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Are diapers terrible????

eurynome_az

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Our lovely Frankie, who has NEVER, EVER sprayed just started, just that, last week. Our couch, my son's backpack, laundry....sigh....anywhere. He'll look at us and do it right in front of us. He is a stud, so I'm not going to fix him at least for another 2 years, so that isn't an option for us right now. We don't have a room right now that is exclusively "tile" so even isolating him won't help because he'll do it on the carpet. He's perfect with his litter box habits, but for some reason he feels the need to start "marking." I won't lock him up anywhere (he's family!) so the only thing we could come up with are diapers. I feel aweful! He didn't mind them after 10 minutes or so, but is sitting there glaring at me from the couch like I'm the cruelist person in the world. Ugh! If looks could kill! :Cry:
 

ranalashae

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Hey if it will save your furniture and carpet, go for it! I would do the same thing, much better then locking him up. I bet he looks pretty funny though. Poor guy!
 

sphynxie

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Sounds like diapers are the only option. Get him some man-design diapers with flames or skulls- maybe that'll make him feel like the stud he is:BigSmile:
 

susi794

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You have to be careful about using stud pants or diapers. Most cats will not soil themselves, so your male cat will be constantly holding his urine which can lead to bladder and kidney infections. I tried it on my last stud and it wasn't very practical. If you have him wear them, how will he use the litterbox? Remember that males can die over urinary blockages. Just a cautionary thought...
Susi and the gang
 

marlene

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I was just going to add that you have to be careful using stud pants. Just like a human child, the pants and the cat himself need to be cleaned very often to prevent excoriation of the skin (diaper rash). You can't put him in pants and then go off and leave him all day. This precaution holds water only if he's amenable to wearing them. Personally I don't think I'd want to risk it or get involved in the mess entailed. If a tiled room wasn't an option I'd probably neuter him asap just to prevent the spraying from becoming an ingrained habit. But that's me and your opinion might be entirely different.
 

ilovemysphynx

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I think stud pants are intended for letting the male and female be together for a while when you don't want them to make babies, just for 1 hour or so at a time, but not intended for a diaper.
When a cat starts spraying it is not fun and not easy to correct, and change can make this happen and being apart from his female is a big cause.
 

Bella07

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I have also heard that diapers are primarily a temporary solution. With that being said, I would explore other options as well. Normally I would recommend altering your cat immediately. But, since he is a stud...Perhaps your vet would have some recommendations?
 

eurynome_az

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All very valid points! Luckily my husband is home 24/7 (he works from home) and I'm off for at least 4-6 weeks (surgery) so we watch him constantly. We don't leave it on for very long and he still uses the litter box. He has a tendancy to start "calling out" in a way that only a stud looking for a girl does, and then he usually sprays right after that. So we've gotten to know what this call means, put on the diaper, and then we take if off in about 30-45 min. You are right in that he doesn't like peeing in it and has never pooped in it and I've noticed that he would rather hold it than "go" in his diaper. So we make sure he spends way more time out of it then he does in it.
I guess we are using it more as a training device than anything, however I seriously doubt you can ever train a male not to do something that comes so naturally to him, sigh. But it has reduced it 98%. A breeder friend was talking about her "pens" she has for her males, but I just can't see myself taking that step (especially when I only have one stud to run around and watch after). Maybe someday I'll get exasperated and make him a nice pen, but I doubt it. Right now he is cuddled on the couch hidding under my blankie.....there is no where else he, or I, would rather have him be!!
 

susi794

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Until I got Moody neutered, I just followed him around with a vinegar and water spray bottle, cleaning practically everything he came in contact with. But I tried the stud pants if it got really bad...never would cage him or pen him up either. Loved him too much for that. And you can't get mad at a cat for being a cat. (Well, you can--BUT--it's a waste of your time and energy. LOL)
Boo, my new stud, thankfully doesn't spray (YET). Am keeping my fingers crossed that he doesn't start--my house has been blissfully spray free since January.
Good luck,
Susi and the gang
 

ilovemysphynx

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I agree with Susi 100% would never put my Leo in a cage or pen, he would get fixed first. Just not my thing he is our pet and sometimes him and Athena give us wonderful little babies but would never punish him for something that is natural to him. To me yes a cage is a punishment.

It sounds like eurynome_az is trying to train and that is great, we have to teach them not punish.
 

beeblebrox

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I think it depends on if there are any whole girls around too... if there are no girls.. there is noone to impress with his stinkies :)
 
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