Shame. I am ashamed for a thought I can't stop. You won't believe it.

[bertha katzenengel]

The thought is "euthanasia." :blush: :blush: I am so ashamed. It is an invasive thought. I can't control it. It won't go away. :banghead:

This is Richard. He is twelve years old. I adore him.


That's Richard. He's twelve years old. I adore him.

He pees all over the house. There is nothing physically wrong with him. I've had him checked three times for this in the last four years; the last time, two weeks ago. Each time he's come up healthy. Old, a little fat, but healthy.

This peeing is very bad. We lose sleep. We lose sanity. We throw things away. We replace things. We tear our hair out, take Excedrin, try desperately to relax after every clean-up episode.

He doesn't have any special spots, although he might hit the same spot twice if we don't clean & deodorize it well enough. We've taken to making him stay outdoors when we're not at home during the day. But when we're home, we can't be everywhere he is, and we can't stop him.

There are extra cats in the house right now (foster litter), and it is adding stress. But that hasn't exacerbated the problem, nor has having many cats made it worse. He's done it for years.

I'm not at my wits' end. But this horrible, invasive thought, the thought I am so ashamed of, is where I fear my wits' end will take me.* Right now I can say unequivocally "I will never do it," but I can't get the thought out of my head. Especially when I clean up yet another "spill." The smell of cat urine is burned into my nostrils, so that I look for puddles and ruined stuff everywhere, everyday.

Thank you for listening. I know this might change many lizards' opinions about me. But I really had to get it out of my head and onto "paper." Writing this out has quelled the thought somewhat.

I'm gonna sit with Richard on my lap for a long time tonight.

* And if I did go insane, Mrs. V. would never allow it.

[av8rdave]

1. Did the checkup include a check for diabetes?

That's a common cause of excessive peeing in cats (and people)

[bertha katzenengel]

God damn. I don't think so.

Duh! I hope like hell the vet still has some of his blood. We are so broke; I can't afford to take him in again right now.

God... thank you so much, Aviator Dave, for the brilliant thought.

[av8rdave]

4. Hope that helps! I believe there is treatment, and it should stop

the peeing issue

[China_cat]

15. Go to the pharmacy and get a jar of glucostix

about $5. Then stick one in some of his (fresh is best) pee and see if he's throwing sugar. If he is, then you can worry about how to pay for diabetic care (which is actually easier and more effective at home).

Some other symptoms of that condition...chronic hunger with weight LOSS; when not peeing he's at the water bowl; starting to walk more down on his hocks (diabetic neuropathy). I've had 2 brothers with that condition. One is still with me. (The other died of cancer)

[Midlodemocrat]

2. I hear you, Bertha

Our little dachshund pees on the carpet in the hall upstairs quite a bit. No place else, just there. Especially if no one is watching her, (translated, especially if I'm not watching her)

And, the puppy isn't trained either. She has poo accidents in the sunroom, but I only allow her to be in the kitchen or the sunroom because there aren't any rugs.

:hug:

Urine Gone works pretty well.

[bertha katzenengel]

8. So does Stink Free Instantly. I just ordered two more quarts.

:eyes:

Thanks, Midlo. :hug:

[LaurenG]

3. I think you're just very frustrated.

To some of us our cats are like our children and trust me, ask any parent of a teenager and yes it crosses our minds to at least put them up for adoption.

I wish there were a magic trick to getting him to quit. Do you know any "cat whisperers" who could help talk to him about his bad manners?

[bertha katzenengel]

9. Oh, definitely.

Maybe the dog whisperer does cross-species training. :)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

5. Can you keep him outside all the time?

Being an outdoor cat beats being a euthanized cat.

[bertha katzenengel]

7. Good point. But I don't think I have the heart for that any more than

for euthanasia. Besides, winters are very cold here. I cry over my ferals, even though I try to give them warm places.

[NC_Nurse]

6. Having a cat pissing on everything REALLY SUCKS...

I've been there. Bullwinkle had diabetes, but he had always been a pisser. He spent a lot of time outside for that reason, but he loved it out there. I feel your pain.
He ruined many of our things and the house smelled AWFUL sometimes. He died naturally but don't think euthanasia didn't cross my mind a few times!

[bertha katzenengel]

10. And I'll bet you still miss Bullwinkle, despite it all.

:hug:

[NC_Nurse]

11. Of course!

I raised him from birth with a dropper and formula, him and his two siblings. He was a sweetie!
:hug:

[miss_american_pie]

12. Oh I'm sorry

:hug:

And I'll tell you a little secret: moms of human babies get those thoughts too occasionally. It's okay.

:hug:

[bertha katzenengel]

19. I've heard.

That's actually a bit of a relief - just to know I'm not the only one.

Thanks, Miss Pie. :hug:

[libodem]

13. I wish I had an answer

you must be so frustrated. I feel for you. Kitty boy might have to stay outside. We had an old, long-haired, white, stray, when I was a kid. Old Foggy had to stay outside. Occasionally he would zoom into the house. We'd chase him from the front door all the way to the back door. Even in full motion the house still smelled like pee just from having had him run through. Diabetes does sound like a possibility. As a cat-lover from way back, you have my empathy.

[bertha katzenengel]

17. ROFLMAO

I sure hope you meant this to be funny, because I am ROFLMFAO --

"Even in full motion the house still smelled like pee just from having had him run through."

:rofl: Thank you!

[wain]

14. He looks just like my cat and is about the same age

Had the same problem three years ago. What finally worked was placing disposable litter boxes (store-bought) in three strategic spots (but not in the middle of the living room :rofl: ). Really has worked.

:)

[bertha katzenengel]

18. Great idea. I've tried it.

:) Thanks, Wain.

[idgiehkt]

16. I am sorry you are going through this.

Perhaps he would make someone a good barn cat? There is nothing wrong with having thoughts about stuff like this and expressing it. I always think expression is better than repression.

I am having a very tough time with a stray puppy I picked up a couple of months ago. Turns out he's an alpha dog, and that's putting it mildy. He jumps, he bites (not agression biting, just get-your-attention biting), he constantly dominates the 5 year old golden..I mean CONSTANTLY, the poor dog can't even walk across the yard, ever, without this puppy (who is now just a bit smaller than the golden) hanging off of his ear. If I try to pet the golden he does everything in his power to interfere...he terrorizes the cats...it's a nightmare. And his feet are humongous, so he is undoubtedly going to grow alot bigger. I have had to discipline him constantly, pretty harshly, to keep him from making everyone's life miserable. I hate it, because I'm a softie, but it has to be done NOW while he is still a manageable size. All this just because I was trying to be a good samaritan. So I can empathize with your guilt feelings and frustration

I am sorry you are having this conflict and with the above I just wanted to say I can empathize. I will hope that a solution that you all can live with will open up. It's possible there is just a smell in the flooring that your cat does not like and he is trying to get rid of, but it doesn't bother anyone else. He has his reasons, but that doesn't help you. I went through a very short spree of my rabit peeing on the bed right beside me at night (I figured out he was marking ME, lol)...I caged him for 12 hours every time he did it and he very quickly figured out that was a no no.

[bertha katzenengel]

20. Any idea what to do about the puppy?

I don't think it's a bad thing to try to find it a new home. I don't know if that's an option, but I'm sure you could easily find out. At any rate I hope your discipline regimen works.

We actually have already replaced the flooring. We ripped out the carpet thanks to Richard, and put in hardwood floors. He doesn't care. :(

Thanks, Idgie