Any tips on potty training a Mature Boy with FIV
Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 7:47 pm
Hello everyone
Been searching for a friendly cat forum and giving this a go. First time post and I want to share my story of Four Socks (FS)
An older stray cat who didn't trust humans came into our lives nearly 3 years ago. It took that long to earn his trust and he has now bonded with me. He will tolerate my husband, even though my husband built a makeshift shelter for FS in winter. A year ago, he started coming into our house and now comes home to eat and sleep most nights. He truly adopted us.
He was not neutered and has been in fights. Real tiger warrior. Scrape and wounds but he would heal miraculously quickly. Winning then but he got injured badly in March this year. We managed to get him into a cat cage (borrowed from the vet) and cleaned. No microchip. He is approximately 8 years old. Has lots of war wounds and scars. One loppy ear but he has soul. A gentle soul when he is with us. We were going to book him to be neutered. Covid 19 arrived. Surgery cancelled.
Meanwhile he has been fighting again with a new tom, also not neutered. We don't know who he belongs to. FS is taking longer to recover from his wounds. We spoke to the vet and he said that the neutering was now deemed as necessary surgery. Vet suggested we do a blood test for FIV and explained FIV to us. Neutered at end of May. Blood test confirmed he is HIV+.
Vet says we must keep him indoors. Easier said than done. How do you restrain a mature outdoor street wise cat indoors?? We managed to contain him for one night with constant meowing from him and no sleep for humans. I got litter trays in wood chip and the white sand stuff. Carried him to smell the trays. He just walked off. Didn't know what he was meant to do. Next pick up and he hissed at me. He contained his wee until he couldn't anymore and drenched the carpet in spectacular fashion. To be fair, he did warn us several times to open the outside door for him.
Next day, we let him out to the back garden for wee. He loves the garden and has niche places to snooze. In a matter of weeks, his behaviour certainly changed to being more affectionate, even towards my husband. His wounds were healing nicely. We left the patio door ajar one evening to collect the patio sofa and the escape artist in him managed to climb over the fence by the shed. I was so worried for his safety. He came home in the early hours of the morning ok and has been doing so until this week. He limped through the cat flap, cried out to me and I immediately sensed he was hurt. Left leg had several deep gashes and he was not in a good way. I brought him to the vets. Our usual vet was not on duty. Another locum berated me and said that he should have been kept indoors and how I was so irresponsible. If I continue to let him get injured, FS will have to be euthanised. His cutting remark really hurt me. He has no idea of our history and what we have done for FS.
FS was sedated and cleaned. Brought him home drowsy and slept most of the night. The after effects of the anaesthetic this time caused diarrhoea. First time was constipation. He had a mishap in the bathroom mat. I started to train him on the litter trays again. Even tempted him by holding treats the other end of the tray to entice him to walk into the trays. Not having it. I got him into the tray and held him still until he fidgeted. Still not getting it.
Surprisingly he slept through most of the night with us. Woke me at 4am and I checked the trays. No action. Let him out in the garden. Had a wee. Came back in and an hour later, decided to pee and poo on the carpet. Still had diarrhoea. The meowing started. He kept asking me to open the outside door to the world. Then the escape artist in him was eyeing the shed exit which I distracted him by shaking a tin can. He eyed the apple tree and had a strategy to climb over the neighbour's fence. Again I shook the tin can. He came away. He meowed at the side gate to the outside world and planned his escape. I distracted him with cuddles. The underneath of the side gate is blocked to prevent him from going under the gate and other cats from coming into our garden. Been an effective deterrent.
Later in the morning, he did a big poo in the back garden. Hurray!! He certainly felt better as the farts stopped and he went to sleep. I am dreading how he would behave tonight.
Does anyone have any tips on what else I can do to potty train him?? I have soaked a small tissue of his wee and tucked it in the layers of wood pellets and sand so it smells of him. If he keeps defecating on the carpets, we won't have any decent wool left. I need a ton of patience and perseverance. Any advice or tips would be gratefully received.
We only want the best for him and want him to be with us for a while. Euthanasia is not the answer right now as I believe in karma.
