Kitten driving me insane

by Leanne
(UK)

I have 2 five month old male litter mates. They have been neutered. One is content and has never had any litter box problems. The other took a little longer to train.

We persevered and he got it eventually, however he has started trying to escape outside. He has climbed out top floor windows, and as soon as doors open, he runs out into a busy street.

He has regressed to peeing on the floor at the front and back door while constantly yowling to get out... any advice greatly appreciated.

My thoughts: I'm sorry to hear that your kitty is having problems. Kittens can be a real challenge sometimes, but it's possible he may outgrow this. In the meantime, assuming he doesn't have a medical problem, I would try a multi-pronged approach, including the following...

Try to discover the reason for his restlessness (beyond just wanting to be outside). Are there cats marking territory out there? Is he not stimulated enough inside?

Try to discover the reason for his urinating in those specific places. Is that an expression of frustration because he can't get out? Or... is he responding to the threat of cats outside?

Give him a taste of the outside, if possible (e.g. cat tree at a big window, some grass in the litter box, a tree stump, some cat grass to chew on, etc.). He may not be old enough yet to react to catnip, but you could try it. A riskier option would be to leash train him with a harness so he can go for walks with you.

Get an outdoor enclosure. If possible, you can buy/build an outdoor enclosure, which would allow him to experience the outdoors in safety.

Exercise him daily until he is too worn out to care about going outside (Da Bird or Bird Catcher Pro toys are great for this).

Add to the toy collection by getting some toys he can play with on his own and with his litter mate. The Turbo Scratcher or Peek-a-Prize are good, but there are others and each cat will have their favorites. Some cats like to chase motorized toys, others, not so much.

Stimulate him by making him work a little for treats. Give him something to hunt indoors by hiding treats around the house in various locations. There are also food dispensing toys you can try.

In extreme cases, drug therapy can be used, but there are safer methods for calming cats. Try Feliway (get the diffuser as well as the spray), Rescue Remedy, and some of Jackson Galaxy's products first.

I would also make sure you have the right number/type/placement of litter boxes. Do you have at least two litter boxes and keep them squeaky clean?

The one-plus-one rule says that you should have three litter boxes for two cats. Each situation is different, but some cats like to urinate in one box and poop in the other.

I hope that helps, and please let us know how he comes along.

-Kurt