improper elimination

[anotheranon]

Cats work in mysterious ways.

For some reason, Miss Spice felt it necessary to pee in my fencing bag this morning (!!) It appears that my fencing jacket was the target; it's now in the wash with a full loads' worth of detergent.

No permanent harm done, but why on earth would she bother it now when it's been sitting in the same corner for over two years??? And why the hell wouldn't she STOP when I smacked her side (wasn't keen to pick up a pissing cat: dressed for work).

Any insight fellow cat owners can offer into her "reasoning" would be much appreciated.

Meanwhile I'm going to go have breakfast and glare at her.

Comments

[kat1392.livejournal.com]

One of my former cats started peeing where she wasn't supposed to. Come to find out, she had some sort of infection. I can't remember for sure exactly what it was. Once she was on medicine, she started using the kitty box again.

[geekchick]

If she starts frequently peeing outside the litter box, she may have a UTI.

[timcharmorbien.livejournal.com]

Cats don't need reasons for what they do - - :p

[hrj.livejournal.com]

My experience matches the other posters': when a cat starts peeing in inappropriate places, it's generally a sign that the cat is feeling unwell. Typically, it's associated with a urinary tract infection (check for signs of blood in the urine), but my cat's most recent episode seems to have been spurred by a non-specific, "I'm feeling out of sorts and I'm going to let you know it." (This was expressed as: "EEEEK! The floor is EEEEEEVIL! I cannot walk on the floor, not even to find my litter box! I must pee here on the kitchen counter to let you know that the floor is EEEEEEEVIL!")

As for why she wouldn't stop when you smacked her: to get the result you wanted, the cat would have had to be able to make the cause-and-effect connection between her action and yours. Cats aren't very good at behavioral cause and effect. I figure that it's as if someone who could see the entire electromagnetic spectrum were trying to train a human being how to paint with ultraviolet and gamma rays. Even if we wanted to, the feedback loop would be a bit pointless.