divorce

Question
QUESTION: I have a 10 year old female cat. Although she loves my husband, she has always been more attached to me.  My husband and are separated.  My husband and I agreed she would be happier with me.  However, after about three weeks I noticed she had been spraying the carpet.  My husband agreed to keep her while I attempted to get the carpet cleaned.  What should I do when I bring her back?

ANSWER: Diana,

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through such a difficult time in your life. It's worth noting that cats are very sensitive to changes in their environment and although your kitty is more attached to you she obviously has some attachment to your husband and is finding his absence stressful. I would suggest that you use an enzymatic cleaner to clean any surface that this kitty has urinated on to avoid further accidents based on a sensitive feline nose picking up the smell of urine. I use a product called Petzyme which I purchase in a gallon sized jug from the dog section at Petsmart for around $24 CAN. Petzyme is available in the cat section, however the last time that I checked it wasn't available in any large quantities and the price per milliliter was higher. I have found that Petzyme is useful for cleaning up urine, feces, vomit or blood, it has also proved effective at cleaning stains that are organic in origin such as tomato sauce, mustard and chocolate to name a few. The way that enzymatic cleaners work is by using beneficial bacteria (aka enzymes) to permanently break down and remove stains and odors of organic origin. This product also comes with laundry instructions in the event that clothing or bedding becomes soiled. In my experience this product has proven safe so far on upholstery, bedding, clothing and carpeting, however it's always wise to test any stain remover or cleaner on an inconspicuous area prior to cleaning any visible stains with it.

Given that you are under stress and coping with a difficult situation I suspect that your kitty can sense your stress and is upset and anxious about the changes in her environment since the divorce. I would recommend that you consider using a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure. I generally recommend that pet parents administer this remedy by adding 5-7 drops of Rescue Remedy daily to a fresh bowl of clean water. Most cats find the smell and taste of Rescue Remedy offensive because it is preserved in a grape alcohol solution so I don't recommend administering directly by mouth. You can often find Rescue Remedy in natural health stores, naturopathic pharmacies and even in some mainstream pharmacies in the section where vitamins and other nutritional supplements are found. Rescue Remedy is very safe so it's not necessary to worry about children or other pets coming into contact with it. If your kitty continues to urinate outside of her litter box after using an enzymatic cleaner and Rescue Remedy you may want to have your vet test her urine and blood to ensure that there aren't any underlying health problems such as bladder infections, thyroid issues, diabetes, etc. If no physical cause is found for the inappropriate elimination I would recommend that you consider having a holistic veterinarian assess this kitty, these practitioners are trained in conventional medicine as well as one or more alternative therapies such as homeopathy, acupuncture or massage to name a few. It is possible for your family veterinarian to refer you to an animal behaviorist and prescribe anti-anxiety/depressant medications. I tend to recommend the use of psychotropic medications in cats as a last resort because their use isn't without potential side effects and risks. I think that with a bit of patience, understanding and time your little girl will become less upset about the changes in her family and home and if her inappropriate urination is anxiety/stress related this unpleasant new behavior should disappear.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The condo I am renting is very old and the carpet shows a lot of spots under a black light.  According to the landlord there hasn't been an animal in this apartment in several years.  And I can only smell the spraying in one corner of the den.  Do stains show up under a black light other than urine? Should I try to get up any spot that shows up even if I can't smell anything?

Answer
Diana,

To be completely honest thats exactly what I would do, black lights show organic matter like urine, vomit, feces, etc so cleaning all of these spots isnt a bad plan. A cats nose is so much more sensitive than a human beings nose and its possible that part of the reason for the accidents your kitty has been having is that she smells urine or feces from animals who lived in your condo years ago. It might be worth cleaning all of the carpets and floors with an enzymatic cleaner such as the one that I recommended in the previous answer. Hopefully your kittys accidents will stop once she comes home to a newly cleaned house and gets used to the idea of living with one human instead of two.