wrote in message
oups.com...
Thank you for the posts... kellyh & paws for thought. =) I didn't
indicate so in my first message... but I posted one immediately after
saying that a UTI or any other physical cause is not a factor. He has
been to the vet several times and he said that he was perfectly
healthy.
snip
He is a Bengal cat... if that helps any of you experts. Oh...
PAWSFORTHOUGHT... he is declawed... and come to mention it... most of
the major problems have taken place since then. Why do you ask? You
seem concerned... I am now too. The vet recommended it for his breed
and personality. I always trust professionals... Should I not? He
said there were no drawbacks and/or side effects. ???


This is tragic! Declawing involves amputation, and it often leads to
physical and behavioral problems. Inappropriate urination is one of the
most common problems associated with declawing. This doesn't mean that all
declawed cats will develop the problem, but it is much more common for
declawed cats and for others. Unfortunately, that damage can't be undone.
However, you may be able to do a few things to help alleviate some of the
problems. I adopted a cat some years ago that had previously been declawed
(all four paws!!!). In her case, she started to urinate outside the litter
box when she was older, and I always believed that it was associated with
pain in trying to use litter (arthritis is one of the physical problems that
is often associated with declawing). I looked for the very softest clumping
litter I could find and finally settled on one called Better Way. It can be
hard to find, but it helped a great deal. There is also a litter known as
Cat Attract. I have never used it, but it is a scoopable litter blended
with an herb extract that is supposed to be an attractant to cats. That
might be worth trying.

Assuming that this may be at least partly behavioral and not completely
related to pain or other physical problems, I also suggest that you get some
Feliway. I prefer the plug-in diffusers instead of the spray because the
diffusers/dispensers release premeasured amounts at regular intervals.
Feliway is used for behavior modification and can be very useful in reducing
stress. As a last resort, you may need to consider medication such as
Prozac. Tufts Veterinary Hospital has an online service to help people deal
with behavioral problems in their cats, and they might be able to help if
you subscribe to their service.

Oh, yes, please search for another vet. It is *outrageous* to hear that a
vet would actually "recommend" declawing for a particular "breed and
personality."

MaryL

Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf
Holly: http://tinyurl.com/9t68o
Duffy and Holly together: http://tinyurl.com/8b47e