It shouldn’t be hard to keep a pet. But sometimes, it just is. Especially if that animal has a behavior problem. But with perseverance, a little knowledge and a commitment to honoring the bond between you and your pet, effective solutions can be found for even the most trying situations.

Enter Darby.  Darby is a beautiful five-year-old Maine coon.

“It is apparent that Darby didn’t have a lot of human interaction when he was a kitten,” says Brian McCaffrey, Darby’s pet parent. “It’s taken him three years to learn how to receive and give affection.”

Beyond Darby’s initial standoffish demeanor, the biggest obstacle McCaffrey faced with Darby was his inappropriate urination habits.

“I shouldn’t have been surprised when I first found a urine soaked couch cushion, but I was,” says McCaffrey. And so the saga began. From the couch cushion, to a pile of clothes on the floor, a blanket, some pillows, the guest bed….the list goes on and on.

Says McCaffrey, “I did everything the books say to do in order to fix the problem.” And by everything, he means everything.

√ Trip to the vet to rule out any health problems. (Amounting to several trips and several hundred dollars)

√ Add more litter boxes and put one on every floor. (Two cats, three floors, six litter boxes)

√ Scoop the boxes every day, perhaps several times a day.

√ Vary the amount and types of litter in each box to try and determine if the cat has a preference for texture. (Clumping, clay, recycled paper, pine, ranging from 1 inch to 3-4 inches in depth)

√ Try different styles of litter boxes. (Covered, large, small, shallow, deep)

√ Pheromone products (Plug in diffusers and sprays)

√ Behaviorist consultation (In home visit in which the behaviorist analyzed the cat, layout of the home and provided therapy recommendations)

√ Isolation (Keep Darby in a kennel when he couldn’t be supervised)

“I was really frustrated. And just tired of the work and failed experiments. I often thought that if we re-homed Darby, he might be better off in a different house in which he was the only cat. But I didn’t want to give up this animal out of frustration.” He adds, “I just needed to understand what Darby needed and find the right combination to help him.”

And one day, the work paid off.

“We began putting Darby in a spare room every night and letting him out for the day.” And this seems to be the ticket to Darby’s contentedness.

“We had tried isolation tactics in the past, but not to such a degree. We think he just needed a space to call his own and a consistent schedule to feel safe so he didn’t resort to spraying.”

McCaffrey feeds Darby in his room in the morning and around dinner time, then lets him out the remainder of the time. But at night, Darby stays in his room. “At first, he cried to get out. But now, he seems to really enjoy his alone time.”

To make the experience positive, McCaffrey and his wife feed Darby each time they put him in his room. “He’s got a private litter box, a big window to watch birds from and his own climbing post. He couldn’t be happier.” And since his nightly segregation, “He’s gotten a lot more affectionate and actively seeks out our company.”

Before, explains McCaffrey, his relationship with Darby was one out of obligation.  “I wouldn’t say I enjoyed Darby and he could probably say the same about me. But now, I see his personality and he’s become much more loving and often curls up on my chest while I watch TV.  I now appreciate him instead of just seeing how much work he is and am glad I didn’t give up.”

How to Solve Challenges With Your Pet
Best Friends has an extensive resource library that addresses animal care subjects and difficulties. Please click here  to find suggestions for you and your pet. Keep in mind that the ultimate solution may be a combination of strategies or a matter of taking the time to fully understand your pet and what he or she needs to be content.

First Home Forever Home
The goal of Best Friends’ First Home Forever Home campaign is to help people make and honor a lifetime commitment to their pets. Millions of companion animals die every year in crowded shelters because their families decided to let them go for some reason. Through education, intervention and action, First Home Forever Home provides guidance and resources to help people care for their pets and keep them as loved members of their families. Read more about the First Home Forever Home campaign. 

Eight to 10 million pets enter America’s shelter system every year. How many of them, if given a helping hand, could stay with their families instead? By supporting the First Home Forever Home campaign you help create a time of No More Homeless Pets.
 

Photos by Cheri Moon