Domesticating a Stray Cat

by Jennifer
(Fresno,CA)

Hi-

I'm hoping someone can help. We are trying to domesticate a stray cat. We have been feeding him outside for over a year, then decided we should take him to the vet for shots, etc. He is neutered, and everything checked out fine except that he is FIV positive. We had the positive test verified at a lab at UC Davis. We know this is a true positive. The vet said we have to keep him inside if we are to be responsible pet owners since he could infect others. We felt that since he was otherwise healthy we did not want to put him down. The problem is that he is peeing and pooping everywhere (sorry if this is TMI). We put him in the office with a litter box and he uses it just fine and never pees or poops in his room, but he does it pretty much anywhere else he feels like it.

I want to work with this cat. My kids will be devastated if I have to put him down, but I can't live in a house with cat pee.

I can lock him in the office, but that doesn't seem like much of a life to me and I can't let him outside.

Help!

Answer by KAte
It is really great that you are going to look after this stray cat, well done.

This peeing problem should only be temprary but may take a little while to get under control. My best advice is to ask you to read the cat litter training page. you may have to go through the process several times before he finally gets it.

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

Also make sure you have spread his scent around the whole house by rubbing him with a clean towel then rubbing the towel around door frames chair legs etc. this will help him feel more settled inside.

Also he will need a lot of stimulus inside to keep him happy (especially if he was used to being outside) i have a web page about this too here https://www.our-happy-cat.com/indoor-cats.html

best wishes Kate

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