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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / January 2005A problem I didn't foresee
Both of my girls came home with great litterbox habits, they're lovely girls, very proper and elegent and regal. The boy... He needs a bath. We don't have to worry about hairballs for Jinglebell. Not a very hygenic one, that cat. But his grooming is secondary to the fact that he POOPED IN THE CLEAN CLOTHES BASKET! On my favorite shirt. It was pink. In the basket. Next to the washing machine. Which was next to the litterbox. Two feet to his left and he could have nailed the turd where it belonged. Nope, not my boy. Anyone want a cat? Grace disgusted PS: On a happy note, he found his forever home nighttime sleeping spot... Currently I'm researching on how to breath from underneath a maine coon. > Both of my girls came home with great litterbox habits, they're lovely > girls, very proper and elegent and regal. [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > PS: On a happy note, he found his forever home nighttime sleeping spot... > Currently I'm researching on how to breath from underneath a maine coon. He's probably stressed out. Has he gotten his first vet check? You might want to put a second box next to that first so he has a choice right there. It might be what he was telling you he wanted. And it might just be new home stress. I'm sure he'll get better about it. >>Both of my girls came home with great litterbox habits, they're lovely >>girls, very proper and elegent and regal. [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > It might be what he was telling you he wanted. And it might just be new home > stress. I'm sure he'll get better about it. I'd suggest moving the clothes basket, first of all, to avoid any repeat confusion! ;-) Melisande occasionally misses the litter box (SHE'S in it, but her butt's not) and "deposits" on the bathroom tile floor, instead. I'd try a covered box, but there's barely room for the open one, since I must swing a leg over it to get into the tub/shower. My bathroom is VERY small, with room only for the toilet and tub, so I must warn guests (particularly male ones) not to step in the litter box when they use the toilet. (There's a good sized, carpeted "vanity" area, but I'd much prefer an all-in-one bathroom - without carpet!) > Melisande occasionally misses the litter box (SHE'S in it, but her > butt's not) and "deposits" on the bathroom tile floor, instead. Oh, you're the one. I knew that someone here had that problem, but couldn't remember who. Nikki has started doing this, too, only she wees on the floor. She takes a lot of time to position herself inside the box, then she hangs her bottom over the edge and lets go. I was going to ask how you had solved the problem, but you haven't. Hmm. I bought a litterbox with higher edges, so we'll see if that helps. I'm reluctant to get a covered one, since I suspect the cats wouldn't accept such a change at their age (16 and 17). The new litterbox (actually a plastic wash basin) has been accepted, and so far no 'accidents'. I just hope, as the cats get older, that the edges won't get too high for them to climb into the box.  SignatureMarina, Frank and Nikki marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > > Melisande occasionally misses the litter box (SHE'S in it, but her > > butt's not) and "deposits" on the bathroom tile floor, instead. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > as the cats get older, that the edges won't get too high for them to > climb into the box. Abelard has solved this one in a unique way. See, he's above stepping in litter that other (lesser) cats have used, so he squats on the edga of the box with his butt *in* toward the litter, thank Base, but then he won't bury it -- because, as I explained, he won't touch the "used" litter with His Royal Feet. > Abelard has solved this one in a unique way. See, he's above stepping in > litter that other (lesser) cats have used, so he squats on the edga of the > box with his butt *in* toward the litter, thank Base, but then he won't bury > it -- because, as I explained, he won't touch the "used" litter with His > Royal Feet. I had a cat like that, once! Funniest thing you ever saw - all four paws positioned on the rim, body balanced on the box's corner - she was NOT a small cat! (Fortunately, I HAD a litterbox with corners, at the time - dunno what she'd do with the present one, which is all curves.) I have seen my dog Ralph pop his bottom over a fence like he was sitting on the toilet, several times, I tried to break him of this naughty habit but found it impossible, so stopped taking him out unless he was on the leash. Jean.P. > > Abelard has solved this one in a unique way. See, he's above stepping in > > litter that other (lesser) cats have used, so he squats on the edga of the [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > HAD a litterbox with corners, at the time - dunno what she'd > do with the present one, which is all curves.) >> Melisande occasionally misses the litter box (SHE'S in it, but her >> butt's not) and "deposits" on the bathroom tile floor, instead. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > as the cats get older, that the edges won't get too high for them to > climb into the box. Well, my litterbox is quite good-sized and fairly deep, shaped somewhat like a baby's bathtub, with rounded sides (I got tired of trying to scrape out the corners of one with right-angle sides). Like all my recent cats, Melly was used to going outside (where she had the entire garden to use) until I moved to an apartment where that is no longer possible. It doesn't seem to have much to do with how deep or shallow the layer of litter is, or whether or not it needs cleaning. If I happen to be in the room when she goes to use it, and notice her, I can sometimes "reposition" her in time. Even when she hits the floor, she enthusastically scratches in the box! After observing her, I think its safe to say that litterbox behaviour IS "instinctive" (although most of what humans CALL instinctive behaviour shows reasoning ability). She really doesn't seem to understand cause and effect where the litterbox is involved. >> Melisande occasionally misses the litter box (SHE'S in it, but her butt's >> not) and "deposits" on the bathroom tile floor, instead. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > no 'accidents'. I just hope, as the cats get older, that the edges won't get > too high for them to climb into the box. I remember seeing a link for "cat paper" somewhere that was supposed to be as absorbent as cat litter. I wonder if you could put that on the floor. Signaturemonique, roommate of Oscar the (female) grouch ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eros was adopted! Eros has a home now! *cheer!* > I remember seeing a link for "cat paper" somewhere that was supposed to be as > absorbent as cat litter. I wonder if you could put that on the floor. Wouldn't that just encourage her to use the floor ALL the time? >> I remember seeing a link for "cat paper" somewhere that was supposed to be >> as absorbent as cat litter. I wonder if you could put that on the floor. > > Wouldn't that just encourage her to use the floor ALL the time? Probably. I guess it depends on how much effort they've already spent trying to retrain her and whether they think they have any options left. (Sorry for the vagueness; I've lost track of which kitty had the problem.) Signaturemonique, roommate of Oscar the (female) grouch ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eros was adopted! Eros has a home now! *cheer!* >>>I remember seeing a link for "cat paper" somewhere that was supposed to be >>>as absorbent as cat litter. I wonder if you could put that on the floor. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > (Sorry for the vagueness; I've lost track of which kitty had the problem.) It was my Nikki (and Evelyn's Melisande). I've had these little mats under the litterboxes, and after I caught Nikki weeing with her bum outside the box, I changed the mat under that litterbox to newspaper, but of course she didn't do it after I put down the paper. ;o) I've washed the mat and replaced it, and exchanged the old litterbox (which was really a round plastic washbasin) for a bigger one (a square plastic washbasin with higher sides). We'll see if it happens again. BTW, Frank already christened the clean mat with some soggy regurgitated grass. :o) SignatureMarina, Frank and Nikki marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > Both of my girls came home with great litterbox habits, they're lovely > girls, very proper and elegent and regal. [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > PS: On a happy note, he found his forever home nighttime sleeping spot... > Currently I'm researching on how to breath from underneath a maine coon. LOL. You have my sympathy. Nowadays, our old girl Thalia rarely uses her litterbox for pooping in. Instead, she goes on the carpet in our living room or the one in the hallway. In her case, possibly, it's a sign of senility. Sheenah "Sheenah" <JBCatRB@coldman.com> had some very interesting things to say about Re: A problem I didn't foresee: >LOL. You have my sympathy. Nowadays, our old girl Thalia rarely uses >her litterbox for pooping in. Instead, she goes on the carpet in our >living room or the one in the hallway. In her case, possibly, it's a >sign of senility. If Felix thinks his box needs cleaning, he'll frequently leave a solid protest on the bathmat [the litterbox is in the bathroom]. Signature"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding. :-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL > "Sheenah" <JBCatRB@coldman.com> had some very interesting things to > say about Re: A problem I didn't foresee: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > If Felix thinks his box needs cleaning, he'll frequently leave a solid > protest on the bathmat [the litterbox is in the bathroom]. Just in case the type of cat litter is making it hard for Thalia, on her skinny, arthritic legs, to hold her balance long enough to be able to do what she needs to, we are going to try her with a different type. Also, her vet has put her onto a food supplement which may help her brain. It says on the label " ..... grow older the brain can be damaged by free radicals which in turn can cause biological and physical damage to the brain tissues. This leads to behavioural change such as disorientation............." If, despite all our efforts to try to improve the situation here, if there is no improvement, it'll not be the end of the world :^) Best regards Sheenah > Both of my girls came home with great litterbox habits, they're lovely > girls, very proper and elegent and regal. [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > PS: On a happy note, he found his forever home nighttime sleeping spot... > Currently I'm researching on how to breath from underneath a maine coon. What can I say, he's a boy. Choice. Large soft clean clothes basket. Small gritty litter box. "I'm already in the clean clothes kneeding them, and Mommy doesn't know it" Having watched Jake maneuver in his litter box, I'm a little surprised he manages to hit the litter every time. I'd either move the litter box, or the place I put the clothes Gotta love them any way. Especially if you want to be able to breathe at night apparently. Jo Hugs and purrs, SignaturePolonca & Soncek > Both of my girls came home with great litterbox habits, they're lovely > girls, very proper and elegent and regal. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > a very hygenic one, that cat. But his grooming is secondary to the fact that > he POOPED IN THE CLEAN CLOTHES BASKET! <snip > Currently I'm researching on how to breath from underneath a maine coon. ROFL!!! If you find out, please let me know. > Grace > (snippage) > > PS: On a happy note, he found his forever home nighttime sleeping spot... > Currently I'm researching on how to breath from underneath a maine coon. When you figure that out - please share! TBird <---- sleeps under 19lbs of Joe Kitty Hi Grace: I know that both baskets - litterbox and laundry basket - were in the same room; however, is it at all possible that he's scared by the washing machine?? Sometimes they do that when the litterbox scares them or if something scary happened when they used the litterbox. We had that problem with Otis for a while. It wasn't until I was downstairs when the vacuflo went on above the cat box did I figure it out. Holy kamoly is that loud!!!! We moved the box and he eventually got back to it. Aside from all that, he sounds like a doll :-) Susan M Otis and Chester > Both of my girls came home with great litterbox habits, they're lovely > girls, very proper and elegent and regal. [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > PS: On a happy note, he found his forever home nighttime sleeping spot... > Currently I'm researching on how to breath from underneath a maine coon. |
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