Foster & Former Feral Friday: Panther & the Box

Panther writes:

Hi, everyone!  Remember when I wrote that I was having trouble figuring out why I was supposed to do my business in that box thing?  Well, I figured it out yesterday!!!!!  I've been in for almost 24 hours now, and I was a good boy using the box for both pee and poop!  I even demonstrated it for Mommy when she came home, although I already had demonstrated it for Daddy earlier in the day.  Both of them are so proud of me, and my foster aunties and uncles are so proud of me, too.  They even followed me into the potty room to make sure that I was using it properly.

Thanks, everyone for your comments and suggestions, but I ended up figuring it out all by myself!

Rori writes:

Wow!  It's my Gotcha Day anniversary already?  Mommy and Daddy can't believe that it's been 6 years since the day that Mommy Erin came running inside yelling about baby kittens crossing the road!  You can see me in the picture with Panther above, but the picture below is the first one of me, when I was 4 weeks old, with Mommy Erin.  She was my first mommy, then Mommy and Daddy adopted me when Mommy Erin wasn't able to keep me after she moved out.  She still loves me, though, and finds me to say hi every time she can.

I had hidden in an old tire in the neighbor's yard.  Mommy Erin and Mommy went into the yard and picked me out of the tire, then brought me into the house to have Daddy watch me while they went to get my brother.  Here's a picture of us after we'd been cleaned up and fluffed up:

Foster & Feral Friday: Box? What's a box?

Panther writes:

Oopsie!!!  I did a big no-no!  There was a very scary thunderstorm on Wednesday night that lasted into early Thursday morning, and I did not like being soaking wet!  I meowed and meowed at the back door until the people let me in.  But then, I didn't want to go out again!  The man went to work, then the lady said she had to go someplace, too.  She tried to get me to go outside again, but I didn't budge.  She pushed me gently with her foot, but I put all my weight on my feet and stuck to the floor.  It's amazing how we cats can do that, even though sometimes we seem to not weigh anything at all!  I was very clear that I did not want to be that wet again!  She let me stay inside while she was gone.

Now, I've seen something called "the box", and I've smelled it.  I've even seen the other cats use it for their pee and poop.  The lady has put me in it and moved my feet to scratch in it, even though I protest that with all my lung power and splay all four legs out.  I just don't get what all the fuss is over this box thing!  What does it do?  I saw the lady take the pee and poop clumps out of it, but it just doesn't make sense to me.

I did what I do outside when I needed to pee.  I picked a spot that was out of everyone's way, under the dining-room table.  I squatted and peed, because I know I'm not supposed to spray inside the house.  That much I'd figured out already.  I don't understand why the other cats were so disappointed that I used that spot!  They even went directly to the lady when she came back and told her in no uncertain terms that something went wrong and they were disappointed.  They all wanted to be sure she knew that none of them did what I did.  Why was it wrong?

The lady sprayed some cleaning spray where I'd gone, then picked me up and "flew" me into the bathroom.  She put me in that box-thing and moved my feet again.  Auntie Dare sniffed my butt to let me know that whatever comes out of me there goes in the box.  I still don't get it!  I think I'll be going outside from now on whenever the people need to leave the house.

At least until I figure this box thing out.

Gotta Go!

Panther writes:

I don't care that Auntie Little Bit is trying to get my tail!  I gotta go!  I found the hallway with Mommy yesterday, so where WAS that?  Oh, right.

*walks down the hallway, a little unsure of himself, glancing back at Mommy*

Yes, this is the way.  There!  That doorway!

*goes into the bathroom*

Yes, this is the place that the little silver kitty was using.  Auntie Dare, this is where it is, right?

Dare:  Yes, that is the potty box.  *sniffs Panther's tail*  Wait, what are you doing?

Panther:  Using the potty area.  Why are you looking so horrified?  Mommy, am I doing the right thing?

*walks out again*

Mommy:  You did fine, Panther.  Most kitties use the box instead of the floor, but we'll show you that when you come in next time.  You found the right room, though, and that's good.

(Panther got some pets after he used the floor in the bathroom, because he at least went close by the correct place.  He stayed inside for a few more minutes, then went outside again to hunt.  This was his first time needing to "go" while visiting us inside, so we're proud of him.)

Rori writes:

We got a new couch!  Pictures to come.  Some of it's in the blue room, waiting, because there is a davenport and a loveseat.  The davenport is a hide-a-bed, so it's in the blue room.  The loveseat is in the living room, and Missy has adopted the footstool as her own.

