bertha katzenengel]

3. tinfoil...

:hug:

I would do it differently, but that's me. I'll offer you no advice and certainly no judgement. Best wishes to you.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Find someone to take her

Don't put her down for convenience' sake.

[Common Sense Party]

5. I have a chronic barfer.

The cat just eats too fast, and then hurls it up in different little brown-and-orange blobs across the carpet.

Happens at least once or twice a month.

Ours is young, though. We're keeping him.

We just won't feed him anymore.

[GCP]

6. And isn't amazing how they ALWAYS choose the carpet to barf on

And ignore the tiled area 6 inches away! :spank:
Welcome to DU, BTW :hi:

[Wcross]

7. I have two barfers.

I am hoping they will learn that the food isn't going to disappear and they can take their time.

[crispini]

9. Try different food, too.

The incident of barfing went wayyyy down at my house when I discovered Whole Foods store brand dry cat food. Crazy, I was trying them on all of the anti-hairball stuff, all of the fancy food, etcetera, and the Whole Foods store brand does the trick.

[Common Sense Party]

19. I'll try that, thanks.

My sister says she tried everything--we got the barfer from my sister a year ago--and this current stuff is what he holds down the best. But I'll look for the Whole Foods brand.

[China_cat]

21. Put a rock in their bowl.

I know, it sounds stupid but when they have to eat around something in their food plate, they slow down and the incidences of hide and go puke drastically decrease or cease altogether. This is from the mom of currently 5 cats, down from 13.

[derby378]

32. Got another barfer over here

As ginbarn always says, "Living with cats is like living in a frat house." There are just some levels of ick that you must be willing to put up with when you have pets.

Yes, it's a mess sometimes, but when we look into our kittys' eyes and realize that they love us, we can forgive quite a bit.

[Wcross]

8. Are you anywhere near Rochester, N.Y.?

I have an Aunt that would take her in a heartbeat. She is a bit of a "collector" but really takes care of her cats. All you would have to do is drop it off in her yard and she would take it from there.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

13. No, Florida Keys.

And she doesn't know from cold and she doesn't know from outdoors. But your aunt sounds like a sweet lady.

[Heidi]

48. If you're in Florida, please send a PM to DUers Lorien or flvegan.

They're both involved in animal rescue, and finding home for your cat would be much preferable to having her euthanized. Best of luck to you, and if you need help searching for a home or resources, please send me a PM. :hug:

[Cobalt Violet]

10. It sounds like you never really liked this cat.

Calling her dumb.
I know your not open to any advice.

Can't you just surrender her to a no kill shelter and let her live out her life?
She probably never will change to suit you. But there are alternatives to killing her.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

15. Oh my gosh, she's as dumb as a rock

but that doesn't mean we don't like her. My husband says she is the kitty version of the dumb blonde joke.

My only alternative here in the Keys is to release her out into the wild, and that would really be cruel because she has never ever been out of the boat.

She will probably not change her incontinence to suit me, but it does drive me nuts sometimes when after 13 years, she can't find her cat box on a 42 foot boat. Before our other kitty died of cancer earlier this year, I thought maybe she didn't like sharing a box, but that excuse is gone, and I keep her box spotlessly clean.

[China_cat]

22. How high are the sides?

Some cats just can't manage anything other than a lower sided box. You also need to clean the area with a good enzyme cleaner...just plain cleaners won't do it. And maybe add a second box in another location.

If those don't work, I'm in SC. I'll take her and we can probably work out the logistics of getting her here with other posters...not to mention that my husband will have to go to Jax next month for union business. I've already got 4 16 year old cats and one that's 21 so a youngster in the house would be nice.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

25. No, she's very agile. She just forgets that when she's on one side

of the boat, she must go to the other side where the box is located. When she is on the side where her box is, she does use it.

You're very sweet to offer to adopt her, but she hates other cats and would be mean to them. I know this because every year for three months out of the summer, my daughter goes to Michigan, and her cat comes to stay with us. And every year my cat throws a hissy fit about it all summer long. But my daughter's cat is very easy going, so it doesn't bother her at all.

I'll try the pads that another poster suggested. I just can't have a cat box in every room. It's crowded enough as it is on a small boat, and she has one entire bathroom to herself. And I won't get the boat tiled, because tile in the humid tropics turns into a skating rink, and I really don't need to take the risk of any broken hips, just to placate an incontinent cat.

[Dangerously Amused]

26. Are you serious?

You would rather kill your healthy and one presumes good-natured cat than give her to a willing and kindhearted cat veteran?

You don' trust that this person who (apparently) has considerably more experience with cats than you do can figure out a way to accomodate your cat's needs?

