August 20th 2012 7:57 pm
[ Leave A Comment | 3 people already have ]

Friends, you may recall that after a final unacceptable episode of my peeing on the furniture, my humans decided to confine me to a dog crate when they could not personally supervise me. I get out for an hour or so in the morning until the humans go to work, and then Dad lets me out when he gets home from work around 6 or 7, and I'm free (though confined to the kitchen and family room) until the human bedtime around midnight.

Finally, I got what I always wanted. My very own litter box, shared with no other cat. Mom always knows when I need it. I sit outside the cage and meow until she lets me in. And when I'm done, I meow to get back out.

See, all they needed to do all those years was lock up all the other cats. If they had, they'd still have their rugs and stuff.

Anyway, this isn't so bad. I can sleep in the little cubby at the bottom of the cat perch without Vicki bothering me. I get my own food dish and water dish, and I don't have to wolf my treats down because I know they'll still be there later if I want to save them.

I recommend this to other humans who have "litter-box problem" kitties.

Purred by: Orange Ruffy (Catster Member)

August 21st 2012 at 5:35 am

Wow...I don't think i'd like being crated....nor would anyone else here. We have a variety of 'stuff' that is behavioral stuff..but our mom knows that if one of us isn't using the box, they are either sick or the box isn't clean enough.

Situations aren't perfect, and we're glad you get some down time. When there are fosters, they are caged when Mom and Dad aren't home as there are no seperate rooms.

As for rugs, etc...mommy used to work with a very sweet and wealhty woman who was the patron saint of dogs who had health issues that meant they sometimes pee peed without control. Her apartment was covered with towels and one time she said to mom

'I know other people don't understand-but I don't care. To me...living creatures triumph over material stuff like rugs and furniture anytime. The rugs and furniture can be replaced: who cares? But a little soul can't. And thts the reward.

love and light to you and yours,
Ruffy

Purred by: Samhain (Catster Member)

August 22nd 2012 at 5:45 am

Severian, it sounds as if your folks have worked hard on this problem with you. It's possible that in time the habit will be firmly established that you use the litter box in the crate and ONLY in the crate, and that no other fur uses that one. And then maybe you'll be able to get greater freedom again. Purrs for you, buddy.

Purred by: Severian (Catster Member)

August 22nd 2012 at 9:25 pm

Ruffy and Samhain, thanks for caring about me! My peeps did spend a lot of time and money on this problem. My mom, in particular, had a lot of anxiety, since it always seems to be the mom's fault. But this experiment has actually been very instructive to us. I need my own litter box. Dunno why, but I do.

I'd be happy to use only the litter box in the crate, but to make that possible, Mom would have to leave the crate door open. And if she does that, Vicki makes a beeline for the litter box. And then it's not MINE!!