Been searching for a friendly cat forum and giving this a go. First time post and I want to share my story of Four Socks (FS)
An older stray cat who didn't trust humans came into our lives nearly 3 years ago. It took that long to earn his trust and he has now bonded with me. He will tolerate my husband, even though my husband built a makeshift shelter for FS in winter. A year ago, he started coming into our house and now comes home to eat and sleep most nights. He truly adopted us.
He was not neutered and has been in fights. Real tiger warrior. Scrape and wounds but he would heal miraculously quickly. Winning then but he got injured badly in March this year. We managed to get him into a cat cage (borrowed from the vet) and cleaned. No microchip. He is approximately 8 years old. Has lots of war wounds and scars. One loppy ear but he has soul. A gentle soul when he is with us. We were going to book him to be neutered. Covid 19 arrived. Surgery cancelled.
Meanwhile he has been fighting again with a new tom, also not neutered. We don't know who he belongs to. FS is taking longer to recover from his wounds. We spoke to the vet and he said that the neutering was now deemed as necessary surgery. Vet suggested we do a blood test for FIV and explained FIV to us. Neutered at end of May. Blood test confirmed he is HIV+.
Vet says we must keep him indoors. Easier said than done. How do you restrain a mature outdoor street wise cat indoors?? We managed to contain him for one night with constant meowing from him and no sleep for humans. I got litter trays in wood chip and the white sand stuff. Carried him to smell the trays. He just walked off. Didn't know what he was meant to do. Next pick up and he hissed at me. He contained his wee until he couldn't anymore and drenched the carpet in spectacular fashion. To be fair, he did warn us several times to open the outside door for him.
Next day, we let him out to the back garden for wee. He loves the garden and has niche places to snooze. In a matter of weeks, his behaviour certainly changed to being more affectionate, even towards my husband. His wounds were healing nicely. We left the patio door ajar one evening to collect the patio sofa and the escape artist in him managed to climb over the fence by the shed. I was so worried for his safety. He came home in the early hours of the morning ok and has been doing so until this week. He limped through the cat flap, cried out to me and I immediately sensed he was hurt. Left leg had several deep gashes and he was not in a good way. I brought him to the vets. Our usual vet was not on duty. Another locum berated me and said that he should have been kept indoors and how I was so irresponsible. If I continue to let him get injured, FS will have to be euthanised. His cutting remark really hurt me. He has no idea of our history and what we have done for FS.
FS was sedated and cleaned. Brought him home drowsy and slept most of the night. The after effects of the anaesthetic this time caused diarrhoea. First time was constipation. He had a mishap in the bathroom mat. I started to train him on the litter trays again. Even tempted him by holding treats the other end of the tray to entice him to walk into the trays. Not having it. I got him into the tray and held him still until he fidgeted. Still not getting it.
Surprisingly he slept through most of the night with us. Woke me at 4am and I checked the trays. No action. Let him out in the garden. Had a wee. Came back in and an hour later, decided to pee and poo on the carpet. Still had diarrhoea. The meowing started. He kept asking me to open the outside door to the world. Then the escape artist in him was eyeing the shed exit which I distracted him by shaking a tin can. He eyed the apple tree and had a strategy to climb over the neighbour's fence. Again I shook the tin can. He came away. He meowed at the side gate to the outside world and planned his escape. I distracted him with cuddles. The underneath of the side gate is blocked to prevent him from going under the gate and other cats from coming into our garden. Been an effective deterrent.
Later in the morning, he did a big poo in the back garden. Hurray!! He certainly felt better as the farts stopped and he went to sleep. I am dreading how he would behave tonight.
Does anyone have any tips on what else I can do to potty train him?? I have soaked a small tissue of his wee and tucked it in the layers of wood pellets and sand so it smells of him. If he keeps defecating on the carpets, we won't have any decent wool left. I need a ton of patience and perseverance. Any advice or tips would be gratefully received.
We only want the best for him and want him to be with us for a while. Euthanasia is not the answer right now as I believe in karma.