Cat behavior question

I am writing this for a friend. I will try to forward the replies to her.

She has a 3 year old neutered male cat which was born to a feral mother. She
brought the cat inside at 6 months and neutered him. He is average size, white
with grey spots and a grey tabby tail, very pretty, shorter fur. He likes to
sleep on the bottom of her bed and will lay next to her on the couch. He likes
to sit and play with the dog. He's not a lap cat and isn't too fond of being
picked up. The woman has two boys, 7 and 4. The cat now approaches them and is
somewhat friendly.

Soon after the cat was neutered he started escaping from the house and spraying
the neighbors front door. Maybe a new male cat entered his territory? He would
rip out the screens if a window was left open. He would slip out any door that
was opened. He would always come home. The neighbor is complaining about the
spraying. That is the main complaint. She said she can't keep him in the house
as he escapes. He was given amitriptyline 10 mg once a day for two months to
keep him from escaping. He was a zombie. She reduced the dosage to half and it
had no effect.

She needs some ideas about how to keep him from escaping and spraying the
neighbors door. If she can't find a solution, she feels she may be forced to
rehome him because of the complaints. She would like to keep him. Anyone with
any suggestions? Does he need more attention and play time? Feliway? More
secure window screens made out of thicker metal? Any suggestion no matter how
wild would be greatly appreciated.

"Mary" wrote in message
...
I am writing this for a friend. I will try to forward the replies to her.

She has a 3 year old neutered male cat which was born to a feral mother.
She
brought the cat inside at 6 months and neutered him. He is average size,
white
with grey spots and a grey tabby tail, very pretty, shorter fur. He likes
to
sleep on the bottom of her bed and will lay next to her on the couch. He
likes
to sit and play with the dog. He's not a lap cat and isn't too fond of
being
picked up. The woman has two boys, 7 and 4. The cat now approaches them
and is
somewhat friendly.

Soon after the cat was neutered he started escaping from the house and
spraying
the neighbors front door. Maybe a new male cat entered his territory? He
would
rip out the screens if a window was left open. He would slip out any door
that
was opened. He would always come home. The neighbor is complaining about
the
spraying. That is the main complaint. She said she can't keep him in the
house
as he escapes. He was given amitriptyline 10 mg once a day for two months
to
keep him from escaping. He was a zombie. She reduced the dosage to half
and it
had no effect.

She needs some ideas about how to keep him from escaping and spraying the
neighbors door. If she can't find a solution, she feels she may be forced
to
rehome him because of the complaints. She would like to keep him. Anyone
with
any suggestions? Does he need more attention and play time? Feliway? More
secure window screens made out of thicker metal? Any suggestion no matter
how
wild would be greatly appreciated.



If the neighbor is cleaning her door with regular household cleaners, this
can trigger the cat to respray the door. It would be better to clean it
with something like Nature's Miracle, which has ingredients that discourage
the cat from remarking.

Also, try spraying Feliway on the door and the immediate area. It's
supposed to have an ingredient that imitates cat pheromones that say
"Everything's OK".

It would be nice to be able to figure out why the cat is marking on the
neighbor's door. Does the neighbor have indoor cats that might be
triggering the marking? Are there other cats in the neighborhood that mark
on the door in the general area that might trigger this cat to leave his
mark as well?

Bill

"Mary" wrote in message
...
I am writing this for a friend. I will try to forward the replies to her.

She has a 3 year old neutered male cat which was born to a feral mother.
She
brought the cat inside at 6 months and neutered him. He is average size,
white
with grey spots and a grey tabby tail, very pretty, shorter fur. He likes
to
sleep on the bottom of her bed and will lay next to her on the couch. He
likes
to sit and play with the dog. He's not a lap cat and isn't too fond of
being
picked up. The woman has two boys, 7 and 4. The cat now approaches them
and is
somewhat friendly.

Soon after the cat was neutered he started escaping from the house and
spraying
the neighbors front door. Maybe a new male cat entered his territory? He
would
rip out the screens if a window was left open. He would slip out any door
that
was opened. He would always come home. The neighbor is complaining about
the
spraying. That is the main complaint. She said she can't keep him in the
house
as he escapes. He was given amitriptyline 10 mg once a day for two months
to
keep him from escaping. He was a zombie. She reduced the dosage to half
and it
had no effect.

