RE: OT litter box issue
(My post was held up for being too big-here's what I wrote) Thanks Laurie! That was great advice! I have 6 cats, 3 litter boxes-but they're huge boxes. I think I might add more though. Penelope was a stray starving cat I found outside in my mom's bushes when going to feed another stray (adult). She'd never been in a litter box, but she learned quickly. I think the problem has to do with the other cats either shooing her away, like you've suggested, or wanting her own place to go. When she first came to our house, it can be very intimidating to have to go when there are 5 other big cats who use the same boxes and are hissing/staring at you. Now they're all nice to her, but I think she still likes her privacy. I never thought about the puppy training pads. That would be a breeze to clean up! I'll see if I can find some in our neck of the woods. Melissa
Re: OT litter box issue
Me again. I have 5 cats. Had 6 until Keisha died in July. I have 3 boxes in my master bath (second floor) and 3 in my office (first floor). Had 4 on main level when Keisha was still alive. I used to have more in laundry room (lower level) and only one in master bath ~ but have shut them off from that level now. I think they had too much space. They do better about the box when they don't have access to the entire house. Go figure.They also do better when I keep them in my bedroom/dressing/bath at night instead of giving them access to the entire house. Since I am with them, I don't feel bad about confining them! When I had 7 cats, I had 9 boxes because Teddy (now deceased) had IBD and splattered on the sides of the box. No one wanted to use a box he had used another thing, mine won't use covered boxes. I use the high back boxes from DrsFosterSmith. They are around $9 each. I scoop 3 times a day. Each box gets dumped and washed and refilled once a week. I completely replace all boxes once a year (they get bacteria build up). I started using plastic liners in some of the boxes. (4 of 6) and some of those silly kitties prefer that. The only time we have a problem is with something new in the house or when workers have been here and things don't smell like they should. A little marking behavior and everything smells cat-proper. Annoying but manageable. Visitors are always amazed I have as many cats as I do as there is no telltale odor! L
RE: OT litter box issue
Wow! 3 times a day-if only my kitties were so lucky! Once a day is all I do for scooping. Now I feel guilty. We change litter every 2 weeks (and wash out the boxes). I would love to change the litter once a week, but it's so darn expensive! We use the crystal litter which is more expensive. I know that clay is cheaper, but we just don't like how it smells, clumps, and such. We tried the blend for a while, but still didn't like it. So, we're spending like $90 a month in litter. Yikes. We only have the 3 boxes in the basement, and thus far with full reign of the house, we've had no problems (except the pee in the heat vent last winter, but that's resolved). My husband would freak if we had litter boxes in our bathroom, but ours is very small-very little room to turn around, let alone put boxes in. Someday with a bigger house, we'll have a special kitty bathroom. But, I think I'll pick up a couple more boxes today to put one on the main floor and an additional one downstairs separate from the others. I'm amazed that your kitties let you keep them in the bedroom at night! Ours would positively scratch the carpet away from the door to get out. But, I suppose once you get on a schedule with them, it would work. Our Angel the Aristocat only eats at night (she would rather die than dine with the pack-they're all so proletarian), so she'd be furious if she was shut in, and the younger ones play what we call rodeo at night (lots of galloping, chasing, etc.). Isn't it funny how each house is different? I love learning their personalities, quirks, preferences, and distastes. I can't imagine a house without cats-how lonely! Melissa _ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of laurieskatz Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 11:55 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: OT litter box issue Me again. I have 5 cats. Had 6 until Keisha died in July. I have 3 boxes in my master bath (second floor) and 3 in my office (first floor). Had 4 on main level when Keisha was still alive. I used to have more in laundry room (lower level) and only one in master bath ~ but have shut them off from that level now. I think they had too much space. They do better about the box when they don't have access to the entire house. Go figure.They also do better when I keep them in my bedroom/dressing/bath at night instead of giving them access to the entire house. Since I am with them, I don't feel bad about confining them! When I had 7 cats, I had 9 boxes because Teddy (now deceased) had IBD and splattered on the sides of the box. No one wanted to use a box he had used another thing, mine won't use covered boxes. I use the high back boxes from DrsFosterSmith. They are around $9 each. I scoop 3 times a day. Each box gets dumped and washed and refilled once a week. I completely replace all boxes once a year (they get bacteria build up). I started using plastic liners in some of the boxes. (4 of 6) and some of those silly kitties prefer that. The only time we have a problem is with something new in the house or when workers have been here and things don't smell like they should. A little marking behavior and everything smells cat-proper. Annoying but manageable. Visitors are always amazed I have as many cats as I do as there is no telltale odor! L
Re: OT litter box issue
