How JustAnswer Works:

 
 
 
  • Ask an Expert
    Experts are full of valuable knowledge and are ready to help with any question. Credentials confirmed by a Fortune 500 verification firm.
  • Get a Professional Answer
    Via email, text message, or notification as you wait on our site.
    Ask follow up questions if you need to.
  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
    Rate the answer you receive.
 
 
 
Ask Cher Your Own Question
Cher, Feline Specialist
Category: Cat
Positive Feedback: 99.6 %
Satisfied Customers: 17341
Experience: Feline Healthcare & Behavior Specialist 40+ years Experience
Type Your Cat Question Here...
Cher is online now
A new question is answered every 9 seconds

my cat is vicious towards my other cat,dog and child. He is

Resolved Question:

my cat is vicious towards my other cat,dog and child. He is leaving his feces around the house instead of the litterbox. Also his feces has a foul order.

Submitted: 1 year ago.
Category: Cat
Expert:  Cher replied 1 year ago.

Hello Melissa, and welcome to Just Answer.

I'm so sorry to hear you're having trouble with your cat eliminating outside of the litterbox and also being vicious toward the other pets in the family and your child.

For the moment, it would be advisable to keep the other pets separated from your cat and continue to keep him away from your child, which was a very wise move on your part!

In many cases, aggressive behavior in a cat has an underlying medical basis, so your best next step is to have your cat evaluated in person by his vet, have routine bloodwork run, a urinalysis, and a fecal analysis performed, since he's eliminating inappropriately around the house and his feces have a foul odor. Bringing a fresh fecal sample with you, if you're able, will save some time at of the vet office visit.

If a cat is in pain or experiencing discomfort due to an intestinal issue or any other medical problem, this can cause him to feel stressed and upset and he will lash out at the humans and companion pets in the household.

If there is a medical problem, it may be something very treatable, such as intestinal parasites or an anal gland problem, which is causing him discomfort and in turn, leading to litterbox aversion. Cats will associate the litterbox with the pain of elimination, if there is a problem, and then start eliminating outside the box, anywhere else. Some cats prefer soft items, such as carpet, or beds, thinking that if they feel 'soft' beneath their paws, there will be no discomfort upon elimination.


After a hands on exam and the lab work suggested, your vet will be able to let you know if there is any underlying medical problem which is causing your kitty pain, and the problem will be treated so he's feeling much better and no longer acting vicious toward the others.

If your cat receives a clean bill of health from the vet, then the aggressiveness would need to be considered a behavioral issue, and the vet may recommend an anti-anxiety medication which will help your boy feel calmer. Typically, prescription medications of this type are used as a last resort. Any changes around the household or in your schedule can also cause anxiety/stress for cats, as they are creatures of habit.

For the moment, you can try two over the counter calming products which are sold in most pet supply stores and online. Feliway is a cat-appeasing pheromone which can help to calm stressed cats and curb marking behavior and/or inappropriate elimination. It comes in both a spray and plug-in diffuser. The diffuser plugs into an electrical outlet like a plug-in air freshener, but has no scent to humans. For more information, please see:
http://www.catfaeries.com/feliway.html

Rescue Remedy for Pets is a homeopathic odorless, colorless, tasteless liquid which can be added to wet food or water. It is available in natural foods stores as well as pet supply stores, but make sure to only use the pet formulation, as the human one contains alcohol. You can read more about it HERE.

Composure Liquid has also been used with success in cats who are stressed, anxious and/or lash out. Please click HERE for additional information.

In order to prevent your cat from returning to the places he's already soiled (if he continues to smell it, he'll keep thinking they are appropriate toileting places), you can use an enzymatic cleaner to completely remove all traces of stain and odor. Nature's Miracle and Zero Odor are well recommended products for this purpose, and can be found in most pet supply stores and online. For more information and to view all related products, please see:
http://www.naturemakesitwork.com/home/index.php
www.zeroodorstore.com

If the stores in your area don't carry these name-brand products, ask for an 'enzymatic cleaner to remove organic pet stains and odors'; your local pet supply stores and/or home improvement stores should carry them.

There's a product which may help you get your kitty back to using the
itterbox--it's a clumping kitty litter called 'Cat Attract'--it contains herbal attractants which encourage use of the litterbox. You can use it alone, or mix it with your cat's regular scoopable litter. It too, may be found in major pet supply stores.

It would also be a good idea to add another litterbox or two, as some cats prefer to urinate in one box and defecate in another. The rule of thumb is usually one box per cat, plus one. If you have a multi-story house, a box on each level is also appropriate and usually helps to prevent accidents. Of course, keep all boxes immaculately clean at all times because some cats are very fussy about this, too. Also, consider the type of box you're using. If it's covered, remove the cover, and vice versa. Every cat has his own preference.

Please keep in mind that first, it would be a good idea to bring your cat to the vet to determine if the cause of his aggressiveness and eliminating outside the litterbox has any underlying medical basis, or if it is behavioral in nature.

I hope all goes well, and these problems are resolved for you and your furry boy very soon!

If you need any additional information please click 'Reply''.

Positive Feedback and Bonuses are always welcomed and appreciated.

