Since shortly after Daphne arrived, we’ve started having problems with some cat peeing outside the litter box.  No, the cat is not missing the litter box.  He or she is making marks on Mr L’s and my personal gear, on things on the kitchen counter (yes, ewww), some papers, and various other places that don’t really make sense.  Never when we could see them.  Mr. L and I have been trying to figure out WHO is doing it or WHAT we could change to stop it.

About the time Daphne arrived, I attempted to switch the cats to a new litter.  We strongly suspected someone didn’t like the new litter, because the more I used the new litter, the more these “messages” seemed to be being left.  I switched back to the old litter (leaving one box in the litter as I try to use us what I’d purchased — I’ve witnessed four cats using that box at one time or another, so it wasn’t all bad).

The problem seemed to be resolved until the last week and a half (Mr. L was gone — could it be somebody misses him?) when it got worse again.  I put Daphne in the cage for a few days, and the problem seemed to stop.  I took her to Dr. Val for a checkup, and Dr Val couldn’t find anything wrong, but she gave us a course of antibiotics just to be sure.  She confirmed what I suspected — cats with medical problems tend to pee in the sink and the tub.  This cat is peeing in a way that indicates a behavioral issue.  Sigh.  I brought Daphne home, gave her her medicine, and put her back in the cage, leaving her carrier open in the kitchen.

I saw at least three cats investigate the carrier, but I should have investigated the carrier myself after each cat, because one of those cats left a “mark” in carrier (a small puddle), which I discovered when I decided to put the carrier away.  Later that night, I caught Pretty Boy Floyd sniffing and squatting over my shoes.  I yelled at him, and he jumped away before doing anything, but now, he’s become my Suspect #2.  Dr. Val is away at a veterinary conference this weekend, but the staff advised me to treat him as I’m treating Daphne unless I notice him straining and not able to pee — then he needs to get to a vet ASAP.  As Mr. L jokingly said, “How do I give him a urinary tract blockage?” (He knows that’s no laughing matter.  He almost lost Plato, a beloved Siamese, from a blockage, and it’s why we studiously feed all the cats Urinary Tract Special Diet even though we only have three boys.)

So Pretty Boy Floyd and Daphne are roomies in the cage this week.  We’ll see if that stops the problem or if there’s someone ELSE we need to be concerned about.

I decided to take the vet tech’s advice and get a collar for Lady with a bell on it.  The altercations we’re still having with Rossie seem to be when Lady and Rossie run into one another in the hallway.  So, maybe, if Rossie can hear where Lady is, that may help prevent these run-ins. There’s a collar.  It has a bell.  It’s tiny.  I don’t hear it when Lady is walking around, but maybe it makes enough noise for Rossie to hear.  We’ll see.

Tarzan was laying under the ice cream table yesterday along the railing for the stairs.  Rossie was nearby.  While I was going down stairs, I reached through the railing and petted Tarzan. Rossie looked very interested.  Over the course of the next several minutes, I was able to pet not only Tarzan but also Rossie. She got a good chin rub and was purring.  Mr. L and I can tell she likes this, but she still hasn’t overcome her fear of either of us enough to just let us approach her and pet her periodically.  Once she’s able to flip that switch in her head, I think she’ll be a very sweet kitty.

I can’t think of anything new to report on anyone else.  Delta is still a “pet me in the morning; leave me alone the rest of the day” kitty. Ruby is out and about but won’t let me approach her.  Ajax and Natasha are doing well. Sneaky is a joy to watch.  Mooch has been elusive.

Have a wonderful week.