And you wouldn't even give your cat that chance?

And if she can't accomodate your cat after all, it sounds like she would at least be willing to put more effort into finding your car a good home than you are. But you won't give your cat that opportunity?


I find this very disturbing.

[Boomer]

46. Some cats are dumber than others, that's just a fact

One of our cats is dumb as a rock, too. Decorative, but definitely not working with a full deck of cards.

We suspect that malnutrition was the root cause, since we picked him off the highway as a kitten, probably on the verge of dying from starvation and dehydration. Or maybe he just came that way, which is how he ended up abandoned in the first place. Who knows?

The running household joke is that if we leave the house for more than three days, he forgets who we are and hides from us when we return. But that's okay, because in another three days he forgets that he didn't know us.

[bigwillq]

11. Do you have a HouseBoat?

If so, that is so cool! I've always wanted to live on a house boat! :hi:

sorry about the cat.

[Dangerously Amused]

14. ?

I will have to get rid of her, and the only kind way is to have her put to sleep


Please, what other options have you considered before forming your conclusion that killing her is "the only kind way" to rid yourself of her?

[tinfoilinfor2005]

16. I know of no one who will adopt a 13 year old incontinent cat.

She has always lived indoors, so I can't release her into the wild, which is the only option here in the Florida Keys. She wouldn't survive and that to me would be the ultimate cruelty.

So this saga will probably continue.

[Dangerously Amused]

27. ?

"She has always lived indoors, so I can't release her into the wild, which is the only option here in the Florida Keys."


There are NO other options in Florida? Florida pet owners MUST release unwanted pets into the wild?

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

17. Try "wee-wee pads"

You can find them at pet stores and even at some grocery stores. They have pheromones on them to help house train dogs, but I've used them for an elderly cat who stopped using his box. I put them on the carpet where he used to poop, and he'd always go there to poop and pee instead of doing it on the carpet.

I can empathize with your situation. Please exhaust all options before taking the ultimate step.

[quiet.american]

18. But will a vet put down a non-critically ill cat?

In any case, I really hope you'll consider clemency for your little furry. I'm on my second set of furries (the first were with me for 11 & 14 years), and believe me I know how crazy they can make you. But I always end up saying to myself, if this were a human child, how would I deal with the issue? Anyway, sorry about your carpet, but do hope there's room to give your kitty another chance. (I finally gave up and have been carpet-less for a decade).

[merh]

20. Good luck and I hope you find a way to

deal with this and/or you find someone to take her.

Sending you my thanks, my love, my support and positive energies and sending prayers out for you and yours.

I thank you and Mrtinfoilfor2005 for all of your kindness and support. :hug: :grouphug: :loveya:

:yourock:

Happy 2006! :hug:

[tinfoilinfor2005]

23. Hey Sweetie!

Might you perchance like to have a sweet kitty kat to warm your femansion? She comes complete with cat box, seldom used. :)

Happy New Year to you my dear Merh, complete with a restraining order on all hurricanes...no longer allowed to come within 500 miles of you!!

:hug:

[merh]

24. ROFLMAO

Oh, you made me laugh out loud :rofl: and brought tears to my eyes.

I don't think Winston would be able to handle a cat, but thank you for the offer. Always so giving and loving, that is my tinfoilfor2005. :hug:

And thank you for the restraining order! We definitely need that. Can you believe there was a tropical storm in the Atlantic yesterday.

Man oh man, imagine how much trouble we could be in if "global warming" were real. :scared:

I hope you and yours have a wonderful and very prosperous New Year. :toast: :grouphug:

:loveya: :hug:

[bettyellen]

28. also make sure you get a good enzyme cleaner made for cats

to clean up where she's gone. Petastic fopr Cats is good. it takes weeks to fully get the smell out, but as long as it lingers, you could continue to have this problem.
good luck, and happy new year!

[tinfoilinfor2005]

29. Thanks, bettyellen, I'll get some at the pet store.

I came home tonight and we made up. She looked at me as if to say, "Are you gonna chase me around the boat again tonight, ma?" She's such a silly goose, makes me laugh, but last night she was really pushing my buttons. I got out of bed in the middle of the night and stepped on lumpy cat poop right next to my bed. And then this morning she bypassed her box and headed for her favorite corner, as sweetly as you please. I took off running chasing her around the boat, but she can hide where I can't get to, so I took my spray bottle and squirted her, and round and round we went again. :silly:

Anyway, you have a happy new year as well, and maybe next year we'll see some of Andy's fondest wishes finally come true. :hug:

[bettyellen]

30. maybe putting the box in her fave corner? i don't know....

