Re: He used the litterbox!

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 22:39:35 -0700, Marek Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:

>I have been adopting Old George, a longtime stray in the neighborhood.
>When I first met him he wouldn't let anyone near him, was almost
>feral. He has spent all his life living on handouts. I'm guessing he's
>about ten years old.
>
>He was a wreck at first. Clumps of matted hair on his back so thick it
>had to be cut off. Runny eyes, body just skin and bones. Well, hair
>also. Come to think of it, way more hair than cat. It has taken me
>about three months, but he now loves to be petted, likes to come
>inside, and really appreciates having a home. 
>
>But having lived all his life outdoors as a stray, it does not occur
>to him that he can't just go wherever he happens to be when nature
>calls. He spends most of his time outdoors (he's learned about his
>kitty door), so the accidents in the house are not constant. Still,
>I've had to clean up an average of once a day. Unfortunately, I've
>never been able to catch him in the act, which makes disciplining him
>pretty hard.
>
>I got some Cat Attract litter about ten days ago. He has ignored it,
>just as he has ignored all the previous litterboxes. But I formed a
>new plan that may be starting to work. My computer room is in the
>front of the house, and the kitchen is in the back. There is a natural
>walkway through the living room and dining room between the two. This
>walkway (mostly the living room part)  is the area he always poops and
>pees in, never anyplace else in the house. So I made up four
>litterboxes out of lids from cartons that paper came in (11 by 17 inch
>lids). I filled each with Cat Attract and used them to block the
>doorway from the dining room into the living room. He either has to
>leap over them or walk through them to get into the living room. For
>the past several days I have been watching him leap over them. But
>tonight there was a big wet clump in one of the boxes. He actually
>peed in one of them!
>
>Well, I praised him and petted him and all that stuff, but I'm sure he
>has no idea what all the fuss was about -- it was too long since he
>did it. He's pretty smart about things like figuring out where his
>dinner is, but I don't think his furry little brain can stretch to
>abstract thoughts about elimination.
>
>I can't believe I'm actually excited about cat pee. 

I can understand all too well.  When I took in my strays I felt the
same way every time they learned something new that I was trying to
teach them.  Congrats and thanks for taking in and looking after
George.

God bless

http://www.ameritech.net/users/lestark/my-babies.htm