So how do you get kittens, here in their new home

iowagirl · October 2009

less than 48 hours, to use the litter box consistently without actually moving it into the living room?

We are lucky to live in a whole brownstone, but it means four floors of vertical living with the litter box in the bathroom on the fourth floor. They're about four months old, so they're physically able to get up there. When I can coax or carry them up, they use it. They get up there themselves too. They just don't always make it in time, although they can hold their urine until they get there. This morning it was in my bed. The first afternoon on the back doormat. I can't tell if it's stress, or immaturity, or what.

We kitten-sat for my niece in December and her kitten, the same age as these guys, had it figured out in a day.

There's no room in any of the other bathrooms. Now what? I'd prefer not to have a litter box anywhere but a bathroom, but certainly I will if necessary.

Help!

brokechick · October 2009

i think you will probably have to set up more than one litter box, as much as you don't want to, at least for a little while. if they were litter trained before they came to live with you (it's hard to imagine that they wouldn't have been, at four months old), they may just need some time to sort out their new home. but if they get comfortable using some spot other than the fourth-floor litter box, it could be tough to break the habit. a box on each floor will at least get them used to always going to a box, and then you can gradually take the extras away.

iowagirl · October 2009

I've begun to come to terns with that. Thanks.

Any cheaper places around here than Acme on Vanderbilt? I'm in Prospect Heights.

Thanks!

domino · October 2009

Ditto to brokechick. Set up a box on every floor for now. Eventually cut down the number - I would still say you need two for multiple cats.

MOD · October 2009

Target has litter boxes online (probably in store too, but not sure), seems inexpensive and you cna just get them shipped to you..... with perhaps and new pair of heels, jeans, sheets, serving bowls... etc...

Not that I've ever fallen victim to that 8-[

iowagirl · October 2009

I think admitting I had the problem was the first step to the solution. Surrendering myself to the kittehs was next. Asking for help was the last step.

Thanks, all!

bohuma · October 2009

A litterbox on every floor is essential. You can buy them from a variety of places on line. Litter is available from Target or almost anywhere. Unless you're fussy, you can get the open top boxes for a couple of bucks. You also need to get an enzyme based cleaner to get rid of the smell of any pee or poop that they've already left around or they'll keep peeing and pooping in the same spots. If you haven't already done so, get them castrated/spayed. Kittens can be neutered at least as early as 12 weeks, so don't take no from the vet. My male cat was castrated at 11 weeks and my female was spayed (very late) at 20 weeks - that was in Australia however, in a state that required animals to be neutered before leaving the shelter.

iowagirl · October 2009

They're getting spayed on Friday.

Thanks!

em26 · October 2009

put the litter box like ouitsude on the porch so they can go out and get some air.maybe? I don't know.

dakotas way · October 2009

Don't put kittens outside for any reason. They have no idea about cars or other feral cats, etc. They're just babies and will get lost or hurt. A litter box on each floor for now is the way to go as everyone else suggested.

em26 · October 2009

No not in ny. Yeah thats a bad idea.

iowagirl · October 2009

They're way too small to go outside under any circumstances, and I don't want to lose them. Frankly, I'm hoping they'll never go outside without their carrier.

bohuma · October 2009

iowagirl wrote: They're way too small to go outside under any circumstances, and I don't want to lose them. Frankly, I'm hoping they'll never go outside without their carrier.

My cats are eight years old and they've always been indoor cats, never going out except in a carrier. They are very happy and healthy cats.

iowagirl · October 2009

That's my plan.

crimer · October 2009

bohuma wrote: [quote=iowagirl]They're way too small to go outside under any circumstances, and I don't want to lose them. Frankly, I'm hoping they'll never go outside without their carrier.

My cats are eight years old and they've always been indoor cats, never going out except in a carrier. They are very happy and healthy cats.

My cats were completely content indoor cats....but 2 years ago I moved to a place with a fenced-in yard and now that they've discovered there is a world out there with bugs, birds, leaves and strange noises......well, it's hard to go back to the farm once you've see Par-ee

(sent from my laptop in the yard so I can chaperone my kitties around the birds)

iowagirl · October 2009

If we didn't have cats visiting our back yard regularly, and if we had fences without escape possibilitiies, I would let them out, but I fear for them outside.

sheila · October 2009

iowagirl wrote: If we didn't have cats visiting our back yard regularly, and if we had fences without escape possibilitiies, I would let them out, but I fear for them outside.

I have a whole visiting contingent of kitties.....there's Floofy, Charlie, Big Red ....I have no idea what their real names are, but that's what I call them.

Stella is too curious for her own good and made it over the fence 3 times in a blink of an eye. I put up some chicken wire in the spots that were low enough for her to jump over, but I still have to watch her.

No matter how many times I tell her that life simply does NOT get better than what she's got going on here (she's spoiled rotten), she still has to go see for herself. It is not fun at all trying to hop a fence with a bum ankle onto my neighbor's abandoned house/rotting porch......but I love the little stink ass and went to retrieve her.

So how do you get kittens, here in their new home

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