The bed in the green room got tipped up by Daddy, who cleaned up underneath it.  Yay!  The mattress still needs to be disposed of, because of getting peed on before Starla was put on her good medicine that's helping her, but at least it smells better in that room now.  I hid under Daddy's dresser while he was working on the room.

Uh-oh! Freya almost lost her spring toy!

Freya writes:

Mommy and I were playing with my favorite green spring, which I use as a fetch toy, when I realized I had to go pee.  I took my spring with me, because I didn't want to have it stolen in the meantime.  Mommy told me, "Don't you DARE put that spring in the box!"  I set it down there anyway.

Then, I went pee next to it.  "Gross, icky!" said Mommy. When I scratched to cover up my pee, I was very careful to not cover up the spring, because she told me if I covered my toy that it was going away and never coming back. I jumped out, then Little Bit came in the room. Bit took one look at the box, turned to Mommy with a "WTF is THAT doing in THERE???" look, and walked out of the room again!

Mommy said she will sanitize my spring and let me play with it again.  Thank you sooo much, Mommy!  I love you, and I love my spring!  Mommy says that it's lucky my spring's plastic, so it's easy to sanitize.

Starla Update

Starla writes:

Mommy and I are dealing better with my litter box accidents. She has found a product that works even better than Nature's Miracle, and has reviewed it on her other bloggie. She sprays it on after I pee on the floor, or sprays it after she takes up the washable pee pad, and it takes out all the odor!

For the past day and a half, most of my pee has gone in the box. I only used the pad once. It's right beside the box, so that I can use it if I don't want to use the box. The pee pads we use are washable, and located in the doggie section of the pet store, but they're great for me because it's easy for Mommy to clean up and reuse, plus there is a waterproof vinyl layer so the urine doesn't go through.

I have heard rumors of a vet visit for me, but it sounds like it will be at least a couple more weeks until that happens.

Cousteau's newest accomplishment!

Cousteau writes:

Foster Mommy, Foster Daddy, my mama, and the other cats in the household are all so proud of me! Even though I wasn't feeling well yesterday, and was extra-cuddly, I went potty in the litter around the big litter box all by myself! It even was diarrhea, and I made it in there three separate times to go potty, scratching first and then trying to cover it up! I meowed while I was going potty, like I was saying, "Look what I can do!" Then I ran out to my mama, who was watching, and she licked me.

I'm feeling better now, after snuggling with Foster Mommy for a few hours. Foster Daddy brought me in the bedroom with her, so I snuggled on her chest and then by her head. At one point, I crawled down by her neck, so she had Foster Daddy take this cute picture of us together. :)

Oh, and Foster Mommy has a pink sleep mask for the PhotoHunt.

Poops around the house

Little Bit's babies are getting bigger and bigger. They're now 5 weeks old, and all eating dry food and drinking water from the bowls. Little Bit's still letting them nurse, but not for as long each time.

Since they're eating dry food now, we're starting to find poops. They're being good about it, picking spots that aren't really noticeable: under the couch, behind the kitchen garbage can, under the desk. They're also scratching afterward, so if we are nearby we can know when they've gone potty and pick it up right away.

Now, about a week more and they'll begin to use the litter box. I've already set out the following system for them, which is litter in a toddler plate. The scoop is from a hamster potty set! It's just the right size, though. I made sure the litter is ok for them if they eat it, which they've been doing. I've also put each of them in the big box and let them sniff the other cats' poop so they know what the box is for.

White Wednesday

Starla writes:

I've got my very own litterbox now! A couple days ago, Daddy woke up from a nap and smelled something awful under the couch. I was sitting in my own pee, with Carbon a paw away. Daddy chased Carbon away and told him he was naughty, then cleaned up the mess and cleaned me up.

When Mommy got home that night, there were poop nuggets under the couch. Obviously, they'd trapped me under there again, so I couldn't run to the bathroom. She got a box lid from one of the delivery boxes, filled it with litter, and put it under the end of the couch.

Now, whenever I need to go potty, I just jump under the couch and use my own personal box. It's so handy, the others can't use it (I guard it from Tabby, and I swatted her after she tried to get to it), and I don't have to "run the gauntlet" with a full bladder. I've actually been more social since my box appeared. I hopped up on Daddy's lap yesterday and kneaded for a while, being petted. When Mommy took her nap, I ran in and napped under the dresser (a spot I could defend if needed) the whole time so I could be near her.