Cats & Litter Trays

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Sal the 1st — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:06:06 GMT

one of mine gets a bit confused sometimes. I have a plastic bin for clean litter and the soiled stuff is bagged and goes straight down the rubbish chute (live in a flat). When I get the big 30 litre bags of cat litter sometimes the whole amount will fit in the litter bin and sometimes not . The result is one of the little darlings - naming no names - but sounds like Morris will use the open bag, especially if it is more than half full as the 'ultimate deep litter experience' better still if the litter bin lid isnt down properly and is half full of clean litter.

We have cut back to two litter trays - one is covered and one isnt . The covered one they seem to have decided is the 'dry' tray and the uncovered one the 'wet' tray - funny things are cats

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:45:41 GMT

[quote user="Dippy"]

Jenny T - the best thing ever (which still tickles me to have been told and I tell everyone I know and make everyone at work do it!) is the water bowl being completely separate from the food bowl. I'm sure this has been discussed on here before (probably in one of your threads cos they're always great to read!) but how many people come back and say their cats drink tons and yet they'd never seen them drink before?! (myself included).

[/quote]

my girls refuse to drink out of bowls... so we have short tumblers all over the house that we fill with fresh water daily. hehe though the kittens think it's hilarious to pull them over!!!! so we have been putting them a little higher up and leaving them a bowl to drink from cheeky!!!

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:43:04 GMT

[quote user="Cat Woman"]

Both my cats come back inside to use the tray! Must feel safer I think. Also behaviourists say that there should be enough litter trays in the house for the cats to have one each, plus one extra. So, if you have 3 cats, you need 4 trays. Wonder if anyone actually does have that many litter trays!

[/quote]

Yes definitely! I have two cats, one being an entire queen. We have two boxes in the lounge, one by the door for marking which is covered but no door; one behind the chair out of view and foot path that's covered no door. Two in the kitchen both un covered right next to each other and in the nook deep under the stair case. One outside (soil mix) under the table in the courtyard where their play area is and our small green house with cat fencing and one un covered corner tray at the end of the hall in the less traveled area upstairs. We never have accidents. All are very happy and social. :) The new kittens have their own kittening pen in the lounge by the front door and front window. They have one small uncovered tray and one large corner tray with cover no door next to it. They also use the other trays in the house freely.

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Cat Woman — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:20:30 GMT

[quote user="Dippy"]although I've had a traumatic few months with my dwindling number of cats,[/quote]

[quote user="Dippy"]I'm gradually seeing what various bits of my floor and worktops look like again[/quote]

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Cat Woman — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:19:02 GMT

[quote user="frog and cat mad!"]not all behqaviourists hold with the n+1 rule for litter trays anymore (Sarah Heath def doesn't)[/quote]

If theres one thing that behaviourists agree on, its that they don't agree on anything!!

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Helen Freer — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:55:03 GMT

One of my cats always comes in to use the litter tray while the other 3 prefer to go outside.

I have even had a cat boarding that needed 2 sparate litter trays one of urine and one for faeces.

Also had a cat boarding for 2 months once and 2 days after she went home we received a phone call as she had not been out or used the litter tray even though she had been in it but walked out again, i suggested change the substrate to what we had used and take tthe cat to the vets. She picked up some litter from us went home put it in the litter tray and the cat went in and used it straight away!

But why do cats always seem to prefer to drink out of puddles? One of mine always puts his paw in the water pot(dogs bowl) and then licks his paw! any idea why?

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Steph Worsley — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 09:19:44 GMT

Cat Woman, not all behqaviourists hold with the n+1 rule for litter trays anymore (Sarah Heath def doesn't) it is positioning and cleaning of the trays that matters most ie dont have them all in a line etc. I have 3 cats and at the mo only have 2 trays, my boy has had issues in the past with innappropriate urinating due to stress but he is absolutely fine with this set up.

Back the the original post...... My mum's eldest cat does something similar, she will use the tray and outside, however their youngest one will hold on till he can go out.

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Dippy — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 07:10:32 GMT

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Dippy — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 07:08:10 GMT

Catwoman - although I've had a traumatic few months with my dwindling number of cats, yes, some people do have that many litter trays (I had 4 cats so 5 trays plus as many bowls all over the place!) and I'm gradually seeing what various bits of my floor and worktops look like again (only 2 cats left)!

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Saskia Quinn — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:52:11 GMT

Thanks Jenny! I am sure it has been said a million times before, but I am going to say it again...its great to have you here!!

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Jenny T — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:50:28 GMT

Don't feel too bad, cats (and dogs) are generally very tolerant of us humans and our strange ideas!!

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Saskia Quinn — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:43:38 GMT

Yes, Jenny! I went to a cpd talk recently on DAP & Feliway.

I went home that night and got rid of my double diners and bought all new cat ceramic bowls. It was a fantastic talk and I really enjoyed the cat part of it but I ended up feeling quite guilty afterwards beause I felt ignorant to the need of cats and needing seperate feeding bowls and privacy etc etc. Needless to say, this has now all changed, and hopefully for the better!!

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Jenny T — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:38:04 GMT

The joy of cats and their wonderful and varied personalities.

On the eating thing- cats do tend to prefer to eat alone rather than with other cats. If you watch 2 cats eating from the same bowl, they will often take turns, or 1 wait until the other has finished, rather than eating at the same time. Separating feeding areas is a technique cat behaviorists use to help deal with cat to cat conflicts in a home as it reduces stress.

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Saskia Quinn — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:26:09 GMT

Thank you Cat Woman & JennyT

I was wondering if there was a dominanc thing in cats lol!!

I guess Maisy is just the more assertive of the 3 then lol!! She wont eat when the other 2 are about so I have to feed her seperate. I leave a little sneaky bowl of food along with water and a litter tray in the bathroom every day - she always seems to be the first in to eat it lol!! I am guessing the other 2 wont come near her as she wont let them!

Thanks for the advice guys!

By the way JennyT, I would describe Maisy as a very 'independant' cat. She comes and goes as she pleases but wont tolerate the other 2 inside. Howeer, when they are outside, they will happily chase and play with each other in the garden, is that normal? Is it the fact that she is outisde in the open result in her being more 'tolerant' so to speak?

If I was to describe her as a human, I would say she has a lovely personality but very private and independant. She also seems to befriend me more as she does my husband. Maybe its just a girl thing!

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Jenny T — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:59:05 GMT

Cats and dogs can develop a substrate preference to toilet. It is quite normal for some cats to go outside but still use an indoor tray so don't worry.

And no, you don't have dominance in cats as they developed as a solitary rather than social animal. You do however get demanding, confident, assertive etc cats

Re: Cats & Litter Trays

Cat Woman — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:36:36 GMT