Hi. My Coco likes to eat at 10AM and 10PM. Everyone else eats at normal times. Mine also each have their own food and bowl. She sits by her bowl until I feed her. Gosh we sound pretty regimented but we have some special needs kitties and so need to feed special foods to some I am not saying they LIKE to be confined. I have to place a dog gate in front of the bedroom door so Coco and Cooper don't scratch at the door to get out. It seems to be working. Mine are also ages almost 7-11 so not babies who expect to play during the night~!! - Original Message - From: Melissa Lind To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 11:22 AM Subject: RE: OT litter box issue Wow! 3 times a day-if only my kitties were so lucky! Once a day is all I do for scooping. Now I feel guilty. We change litter every 2 weeks (and wash out the boxes). I would love to change the litter once a week, but it's so darn expensive! We use the crystal litter which is more expensive. I know that clay is cheaper, but we just don't like how it smells, clumps, and such. We tried the blend for a while, but still didn't like it. So, we're spending like $90 a month in litter. Yikes. We only have the 3 boxes in the basement, and thus far with full reign of the house, we've had no problems (except the pee in the heat vent last winter, but that's resolved). My husband would freak if we had litter boxes in our bathroom, but ours is very small-very little room to turn around, let alone put boxes in. Someday with a bigger house, we'll have a special kitty bathroom. But, I think I'll pick up a couple more boxes today to put one on the main floor and an additional one downstairs separate from the others. I'm amazed that your kitties let you keep them in the bedroom at night! Ours would positively scratch the carpet away from the door to get out. But, I suppose once you get on a schedule with them, it would work. Our Angel the Aristocat only eats at night (she would rather die than dine with the pack-they're all so proletarian), so she'd be furious if she was shut in, and the younger ones play what we call rodeo at night (lots of galloping, chasing, etc.). Isn't it funny how each house is different? I love learning their personalities, quirks, preferences, and distastes. I can't imagine a house without cats-how lonely! Melissa -- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of laurieskatz Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 11:55 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: OT litter box issue Me again. I have 5 cats. Had 6 until Keisha died in July. I have 3 boxes in my master bath (second floor) and 3 in my office (first floor). Had 4 on main level when Keisha was still alive. I used to have more in laundry room (lower level) and only one in master bath ~ but have shut them off from that level now. I think they had too much space. They do better about the box when they don't have access to the entire house. Go figure.They also do better when I keep them in my bedroom/dressing/bath at night instead of giving them access to the entire house. Since I am with them, I don't feel bad about confining them! When I had 7 cats, I had 9 boxes because Teddy (now deceased) had IBD and splattered on the sides of the box. No one wanted to use a box he had used another thing, mine won't use covered boxes. I use the high back boxes from DrsFosterSmith. They are around $9 each. I scoop 3 times a day. Each box gets dumped and washed and refilled once a week. I completely replace all boxes once a year (they get bacteria build up). I started using plastic liners in some of the boxes. (4 of 6) and some of those silly kitties prefer that. The only time we have a problem is with something new in the house or when workers have been here and things don't smell like they should. A little marking behavior and everything smells cat-proper. Annoying but manageable. Visitors are always amazed I have as many cats as I do as there is no telltale odor! L
RE: OT litter box issue
Isn't it funny what we do for these guys?! I'm always happy to find people who treat their pets like members of the family and not just accessories. The baby gate is a good idea. Yes, once they grow up, it really changes the household. We haven't had young 'uns for a long time until now. Our oldest two are 5 and 10. Then we have 4 cats that are under 2 yrs old. That really changed the dynamics of our previously lazy, lounging household! _ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of laurieskatz Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 2:39 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: OT litter box issue Hi. My Coco likes to eat at 10AM and 10PM. Everyone else eats at normal times. Mine also each have their own food and bowl. She sits by her bowl until I feed her. Gosh we sound pretty regimented but we have some special needs kitties and so need to feed special foods to some I am not saying they LIKE to be confined. I have to place a dog gate in front of the bedroom door so Coco and Cooper don't scratch at the door to get out. It seems to be working. Mine are also ages almost 7-11 so not babies who expect to play during the night~!! - Original Message - From: Melissa Lind mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 11:22 AM Subject: RE: OT litter box issue Wow! 3 times a day-if only my kitties were so lucky! Once a day is all I do for scooping. Now I feel guilty. We change litter every 2 weeks (and wash out the boxes). I would love to change the litter once a week, but it's so darn expensive! We use the crystal litter which is more expensive. I know that clay is cheaper, but we just don't like how it smells, clumps, and such. We tried the blend for a while, but still didn't like it. So, we're spending like $90 a month in litter. Yikes. We only have the 3 boxes in the basement, and thus far with full reign of the house, we've had no problems (except the pee in the heat vent last winter, but that's resolved). My husband would freak if we had litter boxes in our bathroom, but ours is very small-very little room to turn around, let alone put boxes in. Someday with a bigger house, we'll have a special kitty bathroom. But, I think I'll pick up a couple more boxes today to put one on the main floor and an additional one downstairs separate from the others. I'm amazed that your kitties let you keep them in the bedroom at night! Ours would positively scratch the carpet away from the door to get out. But, I suppose once you get on a schedule with them, it would work. Our Angel the Aristocat only eats at night (she would rather die than dine with the pack-they're all so proletarian), so she'd be furious if she was shut in, and the younger ones play what we call rodeo at night (lots of galloping, chasing, etc.). Isn't it funny how each house is different? I love learning their personalities, quirks, preferences, and distastes. I can't imagine