OUR CAT ALLY

Question
WE HAVE A PERSIAN CAT WHO IS 7 OR 8 MONTHS OLD.  SHE IS NOT FIXED.  SHE JOINED OUR FAMILY THREE MONTHS AGO.  THERE WAS ALREADY A COCKER SPANIEL IN THE HOME.  GRACIE ANOTHER CAT JOINED OUR FAMILY A MONTH AGO.  

THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THESE NEW ADDITIONS.  RECENTLY,
ALLY HAS STARTED PEEING AROUND THE DOG FOOD DISH IN THE KITCHEN.  THE THREE OF THEM SHARE THE WATER BOWL THATS NEXT TO IT.  SHE WILL LET THE DOG EAT AND THEN SHE PEES AROUND IT.  THIS IS INTERMITTENT AND NOT DAILY.  HOWEVER, SHE STARTED POOPING JUST OUTSIDE THE LITTER BOX AND OCCASIONALLY PEES THERE TOO.  MOSTLY POOPING.  SHE WILL PUT HER FRONT PAWS IN THE LITTER AND THEN POOP.  

WE CLEAN THE LITTER BOX DAILY.  THE TWO SHARE A LITTERBOX AND ALWAYS HAVE.  WE HAVE NOT CHANGED LITTER.  WE HAVE TAKEN HER TO THE VET AND THE UA WAS NORMAL.  THEY ALSO CULTURED IT.  THAT WAS NORMAL.  

STRANGELY, BEFORE THIS PEEING AND POOPING STARTED, SHE HAS STARTED HIDING WHERE WE CAN'T FIND HER.  I AM ASSUMING THIS IS PART OF A PATTERN.  

INCIDENTLY, WE WERE GONE FOR THE WEEEKND AND TOOK THE DOG WITH US AND LEFT THE CATS, NO MESS.  NOW THAT THE DOG'S BACK HOME, SHE POOPED ONCE OUTSIDE THE LITTER.  YES, WE ARE ASSUMING SHES GOT IT IN FOR THE DOG, HOWEVER, HE'S DONE NOTHING DIFFERENT TO HER THAT WE CAN TELL.  

SIGNED,

FRUSTRATED IN IOWA

Answer
Jayni,

It sounds typical of the behavior of a whole female cat who is coming into season.

I would get her spayed, the sooner the better.

To add to this, if a big deal is being made of the puppy, it is possible that Ally is getting a twinge of jealousy!

When you get Ally spayed, a quick veterinary check up to make sure there are no physical problems that could lead to these behaviors would also be a good idea.

Best regards... Norm.