Placement/Movement of the Litter Boxes

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PattyC - 10 Sep 2003 02:41 GMT

I have 3 cats and 3 litter boxes. One is in the basement, 2 in an upstairs
spare bedroom. The cats use the one downstairs, but seem to me to *prefer*
the upstairs ones. Meaning, they pee routinely in the one downstairs, but
do almost all pooping upstairs, plus lots of peeing.

I've been re-thinking the litter box placement. I'm not even sure why I
once thought they needed to be upstairs, except that I was fearful they
wouldn't "find" them or something.

If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in the same back room down in the
basement, will some weird cat-trauma result? Or are they now old enough (2
& 3 years) to know they need to find litter, know they've found it in the
basement, and not stress out over this?

It would make a ton of sense for me to have the full use of the spare
bedroom.... What do you think?

PattyC

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Gail - 10 Sep 2003 03:13 GMT

It's possible that it would be OK, however, it is recommended that cats have
a litter box on each floor of the house.
Gail

> I have 3 cats and 3 litter boxes. One is in the basement, 2 in an upstairs
> spare bedroom. The cats use the one downstairs, but seem to me to *prefer*
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> PattyC

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zuzu22@webtv.net - 10 Sep 2003 05:59 GMT

Patty wrote:

>If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in
>the same back room down in the
>basement, will some weird cat-trauma
>result?

Your cats obviously prefer the upstairs boxes, and to take them away
could set up a situation for innapropriate elimination. I've seen this
happen in homes before. As a rule, there should be a litterbox on every
floor. I wouldn't change it, especially since it is obvious your cats
don't care much for the box in the basement.

Megan

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PattyC - 11 Sep 2003 01:41 GMT

Thanks everyone for all the comments and advice. I think I will just leave
things as they are!

PattyC

> Patty wrote:
> >If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
>
> - W.H. Murray

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Phil P. - 10 Sep 2003 11:29 GMT

> If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in the same back room down in the
> basement,

...how will you observe your cats' elimination behavior and know when one of
your cats is straining or unable to urinate or defecate?

Litterboxes should be kept in a quiet, low traffic area but also where you
can *see* your cats eliminate.

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Jeff Traigle - 10 Sep 2003 13:42 GMT

> > If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in the same back room down in the
> > basement,
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Litterboxes should be kept in a quiet, low traffic area but also where you
> can *see* your cats eliminate.

Huh? Do you sit around watching your cats 24/7? I've had my cats 8 years
and I can count on two hands the number of times I've actually witnessed
them in a litterbox in all that time... and before I moved into this
house, I was in one bedroom apartments with the litterboxes in the
living room where I tended to spend most of my waking hours at home.

--
Jeff Traigle
traigle@si.umich.edu
http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~traigle/

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Phil P. - 10 Sep 2003 22:00 GMT

> > > If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in the same back room down in the
> > > basement,
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Huh? Do you sit around watching your cats 24/7?

I damn sure wish I could!

I make sure I see my cats eliminate at least once or twice a day.

I've had my cats 8 years

> and I can count on two hands the number of times I've actually witnessed
> them in a litterbox in all that time...

You're lucky.. Apparently, you've never heard of male cats *dying* from
acute renal failure caused by a urinary tract obstruction.... or cats
developing megacolon (that required the surgical removal of a large portion
of the colon), caused by protracted constipation....

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MaryL - 11 Sep 2003 08:29 GMT

> > > If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in the same back room down in the
> > > basement,
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> traigle@si.umich.edu
> http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~traigle/

I certainly don't sit around waiting to watch a litter box ... but, in all
seriousness, it is important to occasionally monitor how they are used. I
had one cat that had urinary tract infections on several occasions. I soon
learned that one of the first signs was straining in the litter box.
Knowing that helped me to catch the problem early and get my cat to a vet
for treatment.

MaryL

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Phil P. - 11 Sep 2003 12:04 GMT

> > > > If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in the same back room down in
> the
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> Knowing that helped me to catch the problem early and get my cat to a vet
> for treatment.

The point I wast trying to make was that if the litterboxes are in an area
where you can easily see them, you don't have to wait around to watch your
cats use them... Just glance over when you see your cat heading for the
box... If the box is in the basement or some other obscured, or infrequently
observed area, then you would have to wait around and follow your cat to
watch her eliminate.

Phil.

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MaryL - 11 Sep 2003 12:06 GMT

> > > > > If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in the same back room down
> in
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
>
> Phil.

Yes, I agree with that. That was basically my point, too.

MaryL

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Karen M. - 11 Sep 2003 19:32 GMT

> > > > > > If I move these boxes,so that all 3 are in the same back room down
> in
[quoted text clipped - 48 lines]
>
> MaryL

Huh. All I have to do is mess around in my flower beds for about two
minutes and then my cats come over and "mess" too! :) Apparently they
think they're helping me fertilize...

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