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Q.: Hi we have three cats. Basically our main problems are litter box and fighting. This will be long, but I feel I must give complete story to get a good reply.
Our first cat, Jellybean, 3 yrs male, has litter box problems which he has had for over a year now. He used to be a very sociable, sweet, and a perfect cat. He ran away for a couple weeks during a very harsh winter and came back very skinny and sickly.
He has never been quite the same (been over 1 year), not sociable and has had several accidents all over the house. They have left red stains (think KoolAid) on all of our carpets that even professional cleaners can't get out.
We thought he was doing this because when he came back home there was a new cat and because we no longer let him outside. So, we started letting him outside again and it has gotten better but he still has accidents here and there (mostly in the dirty clothes). Could he have suffered a stroke? Could he have some disease? Could he still
be mad at us?
Our next cat is Zaneth, 5yr, male, big huge fat cat :) . We got him when a family down the street called the number off our missing posters for Jellybean. Since Jellybean was gone for two weeks during a very bad snow and ice storm-- we thought the worst. So Zaneth was welcomed into our home, only to have Jellybean return the very next day! Jellybean was so frail when he came back that he didn't put up much of a fight. But after he got his strength the fighting began. The fights were horrible and almost constant, we basically just would separate them-- one upstairs and one downstairs. Zaneth also got a really bad temper towards my husband, me and our son-- yelling (sounded like he was saying "no no no!"), hissing, growling, and swiping at everything and anyone that would get near him. He even bit my husband whose hand got really infected and swelled up-- this happen when Zaneth darted outside and my husband went out to bring him inside. We concluded that the problems !were because he was restricted to inside only. So we started to let them out and the fights got better and Zaneth's "attitude" towards the family disappeared. But he stills causes fights with Jellybean, he really does bully him. I try to be the mediator but I can't be there to break all of them up. I'm glad to see that they can at least be in the same room at the same time now.
Lastly, there is a new kitten, Daisy, 5mo. and female. She acts like a crazy kitty and has riled up the household a bit. She has all the characteristics of a kitten and hopefully will mature out of them eventually. She is the only cat that isn't neutered and -- so that will be happening soon. The only complaint we have with her is that she likes to jump and attack the older cats, but we realize this is probably just play for her.
I am a concerned because we have a baby due in June and that will, of course, throw things out of wack again. So, what can we do now to solve the existing problems and help them to freak out less over the new baby to come?
A.: First: if the stains Jellybean's accidents leave are red, you should take him to a vet to make sure he doesn't have a more or less chronical infection in his urinary tract. This would be highly probable after his winter experiences and would account for his litter box problems and part of his less sociable temper.
Second I think since you're actually seeing progress in the relationship between Jellybean and Zaneth, who can now be in the same room together, I think you're over the worst now. There will always be little controversies even among cats who actually like each other.
Actually I think the newcomer may be an asset in this connection. I have often seen that two older cats, who haven't agreed upon much, could suddenly aggree on this one thing: that this new kitten was really a pain in the neck. ;-)
Just make sure she doesn't steel too much of your attention at the expense of the two "seniors".
I don't think you need to worry about their reaction to the baby. They will be curious and also a bit jealous, but not by far as much as if the newcomer had been yet another cat.
If Daisy hasn't thrown things out of wack again, I'm sure a "human kitten" won't either.
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