a house without cats-how lonely! Melissa _ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of laurieskatz Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 11:55 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: OT litter box issue Me again. I have 5 cats. Had 6 until Keisha died in July. I have 3 boxes in my master bath (second floor) and 3 in my office (first floor). Had 4 on main level when Keisha was still alive. I used to have more in laundry room (lower level) and only one in master bath ~ but have shut them off from that level now. I think they had too much space. They do better about the box when they don't have access to the entire house. Go figure.They also do better when I keep them in my bedroom/dressing/bath at night instead of giving them access to the entire house. Since I am with them, I don't feel bad about confining them! When I had 7 cats, I had 9 boxes because Teddy (now deceased) had IBD and splattered on the sides of the box. No one wanted to use a box he had used another thing, mine won't use covered boxes. I use the high back boxes from DrsFosterSmith. They are around $9 each. I scoop 3 times a day. Each box gets dumped and washed and refilled once a week. I completely replace all boxes once a year (they get bacteria build up). I started using plastic liners in some of the boxes. (4 of 6) and some of those silly kitties prefer that. The only time we have a problem is with something new in the house or when workers have been here and things don't smell like they should. A little marking behavior and everything smells cat-proper. Annoying but manageable. Visitors are always amazed I have as many cats as I do as there is no telltale odor! L
Re: OT litter box issue
Guess I'm lucky, have only ever had 2 litter boxes one in each bathroom between the toilet and tub. Have always just put them there and the cats are fine with that. Funny thing though it never fails the minute I go in the bathroom I have a line of kitties that need to go too!! -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
RE: OT litter box issue
Yes! Our litter box isn't in there, but we've got three kitties that are obsessed with drinking out of the tub, so if I go to the bathroom, I have many helpers, and I always have to turn on the tub for them. They love the fresh water, even if I've just filled their water bowls. I've had fountains in the past, but both have broken. Anyone know of really good fountains that look nice too? Melissa -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Belinda Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 3:30 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: OT litter box issue Guess I'm lucky, have only ever had 2 litter boxes one in each bathroom between the toilet and tub. Have always just put them there and the cats are fine with that. Funny thing though it never fails the minute I go in the bathroom I have a line of kitties that need to go too!! -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: OT litter box issue
Drinkwell. I dump and rinse and wipe it out daily with a cloth and take it apart and wash it weekly (because of my number of cats). Mine like to use the box when I use the bathroom. I like it, actually, as it offers me the opportunity to closely monitor what is going on with everyone (urine output and consistency of stools!). We are such a close-knit little family! L - Original Message - From: Melissa Lind [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 3:14 PM Subject: RE: OT litter box issue Yes! Our litter box isn't in there, but we've got three kitties that are obsessed with drinking out of the tub, so if I go to the bathroom, I have many helpers, and I always have to turn on the tub for them. They love the fresh water, even if I've just filled their water bowls. I've had fountains in the past, but both have broken. Anyone know of really good fountains that look nice too? Melissa -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Belinda Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 3:30 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: OT litter box issue Guess I'm lucky, have only ever had 2 litter boxes one in each bathroom between the toilet and tub. Have always just put them there and the cats are fine with that. Funny thing though it never fails the minute I go in the bathroom I have a line of kitties that need to go too!! -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: OT litter box issue
I also use a Drinkwell. I've had it for a year now (with three cats) and never had a problem out of it. Personally, I'd highly recommend it. There's also a new Drinkwell Platinum on the market, not sure if there's any real difference or not. ** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
Re: OT litter box issue
Ihave the Drinkwells too,and I like them and the cats seem pleased. Hey, that's what it's all about... I fill the reserve canister w/ice sometimes for their drinking veiwing pleasure. However, that new bubblyone looks pretty cool, you can see on the Foster Smith website. It's like a big purple dome. Susan J. DuBose ^..^ www.PetGirlsPetsitting.com www.Tx.SiameseRescue.org www.shadowcats.net As Cleopatra lay in state, Faithful Bast at her side did wait, Purring welcomes of soft applause, Ever guarding with sharpened claws. Trajan Tennent - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 5:47 PM Subject: Re: OT litter box issue I also use a Drinkwell. I've had it for a year now (with three cats) and never had a problem out of it. Personally, I'd highly recommend it. There's also a new Drinkwell Platinum on the market, not sure if there's any real difference or not. -- See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.
Re: OT litter box issue
I just bought a platinum but haven't fired it up yet. It's larger and looks a bit more complicated. We've used the Drinkwell for 5 or more years...love it. - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 4:47 PM Subject: Re: OT litter box issue I also use a Drinkwell. I've had it for a year now (with three cats) and never had a problem out of it. Personally, I'd highly recommend it. There's also a new Drinkwell Platinum on the market, not sure if there's any real difference or not. -- See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.