She needs some ideas about how to keep him from escaping and spraying the
neighbors door. If she can't find a solution, she feels she may be forced
to
rehome him because of the complaints. She would like to keep him. Anyone
with
any suggestions? Does he need more attention and play time? Feliway? More
secure window screens made out of thicker metal? Any suggestion no matter
how
wild would be greatly appreciated.



If the neighbor is cleaning her door with regular household cleaners, this
can trigger the cat to respray the door. It would be better to clean it
with something like Nature's Miracle, which has ingredients that discourage
the cat from remarking.

Also, try spraying Feliway on the door and the immediate area. It's
supposed to have an ingredient that imitates cat pheromones that say
"Everything's OK".

It would be nice to be able to figure out why the cat is marking on the
neighbor's door. Does the neighbor have indoor cats that might be
triggering the marking? Are there other cats in the neighborhood that mark
on the door in the general area that might trigger this cat to leave his
mark as well?

Bill

in article , Mary at
pam wrote on 9/4/03 1:22 PM:

I am writing this for a friend. I will try to forward the replies to her.

She has a 3 year old neutered male cat which was born to a feral mother. She
brought the cat inside at 6 months and neutered him. He is average size, white
with grey spots and a grey tabby tail, very pretty, shorter fur. He likes to
sleep on the bottom of her bed and will lay next to her on the couch. He likes
to sit and play with the dog. He's not a lap cat and isn't too fond of being
picked up. The woman has two boys, 7 and 4. The cat now approaches them and is
somewhat friendly.

Soon after the cat was neutered he started escaping from the house and
spraying
the neighbors front door. Maybe a new male cat entered his territory? He would
rip out the screens if a window was left open. He would slip out any door that
was opened. He would always come home. The neighbor is complaining about the
spraying. That is the main complaint. She said she can't keep him in the house
as he escapes. He was given amitriptyline 10 mg once a day for two months to
keep him from escaping. He was a zombie. She reduced the dosage to half and it
had no effect.

She needs some ideas about how to keep him from escaping and spraying the
neighbors door. If she can't find a solution, she feels she may be forced to
rehome him because of the complaints. She would like to keep him. Anyone with
any suggestions? Does he need more attention and play time? Feliway? More
secure window screens made out of thicker metal? Any suggestion no matter how
wild would be greatly appreciated.


And sorry to sound like a broken record, but has she tried Feliway? Can she
build an outdoor shelter? Since he is zeroing in on that house, there must
be soemthing triggering it. Any ideas?

Karen

in article , Mary at
pam wrote on 9/4/03 1:22 PM:

I am writing this for a friend. I will try to forward the replies to her.

She has a 3 year old neutered male cat which was born to a feral mother. She
brought the cat inside at 6 months and neutered him. He is average size, white
with grey spots and a grey tabby tail, very pretty, shorter fur. He likes to
sleep on the bottom of her bed and will lay next to her on the couch. He likes
to sit and play with the dog. He's not a lap cat and isn't too fond of being
picked up. The woman has two boys, 7 and 4. The cat now approaches them and is
somewhat friendly.

Soon after the cat was neutered he started escaping from the house and
spraying
the neighbors front door. Maybe a new male cat entered his territory? He would
rip out the screens if a window was left open. He would slip out any door that
was opened. He would always come home. The neighbor is complaining about the
spraying. That is the main complaint. She said she can't keep him in the house
as he escapes. He was given amitriptyline 10 mg once a day for two months to
keep him from escaping. He was a zombie. She reduced the dosage to half and it
had no effect.

She needs some ideas about how to keep him from escaping and spraying the
neighbors door. If she can't find a solution, she feels she may be forced to
rehome him because of the complaints. She would like to keep him. Anyone with
any suggestions? Does he need more attention and play time? Feliway? More
secure window screens made out of thicker metal? Any suggestion no matter how
wild would be greatly appreciated.


And sorry to sound like a broken record, but has she tried Feliway? Can she
build an outdoor shelter? Since he is zeroing in on that house, there must
be soemthing triggering it. Any ideas?

Karen