Male/Female dominance prob

Hi group,

I hope someone here can help me with this. I have had two female cats,
adopted from the shelter together, for about four years. Recently a
male cat has adopted us. He is grown but still young, and we did have
him neutered when he decided to stay with us. The two females tolerate
him, one more than the other, but they don't really like him.

Lately we have been having bathroom issues: *somebody* has been peeing
on the bathroom rug and in the houseplants. I think we have figured
out the problem. When the females are in the litterbox, the male
sneaks up on them and attacks them as they are leaving it. So now they
don't want to go to the litter box. I don't blame them.

How do I fix this? Move the litterbox? Chunk the male outside every
night? Teach the females to use the toilet?

Cheryl

in article , Cheryl Rogers at
wrote on 2/28/04 8:48 AM:

Hi group,

I hope someone here can help me with this. I have had two female cats,
adopted from the shelter together, for about four years. Recently a
male cat has adopted us. He is grown but still young, and we did have
him neutered when he decided to stay with us. The two females tolerate
him, one more than the other, but they don't really like him.

Lately we have been having bathroom issues: *somebody* has been peeing
on the bathroom rug and in the houseplants. I think we have figured
out the problem. When the females are in the litterbox, the male
sneaks up on them and attacks them as they are leaving it. So now they
don't want to go to the litter box. I don't blame them.

How do I fix this? Move the litterbox? Chunk the male outside every
night? Teach the females to use the toilet?

Cheryl


How many boxes do you have? Is there an alternate place for them to go?

Karen

in article , Cheryl Rogers at
wrote on 2/28/04 8:48 AM:

Hi group,

I hope someone here can help me with this. I have had two female cats,
adopted from the shelter together, for about four years. Recently a
male cat has adopted us. He is grown but still young, and we did have
him neutered when he decided to stay with us. The two females tolerate
him, one more than the other, but they don't really like him.

Lately we have been having bathroom issues: *somebody* has been peeing
on the bathroom rug and in the houseplants. I think we have figured
out the problem. When the females are in the litterbox, the male
sneaks up on them and attacks them as they are leaving it. So now they
don't want to go to the litter box. I don't blame them.

How do I fix this? Move the litterbox? Chunk the male outside every
night? Teach the females to use the toilet?

Cheryl


How many boxes do you have? Is there an alternate place for them to go?

Karen

Two boxes, both in the upstairs tub, which is why it is so easy for
the Troll to sneak up on them--they can't see him. All of them are
indoor/outdoor cats though, and they go outside as well. I have toyed
with the idea of putting a litterbox outside, but what if it rains? :-)

Cheryl

Karen Chuplis wrote:

in article , Cheryl Rogers at
wrote on 2/28/04 8:48 AM:


Hi group,

I hope someone here can help me with this. I have had two female cats,
adopted from the shelter together, for about four years. Recently a
male cat has adopted us. He is grown but still young, and we did have
him neutered when he decided to stay with us. The two females tolerate
him, one more than the other, but they don't really like him.

Lately we have been having bathroom issues: *somebody* has been peeing
on the bathroom rug and in the houseplants. I think we have figured
out the problem. When the females are in the litterbox, the male
sneaks up on them and attacks them as they are leaving it. So now they
don't want to go to the litter box. I don't blame them.

How do I fix this? Move the litterbox? Chunk the male outside every
night? Teach the females to use the toilet?

Cheryl



How many boxes do you have? Is there an alternate place for them to go?

Karen

Two boxes, both in the upstairs tub, which is why it is so easy for
the Troll to sneak up on them--they can't see him. All of them are
indoor/outdoor cats though, and they go outside as well. I have toyed
with the idea of putting a litterbox outside, but what if it rains? :-)

Cheryl

Karen Chuplis wrote:

in article , Cheryl Rogers at
wrote on 2/28/04 8:48 AM:


Hi group,

I hope someone here can help me with this. I have had two female cats,
adopted from the shelter together, for about four years. Recently a
male cat has adopted us. He is grown but still young, and we did have
him neutered when he decided to stay with us. The two females tolerate
him, one more than the other, but they don't really like him.

Lately we have been having bathroom issues: *somebody* has been peeing
on the bathroom rug and in the houseplants. I think we have figured
out the problem. When the females are in the litterbox, the male
sneaks up on them and attacks them as they are leaving it. So now they
don't want to go to the litter box. I don't blame them.

How do I fix this? Move the litterbox? Chunk the male outside every
night? Teach the females to use the toilet?

Cheryl



How many boxes do you have? Is there an alternate place for them to go?

