[RoseJurdi]

Hi,

My name is Rose.
In July 2006 we adopted an 11month old male cat named Handsome. Handsome is a very playful cat and extremely sociable in the home - never once did he hide from strangers who visited us.
In January 2007 we adopted a 5 year old male grey cat, Andy, as a companion for handsome. Andy was shy for 3 whole months but we continued to be patient until he seemed comfortable around the home. But never once did Andy bury his waste and with time, Handsome did likewise and failed to bury his! There was occasional rough play but no real fights or growling. Assuming that all was going well we watched both cats seeming to be getting along fine with moderately constant play instigated by Handsome. I would clean the litter boxes whenever used and if we were out of the house we would clean the boxes promptly once back home.

On May 5, 2007, we took a business trip out of town and returned 6 days later.

My inlaws, being two elderly but cat-friendly folks, offered to pass by the house and take care of the litter boxes, then 2 covered boxes and change the water for Andy and handsome. However, when we returned it took until the next day to find the clumps of cat poop all over the dining room carpet. Both cats were responsible for this behavior as the stools of Andy were far bigger than those of Handsome and it has been very obvious to distinguish between the two. Then about one week later we also found more soiled carpet with cat faeces in the basement. This happened after we got back since the basement door had not been open in our absence.

Handsome has been leaving marking-urine in the guest bedroom in our finished basement as well as pooping on the bed in this same room. We also found more poop in other rooms in the basement, probably Handsome being the culprit! Andy seemed to be using the litter box once or twice over that week, but not Handsome.

These matters most definitely have become of great concern to us and we even considered getting rid of both cats, even though we are both really attached to them. We are aware that the cats missed us very much in our absence.

This morning I awoke at 6am, 2 hours earlier than usual and I came downstairs and decided to replace the litter in all now 3 litter boxes, having noticed that by adding an extra new litter box, also covered, Andy was using it daily, but still not handsome. So today after I changed the litter, Handsome and Andy have defaecated twice in the boxes and urine deposited by one of the two cats in one of the clean litter boxes. So now Handsome and Andy are behaving what seems like normal and we also bought a new feline drinking dome for them. Both have begun to use it as well.

I am confused as to why this has been happening and how to avoid repetition of such situations. I have been spraying the Boundary Cat Repellant in the dining room and also in the basement. However, would you be able to advise as to this behavior so that we may teach both cats not to continue these new habits. Could it be because the in laws were not cleaning the litter boxes on a daily basis and unintentionally misleading the cats into bad habits?

Please respond to me as we are losing our minds and expect company from abroad in 2 months. The house does not smell as it used to as you would expect, but as soon as I know this behavior has ceased, I can take care of this minor detail, of course. Please help us.

Rose

Just this

[jillianleab]

Sounds like your kitties got mad you left them!

I've known cats who seek revenge on owners for going out of town, or who use inappropriate places as a litter box when they don't feel the box is clean enough. Have you asked your in-laws how often they cleaned the litter? Have you emptied the litter boxes and scrubbed them clean since your return? Maybe if the boxes got especially soiled while you were gone, the cats still smell it and don't want to use the "dirty" box, even with new litter.

I don't know if there is a way to curb this behavior in the future or not; I suppose it depends on WHY the cats are doing it (dirty box, mad at you for leaving, etc). Good luck to you in sorting it all out before your guests arrive!

[RoseJurdi]

Oh Thank you for your prompt response.

I shall attend to your suggestion of emptying all 3 litter boxes and actually scrub them in the driveway until they look immaculate to myself and hopefully to these darling two cats, that we truly adore!

You are right about the area being very dirty when we got home. I use nice clean white sheets under the litter boxes and between each box there was poop that had obviously fallen out of the scooper while cleaning the boxes - unintentionally by my mother in law. So I did envision that the area must have been nasty dirty in our absence but I did not say anything to my husband as he is very defensive when it is his family.

However, I do think we are right on at this time with the cause of this behavior - being both the uncleaned area as well as anger at us for leaving them. I am sure that the in laws probably came 3 times in 6 days with the 3rd time on that morning before we got home.

I shall now empty and wash all 3 boxes and I thank you for your help. Rose