Thanks for the advice everybody -- and for the link to the ordinance, Mary. I don't have the patience to look that stuff up myself! I hadn't even considered the sprinkler deterrent. Amazon has one for about $50 and it's gotten positive reviews. Sounds like a good way to water the yard as well! I agree with your "pet peeve" Laura. When we moved here 10 yrs ago we had lots of free-roaming cats targeting our pet-free yard, since everybody around us owned a dog or three. A big, muscular tomcat (which looked like a small cougar) even made it his territory for awhile, spraying EVERYTHING with his perfume. One day while planting, I accidentally sunk my fingers into a freshly buried "land mine." That did it. I bought the trap and 10 cats later, the problem was solved. What's worse, not a single person posted a "Lost Cat" flyer in my neighborhood. Shows you how irresponsible these so-called "pet owners" are. We no longer have a cat problem, now that the coyotes have moved in. They're getting quite bold -- I've seen them trotting along the sidewalk in broad daylight like they own the place! I hope people are finally learning to keep their cats indoors.

I'll have to suggest the aspirin to my parents. I know they used to give him but i think it was coated and I'm not sure if they are still giving it to him. He is not completely emptying his bowels. Its probably more like 'sawed off turds' and this happens when he's struggling to get up. This is the reason I'm reluctant to take what the vet says about him not feeling it as the reason for it. He's struggling to get up from lying down and he's straining himself. If he's experiencing pain while trying to get up, as well as just straining to get up, he's not likely to clench his butt cheeks tighter to prevent an accident (if he's in pain then that is what he's feeling not the passage of stool). The problem with Jessie is that he has always been a quiet dog. My mom said she never heard him bark until he was 5 years old. One afternoon (and it scared her) but he was barking at the hot air balloons that were going overhead (he still barks at the mention of balloons). He makes a mumbling sound, kind of like 'woo, woo' because he did that as a puppy and my dad would do it back so they'd talk like this, lol. If he wants food he usually does this noise and if no one gives him food he just gets louder and eventually barks. I can't say I've ever heard him whine. When he wants to go out he usings his snout to hit the door handle and it makes a rattling noise with the key in it (the really old type of keys). So its difficult to see if he's in pain except the way he walks you can tell if he's stiff, especially in the morning. The problem with my brother is that he rarely comes over especially when my dad's around (he works evening shift so he's gone in the evenings). It would be hard to get them together. We are all going out for dinner to celebrate my parents retirement but that's not until June and I'm not sure that's the best time to bring up doggie accidents. But I'll see if my brother will mention something if they cross paths.

If the cat has not been to the vet for over a year or so, it's a good idea to have it examined. But there may not be anything wrong medically with the animal. The first time he pooped in the rug may have been an accident. But once the smell is in the rug, the cat will do it over and over again. Even a thorough washing of the rug may not eliminate the smell completely. My suggestion: throw out the rug (I hope it's not a costly one) and get a new rug, an inexpensive one to see what happens. That may solve the problem.

I don't really have a solution for you, but I also think she (if she is spayed) is still feeling displaced and may need more time to adjust. My Sally is very shy; when I moved into a new condo two years ago, she hid in a closet 23/7 for nearly 6 months! Finally, in her own time, she adjusted and is just fine now. I have also noted that certain types of wet cat food--the really stinky stuff--disturbs Sally. After a few bites she'll paw around it to try to "cover" it and she looks uncomfortable as she does it. She's not a yowler, but she paces back and forth in the kitchen for awhile disturbed (before she forgets about it or her brother eats it all up). Can you move the litter to a place where she can't smell it at night?