Karen

Cheryl Rogers wrote:

Two boxes, both in the upstairs tub, which is why it is so easy for the
Troll to sneak up on them--they can't see him. All of them are
indoor/outdoor cats though, and they go outside as well. I have toyed
with the idea of putting a litterbox outside, but what if it rains? :-)

Are the litter boxes covered? If so, remove the covers.

Now, your young male cat cannot be in two places at the same time.

I'd suggest getting two more litter boxes, then place the four boxes you
will have each in a different location in your home.

--
"Its the bugs that keep it running."
-Joe Canuck

Cheryl Rogers wrote:

Two boxes, both in the upstairs tub, which is why it is so easy for the
Troll to sneak up on them--they can't see him. All of them are
indoor/outdoor cats though, and they go outside as well. I have toyed
with the idea of putting a litterbox outside, but what if it rains? :-)

Are the litter boxes covered? If so, remove the covers.

Now, your young male cat cannot be in two places at the same time.

I'd suggest getting two more litter boxes, then place the four boxes you
will have each in a different location in your home.

--
"Its the bugs that keep it running."
-Joe Canuck

Cheryl Rogers wrote in message ...
Hi group,

I hope someone here can help me with this. I have had two female cats,
adopted from the shelter together, for about four years. Recently a
male cat has adopted us. He is grown but still young, and we did have
him neutered when he decided to stay with us. The two females tolerate
him, one more than the other, but they don't really like him.

Lately we have been having bathroom issues: *somebody* has been peeing
on the bathroom rug and in the houseplants. I think we have figured
out the problem. When the females are in the litterbox, the male
sneaks up on them and attacks them as they are leaving it. So now they
don't want to go to the litter box. I don't blame them.

How do I fix this? Move the litterbox? Chunk the male outside every
night? Teach the females to use the toilet?

Cheryl


Well, the solution to your problem is quite obvious to me. It's
probably obvious to you too, except you just don't want to face it.
Get rid of the male! We had a similar problem with a female we tried
to introduce into the pride a few years ago. Our original cat (a male)
was happy and innocent until we brought little Miss queenie into our
home. After that, he spent all his waking hours keeping her isolated
in one room of the house. This just so he could hang onto some
semblance of normalcy from his former safe secure life. It could not
go on, and I was very glad that we didn't go ahead and have her
declawed right off. My wife had to make the "heartbreaking" decision
that it just wasn't going to fly, and then I did my job: I booted her
out of our house.
Now, no more hissing fights at the litterboxes. No more intimidation.
No more reason to excessively sent-mark. All is as it was before. We
still feed the little creepette, but outside you know.


IBen Getiner

Cheryl Rogers wrote in message ...
Hi group,

I hope someone here can help me with this. I have had two female cats,
adopted from the shelter together, for about four years. Recently a
male cat has adopted us. He is grown but still young, and we did have
him neutered when he decided to stay with us. The two females tolerate
him, one more than the other, but they don't really like him.

Lately we have been having bathroom issues: *somebody* has been peeing
on the bathroom rug and in the houseplants. I think we have figured
out the problem. When the females are in the litterbox, the male
sneaks up on them and attacks them as they are leaving it. So now they
don't want to go to the litter box. I don't blame them.

How do I fix this? Move the litterbox? Chunk the male outside every
night? Teach the females to use the toilet?

Cheryl


Well, the solution to your problem is quite obvious to me. It's
probably obvious to you too, except you just don't want to face it.
Get rid of the male! We had a similar problem with a female we tried
to introduce into the pride a few years ago. Our original cat (a male)
was happy and innocent until we brought little Miss queenie into our
home. After that, he spent all his waking hours keeping her isolated
in one room of the house. This just so he could hang onto some
semblance of normalcy from his former safe secure life. It could not
go on, and I was very glad that we didn't go ahead and have her
declawed right off. My wife had to make the "heartbreaking" decision
that it just wasn't going to fly, and then I did my job: I booted her
out of our house.
Now, no more hissing fights at the litterboxes. No more intimidation.
No more reason to excessively sent-mark. All is as it was before. We
still feed the little creepette, but outside you know.


IBen Getiner

"Cheryl Rogers" wrote in message
...
Two boxes, both in the upstairs tub, which is why it is so easy for
the Troll to sneak up on them--they can't see him. All of them are
indoor/outdoor cats though, and they go outside as well. I have
toyed
with the idea of putting a litterbox outside, but what if it rains?
:-)

Cheryl

Hi Cheryl,
You could dig over a patch of soil outside and the cats can use that
..
But why not move the boxes from the bath and position them in a place
where they *can" see the Troll and won't get ambushed.
Alison