Here is my current situation. I have a very loving one year old female cat named Salem. She is a great cat, and besides getting into kitten troubles - gives me no problems. I must also let you know that she is not spayed. I am not opposed to getting her fixed, I just haven’t as of yet. She is a completely inside cat. I’ve been toying with the idea of getting her declawed at the same time of getting her fixed. I’m not too thrilled about the declawing, and I’m guessing that is why I’ve put it off.
Those issues are not my dilemma though, more of an insight to my situation. The thing is, the last two times she was in heat she has urinated in two different places. Those places would not be her litter box. She has never gone to the bathroom out of her litter box for the entire year that I have had her. I’m wondering if the wise Dopers of the world would know if this urinating outside the litter box could be a result from her being in heat? Its only happened twice, and it was only once in each of her last two heat cycles.
Any advice would be much appreciated. As well as suggestions on the declawing/spaying thing at the same time.
You really need to get your cat spayed, the sooner the better. You should have gotten her spayed at about 6 months if you never intend to let her mate-- it’s healthier for her, and it prevents the type of thing that you’re asking about. From this site:
She’s just going to keep going into heat every few weeks from here on out. This isn’t like a human woman getting her period: this is heat. She wants to mate, and she wants it now. Her whole being is consumed with it. Either let her make babies and then take responsibility for what becomes of them, or get her spayed. Until you do, she’s going to keep marking her territory every time she’s in heat.
If money or time is an issue, please read through the first site I linked. It’s listed a whole array of low-cost spay/neutering services all over the country. If you don’t find one near you through that site, do a search for them-- they’re all over --or call the Humane Society in your area and ask them for help.
Yeah, that’s pretty straight-up hormone-driven territory marking. Spay the kitty now, or I’ll set Dolly the Vicious Attack Hound upon you, and she’ll root you mercilessly until you do.
OK - before Dolly the Vicious Attack Hound comes after me I’ll get her spayed.
Is that an almost sure fire way to get her to stop this random urinating?
Also - I wanted to thank you Beadalin for that great link. I found a really good place near my home that can spay her for nearly pennies. And the money that I will end up paying will help defray the costs of getting other’s spayed and neutered.
Now…what to do about the declawing issue? The place that will spay her does not do declawing.
Why do you think she needs to be declawed? Unless she’s being very destructive (so much so that you’re thinking of getting rid of her) I would recommend against it. I’ve read that declawing is actually like you having your fingers amputated at the first joint. Mind you, she’s not planning to pick up a pan or type, it’s still unkind, IMHO. You can hopefully train her not to climb furniture or drapes. My two cats aren’t declawed and I don’t have any trouble with them indoors. And spaying is a great idea simply so you don’t have to deal with an animal in heat. What a pain!
Thanks StGermain. Actually - I really would prefer NOT to get her declawed. I also heard that it seems very cruel. She is not doing that much damage to where I’d want to get rid of her - afterall she is just so cute! I just worry about her being slightly destructive, which she can be. Also, I thought I heard once that performing both procedures at the same time is better so they don’t have to be put under more than once.
skittles - Do you have a scratching post? If you do and she doesn’t seem interested, try rubing it with catnip. If you can make it her favorite place to scratch, you’ll be in good shape. Also, you might try to trim her nails regularly - Just use a human toenail clipper and snip the tips off. Make sure you don’t hit the quick! It’s pretty visible on kitty nails, so you should be okay. She might not enjoy itl, though. If you can get her to sit still for it, then praise her and give her a special treat after, you should be able to train her to tolerate it.
I have two scratching posts, which she does use. She also feels the need to use the iron hand rail going upstairs to the bedrooms as well as the walls from time to time.
I don’t declaw either. Make sure your scratching posts are sturdy - cats don’t like it when their scratching post wobbles or falls down.
I trim my cats’ nails, like **StGermain
** says, that helps. IMHO, declawing is mean, and should only be done if it is a matter of keeping the cat vs. cat destroying your house. I am the kind of person who values my pets above any furniture I might own, thus my opinion on the matter.
All three of my cats are declawed. We tried, we really tried, to get them to confine their clawing activities to the scratching post, using every method from the ol’ spray bottle of water to spraying Boundary on the sides of the furniture where they scratched and rubbing catnip on the scratching post. Nothing worked.
