bizarre new cat

Question
Hi there Rosie!

I recently adopted a 10 year old toothless, spayed sweetheart
named Susie. She's been having some weird issues with my 1.5
year old neutered boy cat William. They get along decently. No
outrageous hissing or slap fights, just tumbling and playing, but
the past couple of days I've noticed Susie howling at William
when they fight. It sounds like she's in heat, but the shelter
assured me she was spayed. Her tail puffs up really huge, and
William is usally cowering or laying down, she'll extend a paw
and if William recoils or sticks out his paw, she makes a bunch
of really weird long and loud meows! Susie is always the one
winning their little fights; she doesn't seem hurt or intimidated
by him, she just gets really close and makes those weird noises.
William doesn't really seem to care! It doesn't seem like that
pressing of an issue, it just kind of startled me when I hear such
loud expressionate meows coming from my usually quiet cat.
Her meows sound completely different otherwise. She usually
kind of chirps really quietly.

Also: I weened her off of a seperate litterbox I had in my room
while I was introducing her to William, and she did fine sharing a
box with William for a while, but now she's been doing her dirty
work in a big potted indoor plant in my living room. I'm pretty
tired of vaccuuming up dirt and shoveling out the poop.

Do you have any idea what's going on with her? She's a great cat,
really confident and otherwise well-adjusted. Just having some
issues here.


Thank you so much!

Ryan

Answer
Hello Ryan, William, and Susie!

What nice names for kitties, first of all!

As far as Susie's playing with William with the long, drawn out, passionate meows, it's just that.  She's quite passionately playing, and REALLY in the throng of it!!  Sounds like both of them are having quite a fun time!!  

Don't worry...if William didn't like it, or Susie really meant business, he would run off or end the game.  Believe me, William would understand if she really meant to do him harm or some such.  It doesn't sound like she's in heat, or anything, don't worry on that either.  If she was in heat, she would crouch down, with her hind feet kind of vertical in the back, with her tail curled around the side of her body, exposing her rear end, and would howl in this position.  Also, in that position, she would kick her hind feet a little like she was adjusting her position.  

It literally just sounds like she's having fun playing.  :o)

As far as the plant, go to the local hobby store (Michael's, or some such), and get some good-sized river rocks, and put them in the plant's dirt so they completely cover all of the dirt.  The main goal here is to cover the dirt, because it is the dirt that she is comfortable "going" in.  If that's covered, you eliminate the instinctual desire to "go" there.  Another thing you can try is doing the same thing with seashells (being sure there aren't any sharp edges she can cut her pawpads on).  

Good job weaning her off of another litterbox!  That can be tough, and the fact that you were able to handle it without any big problems is great!  :o)  What I mentioned should curb her desire to "go" in the plant, but if for some reason it doesn't, let me know, and we'll come up with something else that will work.  I haven't known a kitty to still try even with things there, so I'm quite sure you won't have a problem.  :o)

So, no worries!  All you've got going on is a kitty that loves exuberant, passionate play and is going on a kitty instinct preference of "going" in dirt, which is their natural desire and inclination.  Your girl is actually quite healthy-sounding!  :o)

Hugs to you three!

Rosie*

P.S.  If you ever have any other (or more on the same) questions, feel free to write me again!  :o)