Cat Owners: Where do you put litter box?

Algernon · November 17th, 2005, 07:56 PM

I have the opportunity to take a GORGEOUS all-black cat from my aunt's house. It's been over a year since my last kitty was killed on the road. I am so tempted to take the kitty, but I never really had a good place for a litter box and food, and don't know if I want to deal with it all again.

Even with daily cleaning I could always smell our litter box. We don't have any 'extra' rooms in which to put it. The only thing I can think of is to cut a pet door into the door that leads into the garage.

Advice?

pacific breeze · November 17th, 2005, 07:59 PM

Buy corn litter. It's more expensive but it lasts a lot longer. It clumps easily, and masks odors quite well. I have two cats and it works better than I would have thought. I keep the litter box in the second bathroom, since it's just a half-bath with toilet and sink. Or, you could make a cat door. That might be better for kitty, too.

Lobelia · November 17th, 2005, 08:14 PM

That's a really good idea, to have it in the garage. I would do it myself, but the garage doors are always open for one reason or another & my cat is an indoor cat only.

Wait, let me amend that. My catS. Plural. As of today, I have officially adopted the stray that I've mentioned in chat. Took him to the vet & got him fixed up. Thought he was a girl, but WRONG. Thought he was under a year old but WRONG, he's 2 or 3. One little bonus, he's already neutered. He's orange & white, which contradicts what I've heard about cats with white patches always being girls....wait, maybe it's just calicos. Trying to think of a name.

I have a Littermaid automatic litterbox. No scooping. It's great. You don't smell anything unless the receptable gets too full, which prevents it from closing completely. I don't know how my first cat is going to react to another cat using his litterbox.

SVZ · November 17th, 2005, 08:20 PM

you can use all natural kitty litter as a face mask too

it's just fullers earth

Algernon · November 17th, 2005, 08:25 PM

Hmmm, I'll have to look into this corn litter thing. And Lobelia, yeah, the open garage door worries me. We don't park in there, but I always seem to be opening it for some reason or another. I'd have to figure out how to keep kitty inside.

I just really want this cat...but I'm so damned practical and can't stop thinking about the stupid litter box.

AliceInWonderland · November 17th, 2005, 08:28 PM

far outta site in one of the closets!

pacific breeze · November 17th, 2005, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Algernon

Hmmm, I'll have to look into this corn litter thing. And Lobelia, yeah, the open garage door worries me. We don't park in there, but I always seem to be opening it for some reason or another. I'd have to figure out how to keep kitty inside.

I just really want this cat...but I'm so damned practical and can't stop thinking about the stupid litter box.

I would get the cat. You'll forget about the problems soon enough.

I recently took in a stray and was so hesitant about it even though we'd been feeding him since June. But he's so much a part of the household now, it seems like we've always had him.

And he keeps our other cat company. Plus they play together and don't pester us so much.

Algernon · November 17th, 2005, 08:43 PM

^^Yeah, PB, I'm leaning that way. You gotta hear the whole story...I think it's cool.

We have been holding off on a cat because we want an ALL-BLACK cat (it sure has been a great excuse not to get one sooner, too!)

The cat showed up at my Aunt's on HALLOWEEN (I think it's cool a stray black cat would show up then).

She kept calling me to come see it and I put it off, because I figured I'd fall in love with the damn thing.

I visited my parents (who live next to my Aunt) this week, and she called over when she saw my van. "Come see Spooky (what she calls the cat)!" I put her off again. A couple hours later I am leaving (I had my 7 year old with me) and guess who's at the front door? Spooky. He is purring like a madman, twining around my legs, cuddling with my son...my heart melted. I spent some time with him and saw that he is absolutely beautiful. He looks to be about a year old. He is clean and friendly, he had to have belonged to someone, but they live in the country and there's really no way to tell where he came from.

Spooky followed me to the van and tried to get in. It was hard to leave him.

Here's the kicker...I dreamed about the damn thing. The dream was so real, and he was telling me he wanted to live here.

I think it's fate. Screw it! I'll figure out the litter box!!!!!

miss_perfect · November 17th, 2005, 08:57 PM

We have a patio we keep all the cat stuff on. That way it gets plenty of fresh air if needed, plus it's not really a place we use that often so it's not conspicuous.

pacific breeze · November 17th, 2005, 09:01 PM

Yay!

Some things are meant to be and going against them brings bad luck, I think.

We wanted another young Siamese cat, instead we got a 7-8-year-old neutered male who is homely as hell and tends to fat, but is he ever grateful and loving.
And since this black kitty just walked into your life, it's an omen that you can't ignore.

Tenaj · November 18th, 2005, 03:57 AM

My Mum has a cat that I grew up with from the age of five. We've never had a litter box, my Mum didn't like the idea of having it in the house because of the smell. Maja (the cat) goes outside to powder her nose. She has a cat flap to go into the garden and is very happy that way.

She's only ever had a litter box when she's ill, she had a problem with her gnashers a few years back and she couldn't leave the house after the op. She does remember the box though, she's a quick learner, I remember being about eight and continuing to work on a jigsaw, only to look in the box and find a lovely fragranced poop amongst the pieces!

I'd say if it's safe for your new cat to go outside, train them that way, it's a lot easier.

olivia720 · November 18th, 2005, 04:16 AM

at the end of the hallway, between two bathrooms.

Glasgow53 · November 18th, 2005, 08:57 AM

We keep ours in the basement. You just have to remember to clean it because you can't see it so easily down there. Sounds like this was meant to be your cat, though. All the signs are there. Congratulations on your new buddy.

moocow · November 18th, 2005, 09:06 AM

Currently, mine's in the utility room, which works out fine. However, when we move, I'm at a loss as to where I'll put it. I'll have to take a look at the new place and figure it out. The utility room opens up from the patio outside. Putting a cat door between the bedroom and utility room - even if it worked logistically, my cats like to play all night, so having them go in and out of my room would be a royal pain.

sweetrebel · November 18th, 2005, 09:33 AM

This is really weird cause I was just trying to talk hubby into getting a cat. He had one while married the first time, and she kept the cat...she called about 7 months after the divorce for him to come get the cat...the new boyfriend was afraid of him. He was a LARGE cat, and until you gained his trust, a mean fucker, too! His name was Buster, and I did get pretty attached to him...he would sleep on my pillow...
We moved into an apartment with a no pet clause and let his mom keep Buster-he was an inside cat...never went outside...she "felt sorry for him" and started letting him go out...long story short-Buster got ran over...
My hubby was really upset, and I think his macho-ness will not let him admit that is why he doesn't want another cat. He says it is because of the litter box issue....says they stink no matter what you do...I really want one, though...thinking about getting on and swearing it just "appeared"...