From: jill@cray.com (Jill McAllister)
Subject: Re: 6 month old &*^%$$$! kitten urinating on floor.. HELP!
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 31 Aug 92 18:17:36 CDT

In article <1992Aug31.201629.12920@newsgate.sps.mot.com> r1156c@waccvm.corp.mot.com (Michael R. Dow) writes:
>he flatly refuses to understand that the carpet is not his litterbox.  
>He uses the litterbox just fine for his solid waste, but chooses other 
>'choice locations' to urinate.
>
>	What can I do?  HELP!!!!!

We had this exact same problem with E-cat.  I couldn't bear the thought of
having her put down, so as a last resort, we went to an animal behaviorist
who is also a vet.  His method took time and some work on our part, BUT IT
WORKED!

(By the way, I'm saving you $100 by telling you this!)

Step 0:  (only necessary if Step 1 isn't working)  Buy a cage and find a
litter box the same size as the bottom of the cage.  Leave the cat in it
for a month.  (I guess it's okay to take him out to pet him and play with
him; we didn't have to do this step.)  This way the cat CAN'T pee anywhere
but in litter.

Step 1:  (where most people have to start)  Keep the cat locked in a SMALL
room with food, water, litter box (and a toy) and a bed.  (We used the
bathroom.)  Do this step for a month.

Step 2:  Cat still lives in the small room, but is allowed out when you're
watching him, but only on a leash.  (E-cat HATED this.)  Do this for a 
month.

Step 3:  Cat still lives in the small room, but is allowed out when you're
watching him, but only attached to a long rope.  (Ours must have been about
15 feet.)  Do this for a month.

Step 4:  Cat is allowed out of the room when you're home and watching him
(no restraints).  Do this for a month.  (This was the hardest; we'd start
to read something and E-cat would disappear from sight.  We were constantly
looking for her.)

Step 5:  Let the cat roam the house at will as long as you're home and
not asleep.  Confine him when you go to bed or leave the house.  Do this
for a month.

If there are any "errors" in the cat's behavior, back up one step and start
again from there.

E-cat had been so bad (using freshly washed and folded laundry, rugs, any
papers or magazines on the floor) that we were nervous at the end of the
program and still would occasionally lock her in the bathroom if we were
leaving for the day, just to sort of remind her.  I am happy to say that
she has not made a single mistake.  It took five months, but we are so
pleased with the results, it was worth it.

p.s.  This guy (the vet) was also adamant about not letting the cats free-feed
any more.  He said that then they have absolutely no motivation for doing what
you want.  He wanted them fed in different locations and from their own
personal bowls.  And leave the food down for 15 minutes.  We are doing that,
and one of our other cats, who used to throw up 2-3 times a week, has quit
throwing up.  My husband claims that that alone was worth the $100.


Jill McAllister
                    *******************************************************
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*PRACTICE RANDOM KINDNESS AND SENSELESS ACTS OF BEAUTY*
Programmer/Analyst  *******************************************************
Cray Research, Inc.     (612) 683-5866
Eagan, Minnesota        e-mail: jill@cray.com
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats