Ask Dr. Paola – Emotional Stress, Resource Guarding & Coughing (June 2, 2025)

Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” series, where every Monday we bring expert advice straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to help our readers better understand their cat’s health and well-being.

Whether you’re a new pet parent or a seasoned cat lover, Dr. Paola is here to provide answers to your most pressing questions. From nutrition tips and preventive care to troubleshooting common behavioral issues, Dr. Paola is ready to offer insights that will keep your kitty happy, healthy, and feline fine. Stay tuned for expert guidance on a range of topics that matter most to you and your cat, so you can make informed decisions and provide the best possible care for your furry companion. ‎

Have‎ a ‎question? Send it in here!

Help! My Cat is Peeing on My Late Husbands Chair!

“Dear Dr. Paola,

QT is a 3-year-old tabby and lives with her half sister, who is 11. We lost my husband on February 21, 2024, and I started noticing pee by the heater vent by his chair. I scrubbed and used Nature’s Miracle, then saw it on the other vent by the other chair. Thought it was only happening when I was gone, but she did it right next to me as I was sitting in his chair. We have two litterboxes that I clean daily, and have never had this problem before :( I have tried pepper and even putting his t-shirt on it, but she pushed it aside and did it anyway. I’m assuming she is upset that he is gone, but I don’t know what to do! Please help! Thank you,“– Brenda

Dear Brenda,

First, I want to say how deeply sorry I am for your loss. Grief affects every member of the household, and that includes our animal companions. What you’re seeing in QT is very likely her way of expressing distress and confusion. Cats form strong attachments to their people, and losing one can feel like the floor’s been pulled from under them. Just like us, under emotional stress, they may act out of character as they try to cope. Different cats will present different behaviors.

Urinating outside the litter box, especially in places that carry a strong emotional connection like your husband’s chair, often signals emotional upheaval or anxiety. It’s as if QT is trying to find or reclaim his scent, a comforting presence she now feels is missing. While her behavior is understandable, we also need to rule out a possible medical cause, like a urinary tract issue, which can be triggered or worsened by stress. I recommend scheduling a veterinary visit to ensure her health is intact. Once medical issues are ruled out, we can confidently focus on supporting her emotionally. You should also consider using a multicat synthetic pheromone diffuser to help create a sense of safety and support both cats during this transition.

If you need more immediate behavioral support, a tele-triage service could be a great starting point. Our veterinarians at PangoVet can help assess the urgency of her signs and guide your next steps. QT is telling you something through her behavior, and with a little detective work, patience, and support, she can feel more secure again. By the way, thank you for your kindness in doing a loving job at a very difficult time. I am confident that your awareness of her emotional world will make a real difference for all of you.

Condolences, and best of luck with QT,

– Dr. Paola

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Help! My Cat is Guarding The Litterbox!

“Hey Dr. Paola,

Roxy is a litter box dictator when it comes to my other cat Ivor. I have three litter boxes. Roxy uses the one in the bathroom. The other two are in a spare room. One is used by Ivor. The other box has fresh litter in it. Neither cat has used this box for two weeks now. When Ivor needs to use his box, Roxy will follow him. She allows him to take care of business. He hurriedly leaves and Roxy attacks his tail and back side. Other times Roxy will just sit near Ivor’s litter box for hours on end waiting for Ivor to need to use his litter box. “ – Lloyd

Hi Lloyd,

Cat relationships are oftentimes challenging and what you’re observing is unfortunately not uncommon in multi-cat households. Roxy’s behavior around the litter box is a form of resource guarding and territorial control, and for Ivor, it’s likely creating significant stress. That hurried exit and Roxy’s ambushes suggest that Ivor may start avoiding the box altogether, which could escalate into house soiling or even stress-related urinary tract issues. Cats are subtle communicators, and this kind of tension often flies under the radar until a medical or behavioral concern arises.

To help ease the tension, I’d recommend making a few environmental changes. Even though you already have three litter boxes, their placement is just as important as their number. Try adding a fourth box in a completely different area of the home, ideally where Roxy can’t easily monitor it. Think of it like giving Ivor a private bathroom away from the hallway bully. Also, consider using calming aids such as multicat synthetic pheromone diffusers in the areas where they spend the most time. Increasing enrichment through vertical spaces, separate feeding stations, and interactive play can help redirect Roxy’s energy and reduce her sense of needing to control shared resources.

If things don’t improve or escalate further, a consultation with a feline behaviorist can offer valuable insight, and an online veterinary service like our own PangoVet could help guide the next steps without needing to establish a full doctor-patient relationship right away. You’re clearly very observant and proactive, and I should congratulate you because that puts both Roxy and Ivor in a great position for improvement.
Sincerely,

– Dr. Paola

Help! My Cat Gets a Cough When She’s in Heat!

“Hi Dr. Paola,

Kloe is an intact 9 y/o female orange and white tabby. When she starts her heat cycle, she’ll get a cough; otherwise she only coughs after drinking water. She looks like she bites at the water as shes lapping it with her tongue.” – Andrea

Hi Andrea,

Thank you for sharing Kloe’s cough details. She sounds like a sweet cat, and I can tell you’re paying close attention to her well-being, which is so important as she moves towards her senior years.

Coughing in cats, especially when linked to specific triggers like drinking or hormonal changes during estrus, isn’t very common and deserves a closer look. When a cat coughs after drinking water, it can sometimes suggest issues like laryngeal irritation, mild swallowing dysfunction, or even anatomical differences that cause water to go down the wrong way. Some cats with slightly elongated soft palates or other subtle anatomical variations may appear to “bite” at the water while drinking, occasionally leading to small amounts entering the airway and triggering a cough. As for the coughing that coincides with her heat cycle, that’s less typical and may point toward changes in hormone levels influencing her respiratory tract, or possibly an indirect effect from stress or increased vocalization. However, conditions like asthma, early stages of heart disease, or airway disease can also present this way and may worsen during times of physical stress or hormonal fluctuation.

Because she’s showing these signs repeatedly and they seem linked to both heat and drinking, I do recommend having her evaluated in person by a veterinarian. A physical exam, along with imaging like chest radiographs and possibly bloodwork, would help rule out underlying conditions that can be managed more successfully if caught early. I hope this helps!

Dr. Paola