Two questions as I finished getting Ducky and Derby all settled.
1 - Can I just up and move the litter box that has been in my bathroom for the past month to the basement?
2 - Derby seems to be a bit of a glutton on the food, if there is a food bowl he wants to eat from it. I want to be sure Ducky gets his fair share and Derby doesn't overeat. I now have two bowls near each other where I put out crunchies twice a day, I don't care what bowl they eat from but I only put out so much food at a time, about 3/4 of a cup AM and PM which should be enough for both of them.
Overall, they are doing great. They have been together since last Friday around 5 PM when I got home. They chase each other and it does switch from who is chasing who, then other times they ignore each other, sit next to each other or just nap, apart, like they are doing now. No injuries to anyone including me. I also did manage to clip Ducky's hind claws yesterday with no issues.
Otherwise, my day's off are flying by, weather is excellent. Did some outside yard work, picking up dead branches, a bit of raking. Plus all of my home improvements are done, they installed the water softener system this AM.Thanks for the feedback.
Wow it is great that things are going well. We had the separate litter box upstairs for a while even after the cats were all together - but we did have a younger kitten, so I was concerned about accidents. I did get rid of the one in the living room once they discovered the actual litter box. If you are confident that Ducky can hold it til he gets to the main box area you should be fine, just as long as he has already used it on his own. The problem I am having, which will hopefully not happen to you, is that the last time I moved a box from the bedroom back to the regular litter area, they still remembered the box (I should add that the big cats would use the kitten box sometimes) - and they still occasionally pee there even though the box is gone. Now, we have carpet, so that is probably part of the problem - no matter how many times you steam clean they have much better noses and can find the area.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the food we have always had them grazing, and they tend to not over eat so it is tough to say what will happen for you on that one. It really depends on how much Derby wants to eat.
I've moved litter boxes around (have 4 for the 3 cats) without problem, but I think it depends on the cat. If you have room for another, I'd suggest it, as not every cat likes to use the same box as another. Mine use all of them, but again, it depends on the cats involved. The general rule of thumb is a litter box for each cat you have, plus an extra. Not always doable, though!
ReplyDeleteYou can move the litter box and show them where it is, so they know where to look.
My Derry is a glutton and I've had to stop free feeding dry. If you find Ducky's not getting enough, you can always feed them in different rooms, though that can be a bother. Or, if you are able, split the amount of food they get into 3 or 4 meals (those timed feeders could be useful).
Glad they are doing well!
When my mom has gone through the occasional dance of the cat boxes, she just shows us where it is. If you put the one in your bath downstairs and then close the door, eventually you can just use the one box and leave the bath door open again. I think it will be fine.
ReplyDeleteDon't know about the food situation. Russell eats everything in sight and yet I am the one who's gained a pound!
Just show them where you put it ... it works for me when I switch things around.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that they are getting along ^,,^
As long as Ducky knows where it is you should be fine. You might want to think about keeping a couple litter boxes in different locations. I used to just have two downstairs. Then Scout started to ambush Scooby whenever he would go to the box so Scooby started pooping in a dark corner in the far end of the basement. I have a box there now too. I took it away last summer but the pooping has started in the corner again so I put it back.
ReplyDeleteSorry I can't help with the food problem. I have food issues galore here! SSS's mom
Question 1: When we first brought Artemisia home her litterbox was in the masterbathroom (which due to lack of space was a pain, in had to be moved whenever I needed to use the bathroom myself). So as soon as she was getting along with the other cats we put it in the garage. I showed her where it was and we didn't have any problems.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: I do the same thing with their food as you do. Funnily enough you would think that Scylla who weighs #14 eats the most, but Artemisia who weighs a measly #3 does.
Glad everyone is getting along so well. ~AFSS
Glad to hear they are doing well together; my girls fight one minute and groom each other the next...1 I think you should bring each kitty to the litter box in the basement and put them IN the box and they will be fine from there; in my experience, they really just need to be shown once and they know...You always hear 1 litter box per cat, but you might be able to get away with 1 litter box for your boys, maybe clean it twice a day=Calle/Halle used 1 litter box until Sukki came, now I have 2 and it works out fine/I have 2 in the garage for Mommy/Daddy Cat=1 large one, 1 covered one, but they usually use the same one 2. I free feed, but when I give treats, I have to separate their treats so they don't steal fromeach other!...Good luck!...Your boys are so adorable!
ReplyDeleteWe're happy Ducky and Derby are getting along well! You should be able to move the second box to the basement. Just show Ducky where it is. See how it goes. We hope it goes well!!
ReplyDeleteWe are glad to see them getting along so well together. Moving the litterbox shouldn't be a problem. Ours used to be in the bathroom but mum moved it to the porch because it was more convenient and we just carried on using it. We have crunchies down through the day and we just go and eat a few when we feel like them.
ReplyDeleteWith Georgia moving her litter box an inch literally led to her not using it (only in her old age though!). With the other two, we just removed one and left the other and they did fine. It does depend upon the cat really!
ReplyDeleteI used to worry that Chey would over eat compared to the other cats so when I fed them I would get a out a toy and play with her while the others ate. Unfortunately now she thinks she isn't supposed to eat so won't until Gemini now (but before BOTH) were done. And she misses getting to play! :)
We're really glad that Ducky and Derby are getting along. I can't add much more than what everyone else has said, but I think that only putting food out at meal times is a good idea! Maybe try feeding Derby first, then Ducky next.
ReplyDeleteAs for litterboxes, we have two here, and it works for us. It really depends on the cat!
1. It worked fine here when Mom moved Kirby's box to the basement. We actually have 3 boxes for 2 cats down there.
ReplyDelete2. Kirby wants to eat all of the food. We get fed twice a day, but if I tell Mommy or Daddy I am hungry I get more food because I am a little girl and they don't want me to starve. Kirby is a piggy and yells for food anytime a bean gets near the kitchen, so he gets ignored or they get out the feather toy to distract him.
Tiki
Our mewmie is a vet tech at an all cat hospital and they work with a behaviorist group and they recommend having 1 more box than cats (so 3 for you); having them all have open tops, that is no lids. You can have them all in one room, but best to have them in separate areas to avoid any dominance or staring contests while in the box, or in small rooms that only have 1 door in case the cat feels trapped. We have one in each bedroom, one on each stair landing (which gives a cat 2 escape routes). Oh, and to use unscented litter, too. We are currently using Cats Pride Natural (the one with the green cap--not the pink or blue cap!)
ReplyDeleteWe have 2 boxes like this (actually plastic cement mixing tubs you can get at places like home depot
http://media.mydoitbest.com/imagerequest.aspx?sku=263011&size=2&warehouse=C&newsize=600
and 3 like this
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2755434&utm_source=googleproduct&utm_campaign=2755434&utm_medium=cse&mr:trackingCode=C3D02C64-C881-DE11-B712-001422107090&mr:referralID=NA
http://media.mydoitbest.com/imagerequest.aspx?sku=263011&size=2&warehouse=C&newsize=600
Glad to hear the boys are getting along well.
ReplyDeleteIf Ducky is used to a litterbox in your bathroom, you could trying moving it closer to the basement door, a little at a time, then down the stairs. You don't want him to not know where to "go" when he needs the box! You should keep 2 boxes anyway since the rule of thumb is 1 per cat, plus 1.
If you leave dry kibbles out every day, get a self feeder. That way Derby won't feel he has to eat everything in sight just because you put it out. If he has some all day, he'll know he can eat whenever he wants to.
Crew's Mom