but i learned if i don't keep it really clean, they'll go somewhere else. hence the pet-tastic. it covers the odor a little better than other enzyme ones. i'm gllad you two made up though! she makes you laugh too, so there's got to be a lot of good to her too.
i hope we both have a great New Year, it was good to get to know you this year! one of these days i'll be down to visit and i hope ms lumpy poo is still around!
:hug:
have a good one!
B

[crispini]

31. You stepped on cat poop in the middle of the night?

Ok, I can see where throwing her overboard really might have been understandable. :silly:

[tinfoilinfor2005]

33. Yes, on my way to use the bathroom.

Of course that means get up, clean the poop, wash my feet, go to the bathroom and then try to get back to sleep. And while I'm in the kitchen getting the paper towel, she figures it's time for breakfast and starts yelling her breakfast yowl.
:banghead:

I'm normally a pretty patient person, but I just went nutso, LOL.

:crazy:

[leftofthedial]

34. time for a new carpet?

:shrug:

[tinfoilinfor2005]

37. Ya think?

:rofl:

[Book Lover]

35. So you are going to kill this animal because of the inconvenience

No absolution here. I hope you have trouble sleeping for a long time to come.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

38. Hey, if it was good enough for my first two husbands...

[noamnety]

36. You must have the patience of a saint

I wouldn't have made it 13 years with a cat that can't figure out a litter box.

Anyway, here's a list of animal shelters in Florida, for whatever it's worth.
http://www.netpets.com/cats/catresc/florida.html

[Algorem]

39. konk old man on head,roll him up in carpet,tie it up,dump in water,prob-

lem solved.

[Generic Brad]

40. Mine Pees in the Bathtub

My wife was at her wits end until we decided to keep an inch of water permanently in the tub. She checks the tub every time before she goes, but after she sees the water she uses her box.

I'm guessing flooding your house is not a viable option for your cat.

[DainBramaged]

42. That is a great thing, I'd rather rinse it away

Mine does too, in the toilet too (GOT to get a picture of him doing it) it sure cuts down on litter costs. Christ a little Clorox diluted in a spray bottle and hot water makes life simple again. He uses the litter box to shit (I wish he'd use the toilet for that too, he's smart enough to figure it out).

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

41. Give her to a farm, maybe?

I don't know how good a mouser she'd be at her age, but if she can earn her keep as a barn-cat, she won't need housebreaking.

[Feron]

43. Perhaps you may want to try...

Cat Attract cat litter. It's available at Petsmart and stopped my cat's accidents. Some cats have litter preferences and my cat prefers hooded boxes.

Another thing you might want to do is take your cat to the vet, if you haven't done so already, and see if there is a treatable condition (like worms) that may be contributing to the accidents.

And finally, the obvious, are you cleaning the box daily? With multiple cats, you may want to get another box as well.

But yes, definitely clean up any accidents throughly. :)

Good luck!!

[latebloomer]

45. gotta try that litter for my cat's peeing problem

I've been hesitating because it's way more expensive.

[latebloomer]

44. I know how you feel

We have a young cat who persists in peeing on the hardwood floor in the bathroom, across the room from the cat box. We have 3 cats and 3 cat boxes, which we keep fairly clean. He also sometimes shits in the bathtub.

He is illegally sweet and gorgeous, which is why he's still alive.

[Mutley]

47. Try getting another litter box.

Sometimes cats like variety. You can also get a spray type deal that attracts cats to the litter box (some hormone in it or something). If that doesn't work consider trying to find her a new home. No judgments here, just letting you know there are alternatives to euthanasia.

I know you said you're not asking for advice, but I can't help myself. Sorry. :)

[AirmensMom]

49. Maybe it's the litter.

We thought our 9-year-old aby was incontinent and we had tests done, etc. Turned out that she didn't like the litter. We had never changed it, but she must have gotten an aversion when she had diarrhea. We switched to Dr. Elsey's (Petsmart sells it). It's an unscented clumping litter. Haven't had an accident since, and it's been several months. Dr. Elsey's also makes another litter that helps with litter box training, even for dumb cats. It's called Cat Attract.

I hope you'll give her another chance. If you can't, please don't get another cat.

[flvegan]

50. Well, from your post #25, it would appear that you should

consider another litterbox or two. She's 13 for goodness sakes, and might not WANT to cross that distance to another litter box.

You know, if we discarded people when they had toilet issues...

If this is a life or death issue, please let me know. I'd be happy to put her up on Petfinder for you...

[AngryAmish]

51. Sack plus brick.

Problem solved.

[flvegan]

52. And this is funny because...?

Just wondering, since it happened here recently. Sort of an uproar about it, too. To go with it, sort of a "hang that fucker by his nuts and let fire ants have their way with him" vibe, too.