Stressed cat.

Question
QUESTION: Hi Tabbi,
We have a seven year old male black moggie, who regularly messes on the kitchen floor,(all floors are lino tiles) solid only. He has been done and has done this in every house we have lived in. My husband is in the armed forces and we move regularly. It is really getting to me as it is unhygienic. He is an indoor rescue cat. HELP as we really love the little soul.

ANSWER: Sarah,

That is your cat's way of telling you that he is stressed and upset at the changes of everything he is familiar with. Cats live by routine, habit, and smell.

Everytime you move he loses all that, everything changes, and it upsets him. Especially with a rescue cat that probably had a traumatic and unsettled beginning.

When you move, keep him in a room for awhile to acclimate himself to a new area. Let him look out the window, put items with familiar smells in with him, and include his litterbox. Be sure to give him lots of love and reassurance. If you gradually let him out to explore instead of overwhelming him with a big new area, you may save your floors. As the cat gets older, he will have a harder time dealing with the stress.

Tabbi

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

QUESTION: Thank you for that, just as I suspected. Are we being cruel to him because we keep him in? Our other rescue cat does not want to go out and never does.
Thanks
Sarah.

Answer
Sarah,

If the cat was a feral or had a feral parent, then being outside is 'in their blood', especially to hunt. BUT in your situation, with the moving frequently, I WOULD NOT suggest letting him outside alone. He may think his other home was 'just down the street' and try go back. Cat's do not have reasoning ability...they go by habit, smell, association. I would put a collar on him with your address and phone in case he ever does get lost and gets disoriented.

If it would ease your mind and make your kitty happy, I would harness train him and take him outside to explore. Here are 2 sites  with instructions on how to do it:

http://www.hdw-inc.com/leashtraining.htm
http://cats.about.com/cs/behavioralissues/ht/leashtrain.htm

Tabbi