Dear Christopher Cat
Bogie, Tigger and I recently moved in with a friend and her cat, a 9-month-old female named Blinx.
Blinx attacks Bogie and Tigger, who are both large, gentle 7-year-old cats.
Just as bad, one of the cats is urinating on the carpet and furniture.
The three cats share one litter box, which I scoop daily. Blinx has an additional box in her owner’s bedroom.
Given Blinx’s aggression, I think she is marking her territory.
What can we do?
Christopher Responds
We had a similar problem when a fifth cat joined our family. I hope our solution helps you.
First, you need four “public” litter boxes, one more than the number of cats. Blinx’s private box doesn’t count, because it’s not available to Bogie and Tigger.
We cats get very territorial about our litter boxes. Some of us won’t go where other cats have gone. Others choose one box for urination and another for defecation.
Station at least one litter box on each floor of the house, and scoop the boxes daily.
To improve the cats’ relationships and minimize urinary marking, buy some Feliway pheromone diffusers and place them where the fighting and inappropriate urination occur.
Next, have your veterinarian test each cat’s urine to determine whether the inappropriate urination is medical or behavioral.
Whatever the cause, your veterinarian can prescribe medication to correct the problem and help the cats get along.
Finally, use an enzymatic cleaner to eliminate all urine odor and prevent recurrence of the problem.
If this plan doesn’t work, ask your veterinarian to refer you to a veterinary behaviorist.
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