Older cats peeing/spraying after bringing kitty home

[tevajean1980]

Hello there, we brought a new kitty home 3 weeks ago & in the last few days we have noticed that someone has been either spraying or urinating where they should not be. Everything was going well & the older 2 cats (9&7 years old) were doing better with the baby who is about 20 weeks old. Why would they start acting inappropriatly now after we thought we were headed in the right direction? I am considering locking the new kitty up during the day when we go to work but don't know if that would solve any of our problems.
Thanks
Irritated kitty momma

[Cucciolo]

Forgot to add : I also use classical music, low volume, as a "tranquillizer" , especially when I m not home. Find it helps them to relax and be friendlier to one another...

[Cucciolo]

Glad it worked for you, you only have 2 kitties? I had up to 8 at one point, not always easy when you bring in a newcomer ( all strays or rescues) and Feliway worked, but I always did the " secluded space" trick first...

I also use Feliway in carriers, for instance when going to the Vet. I spray some 10 minutes before putting the cat in. Then When  the cat is inside, I cover the carrier with a scarf to calm her down. Big difference to when you leave the carrier as is, since cats don t show it, but their anxiety  keeps building up when they re in a foreign environment and  can actually SEE it!

[Cucciolo]

Glad it worked for you, you only have 2 kitties? I had up to 8 at one point, not always easy when you bring in a newcomer ( all strays or rescues) and Feliway worked, but I always did the " secluded space" trick first...

I also use Feliway in carriers, for instance when going to the Vet. I spray sone 10 minutes before putting the cat in. Then ! When  the cat is inside, I cover the carrier with a scarf to calm her down. Big difference to when you leave the carrier as is, since cats don t show it, but they anxiety keeps building up when thay re in a foreign environment...

[highamplitude]

I agree - this helped me teach my spraying kitty to relax and accept his new sister kitty.  In this case I used the plug-ins.  Also - accept no substitutes!  Skip the natural alternatives/ homeopathics - they don't work.  Stick with Feliway.

I also used Feliway successfully to calm the same kitty from his severe separation anxiety, when I was out of town & my roommate took care of him -  we used the spray version of Feliway to spray a path from outdoors to indoors, where we had the plug-in going already - he was back to his old cheerful self literally within hours.

[Cucciolo]

It would have been best not to put the new kitty immediately in contact with the other ones. Always put the newcomer in a smaller space, and let your other cats find out behind closed doors there is a new cat there. After 2-3 days, when you open the door, uou need to supervise their encounter. They will hiss and growl at her, which is ok, for a few days. Supervision is needed to make sure hey don t hurt her..
You can try as you suggested, locking the kitty for they day, only opening the door when you get back.Then get them all involved in games when you return.
A breeder s trick is to start playing with say, feathers on a string, passing that from  the older ones to the young one, so as to form a "playing community".They will accept the newcomer more easily when they see having him around means more fun!

[Cucciolo]

Hi, have you tried Feliway?
It s pheromone based, and reassures your older cats , who feel their territory is being threatened by the newcomer! They " mark" it spraying urine... Feliway, in the plug-in form, is the chemical equivalent of the pheromones cats leave when rubbing cheeks against a wall, or your legs. At first we humans find it doesn t smell very nice, but after a few minutes it becomes undetectable!
You may want to put quite a few of these plug-in Feliway devices, since one will be enough only for a large room., and leave them on all the time...


Good luck with all your kitties!

[opus88]

the older kitties are protesting....its an intrusion into their home and this is how they mark their territory...of course you must also always rule out a possible medical problem, especially if one of the older ones happens to be male? urinary crystals are very common in males especially over 5 yrs of age. I will send you a link to read, click on the highlighted words/conditions for more in depth info... post again anytime if we can help...the areas where there has been pee or spray will need to be thoroughly cleaned with an enzyme cleaner avail at any good pet store, to just wash only removes the scent from our noses but not the sensitive noses of cats and they will continue to reuse the same spot if the scent isn't removed very thoroughly.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/06/16/tracking-down-the-cause-of-your-cats-bad-bathroom-habits.aspx