How to help my anxious cat use litter box and get along with others?

Poor Lalu! It sounds like he's quite worried about having to be around your other cat since they don't get along, as well as being a somewhat anxious kitty in general. There are a few things you can do to help. First, I would make sure that you have multiple litter boxes, food and water bowls, resting places, scratching posts, and other resources in different parts of the house so that he doesn't have to go around your other cat - this can help tremendously to reduce stress in multi-cat households. Especially try to make sure that all of these things are available in the areas that he normally likes to spend time in - many anxious cats have accidents outside the litter box, or don't eat well, because they can't get to their litter box or food bowl without crossing the other cat. You can also try Feliway pheromone diffusers throughout the house to help reduce stress and promote more social behavior. Finally, you could also use a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to help with his anxiety - these can be ordered online without a prescription, and are very helpful for some anxious cats.

I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem! Getting two cats in the same household to get along can be frustrating sometimes. The first thing I would recommend is to provide multiple litter boxes in different parts of the house, so that your female cat always has easy access to someplace to use the bathroom without having to get past Loki first. You could also try a Feliway Multi-Cat pheromone diffuser, along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure for Loki to help encourage more social behavior. If this doesn't help, your best option would be to make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate both cats in person and help you determine what the problem is between them. From there, he/she can give you a detailed treatment plan to work on their issues, which may also include medication for Loki or your other cat if needed. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Cats can become stressed by other cats but they do often work things out eventually. There are a few things you can adjust to help decrease stress. Cats are sensitive to the type of litter, size of the box and location of the box. If you have more cats, you need 1 litter box per cat + 1 additional box. You should also have a litter box on every floor of the house. This article discusses different types of litter and litter boxes: https://www.petcoach.co/article/cat-litter-finding-the-right-fit-for-your-cat/ In general though, cats prefer large, uncovered litter boxes, clay-based clumping litter that is scoped every day and a private, quiet location. If you have other cats or dogs, if they can access the litter box, it may cause Luna to be afraid that she could find herself trapped in the box. Cats are a prey species in the wild and they still retain those instincts. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Most cats response best to combination therapy. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with anxiety. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It sounds like Sally is stressed in her new home environment, but there are many things that you can do to help alleviate stress and help her feel better. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day) and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 , and healthcareforpets.com for tips on stress reduction, and https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats/felinelifestressors/new-pets for information on how to introduce new pets into the family. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com , and Feliway Friends (on the same site), a pheromone that helps cats get along with each other. Take your time and allow Sally to slowly get used to all of the changes, and hopefully she will feel better soon.

I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your brother. The change of environment is likely the cause. I would try feliway diffusers and spray. Feliway is a cat pheromone to help with anxiety behaviors like this. You can also look into trying a calming chew like composure or the Rx version composure pro. I would also tried to have 2-3 litterboxes throughout the living area if at all possible to help with territorial spaces. If these don’t help, i would talk to your vet about starting your cat on an anti-anxiety medicine like amitriptyline. I hope this helps and he starts to be more like himself.

You can give her more playtime with you, use a feliway pheromone diffuser to help her relax and make sure she has a quiet spot to get away from any noisy activity. If she's still not coming around then getting a young kitten may be good. She should enjoy a baby kitten but I wouldn't get a teenage or older cat as it may make her more anxious and then you have two to worry about. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Luna.

These types of behaviors can be very frustrating and can be difficult to resolve. The easiest thing to do is to add an additional litter box in that area to see if this helps. A good rule for cats is one litter box per cat plus an additional one. Another option would be trying feliway which is available as a spray or a diffuser to see if this helps with some stress your pet may be experiencing when you leave. Other types of medications for behavior modification would be prescription based so I would recommend reaching out to your family veterinarian regarding those options if necessary. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!