***You can always request me in the future by typing 'For Cher' to begin your new question***

Best regards,
Cher
Jessesmom41038.9740882292

Cher, Feline Specialist
Category: Cat
Positive Feedback: 99.6 %
Satisfied Customers: 17341
Experience: Feline Healthcare & Behavior Specialist 40+ years Experience
Cher and 11 other Cat Specialists are ready to help you
Ask Your Own Question Now

JustAnswer in the News:

 
 
 
Ask-a-doc Web sites: If you've got a quick question, you can try to get an answer from sites that say they have various specialists on hand to give quick answers... Justanswer.com.
JustAnswer.com...has seen a spike since October in legal questions from readers about layoffs, unemployment and severance.
Web sites like justanswer.com/legal
...leave nothing to chance.
Traffic on JustAnswer rose 14 percent...and had nearly 400,000 page views in 30 days...inquiries related to stress, high blood pressure, drinking and heart pain jumped 33 percent.
Tory Johnson, GMA Workplace Contributor, discusses work-from-home jobs, such as JustAnswer in which verified Experts answer people’s questions.
I will tell you that...the things you have to go through to be an Expert are quite rigorous.
 
 
 

What Customers are Saying:

 
 
 
  • The response from the Expert literally saved my cat's life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart -- I will recommend all of my friends to you!!! Lucia Rincon, Georgia
< Last | Next >
  • The response from the Expert literally saved my cat's life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart -- I will recommend all of my friends to you!!! Lucia Rincon, Georgia
  • I will use your service again. I was very pleased with the response and the fact that you have a low cost option so that those of us on fixed income can have questions answered. I will also recommend you to others. Karen Jackson Heights, NY
  • You helped us to come to what we believe is a better next step in Jack's treatment, and hopefully have saved us $800!! Thanks again! Jack's Mom Tuscon, AZ
  • The vet said that the information and my following it will be what made the difference. Thanks again for being so very helpful. Tracy Grayson, LA
  • My oldest male cat had a seizure this evening. This site was the first place I could think of to go after the seizure had passed. Dr. Lucy was fantastic and she was spot on! Debbie USA
  • I must tell you I found this site by accident and was amazed when I asked a question of the Veteranians online. I wish I could have found it sooner it could have made such a difference in the outcome of my pet's surgery. However, I am passing along the information to my sister-in-law (a cat-rescue person who is also a nurse), and perhaps it will help someone else who may experience the same problem. The doctor who answered my question was amazing, and while it didn't come it time to change the outcome of my situation, it is reassuring to know the caliber of Vets/Doctors that you have at JustAnswer. Thank you for being there. Alice H. Jacksonville, Fl.
  • Wonderful service, prompt, efficient, and accurate. Couldn't have asked for more. I cannot thank you enough for your help. Mary C. Freshfield, Liverpool, UK
 
 
 

Meet The Experts:

 
 
 
  • Terri's Avatar

    Terri

    Feline Healthcare Expert

    Positive Feedback:

    99.7 %

    Satisfied Customers:

    18472
    Expert in feline health and behavior. 20 years experience with cats.
< Last | Next >
  • http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/purrfectkitty/2008-07-10_084515_2006-06-10_me2.jpg Terri's Avatar

    Terri

    Feline Healthcare Expert

    Positive Feedback:

    99.7 %

    Satisfied Customers:

    18472
    Expert in feline health and behavior. 20 years experience with cats.
  • http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/RY/rydergar/2012-6-6_192240_IMG0328.64x64.JPG Dr. Gary's Avatar

    Dr. Gary

    Cat Veterinarian

    Positive Feedback:

    98.1 %

    Satisfied Customers:

    743
    DVM, Emergency Veterinarian; BS (Physiology) Michigan State Univ
  • http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/CE/Cerecita/2011-3-16_2565_JAPIC500x500.64x64.jpg Cher's Avatar

    Cher

    Feline Specialist

    Positive Feedback:

    99.6 %

    Satisfied Customers:

    9173
    Feline Healthcare & Behavior Specialist 40+ years Experience
  • http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/kydoll/2008-11-26_190500_me.jpg Lori's Avatar

    Lori

    Feline Healthcare

    Positive Feedback:

    99.9 %

    Satisfied Customers:

    3322
    16 yrs health care mgmt & issues relating to cats, reproductive issues and multicat environments
  • http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/mccprn/2009-11-20_185102_JA_profile.jpg Micki's Avatar

    Micki

    Expert in cat behavior and health

    Positive Feedback:

    99.8 %

    Satisfied Customers:

    3153
    Expert in cat medical and behavior issues.
  • http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/ER/ERPetNurse/2011-11-7_1293_b.64x64.jpg CandyR's Avatar

    CandyR

    Veterinary Technician

    Positive Feedback:

    98.6 %

    Satisfied Customers:

    2646
    Practicing Veterinary Technician for 26 years.Former Veterinary Practice Owner, Technician Trainer
  • http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/BA/babybloo/2011-3-10_62613_DavidandI.64x64.jpg Theresa's Avatar

    Theresa

    A Voice for your Pet

    Positive Feedback:

    99.9 %

    Satisfied Customers:

    2118
    19+ years in animal medicine as a veterinary technician