definately not related to the spay, as it began before the spay. Have never even heard of the paper towel idea before, so I'm definately game!
since our house is a small footprint bilevel, there is very limited "out of the way" space. the rooms we don't use often are closed off in order to prevent the bunnies from going in them. This bathroom is the best place, with the second best being the furnace room beyond that - not really better I know. We tried it once and it wasn't any better. Upstairs bathroom is too small for a litter box. In the past 2 days though I have found this cat's secret place (I never knew where it was before) - it is under a little round table that is tucked in the corner of my bedroom. Do you think I could put a box near this secret spot for her? Or is that too close to her "bed" area? I have just discovered that she naps under this little table. I'm really starting to think fear of the bathroom is the issue, because if I carry her in there she tenses up right away.
J
cat afraid of litter box?
Re: cat afraid of litter box?
No, don't put it in her sleeping area, she views that area as private, hidden, a safe haven for napping, or hiding.
Again, I'd be concerned about the location of the box in the bathroom because so much is going on in that room, multi-purpose, if you will, add to that the door being open/closed all the time, etc. (she wasn't inadvertently hit by a closing door at one time was she?)
What about putting the box directly behind the door in the bathroom, yet near the door so she feels she has a fast "escape". This would require the door to be ajar all the time, but she has to have a good association/experience to associate the bathroom with her litterbox and feel comfortable and safe. The upstairs bathroom: does it have enough space to accomodate a smaller box? If she is small herself or petite, and you only have to put a liner and paper towels in it, that should suffice. My litter-fraidy-cat is a petite cat and her box is fairly small, just large enough to accomodate her (it's the smallest box you see in pet stores).
Again, I'd be concerned about the location of the box in the bathroom because so much is going on in that room, multi-purpose, if you will, add to that the door being open/closed all the time, etc. (she wasn't inadvertently hit by a closing door at one time was she?)
What about putting the box directly behind the door in the bathroom, yet near the door so she feels she has a fast "escape". This would require the door to be ajar all the time, but she has to have a good association/experience to associate the bathroom with her litterbox and feel comfortable and safe. The upstairs bathroom: does it have enough space to accomodate a smaller box? If she is small herself or petite, and you only have to put a liner and paper towels in it, that should suffice. My litter-fraidy-cat is a petite cat and her box is fairly small, just large enough to accomodate her (it's the smallest box you see in pet stores).
..........Traci
Re: cat afraid of litter box?
actually the door to this bathroom is never closed because we don't use it as a bathroom.
I *might* be able to fit the smallest size box in the upstairs bathroom if I put it directly under and behind the toilet, but it would be right under the toilet plumbing too. It is a very small bathroom. One challenge to this is that the rabbits spend a lot more time upstairs than down and one is always upstairs, so I'm concerned about them playing and digging in this box. with paper towel they are very likely to chew on the towel too. Also the door to this bathroom does get opened and closed frequently since this is the bathroom we use.
In the downstairs bath there are 4 boxes, and 2 of those are behind the door. The other two are in front of the toilet, which we do not use for ourselves. All 4 boxes are in a row but not necessarily touching. Basically this room is only used as a cat bathroom and as a laundry and cleaning room. Our only other choices based on the layout of our house would be in our living room, in our bedroom (the only carpeted room) in our dining room, in our kitchen, or in the foyer. Maybe I could put one on the opposite side of the bedroom from her hiding spot? The living room is busy and has squaking birds living in it, so I don't think it is good at all.
J
I *might* be able to fit the smallest size box in the upstairs bathroom if I put it directly under and behind the toilet, but it would be right under the toilet plumbing too. It is a very small bathroom. One challenge to this is that the rabbits spend a lot more time upstairs than down and one is always upstairs, so I'm concerned about them playing and digging in this box. with paper towel they are very likely to chew on the towel too. Also the door to this bathroom does get opened and closed frequently since this is the bathroom we use.
In the downstairs bath there are 4 boxes, and 2 of those are behind the door. The other two are in front of the toilet, which we do not use for ourselves. All 4 boxes are in a row but not necessarily touching. Basically this room is only used as a cat bathroom and as a laundry and cleaning room. Our only other choices based on the layout of our house would be in our living room, in our bedroom (the only carpeted room) in our dining room, in our kitchen, or in the foyer. Maybe I could put one on the opposite side of the bedroom from her hiding spot? The living room is busy and has squaking birds living in it, so I don't think it is good at all.
J
Re: cat afraid of litter box?
Well, you generally don't want a litterbox near any sleeping places, cats view their sleeping areas as havens. I also wouldn't recommend the smaller bathroom UNLESS she is completely comfortable with it since you use it more often than the other.
I'd have to hazard a guess she is fearful of something in the other bathroom, whether that is sensitive to litter, put off by smells of laundry stuff or intimidated by another cat, or hates the sounds of the washer/dryer, I can only suggest further that you place one box in a more preferrable area to her, and only use paper towels at this point just to see if she'll use it. Watch her carefully when she checks out the paper towels or enters the box, what is her reaction, does she seem more likely to enter the box, is she comfortable, etc etc. Fon't necessarily fuss over her during litterbox duty, just stay in her sight and talk softly, encouraging her with your voice, etc.
I'd have to hazard a guess she is fearful of something in the other bathroom, whether that is sensitive to litter, put off by smells of laundry stuff or intimidated by another cat, or hates the sounds of the washer/dryer, I can only suggest further that you place one box in a more preferrable area to her, and only use paper towels at this point just to see if she'll use it. Watch her carefully when she checks out the paper towels or enters the box, what is her reaction, does she seem more likely to enter the box, is she comfortable, etc etc. Fon't necessarily fuss over her during litterbox duty, just stay in her sight and talk softly, encouraging her with your voice, etc.
..........Traci