Upset cat

Hi All-

I have been lurking for a while and decided to post finally. I have a
three cat household. Bella(my first, and the oldest), widget (middle
cat), and cargo(youngest). Bella and cargo despise each other. They
often get into tiffs where bella ends up trapped on top of the
fridgerator and refuses to come down. When she does come down, if
cargo even looks at her, she hisses and runs away. Well...just
recently Bella has started pooping on my kitchen counter, she urinates
in the box, i am guessing. I find it nowhere else. And she does not
do this everytime she has to poop, or see it seems. When she does
this, the stool is very loose and not a normal stool. Could there be
something wrong? is she stressed by the fighting? what should i do??
Also, i will be making a house move this thursday, what can i do to
make sure she doesnt get more stressed with having to deal with a new
home?

TIA,
M

Well...just
recently Bella has started pooping on my kitchen counter, she urinates
in the box, i am guessing. I find it nowhere else. And she does not
do this everytime she has to poop, or see it seems. When she does
this, the stool is very loose and not a normal stool. Could there be
something wrong? is she stressed by the fighting?

I'm certainly not an expert on behavior, but it sounds to me like Bella might
be afraid of the other cat jumping her while she's in the box.(and vulnerable
to an attack!) Maybe it's happened before. I'd separate the cats, and give
each his own box, especially when you're away and try to bring the stress level
down for her and see what happens. Good luck.

Sherry

Well...just
recently Bella has started pooping on my kitchen counter, she urinates
in the box, i am guessing. I find it nowhere else. And she does not
do this everytime she has to poop, or see it seems. When she does
this, the stool is very loose and not a normal stool. Could there be
something wrong? is she stressed by the fighting?

I'm certainly not an expert on behavior, but it sounds to me like Bella might
be afraid of the other cat jumping her while she's in the box.(and vulnerable
to an attack!) Maybe it's happened before. I'd separate the cats, and give
each his own box, especially when you're away and try to bring the stress level
down for her and see what happens. Good luck.

Sherry

in article , Sherry at
itty wrote on 1/12/04 9:23 AM:

Well...just
recently Bella has started pooping on my kitchen counter, she urinates
in the box, i am guessing. I find it nowhere else. And she does not
do this everytime she has to poop, or see it seems. When she does
this, the stool is very loose and not a normal stool. Could there be
something wrong? is she stressed by the fighting?

I'm certainly not an expert on behavior, but it sounds to me like Bella might
be afraid of the other cat jumping her while she's in the box.(and vulnerable
to an attack!) Maybe it's happened before. I'd separate the cats, and give
each his own box, especially when you're away and try to bring the stress
level
down for her and see what happens. Good luck.

Sherry


I agree. Especially for a while, don't let them be together while you are
gone. Also, I have really seen an improvement using Feliway diffusers in
mine. They are not angels, but they do much better together if we have
Feliway on hand. I would also distract them *immediately* when you are there
and tension starts. Try a toy or yummy food. Be consistent and go
*everytime* with something to distract them. This *will* pay off, even if it
takes some time.

Karen

in article , Sherry at
itty wrote on 1/12/04 9:23 AM:

Well...just
recently Bella has started pooping on my kitchen counter, she urinates
in the box, i am guessing. I find it nowhere else. And she does not
do this everytime she has to poop, or see it seems. When she does
this, the stool is very loose and not a normal stool. Could there be
something wrong? is she stressed by the fighting?

I'm certainly not an expert on behavior, but it sounds to me like Bella might
be afraid of the other cat jumping her while she's in the box.(and vulnerable
to an attack!) Maybe it's happened before. I'd separate the cats, and give
each his own box, especially when you're away and try to bring the stress
level
down for her and see what happens. Good luck.

Sherry


I agree. Especially for a while, don't let them be together while you are
gone. Also, I have really seen an improvement using Feliway diffusers in
mine. They are not angels, but they do much better together if we have
Feliway on hand. I would also distract them *immediately* when you are there
and tension starts. Try a toy or yummy food. Be consistent and go
*everytime* with something to distract them. This *will* pay off, even if it
takes some time.

Karen