Poop/Couch/Attention(?) problem, help :P

[Anne]

I read the other thread too about the cat that was pooping on the floor.

I've had Scooter at the vet recently, he had a clean bill of health. Scooter likes taking a dump on futon at approximately 6am. It's always at this time of morning. I've never noticed him do it at any other time. He's an only cat. I've tried changing his litter, and scooping more frequently. But I scooped and freshened it just *yesterday* and this morning he did it again. He knows where his box is, cause he uses it when it isn't 6am I just can't figure out why, why, why?! I've never been able to use this futon for anything. It's brand new and I've never been able to put anybody on it *cry* because I always have to take it to the inlaws to be steam cleaned. He's never taken a dump anywhere else except on the couch or in his box. He hollers at about 530am to wake us up when he's feeling ornery. I've gotten up before, to check. Is the box ok? Does he have food and water? Yes, yes yes. I go back to bed, he proceeds to take a dump on the couch. I've tried discouraging him with water, training him like a dog by sticking his nose in it and then spraying him with water. He *knows* he's not supposed to do it. The moment I walk into the den and see what he's done, and call in that bad kitty voice, he goes under the bed. When I pick him up to show him his scat, he knows he's in for punishment (spraying with water, ignoring him, and no wetfood at night). He's not stupid. But this problem is beyond me! Help!

[Mona]

First of all, cats do not respond to delayed scolding or punishment after the fact. They only think you are hurting them etc. I would stop putting his nose in the stool (this will only upset him), do not spray him and give him his wet food in the evening. Cats usually have a reason for doing something out of the ordinary, and are trying to tell you something by their actions.

If your kitty has a clean bill of health, how about his litter, is it soft and sandy like? Maybe a change is due, or it could be other behavioural issues. Have you moved, had a baby recently?

Cats are complex animals and highly sensitive;here is a link that may help you.

http://www.catsontheweb.org/litterbox.htm

Mona, Honeybun and Chloe

[davet]

my education in the finer things of life was curtailed in my youth so i don'tknow what a futon is, but it must be something exciting...is it possible that c=you can put a liter box on the futon to get the cat used to using the boxa again...cours i don't know if a futon will support a liter box, or will it have to balance on it or what...but might be a thought to try it for a few days to get the cat back to the box and away from the futon...

[Guest]

I use Maxx scoop clumping litter. I scoop it every other day, at least, more often if he's been particularly stinky. The morning he did it, I had just changed his litter the night before. I'm living in the same place I have since we got him, his litterbox is in the same place, and no kids. We did just return from the inlaws, he did stay with them for two weeks, but he's done this on other occasions, not just when we return from the inlaws (though he's never once pooped any place but his box while there).

As per the delayed punishment, I do it asap, and that's why I show him first, so he knows that I'm not flying off the handle on him. Scooter and I have an excellent relationship. I reward him for good behavior too, not just punish him for bad, and he's extremely well trained except for this pooping fiasco. He's a very playful and happy cat and not afraid of me, so I doubt I've scarred him for life. If anything, he's spoiled bloody rotten, which I can't help but wonder if that might not be part of the problem. On several occasions when he's pooped on the couch instead of his box (3 feet away), I've noticed that he's brought his favorite toy onto the bed at some point during the night. I wouldn't put it past him to get annoyed at us that we haven't gotten up at 530 to play with him and go do something he knows we hate. I've never met a kitty with a vengeful streak like Scoot You should see what he does to people who boot him in the butt by accident when he cuts them off while they're walking down the hall.

Seriously though, the futon thing is driving me nuts. How much are rubber sheets

He does use his box instead of the futon 99 percent of the time, Davet, so I don't think that he's stopped being used to it. Btw, a futon is a couch that you pull on it and it flattens out to a bed

[Anne]

Err... that guest post, that's me.