Keko: Needs Lots of Challenge and Enrichment to Manage Litterbox Problems.High Maitenance But Worth It!

Keko is a Bengal cat who pees outside the litterbox when things get to be too much for her. Her problem started with peeing on the mattress (November 2010) , then transformed to peeing just outside her litterbox. The next month she consulted me about waking her purrsons up very early in the morning.  All appeared well until July 2012 when major changes in household routine led to her peeing in many places. She was in good health (no urinary tract infection). Being a Bengal, she has lots of energy and needs lots of stimulation and physical activity. And so she needed a richer and more challenging environment, to reduce her anxiety and give her brain and body a continual workout. She implemented a number of my suggestions and updated me the following year, saying all was going well. In her own words: I'm high maintenance but I'm worth it!

Oliver's Twists

Dear Greyce, As you can see from my photo I'm an adorable one-year-old Holstein cat and I am VERY spunky. I share my home with four humans and there is usually someone around to keep me company, except at night when I sleep in the basement on my fuzzy blanket on the couch. Everyone tries to take time to play with me and I usually have two play sessions a day (5 to 10 minutes) at morning and at night. I have a variety of toys - fishing pole type (which bore me), mice toys (who cares), balls ( I am SO over them), laser pointer, and the like. What rings my chimes are pipe cleaners tied in a knotted circle (to keep the pointed ends from poking me); I like to hide them under furniture and then seek them out at another time. I even put them in my food and water bowls.


As you can guess, I'm an energetic guy who needs a lot of action. Sometimes when my purrson walks into a room, I will stalk her and then leap out and bite her hard in the legs. Sometimes if she reaches out to me, I bite and don't let go; instead I wrap my body around her arms and bite down hard. Needless to say, she is concerned; so this is a problem for both of us and I'd like your help.

Just in case it is relevant, you need to know the following:


First, I like to bite other things too: wooden things especially the legs of chairs, as well as plastic and rubber (corners of laptops, corners of laundry baskets and rubber slippers). I can't resist rubber slippers. And none of the deterrent sprays (smelly or bitter) can stop me.


Second I stay indoors. There are a lot of wandering cats in my neighbourhood and they even come into my backyard, so my folks don't want cat fights. Besides I get to focussed on whatever it is I am chasing that I don't notice what is happening around me; and that can be dangerous. I am fearless and approach anything I am afraid of; even loud noises don't bother me much. But I am also clumsy - bumping my head when chasing a toy or miscalculating my step and having quite a fall.


And third, like Elvis, I shake - even when I am calm and usually when I am falling asleep or already asleep. I look like I'm shivering. I am completely aware and responsive when I'm shaking, so I don't think I'm having seizures. (At least that is what my vet thinks.)


To be honest Greyce, the biggest issue is my biting my folks. The rest they can live with. What do you advise?