The old fashioned “lop 'em off at the first toe joint” method is barbaric, but if you live in or near a major metropolitan area, you should be able to find a vet that will use a technique that involves only taking the claw and the very tip of the toe bone where the claw sheath is. All my cats were declawed this way, they still have good paw dexterity, and the only one of the boys who had a problem was Conan, who is kind of a nervous, high-strung kitty and he chewed at his stitches before they healed. Thunder and Schrodinger didn’t even seem to notice anything amiss.
I’ve learned from experience that discussing declawing quickly leads to the post being moved into “Great Debates.” Some people are very adamant about this issue, (in my opinion) to a point beyond logic. Before the flames come, notice I said “some.”
Anyways, just for some additional information should you want any, here is some technical information about declawing methods, and even some alternatives to declawing if you want to check them out:
It’s not in the link above, but I’ve heard someone mention (on this board an elsewhere) about a laser declawing procedure that doesn’t even require an overnight stay at the vet (I believe.) Someone had mentioned that their cats were running around like they didn’t know the difference on the very same day.
If the cat is going to be exclusively indoors, and it can be done without causing them too much distress, I don’t see how it’s any different from having them spayed. My kitty lives outside, but I know there are so many times that I’ve wanted to wrestle with her, and though she doesn’t bite her claws are just too sharp for me to play.
I know when I eventually get an indoor cat in my own place, I will probably look into the laser declawing. If it’s as quick and painless as it sounds, I’ll probably have it done. I’d rather do that then spray them with a water bottle all the time, but that’s just me.
I did have my cat spayed at the very minimum age that they would do it, and also she was stolen (not by me) from her mother at age 5 weeks (possibly a bit younger, she was tiny), so consequently my formerly-female cat has also stayed very small in size.
OK - I tried posting this before - but my post was eaten.
Thanks for the links richardb. I’m really hoping that her urinating outside the box thing is mostly hormone based. I have an appointment to get her spayed in a week and a half. Hopefully the random marking will then stop. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
And I certainly don’t want the declaw/not to declaw debate to take place. I realize that is a sensitive topic for many people. I just hope that I don’t have to do it - for numerous reasons. One being the place that will be spaying her doesn’t perform that procedure and I would hate to have to put her under twice. She is so tiny!
** jinwicked** I have heard minor things about the laser procedure, though not enough to make an educated decision. Thanks for your thoughts!
I don’t like the idea of declawing. Spaying’s bad enough, but has a definite purpose that is beneficial to catkind. Declawing is just for the convenience of the owners.
I clip my cat’s claws once a month. Get her a scratching post, too. If she does mess up the furniture, teach her not to, and remember, it’s only furniture.
Defiantly due to Salem being in heat. Hormones are a bitch.
I had a similar problem; difference being it was a male cat spraying every new load of laundry coming out of the dryer. “Doohh”
Happy to say that once “SuperPuss” got his little kitty balls snipped off (he never did forgive me though) my laundry problems seized.
My opinion on the declawing situation is unless she is really tearing apart your furniture don’t remove her best defense (climbing or attacking). Even though she is an indoor kitty, she still may escape one day and have no means of keeping “Spike” from tearing the puss to pieces!
buzzz_kill glad to hear that you laundry problems were solved! I guess I should be happy that she isn’t marking things like that (at least not yet.) It was a piece of paper one time, and another time in the middle of our coffee table! :eek:
I’ll second jinwicked’s suggestion of laser de-clawing for those that go that route. Also, while it is often better to de-claw a cat while spaying/neutering it if one is concerned about anesthesia, most vets will tell you that it’s too stressful on a female cat. See, with males, it’s not an invasive surgery… more of a nip and tuck, as it were. With females, you have to go in and dig around. It’s a lot of stress on the system, and adding both extra surgery and stress to the cat (as in, “Where did my claws go?”) isn’t usually advised unless there’s a reason you’re concerned about putting the cat under twice.
Also, front claws aren’t used that much in defense. Back claws and teeth are used more. Andecdotal note - We have two de-clawed cats (from necessity – one tore out screens and tried to escape repeatedly and the other climbed people, which doesn’t work once a cat reaches late adolescence) and one with all his claws… they all hold their own against each other just fine.
One other thing I should probably note. Getting a cat neutered/spayed as soon as they start marking is extremely important. Cats will not always stop marking once they have begun. We had to give a cat to friend with a farm due to that once (he was a rehabilitated feral, we just didn’t catch him in time). It was sad.
And here is additional info on it http://www.declawing.com/
If you adopt a cat from SPCA they make you sign an agreement saying you will NOT declaw it and it is also illegal in England.
As far as the actual problem, I would guess it is a hormonal thing as well.
