Cat stressed,

by Missy
(Peotone, IL, US)

I bought a house and moved my cats in a little over a month ago. I brought my 2 younger cats, Hobbes and Lolly over because they're brother and sister, and left my older cat, Cloud , with my mom. Lolly is totally fine and Hobbes is anything but fine! He started peeing on my rugs and then when they were being cleaned he peed on the new couch... Now he has pooped twice by the stairs..just one little poop. so weird. He is extremely nervous to begin with and gets mad and hides when there is company over. He's been meowing ALOT and just all around more vocal. I am actually starting to think my 2 cats don't like eachother... I hardly ever see them laying together and they don't play together. Maybe they are missing my older cat who they both would play with?? My fiance is threatening on getting rid of him and i can't let that happen. i love him way too much.

Answer by Kate
Hi
your cats behaviour is perfectly normal for a cat who has moved into a new home with new smells etc and also has had the change of one of the other cats who he is familiar with not being around. these things are definitely enough to upset and cause a cat to display this behaviour.

basically he is trying to make his new environment smell more like him. this will help him calm down and feel comfortable in his new home. Some cats are just more highly strung than others, that is why your other cat is Ok and he is not.

the remedy is to give him a period of confinement in one room with his litter tray. this will give him time to build up confidence in a smaller area and also to become familiar with his litter tray again.

Also before you let him out around the home again, you have to make sure that there are no traces of smell from his previous urination etc, as even the tiniest spot will attract him back thee again. you will also have to spread his scent around the house, door frames, table legs etc, by rubbing him with a clean unscented towels and then rubbing the towel around the home.

Please see my pages about the litter training confinement process and also about urine cleaners etc.

https://www.our-happy-cat.com/cat-litter-box.html

https://www.our-happy-cat.com/cat-urine-cleaner.html

Don't worry his behaviour will calm down with a little help and he should settle back into his old routine. this will include being Ok with his sister again too 9as long as they are bot spayed/ neutered that is).

best wishes Kate

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