The initial plan was to bring in the big cage to Bunny’s Place and push Indy’s cage out to Ginger’s Catio. But after bringing in the big cage, we were too tired to push out Indy’s cage!
Plan B was not supposed to happen until the new Stargate is installed, but the tired and sick (literally sick, that is) human in me cannot keep cleaning the two bedrooms upstairs several times a day anymore. It’s very tiring, especially if Jayden is here. I have osteoarthritis in both knees, so I cannot squat. Hence, I have to bend from my waist to clean up all the pee and poo from the floor and if you remember, I really suffered the consequences a few years ago until my back muscles were so stiff I couldn’t even bend at my neck to spit out gargle water. The pain was excruciating and it lasted for months before I found the solution through the correct exercise.
So no, there is just so much I can do. If I get the stiff back again, how am I going to look after Jayden and all the cats? One human baby and 18 cats is no joke. It IS a lot of work and I need to be in good physical condition to do this.
So we set up the big cage and brought Samantha and the Blondies down.
I know it seems mean. They have been enjoying the two bedrooms and running back and forth from one bedroom to the other, but they are not litter box trained and if they refuse to be litter box trained, Bunny’s Place seems a better place for them. There is sunshine, grass and soil. Cats will naturally go to the soil to pee and poo. As Mr Jackson Galaxy says, some cats might just prefer the grass and soil.
I have tried every tip and trick there are but nothing seemed to work. I even pick them up and put them into the litter box when I see them about to pee and poo, but they cannot do it, and even mewed in distress. They had to come out of the box and do it on the tile. I’ve used Cat’s Best litter which is totally soft, and still no. There are urine balls in them but there are still pee and poo on the tiled floor.
The funny thing is, Tabs, Riley and Little Hiro use the litter box. All three took to it instantly. Why? I will never know, but I think it’s because Riley and Hiro were living on the street before so they have been using the soil. Litter probably feels like sand and soil to them? As for Tabs, we don’t know how long she had been living on the street before she came to our house, wearing a collar. Until today, after 12 years, Tabs insists on using a litter box and never ever pees or poos in the soil or grass. Strange, right?
The Monsters, on the other hand, are so flexible. When they were quarantined in the two bedrooms upstairs upon their return last year, they dutifully used the litter boxes. But the moment we released them into Ginger’s Catio, it’s the soil and nothing else. The same litter boxes were untouched. Even if it rains, they would still use the soil and not the litter boxes.
Cow, Indy and Cleo absolutely do not want to use the litter box. Maybe because they grew up as CNRM-cats, hence, they are used to doing it on the grass and soil.
Anyway, my Plan B is to train them using the big cage. Confined in the big cage, they do not have anymore tiles to pee and poo on. They would HAVE to do it in the litter boxes.
Right?
We shall see.
I’m just putting these wee wee pads here because it has their smell in them. Once they are used, if they are used, I will remove them and only give them the litter boxes.
They had EIGHT litter boxes in two rooms previously, but they still did it on the floor, so now there are only two litter boxes. Let’s see what they will do.
I know they will need time to settle down. And this is NOT permanent. They are not going to live out the rest of their lives in a cage. Oh no, of course NOT!
This is very temporary and aimed at training them to us the litter boxes. I will be letting them out soon to familiairise with Bunny’s Place.
Putting them in the cage now also allows Cow, Indy and Cleo to get used to their smell.
Of course Rey still comes over, but I can always cage him in Indy’s cage when I let the Blondies out.
Riley was sad; she cannot play with the Blondies anymore. Believe me, that broke my heart too. So I put Riley in the cage with them for about two hours. Riley wasn’t happy and asked to be out.
We will take it one day at a time.
If only the new Stargate can be installed earlier, I can let them out earlier too. But once Samantha is out of the cage, there is no telling what she might do.
Now that they are downstairs, at least I also get to spend more time with them.
If they are litter box trained, the initial plan was to let them be free inside the house. But they have to be litter box trained first.
No Plan C.
Will play it by ear.