My F2's inexplicable urine/litter behavior

[Myles]

I've not heard this term before, what are jowls?

Incidentally, I realize I forgot to mention one piece: His anal glands, I've had them expressed before (much to his displeasure, the vet didn't have small fingers). Interestingly, if you pull straight/vertically up at the base of his tail (firmly enough to lift his hind quarters off the ground, which he doesn't usually mind), the glands seem to express themselves just from this, I assume this is from the pressure/angle and is otherwise normal; It's milky brown, not thick/lumpy/etc.)

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Stud jowls are thickening of the flesh at the side of the head due to production of male hormones...

If you look at my boy Zak as young cat then more mature stud you can see the change in his face from the jowls (although his aren't as developed as some get)...

Jowls may be an indication that there are still hormones being produced...by an incomplete neuter for example.

I'm not sure it is that...it seems to me that the litterbox issue is more what you are observing that he doesn't seem to know he is not finished. It's quite unusual I think.

I find some of my Savannahs do pee a long time, especially Baz my big black boy. He will sit there for ages having a huge pee. One of my F1 girls is similar...the others seem to have relatively quick trips. It just may be an individual thing on how often they feel the need to empty their bladder?

 

[Dantes]

Just a thought. I use this Clevercat box in my bathroom because my boys and I like to group pee.

One thing about them is that because there's a smaller opening, they can't just jump out, they have to aim, jump and walk out. In other words, maybe an exit like this would stop him from continuing to pee on his way out?

BTW, my 27-lb ragdoll uses this box with no problem, so no worries on a SV fitting in

 

[Myles]

Just a thought. I use this Clevercat box in my bathroom because my boys and I like to group pee.

One thing about them is that because there's a smaller opening, they can't just jump out, they have to aim, jump and walk out. In other words, maybe an exit like this would stop him from continuing to pee on his way out?

BTW, my 27-lb ragdoll uses this box with no problem, so no worries on a SV fitting in

I tried the perforated version of that (same idea, but the top is a grate). He would simply stand on top, and pee into the hole, or rather all over the hole.

Same with covering the litter box, with any "regular" box W/top (even the extra huge pet store box), he would stand over the air vents, and pee down them (through the little pad of carbon, etc.). This typically resulted in the indented handle area being sprayed/filled with urine.

He's wise to these sorts of devices :\

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

None of mine like the covered litterboxes, it's too poky for them... They would only use that Clevercat box with the lid off...

 

[Dantes]

None of mine like the covered litterboxes, it's too poky for them... They would only use that Clevercat box with the lid off...

Maybe I got lucky then...I have three unique types of litterboxes that all get used fairly evenly, although I think they prefer the LitterRobot of all of them. Still, they have a choice, and none of the three go unused.

(maybe I was due some pee luck after 3 years of not being able to have anyone in the house or sit on furniture previously)

Myles, that's tough. He seems to be working extra hard to not pee in there.

 

[Myles]

Maybe I got lucky then...I have three unique types of litterboxes that all get used fairly evenly, although I think they prefer the LitterRobot of all of them. Still, they have a choice, and none of the three go unused.

(maybe I was due some pee luck after 3 years of not being able to have anyone in the house or sit on furniture previously)

Myles, that's tough. He seems to be working extra hard to not pee in there.

I feel you.

I have a 100% unused cat-genie, it's never seen a drop of water, and is now > 4 years old. I bought it for Dante, but it was too big to fit in my original bathroom (that things a monster). Now, it's too big for the bathroom still (granted, I could plumb it through the wall to his room easily, as it's opposite side of the wall from the toilet), but more importantly, I believe Dante is too big for it.

 

[Dantes]

I feel you.

I have a 100% unused cat-genie, it's never seen a drop of water, and is now > 4 years old. I bought it for Dante, but it was too big to fit in my original bathroom (that things a monster). Now, it's too big for the bathroom still (granted, I could plumb it through the wall to his room easily, as it's opposite side of the wall from the toilet), but more importantly, I believe Dante is too big for it.

How big is Dante?

I cut a hole in the top of it and Desi (the 27lb ragdoll) uses it. He didn't like it when it had the dome on top, though, and I didn't like it without it because the dots got everywhere. I didn't think he'd ever use it, but then with the hole, he did. I don't recall ever seeing my Dante (12lb ragdoll) use it, though.

I did the plumbing through the wall thing and used the closet next to the bathroom. It was pretty easy.

 

[Myles]

How big is Dante?

I cut a hole in the top of it and Desi (the 27lb ragdoll) uses it. He didn't like it when it had the dome on top, though, and I didn't like it without it because the dots got everywhere. I didn't think he'd ever use it, but then with the hole, he did. I don't recall ever seeing my Dante (12lb ragdoll) use it, though.

I did the plumbing through the wall thing and used the closet next to the bathroom. It was pretty easy.

On his hind legs, he can almost get his nose up to the counter at full extension, the counter is 36", not sure if that helps?

The open bin I've put into his room as the litter pan is now his preference, and seems plenty big enough (when he detects the stop of urine properly), he's continuing to perform at 100% with the harness on.

Granted, he also seems to like the bin as somewhere to sit and relax at random heh, clearly no aversion going on here.

 

[Chris Elliott]

On his hind legs, he can almost get his nose up to the counter at full extension, the counter is 36", not sure if that helps?

That's the universal measurement known as "Ziggy sized"! He loves to help while I'm cooking.

Best wishes with Dante. A harness, huh? Who would have thought?

I've noticed that wearing harnesses or jackets slows down Oni and Ziggy enough that they spend more time sniffing and less time yowling and smacking and chasing each other (they're still learning to be sociable with each other).